In a recent column on Big Hollywood by John Romano argued the following:

 

"I gave a speech in Las Vegas last weekend.  My main points focused around gay marriage and abortion.  I put forth that Republicans need to avoid both issues like the plague.  Democrats consistently use them to paint urban Republicans into a corner of intolerance and “hate.”  Security, taxes, and avoiding Socialism are where we need to fight.  Don’t change your opinions, just focus on what is before the country today, I said.  I’d rather live in a country that was free and permitted both abortion and gay marriage than a Cap and Trade, government health care, Obama Motors, union controlled, weak military, nightmare of Socialism and Chicago patronage any day.  That’s just me.  I don’t have an in at City Hall.  I have to work for what I get."

 

The following is my response.

 

Your assertion that Republicans should avoid social conservative issues - abortion and gay marriage - "like the plague" is dead wrong, both politically and morally. 

Politically, public opinion now favors the social conservative position on these issues. More than 50% of Americans favor the pro-life position and over 80% favor protecting traditional marriage. Just because the main stream media and the Democrats attempt to use these positions against Republican candidates is no reason to go silent on the issue. Instead, Republican candidates should be taught how to respond to these media interrogations by presenting not only the moral argument for these positions but the conservative and constitutional argument as well.

In addition, the social conservative position on abortion and gay marriage is just the bridge we need to reach out to African Americans and Hispanics. African Americans provided the votes to pass Prop 8 in California and they consistently disagree with their party and Mr. Obama on the issue. Hispanics are overwhelmingly Catholic and pro-life. Here are two issues that will gain us traction with traditional Democratic voting blocs. Why would we want to go silent on the very issues that may win us the minority votes everyone claims to want?

Morally, it is reprehensible to ignore the murder of unborn children for political expediency. Social conservatives have consistently pushed the GOP to victory since Nixon and we have received little in return. Abortion is still legal and gay marriage is now on the liberal wish list. How long will conservatives stay apart of the GOP when it fails to honor their wishes? Where will they go you might ask? They may just drop out all together rather than support or simply turn a blind eye to evil. After all, what is a higher utility bill compared to the life of a child? 

I also think you commit a grave error when you separate the economic and security issues from social conservative issues. A government that can kill the unwanted and redefine the oldest tradition known to man is a government that has no problem with cap and trade or socialism. What is taking over a car company compared to redefining social institutions and determining who lives and who dies?