The social right has only minor interest in fiscal and defense issues. They do not vote on those issues; if the social issues are not to their liking, they don't vote. I think the number of them that stayed home in 2012 was 4 million. There is no compromise with libertarian leaning fiscal conservatives who want gov't out of our private lives.
Maybe there will actually be a blessing from this disastrous 0bama admin., and we can have a 2016 campaign based on fiscal and defense issues and not have to worry about people's private lives.
I disagree with your first point. I don't know how many stayed home in 2012, but the fact is that Obama overwhelmingly won the women, young, and Hispanic vote. According to one analysis, those who wanted an end to all abortions voted for Romney over Obama by almost 80 to 20. The same for the gay-marriage issue. But while Romney won the born again vote by 78-21, Obama actually won the Catholic vote. And the Tea Party vote went to Romney 87-21.
So it doesn't take much to see that 2012 wasn't about the social right staying home as much as it was about the women, young and Hispanics who didn't. And the GOP didn't pay a lot of attention to the groups that didn't vote for Romney. They were sucker-punched, and spent a lot of time trying to defend against the silly charges of wars on women, minorities, gays and the poor, which BTW worked for Obama. And Romney was simply the last man standing, and failed to inspire just about everyone who watched his debates and speeches.
So I wouldn't run off or rule out the social right too quickly. They are traditionally Republican voters, even if some of their social issues will have to take a back seat in '16.