End of the Gay Marriage Debate
 

Will occur in the next election cycle if Romney is the nominee. The Church's stance and activities on gay marriage will be front and center as the country continues to go left on this issue, it will be bruising, the gay activists are getting louder, more organized, more on message (see the very moving Maine ads), and it will just be too politically bloody to fight this fight any more. Too negative, too devisive, and no longer a wedge issue.

See even this year in Virginia where the Republican candidate for governor has been shying away from his past statements of social conservatism -- not shying away from, but not emphasizing as in year's past. The satiated no-stepping-on-toes-good-neighbors-keep-your-voice-down middle class voters are getting tired of it -- IN VIRGINIA.

This pony ain't gonna ride no more.

This is not an issue like taxes, national defense, and size of government that can be trotted out repeatedly. Instead, this issue is like one of those family conflicts that you just don't talk about anymore b/c it does no good for anybody. Plus, the family no longer agrees with you anyway.

Which means a good opportunity for GOP to peel away blacks, hispanics, and Catholics from the democrats.

Please come back to Earth. I think your oxygen tanks are running out on Mars.

Blacks: have you seen the numbers of GOP support among the black community? Some may be socially conservative on the marriage issue, but they are not going to touch that sh*! --- nu, uh, uh.

Hispanic: have you seen the numbers of GOP support among the hispanic community? One word: Immigration. Republicans lost this population for a generation when the conservatives killed the Bush-Kennedy reform bill.

Catholics: too educated and sophisticated at this point; they aren't going to be one-issue voters on gay marriage, and if they would be, they already are on abortion, and so are already voting with the Repubs anyway.

I take it nobody has ever approached you for a position as a political strategist?

You tend to drink Democratic pundit Koolaid.

The numbers are so bad in those areas, there is only an upward swing possible. With a good candidate, Republicans could swing them away and recapture some of the Republican base as well.

Why would I want to be a political strategist? I actually have an affinity for the truth. I'm the last person they would want.

I would be an eclectic sane version of Ron Paul. But more of an anti-campaign. Where my main goal would be to piss off idiots, which this country has in spades.

Unfortunately, those idiots would be your potential constituents. But you'd be damn entertaining. I'd vote for you.

I agree that there's mostly only one way to go for the Republicans with these populations (up), but I don't think gay marriage will be the issue that will get them there -- OR ELSE IT ALREADY WOULD HAVE.

Anyway, they have to stop being shrill before any black, hispanic, or catholic will even listen.

I actually don't have drinks with Democratic pundits. I hate cable (that's why I don't have it), and rarely read columnists. Sunday morning TV is a no-go too. And the websites I read are pretty tame. So I'm pundit-free.

The key to being an honest politician is this: not giving a shit about yourself.

Unfortunately, the only people who run for office are self-serving insecure narcissists with "ambition."

The key would be being the kind of guy where I punch you in the mouth, and it feels good to you and you can't hold back the grin.

Ultimately, politicians piss people off when they choose winners and losers. The "successful" ones make sure the winners know they have been rewarded, and that the losers are oblivious to their losses. Hence our deficits and other assorted suicidal measures.

Gay marriage will be a non-issue in three years. The only question will be whether the memories will be long enough, and Romney never been too shrill on this issue. Voters tend to have very short memories.

The economy will be the issue and if we're still in a recession, or in a period of hyper-inflation, that will be the issue. For some reason I foresee a sluggish economy and still unresolved issues in Iraq and Afghanistan potentially undoing Obama, with the right candidate. Huckabe is not the right candidate. GOP just say NO!!!!!!!!! to Huck, yuck.