Extreme social stances are a losing strategy
Tue, 06/16/2009 - 9:52am | 
texas
By Aren Cambre:
Extreme social stances are a losing strategy for two reasons.
1: They are paradoxically liberal. If we fully legislated my state platform's social stances, we would make the government the moral compass, usurping the proper role of the church and individual wisdom.
2: They turn away mainstream conservatives and moderates. This is proven by two polls:
First is a recent Gallup Poll. It finds that conservatives are the largest single voting bloc. But they are neither a majority nor "very conservative".
Second is a Pew survey, interpreted by Texas Monthly editor Paul Burka to show that the Republican party "hemorrhaging" voters. Indeed, party affiliation is:
- 36% independent
- 35% Democrat
- 23% Republican
If the Republican Party was the mainstream conservative party, it would have more affiliates than Democrats.
But no: the Republican party is hemorrhaging voters because of its extreme social stances. Per the Pew survey: "[independents] more closely parallel the views of Democrats ... on the most divisive core beliefs on social values, religion and national security."
Juxtaposing these surveys, an inescapable conclusion: Extreme conservatism, especially extreme social conservatism, is a losing strategy.
Any winning strategy for Republican domination must not alienate moderates; we can't win without them.
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Tags: Religion, Republican Party, Texas
They are paradoxically
They are paradoxically liberal. If we fully legislated my state platform's social stances, we would make the government the moral compass, usurping the proper role of the church and individual wisdom.
mpcoc
1: They are paradoxically
1: They are paradoxically liberal. If we fully legislated my state platform's social stances, we would make the government the moral compass, usurping the proper role of the church and individual wisdom.
mpcoc
Here is a letter from a
Here is a letter from a citizen that espouses passionate values - I could only wish for the Republican Leadership to present this lady's voice of fire, clarity and purpose - they would be swept into office in a Reaganesque landslide!
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/198/26742/
All Americans can 'get' this brave lady's message!
Your statement: 'Extreme conservatism, especially extreme social conservatism, is a losing strategy.' is a gross misunderstanding of the variety of conservative positions held during the great debates at the founding of our country. Their debates of the essence of values and understanding of the form of government and a civil society to be created was no simplistic expression of 'natural law'!
Can we not join with the essence of those principles and create our own big tent conservative mosaic? So, you don't like extreme social conservative values! (Whatever you mean by that!) Get a grip and formulate a a coherent responsible conservative position for social values that you are comfortable with. Do not just critically focus on your idea of a glass half full - find and express with integrity a view that will work for you, yet, is clearly aligned with personal responsibility, states rights and whatever connects you and your ideas to human dignity and liberty - i.e. conservative values.
What do you espouse? What are your values? Where is your passion?
Was Shakespere's Henry V a moderate at St Crispins, before Agincourt?
Was Churchill moderate in his WWII speeches?
Was Reagan a moderate with 'The Speech'?
Each had the fire to ignite a nation. Why do you reduce the passion waiting in the hearts of your countrymen with intellectual drivel.
"O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention,
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!"
Henry V Wm. Shakespeare
Oh, where is our 'muse of fire'?