Labels

Turns politicians into the guys at Supermarkets with the handheld price ticket machines

slapping on labels on the nighshift at the A&P. That one is on sale. That one is three for a buck.
That one is a 'massachusetts moderate ' and Huntsman endorsing Romney is like a 'moderate endorsing a moderate.' Militant moderation is what Secretary of State Albright use to say was what the country should want. Moderation in all things was a mantra of my Republican father, who wanted the best education possible for his daughters.
What do these labels mean? Are they supposed to evoke a set of values and principles? Is it supposed to mean that a girl with a law degree sits at home teaching elementary grade subjects to all her kids because they rather not spend the money on private catholic schools?
Conservative to a lot of people means neanderthal reactionary throwback to Father Knows Best days where women didn't get to think for themselves and sat at home darning socks and popping over the counters to dull the boredom. Conservative evokes images of cigar smoking zip up sweaters and plaid slippers telling Molly she can't go out with that black boy down the street.
Conservative to a lot of people evokes fears of handcuffing women to a bed post to make them deliver a baby when their boyfriend left them for dead by the side of the road because abortion should be 'illegal' without a thought about what legislative structure would do that without criminalizing women. Why does anyone think that the label 'conservative' is going to win a national election? What does it say to you?