[Vision2020] "God, Guns and Gays"

[Donovan Arnold]

Ted,

You are correct, I was joking as to the specific legislation, but not to the 
strategy of showing that the Republicans are out of touch with the 
mainstream of America. Republicans won by putting gay issues on the agenda. 
They connected Democrats with the unpopular side of an emotional issue. 
Democrats need to match that in equal force. Democrats are not the only ones 
that are associated with extremism on an issue.

I don't think you put Democratic legislators at risk if people understand 
why you are writing or sponsoring such legislation or are in one party 
districts. Congressman Charles Rangel, D-NY, wrote a military draft bill and 
was elected, I believe without a real opponent.

Democrats have three options. 1) Abandon their values and principles. 2) 
Keep becoming a smaller and smaller party, or 3) Put highly emotional issues 
on the ballot in which the majority side with Democrats, such as the 
Republicans do against Democrats. To me, option 3 is the most desirable 
solution.

Take Care,

Donovan J Arnold



>From: Tbertruss at aol.com
>To: donovanarnold at hotmail.com, vision2020 at moscow.com
>Subject: Re: [Vision2020] "God, Guns and Gays"
>Date: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 22:50:02 EST
>
>
>Donovan et. al.
>
>Wonderful strategy, but I think you're joking?
>
>Republican's know the trick is to appeal to the conservative base and the
>evangelical vote without pushing it too far.  That's why Bush can loudly 
>announce
>his advocacy for a constitutional amendment banning Gay marriage, knowing
>full well it will never happen.
>
>If democrats tried to pass the legislation you suggest, it would of course 
>go
>no where, and though the fact some republicans voted the legislation down
>might be used against them to divide the evangelical vote, the democrats 
>who
>pushed this extreme legislation would also face problems from the 
>democratic base.
>  The republicans even have an edge in the US Congress now that allows them
>the luxury of allowing republican politicians in very conservative areas to 
>vote
>very conservative, while the republicans in more progressive areas can vote
>more progressive.  So combined with democrat politicians also voting
>conservative or progressive depending on their voters persuasions, these 
>splits in the
>democratic party itself end up supporting the republicans on many votes in 
>the
>US Congress.
>
>The problem is not with democratic strategy, I would like to suggest, 
>though
>now everyone is saying the democrats must adopt a new approach.  I think 
>the
>problem is with an uninformed and frightened electorate too easily 
>manipulated
>by irrational appeals to emotion.  What can the democrats do to gain the
>support of such an electorate?  Repeat lies and make irrational appeals to 
>emotion!
>  Do the ends justify these means?
>
>This is enough to make many just give up on politics!  Which is one reason
>why many have.
>
>Ted Moffett
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