Day after day, I post about the ideological divisions in the Republican Party. At some point, you may wonder exactly what it is that keeps the GOP together. What is the lowest common denominator?
Tax cuts. CLs and PBPs love them, and the other two factions acquiesce in exchange for conservative social legislation. That is the bargain which keeps the GOP a single party.
Abortion runs second. Only the CLs have a principled objection to abortion restrictions, and the fact is that there are relatively few voters who identify with CL ideology on social issues. Even Rand Paul, who toes the libertarian line on drugs, has problems with abortion. As a result, the party, as a practical matter, is relatively united on that front.
That’s pretty much it, which is why the GOP struggles to do very much other than cut taxes when it is in power.