Why Women Are Fleeing the Republican Party

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From the results of the recent mid-term election, it seems that women AND men are actually fleeing the Democratic party. Republicans won the largest victory in over several decades. Over 60 Democrats Congressional Representatives were replaced by Republicans.

BARBBF of MN 6:34PM November 09, 2010

It's true, you can find http://www.gallup.com/poll/120839/women-likely-democrats-regardless-age.aspx and other reports that lay it out for you -- women are indeed by likely to identify as Democrat rather than Republican.
I can tell you why I no longer identify as Republican:
First and foremost, the Republican Party too often acts as if Republican Party = Conservative Christian Republican Party. I don't want a theocratic party. Theocracy is unkind to women, religious minorities, competing denominations, competing monotheisms, and gays. Theocracy is antagonistic to democracy and we live in a democratic republic.
I've grown weary of the dualism that our two party system seems to gravitate toward -- it gets people more wrapped up in belief-based identity clashes (political and/or religious) than the the topics. I've been voting Democratic, Independent and Green and would really like to have even more *viable* political parties to choose from rather than only two major parties that play into into religious dualism all too well.
I'm sick of the intellectually dishonest inflammatory hyperbole like "the hateful Left."
I don't trust the anti-intellectual warrior-on-top paradigm but appreciate a strong military.
Yesteryear's Republican Party would be today's centrist party and our entire political spectrum has shifted toward the upper right of the modern political compass (more conservative, more authoritarian). It's a dangerous path to continue, that doesn't make me anti-authority and that's a deep topic.
I'm sick of people failing to distinguish a Christian majority in the U.S. from actual theocracy. I'm tired of the Christian Nation Revisionism aimed at literally making the U.S. a theocracy.
I'm disgusted that Republicans more frequently support "marriage protection" laws/referendums -- minority civil rights are not supposed to be decided via popular vote or referendum or any bandwagon effect. The checks and balances exist, in part, for this reason. The Greeks, our American forefathers and many since have spoken both about equality (which starts with the removal of public institutions of prejudice) and 'tyranny of the majority' in the contexts of democracy, both topics all Americans should be more than well acquainted with. The threat of "mob rule" to a democracy is restrained by ensuring the rule of law protects minorities or individuals against demagoguery (appealing to prejudices) or moral panic (such as the Salem Witch Trials, Satanic Panic of the 80s and 90s).
Prejudice is not and cannot be a beacon of morality or in the interests of equality -- equality starts with the removal of public institutions of prejudice.
I also don't agree with the strict constructionism vs. living constitution hyperbole that ends up with people, Republicans more than Democrats, wanting to overturn Roe vs. Wade. I've never had an abortion, never will have an abortion, and don't like the whole polarized pro-choice vs. anti-abortion debate.

KSco of WI 5:40PM August 11, 2010

women that listen to the republicans rhetoric of Abortion is just that.they want to take away your right to choose
they claim that the reason they are against abortion is its cruel operation,thats very compelling,until you look at the truth of their claim,because once the child is born and the mother have no way to provide for it,and it sleep with its mother in homeless shelters and if you ask the repugnant republican"s
for help, you would be barking up the wrong tree, if it wasn't for the democrats do you know they would
refuse to give you assistance,yet they care so much for your child, as long as you don't ask them for anything,so think about it, all this value stuff they been selling you is a big bag of hooey, they don't care for you, or your baby, if you poor. they just care for the big Lie they have being representing!
end of story!

james I jones of NC 11:55PM May 30, 2009

how 'moderate' republicans rail about the 'extremeist' rightwing of the party, without ever being clear on what their own principles are? Here's my conservative Republican view: If you vote for and want Obama's fiscal and social policies YOU ARE NOT A REPUBLICAN. The republican tent now encompasses most Americans based on polling data. Now if elected Republicans would Stop seeking common ground with Democrats, we'd win in a landslide. "Common ground" repubs are RINOS,like it or not! Why would any independent voter vote for a RINO when they've got the real thing (Dem) already there? One more observation:limited, 'active' governments don't stay limited for long, now do they?

Donna of TX 6:54PM May 28, 2009

I find this opinion incredibly disengenuous... Maybe that's why a recent Rasmussen/Gallup Poll showed that Democrats and Republicans are now basically tied when it comes to voter identification. Women who I know are only one issue voters and I have no respect for that. The strong, independent, business oriented females, such as myself, are strong fiscal conservatives as well as strong national defense advocates etc. I don't want to run for office because my life would get picked apart esp. as a female with an R next to her name - I saw what happened to one in 2008 by the hateful left. If you want to talk about fringe groups maybe you should look a the vitriol that comes from the left side of the spectrum. There are strong female personalities in the republican party like Michelle Malkin, Ann Coulter, Megyn Kelly, Laura Ingraham, Monica Crowley, Tammy Bruce who has since turned to the right, and I could keep going. Many of the females I know do not register for a specific party but they always vote republican - for example, I am unaffiliated but will prob. change my affiliation come primary season. Principles should matter more than anything else and if a woman running for office would rather move to the left and drop important republican platforms then she should deal with the consequences of that. Character, ethics, morals and integrity and above all else, principles, should matter in elected office - your example of either Snowe or Collins is quite laughable. I suggest you do your homework and see what happens comes 2010 when people realize how wrong and irresponsible/corrupt the Democrats in office are.
The only intolerance and meanness I see comes from the liberals and how they treat republicans and esp. conservatives. But I guess the only way anyone will wake up to that fact is when it's too late - you know that whole frog in the pot analogy?

Lindsay of MD 11:34AM May 20, 2009