The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Sloppy Social Conservatives

Text Size

Sloppy Social Conservatives

By W. James Antle, III on 5.21.09 @ 10:45AM

Maggie Gallagher is on the money in explaining why social conservatives are so ineffective politically. While I blame the Republican Party more than she does, in politics you have to make your own success -- and too often social conservatives don't. Their only leverage, as Gallagher says, is to threaten to withold their votes.

In my experience, social conservative organizations are less professional and polished than other organizations even within the conservative movement. They tend to lack effective spokesmen. And many of their spokesmen, I have found, are unable to call a friendly reporter back by the time of his deadline. As a social conservative myself, it doesn't suprise me that such organizations are so often and easily outmaneuvered by gay-rights groups and other social liberals.

View all comments (8) | Leave a comment

Eric Dondero| 5.21.09 @ 11:23AM

And ironically, libertarian groups are polished and punctual, but hardly ever get quoted by the MSM.

Steven| 5.21.09 @ 12:20PM

Of course, social conservatives tend to have jobs and families, which make it hard to go around protesting, jumping in front of cameras, and getting oneself arrested. And of course we don't have the socially liberal media to help us get our message out - they actively work to prevent it while cooperating fully with the other side.

jim rice| 5.21.09 @ 1:09PM

or it's b/c your socially conservative message has no place in politics... you can lead as socially conservative a life as you like - without forcing your views on others.

I WISH I could vote for the politically conservative candidate. But I can't ever do that until this social conservative nonsense gets untangled from the political and economic messages.

(Go Libertarians!)

Crusader| 5.21.09 @ 1:56PM

Lemme see if I got this right. We can lead socially conservative lives but not force our views on anyone else, all the while paying for:

- Other people's (most likely libtards') mortgages
- Abortion on demand here and abroad
- Publik skrewls, even if we choose to homeschool or pay for private school
- Medical care for illegal immigrants
- Defense attorneys for terrorist suspects
- Homo sex education for kindergartners
- Prescription drugs for rich retirees
- The Robert Byrd Memorial (insert infrastructure project here) in West Virginia
- Welfare/foodstamps/40s and Newports for generation after generation of racist libtard voters

See there jimbo, jimbalaya, jimmy ricecakes, I have no problem leading my socially conservative life all to my little lonesome as long as you keep your libtard life all to your lonesome. But you don't. You want social conservatives to have no voice in government but like a previous poster said, most of us are working hard and our money is going to pay for all this libtard/socialist/marxist/gayist gubmint claptrap being forced down our throats.
So the minute I get a rebate on my taxes for all the gubmint welfare crap and publik skrewls and libtard pork project, pocket-lining schemes and whatnot I DON'T use or support, that'll be the minute I stop shouting my socially conservative agenda from the rooftops. Deal?

Bob Ellis| 5.21.09 @ 2:52PM

Well said, Crusader!

All fine and dandy if liberals force their views on America, but oh no! Not allowed for social conservatives!

In addition to Maggie's observations, social conservatives (and I'm talking about the ones that complain but don't do anything) have to quit listening to Jim Rice-type tripe and get busy.

M. Bouffant| 5.22.09 @ 4:48AM

Nice website you got here.

Just a note: Social conservatives have all the voice in gummint that their votes earn them. Elections have consequences, as do demographic changes.

micky&vicky;| 9.4.09 @ 3:25AM

ghd Hair Straightener
classic ugg boots

bobo| 1.10.10 @ 10:29PM

Of course, social conservatives tend to have jobs and families, which make it hard to go around protesting, jumping in front of cameras, and getting oneself arrested. And of course we don't have thenike outlet
socially liberal media to help us get our message out - they actiadidas outletvely work to prevent it while cooperating fully with the other side.