These kinds of culture war battles actually do serve a valid electoral purpose: they ban liberals from moving to red states. Sure, you nominally have freedom-o

These kinds of culture war battles actually do serve a valid electoral purpose: they ban liberals from moving to red states. Sure, you nominally have freedom-of-movement within the US. In practice, however, there's plenty of ways you can make people decide not to move. California is basically unlivable if you don't like three-hour traffic jams or paying insane rent, because the state is structured with a landed gentry of suburban old-time homeowners. Now, Texas is unlivable if you are an unmarried woman or want your children to be taught the history of racism in America[0]. The real thing that has screwed over Republicans is their stance on immigration. They could be reliably importing hordes of conservative voters from other countries if they hadn't spent so much time demonizing them for being too conservative. [0] The laws on the books only talk about "critical race theory". However it is actually rather difficult to explain, say, Jim Crow laws or the nadir of race relations without embracing at least some of CRT's base assumptions.