How can the GOP win back suburbia?

[CJK]

De-emphasize issues like abortion, gay marriage, and evolution. Talk more about crime and about improving education, transportation, and the standard of living. Also moving leftward economically would help as well.

In other words, be just like the Democrats.

I think I'll pass.

And by way, can anyone tell me the last time Republicans actually put a heavy emphasis on abortion, gay marriage, or evolution during a campaign?

[CJK]

And by way, can anyone tell me the last time Republicans actually put a heavy emphasis on abortion, gay marriage, or evolution during a campaign?

2008 primaries?

Not really. I'd say the last time was in 2000 (in the primaries).

So you're trying to argue that Republican Party problems today are a result of negative public reaction to the 2000 primaries?

[CJK]

Um, then why did you say

De-emphasize issues like abortion, gay marriage, and evolution.

[CJK]

Um, then why did you say

De-emphasize issues like abortion, gay marriage, and evolution.

Because I think many suburban voters who might otherwise vote GOP support the Dems on these issues and thus vote for the Dems instead.

Um, you just admitted that these issues have not been emphasized since 2000, so why the need to "de-emphasize" them?

[CJK]

Um, then why did you say

De-emphasize issues like abortion, gay marriage, and evolution.

Because I think many suburban voters who might otherwise vote GOP support the Dems on these issues and thus vote for the Dems instead.

Um, you just admitted that these issues have not been emphasized since 2000, so why the need to "de-emphasize" them?

They may not have been Presidential campaign issues, but they certainly have been issues.  The FMA for one, all the gay marriage bans that have been put on state ballots.  These are the kind of Christofacist activities which turn off suburban voters.

How can you assert that they "turn off" voters when all the gay marriage bans put on the ballot have passed?

[CJK]

Um, then why did you say

De-emphasize issues like abortion, gay marriage, and evolution.

Because I think many suburban voters who might otherwise vote GOP support the Dems on these issues and thus vote for the Dems instead.

Um, you just admitted that these issues have not been emphasized since 2000, so why the need to "de-emphasize" them?

They may not have been Presidential campaign issues, but they certainly have been issues.  The FMA for one, all the gay marriage bans that have been put on state ballots.  These are the kind of Christofacist activities which turn off suburban voters.

How can you assert that they "turn off" voters when all the gay marriage bans put on the ballot have passed?

They turn off voters in suburbia, not necessarily in other parts of the states (such as rural areas).

That's flatly untrue: 59% of suburban Californians voted against gay marriage in 2008 as well as 63% of Ohio suburban voters in 2004.

[CJK]

Um, then why did you say

De-emphasize issues like abortion, gay marriage, and evolution.

Because I think many suburban voters who might otherwise vote GOP support the Dems on these issues and thus vote for the Dems instead.

Um, you just admitted that these issues have not been emphasized since 2000, so why the need to "de-emphasize" them?

They may not have been Presidential campaign issues, but they certainly have been issues.  The FMA for one, all the gay marriage bans that have been put on state ballots.  These are the kind of Christofacist activities which turn off suburban voters.

How can you assert that they "turn off" voters when all the gay marriage bans put on the ballot have passed?

They turn off voters in suburbia, not necessarily in other parts of the states (such as rural areas).

That's flatly untrue: 59% of suburban Californians voted against gay marriage in 2008 as well as 63% of Ohio suburban voters in 2004.

Many of those other 41% and 37%, respectively, were turned off by the GOP's rhetoric on various social issues. It's not just about gay marriage--many suburban voters who support abortion vote against the GOP when the GOP places large emphasis on the issue.

Why abandon the 59% to get the 41%? And why is abortion relevant when it has not been an emphasis in many years and growing numbers of people are opposing it?

The idea that suburban voters favor gay marriage and abortion out of proportion to the total population is pure fantasy.

[CJK]

The "evangelical takeover" of the GOP occured back in the 1980s when Republicans were doing quite well.

There's simply no proof to support your contention that social conservatism costs Republicans votes. Indeed, the evidence suggests the opposite. As I stated earlier, gay marriage bans passed by landslide proportions in the suburbs.