Winning Red States & RW-ers: How Do We Give Them A Comfort Level?

I'm convinced that * is now so deep in the shit that many, many people who call themselves conservatives and/or Xtians are ready to desert him in droves. I'm also convinced that many of them have already arrived at the conclusion that they have ample reason to desert him and vote for someone else (ie: JK) in November.

The only thing that's missing is a comfort level that allows them to feel good about jumping ship. Realize that many of these people are fundamentalists in their religious and political beliefs. They've been told that the only *unforgivable sin* is to have found Jesus and then deserted him (Ie: the sin against the holy spirit) - or, in politics, they've always voted R and it's tough for them to consider pulling the lever for a D. Many of them subconsciously transfer such feelings to shrub, who they have been told is a born-again Xtian R doing god's will. As such, there is a great deal of cognitive dissonance going on - these people hang on in spite of the truth they see before their eyes because they don't wish to view themselves as deserting a fellow Xtian in hard times. That is, unless god's elected one turns out to be some kind of false prophet. It happened to Jim Bakker. It happened to Jimmy Swaggert. And it can happen to * as well.

The problem is that Xtians seem to get their panties in a tizzy over one thing and one thing only - illicit sex. And to this point, * hasn't engaged in illicit sex...that we know of. But he's done far worse, and therein lies his vulnerability with his staunchest base.

Now, I know many Xtains and many more people who are basically a-political but call themselves conservatives. Their beliefs are a mile wide and an inch deep, and they can be moved off of their positions quite easily IF - and this is a big if - they are convinced it's OK to do so. Primary to this is a single truth: if they can blame someone else for their *original* position, they'll do a 180 faster than you can spit.

So it comes down to this as a mantra when you're moving an R into the D column:

* it's not your fault everything's in the crapper, it's the fault of bush & the Rs. After all, they control everything and they're responsible for the mess

* it's not your fault because you were LIED to by bush and the Rs. In fact, bush even lied to many in his own party, in Congress, at the UN and around the world

* it's not your fault because you actually voted against bush in 2000, but his friends on the SCOTUS ignored your wishes and installed bush anyway

*it's not your fault because you believed that bush was a god-fearing Xtian, but he's made it obvious from his actions that that was a lie as well

* it's not your fault that the war in Iraq is a disaster, because you supported our troops and even bush as much as anyone could be expected to support them. But at this point, a change is needed, and bush is not able to change. Hell, he's even proud of his inability to adapt to the reality on the ground.

* it's not your fault the country's spiraling into debt, because when bush took office he was given a huge surplus that no one in their right mind thought even he could blow.

Of course, it really is their fault, but we don't need to tell them that, do we? :)

will be out this summer. He paid for a girlfriend to have one. Larry Flynt has a book coming out with names, dates, etc. That might get the Fundies Undies in a bundle. The majority of Christians already support Kerry, don't confuse Christians with Fundies. They are completely different.

Instead of focusing on what differentiates "us" from "them" (like the social issues: abortion, gay marriage, sex, etc.) we need to focus on the economy-- AND the Shrub's failed war policies.

Most of the Christian Fundies used to be Democrats in the 1970s-- it wasn't until 1980 and Reagan that they defected wholesale to the Republicans. Most of them still favor a strong social safety net, and a very strong sense of social justice. They are compassionate and really DO care about those less fortunate.

However, we've let the Republicans define the agenda for too long. The Repubs were able to hammer away at the divisive social issues (like abortion, sex, etc) and lure the christian bloc away-- DESPITE the fact that their economic agenda flies in the face of social responsibility.

We, as Democrats, need to pick up those economic issues and hammer away at the Repubs where they're weakest: "free trade", increasing the minimum wage, corporate power and crime, etc. The Dems have had a golden opportunity ever since Enron and the Dot-Com bust, but they're too damned afraid to stand up-- mostly because the corporatists in charge of the party are involved in similar scandals.

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There's ATV areas and ATV free areas and leave it at that. Don't ruffle their feathers. Keep them home!!

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Don't worry about winning them over, just discourage them to the point they won't bother to vote at all. Any way you can!