I'm not so sure about how social issues are progressing. The drug war is still running, and that's a big problem for a lot of minorities. Gerrymandering and redistricting is still silencing a lot of minority voters. Gay rights have taken YEARS to achieve, and haven't been set in stone, so one term of conservative rule and that will be lost easily. And, as you said, abortion is already moving backwards. Add in the two problems you stated and we're in a hell of a bind as a country.