Not that it’s any of my business, but why are the Republicans in Congress hell-bent on bringing up two topics — abortion and immigration — that have proven to be toxic for them in recent elections? Do they really want to drive away women and Hispanic voters even more than they already have?
But hey, who am I to tell them what to do. Please proceed.
There’s a not-inconsequential portion of the GOTea voter base that is convinced that it is the True Ahmurrcan Majority™, and that their losses are not the fault of their minority standing, nor of their offensive policy positions, but of some Great Malevolent Underhanded Scheme to deprive them of their Just Due (remember Rmoney’s “It’s our turn” and “47%’ remarks? This is where that sentiment originates). This is why they get all bent out of shape over ACORN; why immigration is such a hot issue; why they insist that Voter Fraud™ is rampant; and why there’s so little interest in helping Those People exercise their Constitution-given right to cast a vote. They’re convinced that all those Illeeeyguls are being shepherded over the US border by HUD agents and handed WH-issued identity documents solely to disenfranchise them and repress them, and that those Shameless Sluts™ and Recreational Abortionists™ are between them causing genocide among the next Greatest Generation and enabling Those People to become (or at least feign the appearance of) decent productive professionals and citizens.
These are the people the GOTea is courting. And for these voters, abortion, immigration, and anti-Other (black, latino, LGBT, whatever) proposals are all both sound policy and defense against the Great unAhmurrcan Invasion.
2 characteristics of conservative psychology:
1. Punitive and aggressive attitude toward violation of conventional norms.
2. A tendency to think in rigid, stereotypical ways.
And, guess what? These are 2 of the 10 elements of fascism.
Re: Julie’s comment
Yes. Aggressively punitive. Full stop.