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For Democrats, a Troubling Culture Gap
Washington Post ^ | 08/10/05 | Dan Balz

Posted on 08/12/2005 2:38:51 PM PDT by Pikamax

For Democrats, a Troubling Culture Gap

By Dan Balz Wednesday, August 10, 2005; A08

Dissatisfaction over the war in Iraq, the economy and rising health care costs might spell trouble for Republicans, but a study by Democratic strategists warns that their party's failure to connect with voters on cultural issues could prevent Democratic candidates from reaping gains in upcoming national elections.

Democrats have expressed bewilderment over Republican gains among lower-income, less-educated voters, saying they are voting against their economic self-interest by supporting Republican candidates. But the new Democracy Corps study concludes that cultural issues trump economic issues by a wide margin for many of these voters -- giving the GOP a significant electoral advantage.

The study is based on focus groups of rural voters in Wisconsin and Arkansas and disaffected supporters of President Bush in Colorado and Kentucky. The good news for Democrats: All the groups expressed dissatisfaction with the direction of the country and with the leadership of the president and the GOP-controlled Congress.

Then came the bad news: "As powerful as the concern over these issues is, the introduction of cultural themes -- specifically gay marriage, abortion, the importance of the traditional family unit and the role of religion in public life -- quickly renders them almost irrelevant in terms of electoral politics at the national level," the study said.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: balz; culturewars; lostdems; valuesvote
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1 posted on 08/12/2005 2:38:51 PM PDT by Pikamax
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To: Pikamax

All those RINOS - and not a few freepers - who don't like the "social issues" should pay attention to this article. The "social issues" are what's keeping a lot of people connected to the GOP even when they might not be sold on other Republican policies. Pro-life and no-new-taxes are the foundation of the Republican party's strength. Get rid of either one, and hello Hillary.


2 posted on 08/12/2005 2:41:09 PM PDT by churchillbuff
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To: churchillbuff

i respectfully disagree. they are many more reasons why people voted republican on '04, not the least of which is the fact that dems stand for nothing except for being anti-bush


3 posted on 08/12/2005 2:45:09 PM PDT by curtisgardner
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To: Pikamax
voting against their economic self-interest by supporting Republican candidates...

What a great summary of the democrats/wash-post leftists. Not a whisker of thought towards voting in a moral way, doing the right thing, or voting as an American. Its about what's best for ME ($'s) and my GROUP ($'s)... and, oh, by the way, what Govt handouts are you willing to gimme.

4 posted on 08/12/2005 2:45:29 PM PDT by C210N (Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present)
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To: curtisgardner

Agreed. I also think that Bush being in charge post 9-11 is a HUGE issue. Forget everything else, and people simply don't trust dems on a gut-level to have the cojones to deal with terrorism.


5 posted on 08/12/2005 2:47:20 PM PDT by Darkwolf377 ("The dumber people think you are, the more surprised they'll be when you kill them."-Wm. Clayton)
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To: Pikamax

So the democrats just spend money to realize the public sees them as the Democrat "gay" Party.

They only had to look in the mirror to see that.


6 posted on 08/12/2005 2:47:20 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE!)
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To: Pikamax
Hint for Dems who seek to suddenly become "Religious" for 2006/08:

Dancing on Reagan's grave/pissing on Nixon's grave is not the way to do it.

7 posted on 08/12/2005 2:49:34 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Pikamax

These cultural issues are helping the Republicans now but in the long run, the cultural conservatives will slowly erode. Look at how different America is than even 10 years ago; if someone told me gays would be able to legally marry anywhere in America, I'd have thought them crazy. The only cultural conservatives entering the electorate will be Hispanic immigrants, who will vote hard Democrat once the anti-immigration wing of the party rises up undoing all Karl Rove's work in getting Hispanic voters. Down the road, social conservatives are screwed.


8 posted on 08/12/2005 2:50:21 PM PDT by youthgonewild
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To: churchillbuff

Pro-life and no-new-taxes are the foundation of the Republican party's strength. Get rid of either one, and hello Hillary.
------
If anyone is GOING TO RAISE TAXES, it will be the socialists -- recall Kerry's campaign promise -- "I AM GOING TO RAISE YOUR TAXES"...and Hitlery will say and do anything to get elected, so anything she says about pro-life issues will most likely be whatever the public wants to hear, and a LIE!

That all being said, her campaign will be ONE BIG LIE !!!!
Since her real agenda is Marxism for the United States -- a socialist state in which SHE HAS POWER. Her one and only goal in life, she has, and will continue, to do and say anything to anyone, FOR POWER AND CONTROL.

She is the devil, Karl Marx, John Kerry, Bill Clinton and the Wicked Witch of the East, all rolled into one ugly package.


9 posted on 08/12/2005 2:51:20 PM PDT by EagleUSA
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To: Pikamax
Democrats have expressed bewilderment over Republican gains among lower-income, less-educated voters, saying they are voting against their economic self-interest by supporting Republican candidates.

NOT TRUE at all. They are voting FOR their own economic self-interest by voting against the welfare state politicians.
10 posted on 08/12/2005 2:52:04 PM PDT by Vinomori
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To: Vinomori
You nailed it! It is both cultural AND financial.
11 posted on 08/12/2005 2:53:47 PM PDT by OSHA (I've got a hole in my head too, but that's beside the point.)
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To: Pikamax
Democrats have expressed bewilderment over Republican gains among lower-income, less-educated voters, saying they are voting against their economic self-interest by supporting Republican candidates.

