In this thread, I would like to sidestep the issue of right vs. wrong, and just discuss instead which political stances gain votes and which lose votes today.
It appears that on abortion, being slightly pro-choice is the way to win votes.
On gun control, supporting strict gun control is becoming a vote-loser, but the spree of shootings has made gun supporters look bad too. Another issue for candidates to mostly zip their mouths on.
Labor unions are losing popularity.
On LGBT, being pro-LGBT isn’t necessarily a vote-winner, but *opposing *LGBT has become a vote-loser.
At the same time, there is an increasing backlash against identity politics, political correctness, and the political fads-of-the-day at university campuses.
Illegal immigration appears to be up and down from election to election. Right now it’s on the down - supporting amnesty will likely get backlash, but by 2020 that could go up again.
There is also a backlash against complexity in general. People want politicians who talk short, straight and simple - like Trump and Bernie, even if what they say isn’t necessarily true - as opposed to rehearsed, polished politicians who will go into great length and detail but can’t fit their proposals into neat, 5-second sound bites.
On foreign policy, voters don’t want any more wars, although they do still want some fighting against ISIS, and strict pacifism is a sure vote-loser. Some isolationism, but not too much, also seems to be the in thing.
I think there is now less resistance to increasing taxes on the wealthy than almost ever before.