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[Wallaby]

Please enlighten me.

From a distance, and not knowing much about US internal politics, it seems that Republicans are more fanatical and has more members on the edge of being nutters and the Dems are more in the middle and mainstreem in their views and policies.

Is that off the mark?

[Jingthing]

Wallaby, on 2012-03-14 18:18:46, said:

Please enlighten me.

From a distance, and not knowing much about US internal politics, it seems that Republicans are more fanatical and has more members on the edge of being nutters and the Dems are more in the middle and mainstreem in their views and policies.

Is that off the mark?

No, it's spot on. In fact, the republicans have gone so far right wing that they label the democrats as socialists, which is objectively not true. It has been said that even Ronald Reagan wouldn't be right wing enough to be nominated today in the right wing party.

Edited by Jingthing, 2012-03-14 18:55:38.

[JUDAS]

I'm left wondering what importance the "average" voter places on a candidates stance regarding gay marriage. How big an issue is it with the average non gay voter?

[Jingthing]

JUDAS, on 2012-03-14 19:08:58, said:

I'm left wondering what importance the "average" voter places on a candidates stance regarding gay marriage. How big an issue is it with the average non gay voter?

It is important to gay people, their friends and relatives, and also a large chunk of the radical right wing religious base that people like Santorum caters to. The republicans have been using demonization of gays as a wedge issue to win elections now for decades. If you're asking percentage of people who care a lot, I would guess about 30 to 40 percent. Also, marriage equal rights isn't the only gay rights issue but it has become the most visible one.

http://www.slate.com..._seriously.html

Edited by Jingthing, 2012-03-14 19:17:38.

[LeCharivari]

One would hope that for most voters, gay or not, gay rights is of rather less importance than the US economy, foreign policy, health care, etc.

Unfortunately what one hopes for and what one gets are seldom the same thing in American politics.

[Jingthing]

LeCharivari, on 2012-03-14 22:50:59, said:

One would hope that for most voters, gay or not, gay rights is of rather less importance than the US economy, foreign policy, health care, etc.

Unfortunately what one hopes for and what one gets are seldom the same thing in American politics.

Would you say that about African American voters before they won basic civil rights?
Gay Americans are second class citizens. You can't blame us for prioritizing those issues. Now in my case the party that is more pro gay rights happens to gel with most of my other views, as they do for about 90 percent of gay American voters.

Quote

Republicans have morality upside down. Santorum, Gingrich, and even Romney are barnstorming across the land condemning gay marriage, abortion, out-of-wedlock births, access to contraception, and the wall separating church and state.

Read more: http://robertreich.o...7#ixzz1p6sf7eBe

Edited by Jingthing, 2012-03-14 23:56:24.

[Jingthing]

Rick Santorum drops out of presidential campaign.
We won't have Rick Santorum to kick around anymore.
I think its safe to say his political career is totally finished.