This is horribly wrong -- although the Post seems to believe it's true.

Lower income people benefit as much or more than anyone from free market principles.

Our "poor" are drastically more wealthy than the "poor" in countries which don't have capitalism.

12 posted on 08/12/2005 2:54:22 PM PDT by 68skylark
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To: Pikamax

Socia issues voter here...of course I have been a conservative my whole life though...never voted for a 'rat in my life and the following is the only way I would.


Liberal or Moderate Republican

VS

Moderate/Conservative Democrat

Why is it like this? Well, you EXPECT the repub to be conservative, you nominate someone out of themainstream of the party and you don't get my vote. In other words give me an Eva Bayh over a Rudy Juliani.


13 posted on 08/12/2005 2:55:52 PM PDT by trubluolyguy (The defense of our nation should begin at the borders...Mr President?.....George?)
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To: Pikamax

> ... but a study by Democratic strategists ...

And "analyzed" in the WaPo. There is no reason to assume
it represents any substantial insight into the DNC's
problems, nor any way for them to fix it. Did the
article detail the exact questions and how the sample
was selected?

It also fails to mention that the Dems are seen as the
party standing for:
- whatever treason is required to regain power
- whatever economic sabotage (ditto)
- whatever diplomatic & policy sabotage (ditto)
- kneejerk negativism and opposition
- higher taxes, more regulation
- death to the inconvenient
- pandering to the criminal classes
- election fraud
- blatent hypocrisy

Looking in a mirror with eyes wide shut allows the
viewer to imagine how they appear.


14 posted on 08/12/2005 2:57:00 PM PDT by Boundless (Imagine if Fox had a news channel)
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To: Pikamax

No one seems to want to touch the issue, but if we abandon RKBA, and the dems take up the slack, Katy bar the door!


15 posted on 08/12/2005 2:59:05 PM PDT by SWAMPSNIPER (LET ME DIE ON MY FEET IN MY SWAMP, ALEX KOZINSKI FOR SCOTUS)
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To: youthgonewild

The South is the fastest growing region in the country, and while newcomers often bring many of their old ways with them, in most cities down here (not all, but a majority) when you move down here, it is in your best interest as an outsider to adapt yourself at least somewhat to the way that things are done here.

Also, for whatever reason, the lions share of Northern emigres to the non-Miami South tend to be at the very least Conservative leaning, being that most are involved in business of some kind.


16 posted on 08/12/2005 2:59:51 PM PDT by AzaleaCity5691 (The enemy lies in the heart of Gadsden)
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To: Pikamax

"saying they are voting against their economic self-interest by supporting Republican candidates".

Democrats can't get it through their thick skulls....
Marxism is a 19th century Concept....It isn't the 19th century anymore.

Far more than economics motivate people.


17 posted on 08/12/2005 3:03:10 PM PDT by TASMANIANRED (Conservatives are from Earth. Liberals are from Uranus.(c))
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To: EagleUSA
Pro-life and no-new-taxes are the foundation of the Republican party's strength. Get rid of either one, and hello Hillary.

The second amendment is part of it too.

18 posted on 08/12/2005 3:04:03 PM PDT by pepperhead (Kennedy's float, Mary Jo's don't!)
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To: curtisgardner

anti-Americanism Michael Moore extremism fits into the overall general category of "values".

Simple fact is that aside from the usual group that votes Republican or Democrat every election without fail, the two biggest motivators in the past election spurring voters to polls were a) WOT b) Values/Faith/Character.

This was the case on both sides. The majority decided the Republicans were closer to where they stood on each.

The Democrat strategy is to create dissatisfaction with Republicans in Washington so they will turn to Democrats. The trouble, their fault in reasoning...is that they don't understand the majority of dissatisfaction is centered around the fact those that voted for them do not feel Republicans are being aggressive enough in standing for the platforms they ran on. That being the case, are they going to want to turn to Democrats? Nope. Because the Democrats don't offer what the American people want. The Democrats egotism prevents them from understanding this simple fact.

So, the only way the Democrats can win is if Republicans/Conservatives stay home. They won't vote for Democrats, but they are unhappy about RINO's. This is where we get into the crux of this survey. The pure unadulterated anti Americanism fuels backlash against those that speak it. Ridiculing the values, the character of the President and the God we worship creates a strong reaction that overwhelms ANY antipathy voters may feel at the wimpish behavior of Republicans and drives them to polls to vote against the Democrats.

If the Democrats were smarter, they would shut up.

Just shut up. Stop bashing Christians and what they believe. Stop bashing the family structure and traditional apple pie values. Stop insinuating the President is akin to Hitler. Stop comparing our troops to Pol Pot and stop glorifying Code Pink using Cindy's vigil against the war. If they could just do that much, they might have a shot at winning next year. Dissatisfied Republicans/Conservatives might just stay home. But they won't stay home when their very core values are assaulted and the President is labeled a war criminal. And that is something the Democrats spin/lies/propaganda cannot overcome.



19 posted on 08/12/2005 3:04:30 PM PDT by Soul Seeker
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To: Pikamax
Democrats have expressed bewilderment over Republican gains among lower-income, Inbred, Rednecked, less-educated voters, wondering "Why won't Cletus vote for us?

I think the answer is pretty plain. Any time the Democrats have run a stuck up, northern liberal they lost {And I include Algore in that group}.

20 posted on 08/12/2005 3:04:39 PM PDT by AlbertWang
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