What was the 2009 election lesson

disneydude said:

Can they? I think that is the big question. The GOP has been so afraid of not carrying the evangelical social agenda which is why they have done so.
The religious right always claim that they will stay home if the GOP doesn't push their agenda.
I'm not as confident that the GOP can rescue their party from the evangelical right-wing.

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So what is this "evangelical social agenda" that the GOP carries? I'd like to know what you mean because I think people use terms like "evangelical social agenda" and "religious right" without having a clue what those things even are.

Dav said:

So what is this "evangelical social agenda" that the GOP carries? I'd like to know what you mean because I think people use terms like "evangelical social agenda" and "religious right" without having a clue what those things even are.

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The religious right/evangelicals are basically two issue voters, potentially 3.
Anti-gay rights and anti-abortion.
They generally do not vote on any other issue if they have a candidate that will promote those two issues.
Obama's election took a little out of the sail....because they thought that with another GOP President pushing their agenda, they could stack the Supreme Court. With Obama having at least 1 more and potentially 2 more nominees within his first term, it is unlikely they will be able to accomplish this anytime soon.
Still....they have indicated that they will stay home and not vote if the GOP candidate is not strongly in favor of this agenda. I'm not so sure that the GOP is willing to test them at their word.

I chose all options. Why? Because, depending on which side of the fence someone is on, it will be spun in that direction. Nobody wants the truth here. They just want political ammo, and truth be damned. :mrgreen:

danarhea said:

I chose all options. Why? Because, depending on which side of the fence someone is on, it will be spun in that direction. Nobody wants the truth here. They just want political ammo, and truth be damned. :mrgreen:

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Dana....I honestly would like to hear your spin on it. I enjoy reading your posts and think you have a good perspective. Who do you think were the real winners/losers in this election.

What lesson have the elections taught us?


Nothing has changed except the Public's perception (It does that a lot lol). We still vote for the wrong reasons. The Republic, she is dying.

disneydude said:

The religious right/evangelicals are basically two issue voters, potentially 3.

Anti-gay rights and anti-abortion.

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You can carry both of these positions and not be an evangelical conservative; in fact, a majority of the country is against gay marriage, and views on abortion are wildly varied.

They generally do not vote on any other issue if they have a candidate that will promote those two issues.

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That is a blatant generalization and I doubt you could prove it.

Obama's election took a little out of the sail....because they thought that with another GOP President pushing their agenda, they could stack the Supreme Court.

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McCain was hardly a member of the so-called "religious right", and neither is a single Supreme Court Justice. Conservative =/= evangelical.

With Obama having at least 1 more and potentially 2 more nominees within his first term, it is unlikely they will be able to accomplish this anytime soon.
Still....they have indicated that they will stay home and not vote if the GOP candidate is not strongly in favor of this agenda. I'm not so sure that the GOP is willing to test them at their word.

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I don't think the agenda you speak of even exists.

If you were to listen to everyone on the internet, then All of the Above are true.


:spin:

Dav said:

You can carry both of these positions and not be an evangelical conservative; in fact, a majority of the country is against gay marriage, and views on abortion are wildly varied.



That is a blatant generalization and I doubt you could prove it.



McCain was hardly a member of the so-called "religious right", and neither is a single Supreme Court Justice. Conservative =/= evangelical.



I don't think the agenda you speak of even exists.

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Well you are certainly entitled to your opinion. I think a lot of other people would differ.

Are most American's against gay marriage? Probably....but the numbers are shifting dramatically. Even many who are against it, are not adamantly against it. Many don't see it as a major issue worth exerting a lot of energy over. This is very different from the agenda of the evanagelical right-wing who actively push the anti-gay agenda.


With abortion - again...I agree with you the views vary widely. However, you won't find the rabid anti-abortion agenda being pushed by the vast majority of those who oppose it. Again....its an issue but not THE issue. With evangelicals....this is THE issue and you see that over and over again.

McCain was not a member of the religious right, however, if you watched McCain in the primaries he really started cowering to them and courting them.
In doing so, he alienated a great deal of moderates and independents.

disneydude said:

Dana....I honestly would like to hear your spin on it. I enjoy reading your posts and think you have a good perspective. Who do you think were the real winners/losers in this election.

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Neither side. New Jersey was a referendum on Corzine, and the future makeup of the state Supreme Court. Virginia has always voted for whichever party is not in power, and in NY23, a Democrat won in a district where the Conservative vote got split.

There was a reason for all 3 of the results, but only hyperpartisans, whether Democratic or Republican, are going to claim these elections as something earth moving for their masters. If anything, I would call Virginia a shot across the bow of the Democratic party, but hardly a trend for the GOP. And the idea that NY23 is a trend for Democrats is laughable.