Cultural Issues are Biggest Obstacle for Democrats - Democracy Corp.

[Pirate Smile]

focus groups.

From Taegan Goddard's Political Wire:

"Cultural Issues are Biggest Obstacle
According to Democracy Corps focus groups, the biggest problem for Democrats "is not Republican popularity -- indeed, most voters in these groups were tremendously upset over the current direction of the country and saw little difference between Democrats and Republicans in Washington."

The dissatisfaction with Republican leadership is overwhelmed by "the introduction of cultural themes -- specifically gay marriage, abortion, the importance of the traditional family unit, and the role of religion in public life -- which quickly renders almost irrelevant in terms of electoral politics at the national level."

"Particularly among non-college voters, cultural issues not only superceded other priorities, they served as a proxy for many voters on those other issues."

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2005/08/09/cultural_issues_are_biggest_obstacle.html

Here is the PDF report titled "The Cultural Divide & The Challenge of Winning Back Rural & Red State Voters - Focus Group observations - Appleton, WI and Little Rock, AK, June 2005; Louisville, KY and Golden, CO July 2005.

http://www.democracycorps.com/focus/Democracy_Corps_August_2005_Focus_Group_Report.pdf

[tk2kewl]

1. Cultural issues are not for the government to decide one way or another

Fairness is however. You don't need to think gay marriage is positive culturally to know that it is a fairness issue.

[getmeouttahere]

2. You're either for gay rights or you aren't...

if you're a red state BushCo supporter, and it's more important to you to deny gays their rights than it is to have a job or social security, then you will always vote for BushCo or the like. If you have any ideas on how to change that, I'm all ears. Otherwise, we need to start standing up for what we believe in and let these people decide between fighting over culture/morals or the issues that are really important and everyone's business.

[Pirate Smile]

4. I haven't read the entire PDF yet but I think it is important to know

why people who should be voting for Democrats aren't and determining the most effective way to overcome their concerns - most concerns which are just straw men that the Republicans have created to alienate people from Democrats.

I don't think the Democrats should in any way back off their support of Gay rights, etc. I view this as an issue of framing and effective communication to counter the scare tactics of the RW.

I think this helps show why the ground may be more fertile for Democrats in the libertarian leaning mind-set of the West, as opposed to the South - although I've always thought the "live and let live" POV was prevalent throughout the country - excepting, of course, the Fundie RW who want to tell everyone how to live and die and do everything in between.

[DanCa]

3. It's not G.O.D. it's G.O.P.

I am a regular church goer and a democrat, theres alot more of us than you think. There are plenty of people on my church board who dont care about a person's orientation, or stance on reproductive issues, or evolution. The problem is that the msm only portrays a christian as a bushbot. What would be great is an al sharpton hour on air america radio to help dispell this myth.

[Pirate Smile]

5. Quite a few progressive Christian groups have been formed since the

election. Hopefully they will be very outspoken and jump into the public arena with both feet.

During the debates on "social" issues which the RW tries to frame as based on "traditional" or "religious" values, it would be nice to have a person from these Progressive Religious organizations on shows to debate them instead of just a Democratic consultant.

Focus on the Family, Falwell, Roberson, Tony Perkins, etc. are so vulnerable on so many issues and we need to have people on challenging them strongly from a comparable progressive "religious" POV.

Here is one of the organizations I mentioned:

http://www.christianalliance.org/atf/cf/{E5AFE725-E65D-4060-8796-B8AF6415F5B7}/logo.gif
http://www.christianalliance.org/atf/cf/{E5AFE725-E65D-4060-8796-B8AF6415F5B7}/front_image.jpg http://www.christianalliance.org/atf/cf/{E5AFE725-E65D-4060-8796-B8AF6415F5B7}/frontbox_join.gif
http://www.christianalliance.org/atf/cf/{E5AFE725-E65D-4060-8796-B8AF6415F5B7}/front_reclaim_title.gif

http://www.christianalliance.org/site/c.bnKIIQNtEoG/b.592941/k.CB7C/Home.htm

I hope the "Rich Liberals Vow to Fund Think Tanks" will consider helping out organizations like this also.

Rich Liberals Vow to Fund Think Tanks
Aim Is to Compete With Conservatives

By Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, August 7, 2005; Page A01

At least 80 wealthy liberals have pledged to contribute $1 million or more apiece to fund a network of think tanks and advocacy groups to compete with the potent conservative infrastructure built up over the past three decades.

The money will be channeled through a new partnership called the Democracy Alliance, which was founded last spring -- the latest in a series of liberal initiatives as the Democratic Party and its allies continue to struggle with the loss of the House and the Senate in 1994 and the presidency in 2000. Many influential Democratic contributors were left angry and despairing over the party's poor showing in last year's elections, and are looking for what they hope will be more effective ways to invest their support.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/06/AR2005080600848.html

[DanCa]

6. The Christian alliance is so cool

So is www.rcrc.org, but your right it is an economic issue. Money is the huge factor in all this. That's the only way that we can shatter the programming that the right owns religion.

[Pirate Smile]

7. kick