I think there are many traditional old-line “liberals” who are thinking exactly the same thing. We need to encourage them, not stomp them into the ground.
One of the things I hate about some of the posters on FR is that they never forgive and never forget. So therefore, why should a liberal bother to change their opinion and take the grief for going public with their new opinion...if conservatives are going to hate you anyway for something they disagreed with you on in the past?
Forgive and forget and move on. Get support where you can.
I live in California. I am subject to felony conviction and lifetime loss of gun rights if a put a plastic pistol grip on my rifle.
Did gun owning conservatives win a civil war while I wasn't paying attention? The time to "forgive and forget" is far off and I will certainly NEVER forget.