Reply #90: We'll never out gun them

[Strawman]

I don't think you'll ever "out gun" the Republicans or even take it off the table for those who are going to vote on that single issue. I think there's this fantasy that by opposing sensible gun restrictions all those single issue gun voters will say, "fuck it, I'm not voting for those rich assholes anymore." Not happening. That union guy in Macomb County who says he votes Republican on the gun issue might not be too fond of the rich boy Wall Street wing of the Republican party, but I think there is this entire macho, tough love identity that comes with identifying as Republican that won't go away even if we mirror the Republicans on guns. Even though he's probably a better shot and more skilled hunter than Bush (or certainly Cheney) Kerry looked silly and non-credible to these guys on the gun issue because it's not really about the policy, it's about identity.

I think the gun issue is one component of a larger cultural divide that we can only go so far in trying to breach before losing any kind of identity or credibility of our own. Some day these people will learn that their tough love daddys were just selfish fucking asshole pricks all along, then they'll need their mommy party. That's when these kinds of voters will come back.