I want to love the GOP -- but they keep pushing me away

it's true

I am a closet Republican.

yup -- shocked you didn't I

but I am

I shoot guns (not all the time - but I have and do)
I believe that the federal government should have less to do with my daily life
I'm a supporter of pro-business action

I'm fiscally conservative.

and I think that the GOP is missing a huge audience.

You're missing women who support women's rights who are conservatives
you're missing gay men and women who are conservatives
you're missing minorities
you're missing out on athiests and agnostics and folks who just want their politics without religion

you're missing out on average men and women who are puzzled by the hate and bigotry they hear

you're alienating us all.

now -- is that to say that everyone who votes republican is a hater?

no

I think that Americans are long since used to choosing what they believe to be the lesser of two evils.

and that a great many people who will vote Republican are counting on the fact that the politicians are two faced -- that they will make a loud noise about being against abortion and health care reform

but when they are in office they'll wander back to the middle and do nothing

but here's the danger

instead of courting the Religious Right

you've been taken over by them
taken over by men and women who genuinely believe that this country would be much better if it just pushed aside the religious rights of those who don't agree with them

including the right to not believe at all

I think our days of centrist republicans and democrats may be done
and I'm horrified by it.

Come blog with us about reproductive rights on 2/15