Taking Bets on Wedge Issues

'Hamas' Jenkins · 04-17-2006, 11:30 PM

Let's open the books and see if we can put odds on what issues the Republicans will use to motivate the religious nutjobs of their base to get out to vote in '08.

Dave Lane · 04-17-2006, 11:56 PM

Noahs ark was found at the GOP headquarters.

Hey it could happen if god wanted it to!

Dave

Pitt Gorilla · 04-18-2006, 01:01 AM

1. Sitting Hafner.
2. Big Bath is too fat.

Sully · 04-18-2006, 06:37 AM

1. Abortion
2. Gay Marriage
3. The ATTACK! on Christianity

Baby Lee · 04-18-2006, 07:56 AM

Grandma is eating dog food to pay for her heart meds.
They hate black people
They hate women
They hate you
We'll tax people who aren't you, and give money to people who are you.
COATHANGERS!!!!!

Oops, may have gotten my wires crossed there, sorry.

Kraut · 04-18-2006, 08:14 AM

Both sides will use the wedge. And as usual neither party will follow through and please the base of the party. Both major parties are bunch of greedy frauds!! I hope the American people as a whole can soon wake up and see what kind of toads we have running the show in Washington.

**banyon** · 04-18-2006, 08:30 AM

"Wedge" issues are a Repub strategy.

The term (I think) was coined by Lee Atwater, Reagan's campaign manager.

Refers to the devices used to pry people away fro what would ordinarily be their own economic self-interest.

Baby Lee · 04-18-2006, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banyon

Refers to the devices used to pry people away fro what would ordinarily be their own economic self-interest.

Oh c'mon.
There are two blaring problems with that.
1. It assumes that people have a universally agreed heuristic of what their economic self-interest is. Ohh, they're poor or middle class, they have to want government entitlements, they don't want opportunity, they want assurance.
2. It assumes that economic self-interest is station-zero for political decision making, and voters must be 'pried' from it to change their outlook.

Frankie · 04-18-2006, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Oops, may have gotten my wires crossed there, sorry.

May have? You voted for Bush, didn't you?

Baby Lee · 04-18-2006, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banyon

"Wedge" issues are a Repub strategy.

The term (I think) was coined by Lee Atwater, Reagan's campaign manager.

Wedge issues are an everyone and everywhere strategy. And it preceded Atwater by eons.

**banyon** · 04-18-2006, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

Oh c'mon.
There are two blaring problems with that.
1. It assumes that people have a universally agreed heuristic of what their economic self-interest is. Ohh, they're poor or middle class, they have to want government entitlements, they don't want opportunity, they want assurance.
2. It assumes that economic self-interest is station-zero for political decision making, and voters must be 'pried' from it to change their outlook.

I don't disagree with those assumptions being implicit in the concept, nor that your analysis offers a different way to look at it.

That was just my paraphrasing of how Atwater saw the concept.

**patteeu** · 04-18-2006, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banyon

"Wedge" issues are a Repub strategy.

Are you saying you don't think democrats use the same strategies or are you just giving credit to Republicans for coming up with the idea in the first place?

Sully · 04-18-2006, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kraut

Both sides will use the wedge. And as usual neither party will follow through and please the base of the party. Both major parties are bunch of greedy frauds!! I hope the American people as a whole can soon wake up and see what kind of toads we have running the show in Washington.

The reason there is no follow through is because it would take the bullets out of their guns. If they leave the "evil" of the world in place, they can perpetually "promise" to make changes.

Baby Lee · 04-18-2006, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sully

The reason there is no follow through is because it would take the bullets out of their guns. If they leave the "evil" of the world in place, they can perpetually "promise" to make changes.

That is a dynamic, but it's not universal.
Do you honestly believe that staunch pro-lifers actually want abortion to remain legal so they can just continue to lobby for it's overturn?

jspchief · 04-18-2006, 09:37 AM

So what's worse? Wedge issues, or no issues?

04-17-2006, 11:30 PM
'Hamas' Jenkins Now You've Pissed Me Off!! Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Koyaanisqatsi Casino cash: $154307	Taking Bets on Wedge Issues Let's open the books and see if we can put odds on what issues the Republicans will use to motivate the religious nutjobs of their base to get out to vote in '08.
Posts: 50,384

04-17-2006, 11:56 PM	#2
Dave Lane Space Cadet Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Kansas City, Mo, USA Casino cash: $2197774	Noahs ark was found at the GOP headquarters. Hey it could happen if god wanted it to! Dave __________________ Matt Cassel - 58.9 completion %, 13,495 yards, 82 TD, 57 INT, 24 Fumbles, 80.4 Passer Rating Alex Smith - 59.3 completion %, 14,280 yards, 81 TD, 63 INT, 36 Fumbles, 79.1 Passer Rating Do you realize the backups we have to this second coming of Matt Cassel have NEVER EVER thrown a regular season pass.
Posts: 19,360

04-18-2006, 01:01 AM	#3
Pitt Gorilla Banned! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NOT Columbia, MO 65201 Casino cash: $86585	1. Sitting Hafner. 2. Big Bath is too fat. __________________ That rabbit is crazy; I'm Brian Waters! Kotter: "You are lucky I'm truly not the vindictive or psycho type...I'd be careful from now on, and I'd just back the hell off if I were you....otherwise, the Mizzou "extension office" life might get exciting" Kotter: "You're just gay. G-A-Y. Gay."
Posts: 18,416

04-18-2006, 06:37 AM	#4
Sully Good Merlinpeen to all!!! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Lees Summit Casino cash: $26802	1. Abortion 2. Gay Marriage 3. The ATTACK! on Christianity __________________ "Let's all get the same girl pregnant, tonight!"
Posts: 12,230

04-18-2006, 07:56 AM	#5
Baby Lee Easy Going Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: State of Sedated Bliss Casino cash: $93988	Grandma is eating dog food to pay for her heart meds. They hate black people They hate women They hate you We'll tax people who aren't you, and give money to people who are you. COATHANGERS!!!!! Oops, may have gotten my wires crossed there, sorry. __________________ "Matthew McConaughey is a pilgrim in search of a shirt. He does not realize the shirt was inside him the whole time."
Posts: 33,597

04-18-2006, 08:14 AM	#6
Kraut Don't Make Me Angry... Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Hells Kitchen, NY Casino cash: $712	Both sides will use the wedge. And as usual neither party will follow through and please the base of the party. Both major parties are bunch of greedy frauds!! I hope the American people as a whole can soon wake up and see what kind of toads we have running the show in Washington.
Posts: 7,425

04-18-2006, 08:30 AM	#7
banyon Supporter Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Dodge City, Kansas Casino cash: $76625	"Wedge" issues are a Repub strategy. The term (I think) was coined by Lee Atwater, Reagan's campaign manager. Refers to the devices used to pry people away fro what would ordinarily be their own economic self-interest. __________________
Posts: 32,045

04-18-2006, 09:37 AM	#15
jspchief BAMF Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Your Face Casino cash: $41706	So what's worse? Wedge issues, or no issues? __________________ Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all.
Posts: 22,181

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