Why do so many pro choice voters vote for Bush and other Republicans?

[dsc]

I have no idea what the answer(s) to the above question is. I suspect there are a great many answers. But, if pro choicers want a right to abortion in this country, they had better find an answer, and a solution quickly. Blaming Alterman, or me, or anyone else for pointing out the simple truth that in election after election around 1 out of 3 pro choicers vote for Republican presidents may well feel good, but it won't secure one right for anyone, at anytime.

I don't know what the solution is. I do know that cutting Bush's pro choice vote from 33% to 28% would have assured Kerry a victory. Cutting to 30% probably would have given him a victory. That isn't a huge number of people.

My suggestion is this. Pro choice groups such as NARAL and NOW need to commission a study of pro choice voters and what motivates their votes. Specificly they need to focus in on the 33% voting for Bush and find out why, and what if anything, can be done about that. This is a necessity. Unless we want to be in an even worse position in regards to the Court in 2011, than we are now (imagine both Ginsburg, and Stevens replaced by the likes of Roberts) then we must find this solution by 2008.

Winners of Presidental elections get to name SCOTUS Justices. We were, to be blunt, almost singularly lucky that Bush hadn't gotten to name one in his first term. Our luck was bound to run out. It did. Roberts is very likely to be confirmed. Even if, miracle of miracles he isn't, the next one won't be much better. Only by winning the 2008 Presidential election can we save the Court. I honestly think the easiest way to do that is to get that small sliver of pro choice voters to switch. I also think, that if anything short of a total meltdown of the Court is going to get them to switch, this is it.

I know that my being pro life you many of you are going to engage in your favorite game of shoot the messanger. I can't stop you from doing that. All I can say, and you can choose to disbelieve it if you wish, is that I truely want a Democratic President in 2008 and think this is our best, and maybe our only, path there.

One final note, while it is true that 25% of LGBT voters voted for Bush both times, given the much smaller number of LGBT voters it would take switching nearly all of them to assure a Kerry victory. I think that is a way more difficult task than switching the votes of 1 out of 11 pro choice voters who voted for Bush. I might be wrong, but I don't think so. If I am wrong, we may well be sunk, in that I think it would be virtually impossible to obtain the 90%+ of LGBT voters that Clinton did in 1992 ever again.

[cobaindrain]

1. tax cuts

and these voters, even though pro choice in principal, feel that this will no longer apply to them for a variety of reasons, maybe they're too old or feel there is nothing that can come up that might make an abortion necessary. And they don't really care much for others who might need that choice, they just want the big juicy tax cut.

[Piperay]

5. Yup

I knew this repuke who was pretty progressive, supported women's rights, animal rights, the environment etc but she actually said to me "AS LONG AS THEY KEEP MY TAXES DOWN THAT IS ALL I CARE ABOUT"! :eyes:

[BrklynLiberal]

12. You are right. I have heard that from several people, from whom it

really surprised me. They are so damn ignorant.
Now they are complaining that their property taxes are going up, and their local library is closed on Saturday! Or their public school is cutting back on after school activities.
How stupid could they possibly have been? Did they think that their Federal taxes were going to be cut, and that their state and local services were not going to be cut and their local taxes were not going to have to be raised?
I guess I did underestimate the stupidity of the American voter..

[formernaderite]

18. Do you know how many democrats now classify themselves

as fiscally conservative but socially liberal....it will only be a matter of time before they slip over to the dark side. Or perhaps till they grow old enough not to care about someone elses rights.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. A momentary lapse of reason?

[charlyvi]

3. I think they take Roe v. Wade for granted.

It's like they think since women have had that right for 30 years, it is embedded in stone. They don't realize how tenuous the right to control one's own body, if you're a woman, is. When moderate shrub voters are finally aware of all the rights they voted away, all hell will break loose. Too bad the country will probably be circling the bowl by then!

[Inland]

6. That's is what I think.

They believe that nobody really wants it overturned or that the democrats will protect them or at the last minute Bush will pull the rug out from under the fundies.

Maybe they are right, but I'm not betting on it.

[charlyvi]

13. I think they're wrong.

George Bush could care less about our rights--Texas has the most plantation mentality in the union; unless you count Alabama, where I live. He only cares about his "legacy" which will probably be the worst Presidential legacy in history.

[stevebreeze]

4. Why would anyone who works for a paycheck vote GOP?

Some people just ain't all that smart!

[BrklynLiberal]

7. I guess there's always this possibility............

[sonicx]

8. Higher priority issues

some people are pro-choice but have it low on their list of important issues. How to get it higher for more people, i dunno.

I don't know why any gay person would vote for Bush. Even if you are a gay conservative, you'd be better off voting Liberarian.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

9. Many different reasons

One excuse I've been given often is "the Democrats will put-up my taxes" and for certain people it's an issue as dumb as that. Trying to understand why the economy is better off when the Federal government isn't wacking spending (and tax-cuts) on the national credit card can be difficult for people who think only simplistically.

The same can be said true of the other consequences of voting republican: loss of reproductive rights, rises in poverty, botched foreign policy and cuts in social spending. Some people are either too greedy or dumb to see through all the GOP bull***t.

[BillZBubb]

10. Low priority.

People prioritize issues. They make their assessment on who to vote for through a filter of priorities.

Unfortunately for us choice, the environment, social justice, etc are all low priority issues for a majority of Americans. Even though they claim to be for those items, it doesn't figure into their votes. Choice on abortion is just one of many.

The Repugs know how to take hot button issues and make them the ONLY priorty for enough people to win elections. The issues we stand for don't have that resonance.

