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Jerry Falwell is gone and the Moral Majority is no longer a majority. Most Americans consider the Golden Age of the "Moral 1950s" as a distant past and have no desire to return there. Yet religious conservatives are still the base of the Republican Party and is the primary bloc that GOP candidates pander to every election season. The problem is, religious conservatives and the issues that they care about are becoming less and less important to the average American each election season. Instead of distancing themselves from this bloc who would impose a theocracy in America if they could get away with it, they seem to be doubling down on the pandering. Most candidates sound more like they are running for national pastor rather than President of the United States.
There is a lot of people out there who like the Republican fiscal platform as well as the GOP approach to numerous other issues. Their concern is the economy, immigration, national security, and other issues that really matter. They are not concerned with what consenting adults do in the privacy of their bedroom, rainbow Doritos, introducing creationism into science classrooms, or starting an unjust war in hopes that it will cause the Rapture to happen.
The more Republicans continue to pander to the religious right, the more unelectable they become. California was once a red state in the not too distant past and Oregon and Washington were swing states. Now they are solidly blue. This decade, the GOP has lost Colorado, Florida, and Virginia, and Indiana and North Carolina are trending purple. Why is that?
I think the GOP is reaching the point where if they are to continue to be a viable national party, they will need to denounce the fringe religious right. America isn't and never has been a theocracy and most Americans outside the Bible Belt aren't interested in living in one. If this means losing a portion of the base, then so be it. Mike Huckabee once said he would leave the Republican Party if they softened on the anti-gay rhetoric. Maybe that's what needs to happen? Maybe there needs to be a "Christian Nation" Party so that when you vote for them, you know exactly what you are getting.
It might hurt the GOP for a few election cycles, but ultimately the party would build a new base and remain viable. It might actually lead for a successful Republican Presidency in a decade, something the U.S. hasn't seen for 30 years. One thing I do know is a one party state is never a good thing, no matter the party.
Thoughts?
Last edited by bawac34618; 10-21-2015 at 05:46 PM..
About as long as it's going to take the Democrats to stop pandering to their fringe elements.
Here's the issue, let's take <insert any fringe topic> for example. This is not a priority for most Conservatives/Liberals one way or the other. The legislator isn't going to gain the votes of the opposition party if they vote for it, they aren't going to lose the votes of most of the people in their own party no matter which way they vote. The only thing they stand to lose or gain is the fringe vote in their own party.
About as long as it's going to take the Democrats to stop pandering to their fringe elements.
Here's the issue, let's take <insert any fringe topic> for example. This is not a priority for most Conservatives/Liberals one way or the other. The legislator isn't going to gain the votes of the opposition party if they vote for it, they aren't going to lose the votes of most of the people in their own party no matter which way they vote. The only thing they stand to lose or gain is the fringe vote in their own party.
The tail wags the dog.
While I agree the left has its fringe, I don't believe it pulls as much weight in the Democratic party as the fringe on the right does. Despite what you hear from Republicans, both Obama and Clinton both governed from the center. Democrats usually don't campaign on culture war issues and usually only talk about them because Republicans force them to.
The GOP can start by doing three very easy things.
1) Admit they lost the fight on gay marriage. Short of a Constitutional amendment, it's the law of the land and no tantrum can change that. Marriage equality wasn't popular when Bush was President and he couldn't get the Constitution amended, so there is virtually no chance of it happening today. The GOP lost that fight and it's time for them to concede and move on.
2) Change the approach to opposing abortion. Instead of making it a religious wedge issue and taking an all or nothing approach, focus on policies that will cut down on the number of abortions. Abortion, even if legal, should be something that very rarely ever has to happen. If it's really lives they are trying to save, they can do far more good by taking such an approach.
3) Leave science to the scientists, and stop trying to inject pseudoscience into public school curriculum. Parents have the right to teach their kids whatever they want in their own homes and churches, but when it comes to the public sphere, science classes should be about science and in the government, matters of science should be dealt with by actual scientists, not clergy.
Make those three changes and the GOP becomes much more electable.
1) Admit they lost the fight on gay marriage. Short of a Constitutional amendment, it's the law of the land and no tantrum can change that. Marriage equality wasn't popular when Bush was President and he couldn't get the Constitution amended, so there is virtually no chance of it happening today. The GOP lost that fight and it's time for them to concede and move on.
I can care less who marries who, whatever floats your boat. The elected clerk was wrong. However when you a fining a private business becsue they will not cater to someone over religious beliefs that is a whole other ballgame because now you are trampling on their rights.
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2) Change the approach to opposing abortion. Instead of making it a religious wedge issue and taking an all or nothing approach, focus on policies that will cut down on the number of abortions. Abortion, even if legal, should be something that very rarely ever has to happen. If it's really lives they are trying to save, they can do far more good by taking such an approach.
Sounds like fine plan with me, recent California law defies that:
(a) A licensed covered facility shall disseminate to clients on site the following notice in English and in the primary threshold languages for Medi-Cal beneficiaries as determined by the State Department of Health Care Services for the county in which the facility is located.
(1) The notice shall state:
“California has public programs that provide immediate free or low-cost access to comprehensive family planning services (including all FDA-approved methods of contraception), prenatal care, and abortion for eligible women. To determine whether you qualify, contact the county social services office at [insert the telephone number].”
These people are trying to prevent abortions, now they will have to post what amounts to advertisement for it in their facility.
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3) Leave science to the scientists, and stop trying to inject pseudoscience into public school curriculum. Parents have the right to teach their kids whatever they want in their own homes and churches, but when it comes to the public sphere, science classes should be about science and in the government, matters of science should be dealt with by actual scientists, not clergy.
Is Al Gore a scientist? Can you explain why an entire generation of kids was shown that propaganda film in school?
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Unless Trump is elected and can save it, the Republican party is done. He appears to be the only moderate candidate running. Without him the Republican party is nothing but a party of religious ignorance, intolerance, tyranny and hate, on par with muslimism.
Jerry Falwell is gone and the Moral Majority is no longer a majority.
They never were.
Both parties have candidates that have pandered to various elements of their constituency to gain an edge in presidential primaries. Over the last generation though, it has been harder to put distance between yourself and fringe groups in the general election because everything is so well documented. Having a huge primary field is what has hurt the Republicans more the last two elections.
Unless Trump is elected and can save it, the Republican party is done. He appears to be the only moderate candidate running. Without him the Republican party is nothing but a party of religious ignorance, intolerance, tyranny and hate, on par with muslimism.
The Republican Party controls everything except the White House and they would control that too if they didn`t run Democrat-lite candidates (McCain, Romney) who seem to only be passionate about one thing; tax breaks for the donor class.
We have just witnessed the rise of Trump and Carson over all the usual suspects because they are what America really wants; none of the above.
We have today a government that buys votes with tax dollars for the purpose of politically disenfranchising the working-class and middle-class tax payers that no one really represents any more.
Well, these are those same working-class and middle-class tax payers throwing their support behind Trump and Carson because they don`t want a Republican president who seeks to screw them just slightly less than a Democrat president.
And maybe the mooches will win the White House once again, but their is no point in compromise when the thing being compromised is any hope for the future.
Just curious...what makes you think Trump is any more or less religious than the bulk of the other candidates?
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