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  •  Why would you believe this? (4.00 / 2)

    Every poll I've seen indicates that the majority of Americans support reproductive rights, including a right to abort a pregnancy.

    TRAP law supporters
    Why modern-day conservatism makes no sense to me

    by media girl on Tue Sep 20, 2005 at 08:46:06 AM PDT

    [ Parent ]

    •  Those polls don't gage prioritization (none / 0)

      For most people who respond in ways that identify them as pro-choice, it is not as important an issue for them as it is for you.  

      For example, a large number of successful career women who are also pro-choice, consistently vote Republican due to a belief that Republicans will protect their economic interests better.  Keeping taxes low is more important to them than abortion rights, even though they are pro-choice.  

      Likewise, a large amount of the labor and rural base of traditional Democratic voters prioritize pro-life causes above their own economic interests. That is why there exists a swap set of pro-life Democrats that can be gained by moderating the pro-choice rhetoric of the party.  Majority numbers on issue polls don't win elections.  If they did, Republicans would not be in power now.  Effective, but often temporary, coalitions of people with some common interests, but many contrary ones, are what win elections.

      by eastsidedemocrat on Tue Sep 20, 2005 at 11:24:07 AM PDT

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      •  shit (none / 0)

        I wish I was as smart as you. No snark intended.

        Write Al Gore a letter asking him to run: The Honorable Al Gore 2100 West End Avenue Suite 620 Nashville, TN 37203

        by MonkeyDog102 on Tue Sep 20, 2005 at 04:15:57 PM PDT

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      •  Go ahead with rationalizing (none / 0)

        Because the simple fact is that there's no indication that it's not an important issue for them, either.

        Or that civil rights are.

        Or that gay rights are.

        Or that the war is.

        Or that the economy is.

        Or fill in the blank.

        But you go on rationalizing your finger-waggling at the electorate for not buying the "If we take a stance, someone won't like us" theory of politics.

        Who's against the big tent? Every single would-be pundit who kicks people in the teeth for feeling passionate about their rights.

        TRAP law supporters
        Why modern-day conservatism makes no sense to me

        by media girl on Wed Sep 21, 2005 at 08:00:33 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  Yes there is an indication. (none / 0)

          The indicator is this:  Republicans control the country, and they run unabashedly pro-life as far as abortion is concerned, even though polls consistently say that the majority of the country supports Roe.  The Democrats have run unabashedly pro-choice since the 1980's, but they have been losing more than winning.  The only possible explanation is that support for Roe is less important than other things for key constituencies.  

          Facts sometimes hurt, but the effective political actor will find ways to obtain her objectives after taking those facts as a given. That's what Hillary Clinton and Chuck Schumer are doing.  The ineffective one simply resorts to believing his own propaganda, truth be damned.  Which one one are you?

          by eastsidedemocrat on Wed Sep 21, 2005 at 01:07:15 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          •  Flawed logic (none / 0)

            The Democrats have run unabashedly pro-choice since the 1980's, but they have been losing more than winning.  The only possible explanation is that support for Roe is less important than other things for key constituencies.

            A big mistake a lot of people make is that correlation means causation. And here there's not even correlation.

            1. It's a modern urban legend that "Democrats have run unabashedly pro-choice since the 1980's." In actual fact, many Democrats are anti-choice, and run as such, and most others just try to avoid the issue altogether, which is not unabashed support, it's weasly support.

            2. Democrats have been going along with much anti-choice legislation, including TRAP laws.

            3. The losses of Democrats have been since the DLC led the party away from its core constituencies. And they seem to be doing that more and more.

            The picture you paint is pure fantasy. "The only possible explanation"? I don't think so!

            TRAP law supporters
            Why modern-day conservatism makes no sense to me

            by media girl on Sun Sep 25, 2005 at 09:08:29 AM PDT

            [ Parent ]

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