Pro gay marriage, anti abortion: the future of social conservatism in America

[compromise]

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timwigmore/100207820/pro-gay-marriage-anti-abortion-the-new-face-of-social-conservatism-in-america/

[Brett85]

Well, better than anti gay marriage, pro choice. If someone gave me the option of taking a deal where government gay marriage was allowed across the entire U.S in exchange for a nationwide ban on abortion, I'd take it. Defending life is more important than anything else.

[TokenLibertarianGuy]

I guess I'm not part of this "conservative" future.

[jmdrake]

The liberty movement needs to start pushing to social conservatives the idea of getting the federal government out of marriage altogether by reforming the tax code, social security, immigration and other federal laws that impinge on marriage. That is the way forward. It fits what fiscal and small government conservatives want to do anyway. It's the position Ron and Rand Paul have taken. Those who say "Well in the meantime we need to push for marriage equality" just don't get it. On the one hand that simply increases the size of government (and increases taxes on most gay couples) and makes sure the federal government stays even more involved in marriage. On the other hand it turns potential allies in the social conservative movement needlessly into enemies.

[eating_nachos]

Republicans think they can win 2016 by being prolife democrats.

[Brett85]

The liberty movement needs to start pushing to social conservatives the idea of getting the federal government out of marriage altogether by reforming the tax code, social security, immigration and other federal laws that impinge on marriage. That is the way forward. It fits what fiscal and small government conservatives want to do anyway. It's the position Ron and Rand Paul have taken. Those who say "Well in the meantime we need to push for marriage equality" just don't get it. On the one hand that simply increases the size of government (and increases taxes on most gay couples) and makes sure the federal government stays even more involved in marriage. On the other hand it turns potential allies in the social conservative movement needlessly into enemies.

Yeah, but it seems like anything short of a full throated endorsement of government gay marriage at the state level isn't going to win over the pro gay marriage people at this point. If it gets to the point where 67% of the American people support government gay marriage by 2016, even taking the position of getting the federal government out of marriage might not be enough. Some of these pro gay marriage people are all or nothing; they won't be satisfied unless a politician supports actual government sponsored gay marriage.