Social Issues Top GOP Pre-Election Agenda

[Robbien]

(AP) Protection of marriage amendment? Check. Anti-flag burning legislation? Check. New abortion limits? Check.

Between now and the November elections, Republicans are penciling in plans to take action on social issues important to religious conservatives, the foundation of the GOP base, as they defend their congressional majority.

In a year where an unpopular war in Iraq has helped drive President Bush's approval ratings below 40 percent, core conservatives whose turnout in November is vital to the party want assurances that they are not being taken for granted.

"It seems like for only six months, every two years _ right around election time _ that we're even noticed," said Tom McClusky of the Family Research Council. "Some of these better pass," he added. "You notice when it's just lip service being paid."

. . .

"If they get to these things this summer, which we expect that they will, that will go a long way toward energizing the values voters at the base of the Republican Party," said Bauer, head of Americans United to Preserve Marriage.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/15/ap/politics/mainD8H0I2LO0.shtml

[saltpoint]

1. More red meat for the bigots.

This is not governing.

[VegasWolf]

37. Exactly, keep the bigots, fundies, and other lunatics busy with hatred,

revenge, and feeling persecuted! That way they will be sure to show up on election day and vote Republican.

[niyad]

2. pedophelia? check! woman-hating? check! war-mongering? check!

utter hypocricy? check!

to all those whining crybabies with the persecution complexes--we notice you, and believe me, we are doing our best to render you as invisible as you are whining you are.

[populistdriven]

15. homophobia

[Mz Pip]

3. It works well for them

Rallies the base and the divisiveness keeps occasional voters home.

I am always surprised that so many people just don't vote. I have never missed voting in an election since I was old enough to vote.

I used to think we got what we deserved but I don't think any of us deserve this.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[Robbien]

4. Yes it does and diverts attention away from the evil economic bills

they pass while everyone is re-hashing the same old conservative far right wingnut 'moral' issues.

[Mandate My Ass]

5. IOW, they got nothin' They're corrupt and are killing the middle class

So they have to stir up the morons; scaring them with gays getting married and women having free abortions for free while getting their nails done. :eyes:

[WePurrsevere]

6. The Republicans have been a majority for how long now & this IDIOT is just

NOW thinking just maybe they're being given lip service? Man oh man but these anti-American, anti-christian fundi-CONS really are dumb as a fence post.. on second thought a fence post might be smarter and more observant. :freak:

It's a BS Game... the 'CONS can bring up these issues safely... the Dems, Indies and a few renegade Republicans will stop them from getting passed and the CONs can put on their martyred act whine and say they tried but... ::yada yada yada:: The fact is that they NEED these issues to stir up their bigoted narrow minded little base so they'll always find a reason that is some other factors "fault" unless they feel they need to throw the base a small bone to keep them voting for them and not staying home out of disgust.

[marbuc]

7. There has to be a way to marginalize the religious fanatics

In the past, Karl Rove et al have masterfully packaged a fundie agenda in terms mainstream America can sympathize with, thereby allowing the Republican Party to pander to the base without giving up the political center. They have also painted liberals/Progressives as the extreme element of the political realm. We must illuminate the freaks like Dobson, Perkins, Robertson and their followers for the radicals that they are.

The average person values marriage, but does not believe others should be discriminated against, or forced to give up the benefits of marriage because of sexual orientation. The average person values the sanctity of life in a perfect world, but also recognizes that in this imperfect world, the abortion option should be available to those who need it. The average person sees illegal immigration as an issue that should be addressed, but also sympathizes with the desire for a better life, and realize that mass deportation and a southern wall are both impractical and unnecessary (not to mention racist, dehumanizing, and misguided public policy).

Yet, for some reason, we have conceded this issues to the Cons, and in effect let them define these issues and the proper policy response. Furthermore, we have allowed our issues, which are significantly more important in the big picture, to fall by the wayside.

[AndyTiedye]

21. We Conceded Nothing. We Have Been Silenced.

Surely you must have noticed that the media does not report what WE say.



It is the majority that has been marginalized, due to the power of the media.

[Robbien]

26. Yep, note they made a big fuss about the war against the Easter

Bunny and today are pushing the story about GLBT's being dissed at the WH.

Every day more and more stories will be planted in the press whose intent is to rile up the rightwingnut conservative base and keep all discussion off real issues.

[rodeodance]

8. i recall when social issures were health care, housing, schools.

[jaxx]

9. Energize the base.

Bring out all the bigoted bullshit they used before......note, nothing ever gets finished, just used for bait. They're scared to use the war and the imperialism they're infamous for, instead ignoring these facts to make the moral do-gooders feel more self-righteous for their stance on abortion and gay rights. I used to argue with the do-gooders, now I just look at them and say.........If this was your son or daughter, how would you feel about it then? Do you want your son ostracized for being gay and wanting children? Do you want your daughter stoned for choosing an abortion over your wishes? As they sputter, I smile and walk away.

[realFedUp]

10. Scare, hate and divide platform....

Bush Inc. really did change the tone in DC.

[rodeodance]

16. and it works!

[silverweb]

11. The small-government GOP...

Ready to regulate and legislate every aspect of YOUR personal life.

