Saturday, November 08, 2008

The Real Stealth Candidate

Commenter Sue at Just One Minute had this to say:

I was reading something today that had quotes from the people of Alaska about Palin. One was a democrat who had liked her before she ran for VP. He didn't realize her religious beliefs, her abortion beliefs, her belief that marriage was between a man and a woman. She has been governor of his state for 2 years and he didn't know those things about her. And now he has doubts about her. Seems to me if she had been intent on pushing her personal beliefs on anyone, the people of Alaska would have known those things about her. Her popularity in Alaska will take a hit over things that she had no intention of pushing on them.
I think this tells us everything we need to know about the way forward for Republicans. Social conservative views scare Democrats. So how did Palin get around that to win an 80% approval rating as Governor of Alaska? She did not make social conservatism in any way shape or form part of her campaigning or governing policy.

She was not about the social conservative agenda. She was about fiscal responsibility and sound governance. I think if the Republican Party takes that approach they can start winning National elections again.

Scaring people about your politicians and your policies is no way to win an election. And the worst part of the scaring is that the national media scares the easiest on these issues.

The Republicans are going to have to decide: are they the anti-abortion, anti-gay marriage party or are they the sound governance/low taxes party.

Note: the anti gay marriage deal in California was pushed over the top by Democrat cultural conservatives. The Republicans no longer have a lock on cultural conservatives.

BTW how long do I think it will take the Republicans to get it? If history is any guide about twenty to forty more years. Why? For one thing preaching to America is more important to them than winning elections i.e. they are not a serious political party.

Cross Posted at Classical Values

2 comments:

Tom Cuddihy said...

Hmm. Palin was governor for 2 full years and no one knew her views on social issues. She runs for VP and now democrats in Alaska are scared. What changed. Gee, could the national media's line on Palin have anything to do with it?

Can you point me to a series of absolutist socially conservative statements she made? Or is all the evidence second hand?

Then again, I guess the whole "having the baby anyway" thing just really was done to push libertarians buttons, not because they actually wanted to have the kid....

M. Simon said...

Tom,

You don't get it. I applaud the way she governed and the way she has lived her life.

She managed to keep the two separate.

She is the most libertarian candidate on the national scene.

I'd vote for her again if she was anywhere on the ticket.

Here is my stance: abortion should be legal and women shouldn't have them. Palin exemplifies my ideal. She leads by example.

Obviously your understanding of libertarian thought is limited.