pushed by authority figures.

The left hasn't come up anything more simple and black and white than the "killing babies" meme that is supported by many religious authorities.

With folks who are anti-abortion, the meme women's rights, really never gets far beyond it's juxtaposition with fetal rights.

IMO to beat a simple argument pushed by an authority an appeal must be made to populist ideals already widely socially accepted, for example abortion must be seen as something that looks like 'self-defense'.

His thesis is that poor people don't vote, but those a notch up who were once on government benefits DO vote and they essentially are voting against the poor who are moochers to their way of thinking. They have an organizing principle around which to rally whereas the poor just don't vote for a variety of reasons.

So what do we do? This has exasperated liberals for years. Voting hours and state limitations on who can and cannot vote are a part of it but it takes a willingness to be a part of a system which has largely failed them.

I believe you are right about abortion rights and our difficulty in getting folks to vote prochoice. Some liberals are uneasy with abortion and always feel on the defensive, esp. women who have had an abortion and may not want to talk about it and who could blame them.

I remember now, it was in the comments.

Thanks.

The abortion issue is non-trivial, but I think the biggest thing driving the Republican party is schadenfreude. The dirt-poor and ignorant need a reason to feel superior to their neighbors, and their religion is insufficient because so many of their neighbors share it. Nevertheless, the brand of "Christianity" they practice does allow them to tout their purity and saintliness at the expense of those who do not share it, and the campaign against abortion is a subset of this.

As for those in the GOP who are not dirt-poor and ignorant, their motivation is easy to understand, since all their policies are directed towards oppressing and exploiting others, while securing to themselves whatever advantages they can. Still a kind of schadenfreude, though, because it enables them to look around at their McMansions and possessions and say "What a good boy am I."

-- Mal

but I think the single issue that drives their GOTV, and let's face it,they get the people to come out and vote better than the Dems,is abortion.

It is the issue that puts the mover the top more than any other.

women more autonomy, thus more power, abortion is to be despised. When people, esp. men, start ranting against abortion I remind them gently "well, if you are against abortion, don't get one!" That line gets me funny looks...

Gun control is to democrats...

Same effect, brings out a few purists but royally stirs up an angry, voting opposition on election day