This is one thing I have to give to the left. They do a much better job about creating a strawman for the public to get all worked up over, and makes everyone lose sight of the actual issue/problem at hand. In any left-right debate over policy, if the left can successfully steer the conversation away from the actual issue, and paint the right's viewpoint as being detrimental to some "at risk" group - they win in the court of public opinion.
The left has mastered their side of any argument. They've created an unbeatable side to any argument. Whenever their view is challenged, they immediately move into character assassination. It's actually pretty brilliant because even when you're right - which is most of the time when arguing with liberals - you end up giving in because you don't want anyone to believe you're a racist, homophobe, xenophobe (well,...I don't really care about that one), misogynist, etc.