Activist conservatives make up only 20-30% of the population.
What's worse is that they're divided among themselves as to priorities and presentation.
Some conservative themes and goals are popular, or can be made so. Of these, small, non-intrusive, "leave-me-alone" government is probably the best. Gay "marriage", a hill to die on for the Left, even lost California, for heaven's sake.
However, some things that excite great passion among many conservative activists, things that "bring them out", are decidedly not popular. Many so-called "social issues" lead this particular list.
Reagan's great gift was the ability to select a panel of issues on which most Americans could agree. Modern conservative activists either 1) Think, falsely, that most Americans agree with them on issues which they don't, or, 2) Care so passionately about their particular issues that they don't CARE that 70% of Americans disagree with them.
We have a lot of work to do.
......Activist conservatives.....
That’s sort of an oxymoron. There are activist and there are conservatives, but there are virtually no activist conservatives.
You make a good point.
I think what Reagan did, and what we need to do, is convince voters that agree with us on 70% of issues (or even 51%) that they should vote with us.
We should not try to be all things to all people, but stand firm to true Conservative priciples and convince enough voters that we are enough things to the.
For example, if a voter agrees with us on security and economics, but disagrees on social issues and abortion, we convince THEM to compromise on the 30% that they disagree with us on.
Activist conservatives make up only 20-30% of the population.
Maybe Marxists make up only 20-30% of the Population and idiots must be close to 50%.
I am a 'leave me alone' government type, there's something wrong. If you are a 'leave me alone' person, shouldn't that goes toward people who are gay?