COMMENTARY | The Washington Post reports that Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum was involved in a heated exchange with an audience in New Hampshire Thursday. The exchange came when he discussed his opposition to same-sex marriage, making an odd comparison to polygamy. The exchange revived a recent debate within the GOP as to how far a candidate should press on social issues in a campaign, which is expected to focus more on the economy. Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels said last year that Republicans should call a “truce” on social issues like abortion and gay marriage. As a female voter, here is how I feel about social issues that keep rearing up in these campaigns.
I feel that social issues are important to an election, but it should not be the main focus of a candidate at this point in time. We are looking at a dismal economy, with a lot of people out of work, and I think more people are just worried about the fiscal aspects of a candidate. I am a believer in abortion rights and gay marriage, so I really have a hard time voting for a candidate that is so adamant that gay marriage is wrong, and it really makes it hard to choose a conservative candidate. I do realize that most conservative GOP candidates will say they are against gay marriage and against abortion, because a lot of their base is more conservative, but it can backfire when a candidate tries to gain the independent voters out there.
I feel that a candidate should speak his or her mind on the social issues in America, but I think more focus should be on welfare and the socioeconomic environments within the country. It seems from my experience, that more people are willing to accept gay marriage, and more people are pro-choice these days. In this economic situation, more people care about where the jobs are coming from and how to put food on the table, than whether a candidate approves of gay marriage or other heated social issues. It is good to know where a candidate stands on the issues such as abortion and gay marriage, but it should not be the focus point of this election. I feel that each state should have the right to decide whether gay marriage and abortion should be okay, and do not think it is the business of the government to have a firm stance one way or the other. Forcing social issues only hurts the candidates no matter which side he or she is on, because right now the economy is the main issue, and that is what candidates need to be discussing in-depth with voters.
Sandhya Somashekhar, “Rick Santorum compares same-sex marriage to polygamy, in spirited exchange at N.H. college”, Washington Post
Myself, Personal Opinion