Reply #193: People said the same thing about raising taxes..

[jgraz]

..gay rights, death penalty, defense spending, war votes, etc, etc, etc. Progressives have for years voted for pro-gun candidates who are otherwise good on progressive issues. And the opposite has happened: Tim Kaine (NRA rating F) won in VA against a pro-gun opponent, Russ Feingold (NRA rating D) has been elected to the Senate 3 times so far. Also from my home state: Herb Kohl (NRA rating F), Tammy Baldwin (NRA rating F) and Governor Jim Doyle (NRA rating F).

Stricter gun laws currently enjoy over 60% support from the general public. Are you saying that the remaining 40% is so batshit crazy that they won't vote for anyone who doesn't let them own their own tactical nukes? Or is it really just a tiny sliver of that 40%?

And even in the bizarro-world where 40% of the populace will only vote for ultra-pro-gun candidates, do you really want to elect candidates who are so spineless that they'll abandon their positions just to get votes? If so, we'd be better off only nominating fundamentalist evangelicals, or anti-abortion fanatics, or slobbering homophobes, or simple run-of-the-mill racists.

The Republicans have followed this model for years, and they've had some success with the drooling masses. But I'm guessing these past six years have woken up quite a few people. And even if it hasn't, when's the last time a Democrat was successful pretending to be Republican Lite? And even if Democrats can be successful this way, is that really the party you want to support?