Tent Poles

Sure, go ahead and keep hating the moderates of the party. But if you want the Republican party to keep winning, you need moderates. The religious right is overstretched and not a viable option to carry the party - the GOP needs to appeal to moderates, and harping on "social values" bs just isn't a winning plan.

The religious right is a tremendously loud, whiny minority that is utterly incapable of giving any candidate a victory in a national election at this point.

Source: Comment by Steve S in response to Howard Dean or Rudy Giuliani I am not certain, I do not believe Steve is responding to me but to Wayne, still there are a few things worth mentioning and there is a undercurrent to Steve's comment that needs addressing no matter who it is addressed to.

Steve says ...and harping on "social values" bs just isn't a winning plan. Well, in my opinion that is conceding the main battle. We can not disconnect economic, foreign, and other policy from "'social values' bs". A common misconception and one I see often. For example, many blame our electoral loss with respect to Mark Green and John Gard to the gay marriage amendment.

How? That amendment passed, in fact nearly every state similar amendments pass they do so by greater margins than Republicans win by. That is, quite a few people voting for Democrats also vote for what are often called "'social values' bs". The problem is, all too many candidates crave positive attention from the media and to do that they must eschew the hick rednecks.

I was reading somewhere recently the idea of a big tent. In a discussion on NRO JPod states:

...and Rich made the salient observation yesterday that pro-lifers themselves represent a tentpole [emphasis added] without whom the big tent could collapse on itself.

Source: National Review's The Corner – Abrotion and the Democrats (JPod) If we look back onto the last time a national party collapsed and another one arose it was over moral – social issue.

Aside from the OCRP the only group I see on the streets in Outagamie County pushing Republican candidates are those motivated by "'social values' bs". I know of at least one person who will not vote for President if the choice is between a pro-abortion Republican and Democrat.

Now, all that said. I hear what Steve S. is saying and I try to keep a calm tone and try not to go incendiary with my writing and rhetoric. If you go around talking like Ann Coulter you change no ones minds. Ann Coulter does what she does and all firebrannds have a purpose (see Jonah Goldberg's latest column for commentary on this) but their purpose is to enrage not engage the other side.

Some may say, well what does being calm & reasonable get you? You try to be nice and extend a hand in friendship or reasonable debate and it gets spit on. Well, doing the right thing is always – the right thing.

Rudy Giuliani still does not do it for me, and McCain is indeed looking more attractive. I do not believe Fred Thompson will run, I will not support Condeleeza Rice (I was real keen on her years ago) as she lacks elective political experience and I am not impressed by her State Department. Tommy Thompson? Think DC is full of big spenders now?