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In reply to the discussion: My biggest fear about the GOP - they are going to wise up about social issues [View all]Tommy_Carcetti
(43,166 posts)10. If they did that, they would die a quick death. Guaranteed.
Hot button social issues are the only reason that people who aren't in the top 1-2% vote Republican. The GOP adopted strong positions on these social issues in order to survive. Granted, they might not survive even with those voters, but the decline would be swift if the Republicans were to only trumpet their economic "conservativism" and put aside social issues.
The social issue voters claim they care about taxes, but they really don't. Many of them don't even pay--they are in that 47% that Mitt Romney professed to disdain. They vote Republican because Republicans tell them what they want to hear when it comes to abortion and gay marriage (the former moreso than the latter, IMHO.)
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My biggest fear about the GOP - they are going to wise up about social issues [View all]
LynneSin
Dec 2012
OP
If republicans gave up on social issues, they would be a better and more moderate opposition party.
sadbear
Dec 2012
#2
No they won't. So called "economic conservatives" (corporatists, Randist) are just as dangerous.
Tommy_Carcetti
Dec 2012
#13
So basically, they'd be the same as they are now without the pretense of social conservatism.
sadbear
Dec 2012
#14
I don't think they're capable of "wising up" any time soon. They can't help themselves.
catbyte
Dec 2012
#12
I think their problem is simple - this has worked in the past so they assume it'll work today
LynneSin
Dec 2012
#18
Why? The only thing we'll end up with is a much smaller Republican party.
Tommy_Carcetti
Dec 2012
#20
But if their policies only benefit 1%-2% of the population, how many Independents could they gain?
Tommy_Carcetti
Dec 2012
#25
Maybe there aren't enough of them to worry about, but I fear Rs would then gain the support of
Dark n Stormy Knight
Dec 2012
#30
If they rid themselves of bigotry, their wouldn't be a hairs breadth of distance between leadership.
ieoeja
Dec 2012
#21
That would be a good thing because social conservatives would finally vote on economic issues
JI7
Dec 2012
#33
It remains to be seen. there is a civil war in the republican party right now
liberal_at_heart
Dec 2012
#36
The future GOP will be less and less about social issues, they will become libertarians
davidn3600
Dec 2012
#43