142 Alston.
You made good points on the distortion of the stem cell debate and how the fear of the “zealots” to impose their faith because of the Creationists vs. Darwinist debates in many states has scared many would be supporters.
However your example of the referendum earlier does not convince me that the religious right does not make up a majority of the GOP. Without the religious right the GOP would not have the support of the Southern and Midwest states. The blues states are the northeast and left coast. Most of the red states are the majority of the states in the Union. But the concentration of population in large cities and college towns has a strong secular and liberal tilt in electors and representation.
The basic premise is that conservatives are fiscal conservatives. That is fine as a large brush, but the divisions among fiscal conservatives are the exceptions what programs one favor or wants cut. Do we agree that deficits are Ok when at war? How about in order to jump-start an economy? If so how much is allowed and does the line just keep changing?
So what are the principles that fiscal conservative will not waver?
Are fiscal conservative seduced by the hope and change rhetoric of a charismatic black candidate like Obama was? I think many were. So how strong are the fiscal conservatives in support of the GOP? Do libertarian leaning folk tend to sit out elections and let the passionate lefty liberal and religious right decide the elections?
So the call from fiscal conservatives is to dump the rock solid support of the religious right who got out and canvassed neighborhoods, which volunteered time and money. Who were the mainstays of the GOTV efforts? Was it the fiscal conservatives?
Seems to me the call to dump the religious right is poor tactics to win elections. This is the same error that the Libertarian Party makes and why most conservatives will not support it. Even Ron Paul, the candidate once of the Libertarian Party is a Republican to get elected as US Congressman.
