Reply #28: I think you somewhat overestimate the importance of racism over

[KnowerOfLogic]

other repuke bigotries. Racism is definitely one of the pillars of the GOP, but it is one among a broader supremacist ideology. The anti-gay angle should not be misunderestimated, and this is really just the other side of the anti-woman coin, which also represents a major pillar of social conservatism. Throw in christian supremacy, and you've got the basic GOP worldview. It is all about telling the poor straight white christian male that no matter how bad he has it, he is infinitely superior to blacks, women, gays, non-christians, etc.
One might wonder why so many women go along with this ideology, which quite clearly seems to demean women and confine them to narrow stereotypical roles; i think that the answer is the same reason why poor white men vote republican - which is that they have chosen to identify with their masters, rather than with their fellow subjects; this gives them the *feeling* of superiority over their fellow losers in the game of life, even if reality can not support such an assessment.