February 22, 2005
EXCEPT THAT THEIR HUSBAND HAS THE CLICKER:
Turning Down The Volume On Abortion (Charlie Cook, Feb. 22, 2005, National Journal)
After each presidential election, the losing party's elected officials and strategists generally develop a consensus on one lesson that they at least intend to apply to future elections. (Whether they pick the right one or not, of course, is often debatable.)Behind the scenes, there is at least a conversation (if not an actual debate) about what that lesson should be from 2004. More than a few Democrats are suggesting that, just as the party informally decided to downplay the gun issue after their 2000 loss, Dems should now do the same with abortion -- or as Democrats prefer to call it, "the choice issue."
The theory is that if Democrats showcase the issue a bit less, it might help them win downscale, small-town and rural voters who have been defecting from the party with increasing frequency. It would be a nice little theory if Democrats actually had any say in what issues Congress and the president will be addressing the next few years. Instead they'll have to fight judicial appointees who can't find the putative right to abortion in the Constitution and legislation like the Fetal Pain bill or else face a revolt on the Left.
Posted by Orrin Judd at February 22, 2005 12:36 PM
Once the Democratic Party has turned down the volume on all of the issues that turn off most voters, what will be left for them to talk about?
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at February 22, 2005 12:38 PMIt's better than that. When dealing with single-issue voters, you have to change you position on on their issue, not just "turn down the volume."
The DemocRATS fooled no one by "turning down the volume" on guns, and they will do no better on abortion, When your gun is banned, it's banned, and when the baby's dead, it's dead.
Baby-killing is part of the culture of homosexuality and of the culture of nature-worship. It is sacramental to these enemies of humanity, and they cannot separate themselves from it. Expect no real change from these people, and their lip service will merely underscore their duplicity
Posted by: Lou Gots at February 22, 2005 1:20 PMIf they stop being the 'pro-choice' party, how will they replace that $34 million they get from the trophy wives, courtesans and strumpets at Emily's List?
Posted by: Bart at February 22, 2005 1:23 PMTurning down the volume on abortion laws fits the agenda of a certain New York senator, who wants voters to think of her as a moderate, and not the 1990s author of HillaryCare and several White House scandals.
Making her vote on abortion reform laws and on the judges who might be changing current laws in the future -- along with a number of other social and foreign policy issues -- is imparitive for the Republicans to do if they want to prove to the public that there really hasn't been any moderation in her core beliefs when push comes to shove. If they can't manage that, they deserve what's coming to them in 2008.
Posted by: John at February 22, 2005 2:03 PM