Is creationism/religion the only wedge issue the GOP has left?

[OzarkDem]

The recent troll activity here at DU indicates the GOP is seeking to paint Dems as Christianity haters out of touch with the "majority of Murkins who believe in Creationism". They've failed on health care reform, Iraq and tax cuts are on life support as wedges.

Recent attempts to divide and conquer via Guns, Gays and Abortion have pretty much fallen flat. So is it going to be religon wars in 2008?

[aquart]

1. I thought they were still pushing illegal immigration?

You know, the cause that lost the Hispanic vote?

[OzarkDem]

8. True, GOP sez immigration steals health care from Murkins

That talking point was used to help the GOP win a Congressional race last week in OH, the one to fill Rep Paul Gillmor's seat.

His opponent, a cohort of Coingate ringleader's Tom Noe, used a blend of immigration and pseudo health care reform to say

"Democrats support using your tax dollars to provide free health care to illegal immigrants". It worked like a charm.

[Gman]

2. Illegal immigration works real well

it works real well here on DU too.

[OregonBlue]

11. Yes and unfortunately it's gonna work well in the general. Dems better come up with

better responses than they have so far because I truly believe that they could lose if they don't find a way to address this one that doesn't totally piss off the moderate pugs and DINOs that might otherwise vote for them.

[tekisui]

3. racism/illegal immigration.-nt

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. ** started ramping up the religion wars with his whole Islamofascism schtick, that turned

a lot of 2-cell-brainers looking to faith to "win" that war.

Of course, now it won't be just getting a Christian into the White House, but it will be about the "flavor" of Christian. I think there will be a fair amount of tussling in the GOP concerning that. Mitt and Rudi aren't WASPy enough for many of the evangelical factions.

So if they don't get the right flavor on the ballot, will they defect and run one of their own independently or just stay home and sulk?

In the meantime we've heard far more religious pandering from the Dems. That right there is a sure sign that they see religion as one of the wedge issues of this election cycle.

[treestar]

5. could be, but it is Christmas

This always brings out the war on Christmas, and the war on Christians, and how persecuted this majority is. :sarcasm:

[OzarkDem]

9. War on Christmas is an institution now

Virtually every GOP relative or acquaintance I have has sent a Christmas card with the Madonna and Child on the front.

I sent all of them cards with doves and olive branches saying "Peace on Earth, Goodwill Towards All"

[napi21]

6. Oh I don't think so. The GGG is stll very alive and well!

Listen to any of them speak. The only one who isn't preaching that stuff is Rudy! I think it's just not so much in the MSM right now is that the Pubs know all of their candidates except for RG) support their "ideals".

Hell, Hucjk even inserted a new one. He tinks all gays AIDS victims should be isolated fro the rest of society!

[mrreowwr_kittty]

7. Nope they still have immigration and terra

According to public perception polls on the front page of the AZ Republic this morning, we beat the GOP on every issue, including taxes (!), but they are beating us by 7 points on immigration and 10 points on terrorism.
Watch for those to be the dominant themes of their campaign.

Oh yeah, they also edge us out slightly on "moral values", which is so annoying when you think of all their scandals of late. :grr:

[glowing]

10. The theory of evolution and natural selection and adaptation are not

well understood by enough people on either side to debate anything... And thank our "text" book versions of science for inadequately preparing anyone to really understand the theories and how it is applied in real life and to situations.. and how it doesn't always follow the text book versions people think about...

Evolution is small... DNA

Adaptation and survival of the fitest is big.. Who survives the best continues on (hate it when its applied to humans though, then you have Hiler people looking for their blond, blue eyed perfections).

Then there is all the stuff in between. Science is amazing and its a shame its taught so inadequately.

[Cleita]

12. Yep. It looks like this is the wedge issue du jour for the new

campaign. The ridiculous last Republican debate, which was to elect the Patriarch of Jerusalem it seems, proves that this is the road they are going down. It's going to be all about a sect of Christianity vs. the godless bunch of the rest of the heathens known as liberals.

[Elspeth]

13. Abortion, gay marriage, the War on Christmas, national security....

All the usual

[skipos]

14. Nominate Mitt and they lose the religion issue

Anyone who is scared of Barack's middle name would be just as scared of Romney's mormonism.
GO MITT!

[Arugula Latte]

15. Immigration -- that's their next big one, but it divides the GOP corporatists from the jingoists.

Such a dilemma ... Such a dilemma ... :)

[AndyTiedye]

16. All of those Wedge Issues are Alive and Well

Religion is still the big one, and it always has been. Bigger than ever this year.

We can expect the anti-abortion people to be out in force, as they are so close to final victory in the Supreme Court.

You would think that we could use these as wedge issue against them, since the Repub positions are far outside the mainstream,
but so far we have been completely unable to do so.

So we cave in instead. It never works.

The gun issue will go on hurting us for many years to come, even though we long ago ran up the white flag on gun control.
The gun people all HATE Hillary Clinton. (But they don't like the Ghoul very much. What would they do if it were Edwards vs. the Ghoul?)

There will be more attempts by Democratic candidates to throw gays under the bus. It won't help us.
There will be more anti-gay ballot measures. Even if they don't pass, they draw the knuckle-draggers to the polls.

The war on terra is a gift that keeps on giving for the Repiggies, with "alerts" timed for maximum benefit to them. People may be getting cynical about it, but it still works. Terra alerts are also handy when you need to get rid of those pesky poll watchers so you can get down to stealing the election.

Iraq is the issue we ought to be able to wedge the Repiggies on, since they have made such a total mess of it.
Unfortunately, none of our major candidates will commit to ending the war, so we don't get any mileage out of that one.

[benEzra]

17. Would depend on what Edwards did with it.

The gun issue will go on hurting us for many years to come, even though we long ago ran up the white flag on gun control.

The gun people all HATE Hillary Clinton. (But they don't like the Ghoul very much. What would they do if it were Edwards vs. the Ghoul?)

It would depend on what Edwards did with it, primarily whether or not he supported the "assault weapon" ban. Guliani has big problems on the gun issue, since he himself vocally supported banning the most popular guns in America, and would be vulnerable to a pro-gun Dem on the issue IMO. Romney could be even more vulnerable than Guliani.

BTW, pro-gun, anti-AWB Dems won most of the key swing seats that turned the Senate blue in '06. Don't be too pessimistic about the issue.