I’ve long thought that there are too many on our side who poo poo the social aspect of conservatism. They do this at their own peril. Perhaps, they do it because they feel that in their own lives they have failed to live up to these social standards. Who knows what the individual reasons are.
However, they like Ayn Rand understand the fiscal and economic reasons why conservative thought and practice have made this country what it is. However, without the social conservative aspect, they don’t understand why people willingly adhere to the conservative fiscal aspect. They miss the glue that holds this all together. As John Adams said, our constitution is made only for a moral and relgious people. Without a moral society, our great republic will not function the way it’s supposed to. We must fix the moral aspect as well as the fiscal one.
In my experience, those who denigrate social conservatism do so in order not to appear 'unsophisticated' by those whose good opinion they seek. Sometimes it's folks in an academic setting, or who want to seem more hip to younger folks. Sadly, it's sometimes in a Church setting, because, using Scripture as their basis, they think they are not supposed to 'judge' others. They don't think in terms of helping to guide others away from sinful choices, which, at it's base, is the reason for all of the social ills of this country.