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Donovan et. al.<BR>
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Wonderful strategy, but I think you're joking? <BR>
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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. <BR>
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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.<BR>
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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?<BR>
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This is enough to make many just give up on politics! Which is one reason why many have.<BR>
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Ted Moffett</FONT></HTML>