Well, Ramesh. Fair point. And I probably spoke too glibly. I guess my response is that every candidate should indeed address the concerns of voters in their constituency. But that’s somewhat different than branding the party at the national level or getting bogged down on issues that divide the anti-Obama/anti-Democratic Congress coalition. I don’t see much advantage, given the national mood, of trying to nationalize the 2010 election on social issues — or any issues – that turn off independents.
This is entirely a tactical point as far as I am concerned. I don’t think the GOP needs to abandon social conservatism by any stretch. But given where the country is, it should set priorities for the next few months. Arguing about rescinding birthright citizenship strikes me as a perfect example of an argument that can wait.