[OhioBlue]

11. Reasons I heard from pro-choice R's

to vote for Bush - Republicans are pro business, I actually heard one R tell me that the President doesn't have much power anyway. The smear campaign by the Swift Boat Liars also helped. The propaganda here was outrageous. The commercials, the chain e-mails saying that Theresa supported terrorists and outsourced jobs, that Kerry voted against x fighter jet and x weapons system etc. They didn't check any facts - just fell hook line and sinker. When I asked several people that I have respect for why they would vote for * - The answer was b/c "I'm a republican, I want smaller government and lower taxes" No attention paid to the fact that * expanded government and huge deficits. They're brainwashed. plain and simple. There is party loyalty in my county that is like a popularity contest. it's sick.

[oldcoot]

17. You are correct

During the last election, I was simply amazed at the crap that supposedly intelligent people believe. I could not believe how many people bought into the lies told by the "Swift Boat Veterans" or all those stupid chain e-mails.

[whistle]

14. How about when selfishness, greed, unprincipled and racism....

...out-weigh a woman's right to choose?

In the minds of these borderline pro-choice voters who end up voting for anti-abortion candidates, their thought process goes something like this, "...Yes, I'm pro-choice although I would not want an abortion or support my girlfriend, wife or daughter in having an abortion, I would not stand in the way of anyone else choosing to have an abortion. However, if a candidate comes along and promises to cut my taxes, implement school vouchers, let me keep my guns without registering them and blow away those terrorists, I'd vote for them in a heartbeat and not give a rat's ass about a woman's right to choose."

Many angry white guys (AWGs) are pro-choice. Surprise, surprise, surprise!

[C_U_L8R]

16. you're right

i just thought they were self-hatingly masochistic

[whistle]

20. Actually self-centered, selfish, dishonest and filled with fear....

.....ring.....ring...Hello?....We are doing a poll. Do you consider yourself to be pro-choice or pro-life?....(pause).....Ah, pro-choice....And if a pro-life candidate offered to reduce your taxes will you vote of that candidate?....(pause).....Yes....And if that pro-life candidate supports school vouchers so you can receive up to $4,550.00 in vouchers per child so you can place your child in the best schools, will you vote for that candidate?.... (pause)..... Yes...And if that pro-life candidate promises to reduce gun control legislation, will you vote for that candidate?....(slight pause)...YES!....And if that pro-life candidate supports the war on terrorism, will you vote for that candidate?......YES, YES, YES! Thank you for your answers. Goodbye....click.....bye....click.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

15. Roe won't really get overturned...and "terra and taxes"

Keep in mind, I live in PA where there were many Republicans for Kerry types too but the W-voting pro-choice Republicans didn't really believe Roe would be in danger...many are now rethinking that position.

[woodleydem]

19. An interesting article from a Houston Chronicle writer stated that if Roe

were to be overturned, the Republicans would suffer tremendous political damage. And the main reason is, as you said, there are many socially moderate pro-choice Republicans. But if Roe were to be overturned, you can bet that those pro-choice, suburban, moderate Republicans will start voting Democratic in droves. Anti-Roe sentiment in the Republican party has been a cash cow for them, and they would lose that as well. An overturn would also stir up pro-choice voters in states who would flock to the voting booths of their respective states and make abortion legal in some form. Politically speaking, if Roe was overturned, the Republican party would be severely damaged for years.

Link to the commentary: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/Commentary/com-7_21_05_FH.html

[bemildred]

21. Bzzzzztttt! Oxymoron alert.

Pro-Choice Voters DO NOT vote for Republicans.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

22. Ummm. Sadly, some do.

Thinking that Roe is a settled matter and in no real danger of being overturned. Yes, they exist and I know some of them...although, they are waking to the reality.

[dsc]

25. 1 out of 3 of them do

I have posted that stat for both 2000 and 2004 over a dozen times. Use google and use exit polls (year).

[Lecky]

26. You'd be surprised

All my Republican friends who voted for Bush are not only pro-choice but also believe that gays and lesbians should be married no problem. Not all Republicans are conservative, especially the younger generation.

Only reason Republicans running for office pretend like they are pro-life is to get the ignorant religious reiche vote. Now, even though I think the Repukes are bluffing when it comes to reversing Roe vs. Wade, the Democrats should make it appear to be in danger. We should give the impression that the rapture right has taken over their party, while pointing out that the neocons are ruining this country.

Major reason why sane people voted for Bush:
911
Taxes (Democrats are thought to be irresponsible spenders when the reverse is true)

They got the swing voters last year because a lot of people felt safer with Bush because of 911 and quite frankly, Bush ran a much better campaign.

A lot of people also vote Republican because they think Democrats will steal all their taxes and spend them on social welfare programs then turn a blind eye when their Republican leaders spend the same amount of taxes on an illegal failure of a war. grr

Politics is all about PR, whoever does the best job wins.

[Lecky]

23. Because people perceive Roe vs. Wade to be untouchable

When I asked my pro-choice friends why they voted for Bush they rolled their eyes and said it would never happen (Roe v. Wade being overturned).

Lots of people just get in the habit for voting a particular political party, a lot of it has to do with their parents.

I know a lot of people voted for Bush because they felt safer with him for some inane reason, 911 was still a big issue...lots of people were still scared.

[Jacobin]

24. Gays, Guns, God and Tax Cuts

Its a formula that works very well for them

[dsc]

27. I really hope some pro choice group does the study

this thread has been interesting, if a bit gloomy, to read. I was, and admittedly still am, under the impression that at least a significant minority of pro choice Republicans are women of child bearing age who are at least somewhat moderate on other issues as well. I would think those would be the best target of both the study and any vote switching strategy. I hope that is at least somewhat accurate as I honestly feel this is our best hope of winning in 2008. A well timed economic downturn would also be a path to victory, but we can't make that happen.

[ClassWarrior]

28. Because it's really not the only issue?

:shrug:

NGU.