Posted by
Always To The Right on Thursday, December 04, 2008 1:24:05 AM
The impulse to blame social conservatives arises nearly every time Republicans fail. “Scapegoating the Social Right”
In 2002 and 2004, Republicans ran hard on
social issues and the courts — and scored victories at every level of
politics. In 2006 and 2008, they left those issues off the table, and
got walloped. It follows, naturally, that the social issues are to
blame for the Republican defeats.
At least, that’s the conclusion that a chorus of commentators has
reached. They are attempting to persuade Republicans to soften or
downplay their party’s social conservatism and hide its social
conservatives in order to resume winning elections. About this campaign
to sideline the social Right, three things can be said with a fairly
high degree of confidence: It is predictable; it will fail; and it is
wrong.