September 10, 2004
GuestBlog: By Bill Kraus
It's the votes, stupid
Those who wonder why the Bush campaign makes no serious effort to reach out to the pro-choice, anti-gun, pro-gay marriage constituencies are not paying attention to the way politics is being played in this new millennium.
As far as the Bush campaign is concerned, those voters are gone. If they are dedicated Republicans, they may be so offended by being snubbed that they simply will not vote. But the more pragmatic view is that they are Democrats who are going to vote for Kerry for other reasons as well as these. These votes and voters are irretrievable.
And furthermore, there is a risk of playing to them. This may alienate the "my way, all the way, or no way" factions that have become crucial to the Bush campaign (to all campaigns for that matter) for one compelling reason: They vote.
Until and unless the moderate middle, the politically homeless vote in large enough numbers to be worth the candidates' attention, this is the way the political world is going to work.
The power has shifted and shifted dramatically to the single issue, hard-line factions, and that is the game the candidates have to play.
Want to change the game? Start voting in numbers too large to be ignored.
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