you can either a) reward them for moving left or b) punish them for moving right

You’re talking about the political will of a nation as you would training a puppy. It’s incredibly reductive and simply not how the overton window works.

If the republicans win the next several elections the democrats will move further to the right to try to steal votes off them. The republicans will have to move further to the right to differentiate themselves from the democrats.

Not surprisingly, the more republicans win elections the further right everything moves.

Your position is exactly where the conservatives would have you. They can’t win your vote so their best outcome is to convince you not to vote.