[rodeodance]

12. The family reseach council is whining!

..It seems like for only six months, every two years _ right around election time _ that we're even noticed," said Tom McClusky of the Family Research Council. "Some of these better pass," he added. "You notice when it's just lip service being paid."

[Robb]

13. "Help Wanted" ads top GOP POST-election agenda

[rodeodance]

14. nominate. We got a lot of fighting to do!

[Robbien]

19. Watch DU's GD and GDPolitics will be inunadated with

ProChoice, Gay, religious, etc. threads soon with most of all other discussions being drowned out.

With billions of our tax money being funneled into "faith-based" programs and then flowing into these conservative focus groups, these guys have tons of money to be able to control all discourse.

[AndyTiedye]

22. What Would You Have Us Do? Cave In to Them?

We have to try to hold off the theocracy as long as we can.

To ignore the loss of religious freedom and reproductive freedom
in hopes of getting a more populist theocracy out of the deal is
not going to work. We give up everything and get nothing.

[Robbien]

25. The GOP needs the moral issues program to win elections

Why do you think that after twenty years of pushing theocracy the GOP has not been able to pass this moral code into law?

Could the reason be that if they pass the legislation they no longer have their election campaign weapon? Why would they give up their winning ticket?

[AndyTiedye]

27. They Can Always Give The Theocrats More

If they ban abortion, they start going after birth control.
If they ban gay marriage, they'll bring the sodomy laws back so they can start throwing gays in prison.

They can always come up with more raw meat for their base.

[Robbien]

28. Fine, help them by promoting the theocracy issues above all else

And by no means pay attention to the Estate Tax Repeal (and other economic issues) which is going to be pushed through this Spring behind all the media blitz on theocracy issues.

Have fun discussing the issues with the theocrats while your pocket is being picked. Nice of you to play along.

[AndyTiedye]

30. Theocracy IS An Economic Issue -- "Faith-Based" Social Programs

Coming soon. Poor must "hosannah" for food.

[rodeodance]

17. the House already has two of these passed.

.....If there was any doubt, conservatives issued a concise warning last month. Four groups representing evangelical Christians said an internal survey found that 63 percent of "values voters" _ identified as evangelical Christians whose priorities include outlawing abortion and banning same-sex marriage _ "feel Congress has not kept its promises to act on a pro-family agenda."

The Family Research Council, which headlined the survey, also announced it would hold a "Values Voter Summit" in September to "raise the bar of achievement for this Congress." At the top of the agenda could be a call for new leadership in Congress if those in power have not acted on social conservatives' issues.

Some leaders read the warning signs early.

The House has approved an amendment to the Constitution to outlaw flag burning and passed a bill to crack down on the practice of minors' crossing state lines for abortions to evade legal limits in their own states

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and a possible presidential candidate in 2008, announced early this year that the Senate would consider those and the anti-gay marriage amendment that has failed in both chambers despite Bush's endorsement.

[rodeodance]

18. the proposed Marriage act would Trump Massachusetts law!

Sponsored by Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., also a possible presidential candidate, the measure would have the Constitution define marriage as the union between a man and a woman _ in effect rescinding a 2004 Massachusetts law that made gay marriage legal.

[NanceGreggs]

20. It's just MHO ...

... but these people are toast.

Tell a guy whose job has been outsourced and whose savings are gone that his party wants to ease his financial situation by making sure the gay guys down the street can't officially get married.

Tell the single mom who's working three part-time jobs to put food in front of her kids that flag-burning is the most important issue facing the nation.

Tell the kid who's just given up his now-unaffordable dream of going to college or medical school that he'll be happy working at WalMart for the rest of his life, because his party is going to ensure that
access to abortion is limited in his state.

The GOP just doesn't GET IT. And I, for one, couldn't be happier that they don't.

[Robbien]

24. Beg to differ. Even though these fanatics may be a minority

they are organized, they vote, they call Congress, they intimidate anyone who utters one word which ruffles their feathers.

They are well-funded and will dominate the news cycle so that any other issue will not be discussed. When the news does not discuss poor wages, poor jobs, poor heathcare, etc, the general public becomes apathetic and doesn't vote.

That is why the RNC pulls this moral issue trick out of their hat every election cycle. It works.

[NanceGreggs]

32. The party-line rhetoric always works ...

... when the average citizen thinks they're talking about THE OTHER GUY.

When poor wages, poor jobs and poor healthcare are YOUR problems, you tend to think differently.

[PaDem]

31. with all due respect............

they've been winning like this for a long time.

[devilgrrl]

23. Yep... that'll sooooo put food on my family

:sarcasm:

Oh wait. This is coming from the party of ideas, right? :eyes:

[AX10]

29. We all knew that the GOP was going to bring out the social issues...

because they have nothing left.

[HuffleClaw]

33. i can't see this working

funny though.

[rodeodance]

34. the House has already passed two of these!

[Odin2005]

35. The only way to stop the Pukes is to concentrate on the Economy.

We need to be very careful about talking about social issues, one badly written soundbite dealing with social issues will send socially conservative left-wingers back into the hands of the Repugs. Everything started going downhill for the party when it became perceived as more associated with social liberalism and identity politics than the issues of the average Joe.

[killbotfactory]

36. Divide and conquer

Who else can they scapegoat for power?