Posted November 07, 2012
SimonG: I never understood why they are pandering to the right anyway? Who is the right going to vote, Hillary 2016?
Evangelicals aren't all right-leaning. Not on all issues. There are many very religious folks that are in socioeconomic groups that would suggest they would vote to the left of center. SimonG: While it might lead to an increased voter turnout for the GOP, it also mobilizes the oppositions. I'm fairly certain that the pandering to the extreme right lost this election, as it mobilized the classic democratic voters out of fear for what to come.
Well, I don't think the extreme Right was ever pandered to. The extreme Social Right, perhaps, but not fiscal conservatives like me. I would have noticed if anyone had seriously talked about limiting the growth of federally funded entitlements and subsidies. Romney paid it a little lip service, but nothing concrete. However, the entire contraception fiasco that the Left successfully spun into this huge "War on Women" can certainly be blamed for many lost votes. Certainly, my view on the issue was never voiced by either candidate. My view would have been something like this: "Even if you want to have consensual sex and/or marry a goat, I am fine with it. However, if you get some form of goat-AIDS or some other horrible venereal disease, don't expect me to pay your medical bills or support your lifestyle choice in any other way monetarily."