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What would be the appeal of a gay-bashing, ethnophobe like Santorum and Bachmann, or even Perry, outside of the evangelical GOP base? I understand why the evangelicals are rooting for them, but do they think that Santorum or Bachmann will go down well with Democrats and Independents, both of whose votes the GOP nominee will need to win a general election? I can't imagine anyone outside of the evangelical base touching these candidates with a barge-pole. Perry started off as a "jobs-guy", but even he has turned to the "dark side" with his "War on Christmas" paranoia and the like.
As far as I can see, the world is moving more and more towards recognizing LGBT rights, with more and more states in the U.S. loosening up on this (Europe is already very gay friendly). Also, as much as what the social conservatives like to think, this is not a Christian nation and it says nothing of the sort in the Constitution. Our Founding Fathers were not even religious.
So this extreme brand of gay-bashing and Muslim-bashing in this day and age, does that work (especially gay-bashing)? I am a straight guy myself, but I don't have any issues with gays and I am not sure why people have a problem with them.
I have been trying to wrap my head around this. Am I off-base here?
What would be the appeal of a gay-bashing, ethnophobe like Santorum and Bachmann, or even Perry, outside of the evangelical GOP base? I understand why the evangelicals are rooting for them, but do they think that Santorum or Bachmann will go down well with Democrats and Independents, both of whose votes the GOP nominee will need to win a general election?
There are a lot of Democrats who are socially conservative but more fiscally liberal. Most depend on welfare.
There are a lot of Republicans who are socially conservative but more fiscally liberal. Most depend on welfare, and are found in the poorly educated, low income states like Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, etc...
Which precisely explains why the GOP must win over their votes by being the bible-banging, tinfoil-hat wearing, loon party.
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
8,852 posts, read 10,523,003 times
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^^^ Spot on (and I believe the appropriate expression is "fishing for bottom-feeders")!!
More seriously, the "social conservatives" are actually a minority even within the GOP... except they're more "motivated" (and "noisier")!
There are a lot of Republicans who are socially conservative but more fiscally liberal. Most depend on welfare, and are found in the poorly educated, low income states like Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, etc...
Which precisely explains why the GOP must win over their votes by being the bible-banging, tinfoil-hat wearing, loon party.
The Democrats win over a lot of these people's votes as well because of welfare.
And, BTW, it's laughable to compare TX to MS or AL.
Last edited by afoigrokerkok; 12-22-2011 at 05:12 PM..
What would be the appeal of a gay-bashing, ethnophobe like Santorum and Bachmann, or even Perry, outside of the evangelical GOP base? I understand why the evangelicals are rooting for them, but do they think that Santorum or Bachmann will go down well with Democrats and Independents, both of whose votes the GOP nominee will need to win a general election? I can't imagine anyone outside of the evangelical base touching these candidates with a barge-pole. Perry started off as a "jobs-guy", but even he has turned to the "dark side" with his "War on Christmas" paranoia and the like.
As far as I can see, the world is moving more and more towards recognizing LGBT rights, with more and more states in the U.S. loosening up on this (Europe is already very gay friendly). Also, as much as what the social conservatives like to think, this is not a Christian nation and it says nothing of the sort in the Constitution. Our Founding Fathers were not even religious.
So this extreme brand of gay-bashing and Muslim-bashing in this day and age, does that work (especially gay-bashing)? I am a straight guy myself, but I don't have any issues with gays and I am not sure why people have a problem with them.
I have been trying to wrap my head around this. Am I off-base here?
There are a lot of Republicans who are socially conservative but more fiscally liberal. Most depend on welfare, and are found in the poorly educated, low income states like Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, etc...
Which precisely explains why the GOP must win over their votes by being the bible-banging, tinfoil-hat wearing, loon party.
They believe freedom should only be given to those whom they share the same views with.
(I am Catholic by the way. I do not agree with Homosexuality from a religious perspective but who the hell am I to tell people how to live their lives?)
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