Where does the Republican Party Go From Here?

puremagic

It can't stay the same. This is the wake up call that proved just how divided the Party has become. When the conservatives split into three groups, the ultra conservatives, the neoconservatives and the regular conservatives all with their own over the top religious and morality agendas, they changed the face of the Party. They became their own groups which created an in-house division where Republicans were almost forced to chose which click they belonged to and so began the in house fighting for attention. This in house fighting on who's agenda deserved the most attention could clearly be seen throughout the Primary process as each sector pushed their own agenda. Unfortunately it followed McCain campaign as he clearly struggled to please these different fractions. No child or adult should have to pick up the phone and hear, terrorists will kill your family if Obama is elected.

This in house fighting created an arrogance. You can't have Republicans calling Virginian's communists when most of them are military connected; can see the Pentagon and Arlington Cemetery from their damn windows. You can't have Republicans dismissing the East Coast as not relevant. You can't have Republicans dismissing the West Coast as not relevant. Why was this a bad move, because the Republicans relied solely on the Midwest, but in your arrogance, you overlooked the fact that these were the people losing their homes and jobs at a faster rate than most Americans. These were the people affected by outsourcing, the people who worked in the same plant for 30 years along side of their son or daughter only to watch it close and the jobs shipped overseas. These were the people left with little or no pensions or health coverage. These were the people who were reduce from being a hard working Americans never looking for a government handout, who now had to turn to the government for help. That's the towns of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, and many, many other towns and suburban areas all across the United States. The Republican Party took these people for granted and depended upon tradition to carry them through. Sadly, the problem with too many agendas is that tradition became lost in the interpretation of who's tradition was being pushed.

Out of this mess came a stronger group of Independents made up of both Democrats and Republicans who believe in traditions and values but can keep it in prospective with needs of the country as a whole. This is the new face of the American voter, this is the new demand facing the old, the new and the upcoming political candidates. The labels left, right, red, blue,liberal, neo, ultra or conservative have become irrelevant, the America public will no longer be complacent and will seek accountability.

I hope this brainstorming session carries at least one thing from the McCain campaign and that is turning his slogan of Country First into a meaningful and all encompassing future agenda.

LikeAnOcean

They're all moving to Texas and declaring their independence.

g under p

Great question I was going to ask the very same thing. I'll post something later cause they're meeting in VA discussing this matter as we speak.

Peace

mammasan

The party can go one of two ways. It can embrace Sarah Palin as it's new star and continue down the road of catering to the Christian Right or it can return back to it's roots. In my opinion the only way the GOP can survive is if they return back to their roots.

melodious

Out of this mess came a stronger group of Independents made up of both Democrats and Republicans who believe in traditions and values but can keep it in prospective with needs of the country as a whole. This is the new face of the American voter, this is the new demand facing the old, the new and the upcoming political candidates. The labels left, right, red, blue,liberal, neo, ultra or conservative have become irrelevant, the America public will no longer be complacent and will seek accountability.

neo con is a bit extreme

getting back to gov't out of our business would be a nice change; for this reason many americans were torn and decided to vote for change.

.

time tells...

faithful2you

the only way it can go.....UP

watch....the shoe will be on the other foot in 8 years.

jeffbr

The good news is that this election demonstrated that the goddam christian right has become irrelevant. Hopefully the party bosses will see that and stop catering to them. Pat Robertson and is asshole followers fucked up the party in the 80's and the party clearly lost its way. The neocons then swept in and continued to take the party away from its traditional base (lower taxes, lower spending, smaller government, more liberty, less intervention), and demonstrated that they could grow government faster than democrats, and wage war on liberty.

I think it was shown not just with the Obama race, but with lots of local and state races, that people reject the lunacy that the neocons and the religious right bring to the table. If the party can rebuild without the neocons and the religious nuts, it will have a chance in 4 years. If not, the dems will continue to eat them alive.

puremagic

melodious wrote:

neo con is a bit extreme

getting back to gov't out of our business would be a nice change; for this reason many americans were torn and decided to vote for change.

.

time tells...

Many conservatives declared themselves neo conservatives, its no myth, no secret. Their views where expressed within the Party and many media outlets, especially talk radio highlighted their agenda.

All I am saying is that this division of viewpoints within the Party created too many agendas for any political candidate to meet their demands. It lead to a disorganized and fractured campaign that ostracized too many communities. That is what the Republican party has to fix.

The line between national security and the Constitution has been blurred, which has lead to the government being involved in the private lives of its citizens. Where would you start to undo what has been done?

know1

jeffbr wrote:

The good news is that this election demonstrated that the goddam christian right has become irrelevant. Hopefully the party bosses will see that and stop catering to them. Pat Robertson and is asshole followers fucked up the party in the 80's and the party clearly lost its way. The neocons then swept in and continued to take the party away from its traditional base (lower taxes, lower spending, smaller government, more liberty, less intervention), and demonstrated that they could grow government faster than democrats, and wage war on liberty.

I think it was shown not just with the Obama race, but with lots of local and state races, that people reject the lunacy that the neocons and the religious right bring to the table. If the party can rebuild without the neocons and the religious nuts, it will have a chance in 4 years. If not, the dems will continue to eat them alive.

How do they cater to the religious right? I mean specifically what policies?

mammasan

jeffbr wrote:

The good news is that this election demonstrated that the goddam christian right has become irrelevant. Hopefully the party bosses will see that and stop catering to them. Pat Robertson and is asshole followers fucked up the party in the 80's and the party clearly lost its way. The neocons then swept in and continued to take the party away from its traditional base (lower taxes, lower spending, smaller government, more liberty, less intervention), and demonstrated that they could grow government faster than democrats, and wage war on liberty.

I think it was shown not just with the Obama race, but with lots of local and state races, that people reject the lunacy that the neocons and the religious right bring to the table. If the party can rebuild without the neocons and the religious nuts, it will have a chance in 4 years. If not, the dems will continue to eat them alive.

Couldn't agree more. If the GOP decides to stick with the Christian right and the neo-cons we could maybe see the GOP split up into separate parties.

sweet adeline

palin/hasselbeck 2012

Thecure

this is a very good thread. i personally believe that it really depends on what Obama does as president. if Obama moves way to the left then you will see a palin type person running for president. if obama becomes more central/left then i believe that you will need the party to go back to it's roots of little government/little spending.

i also believe that the party needs to get out more to middle age voters in teh age group of 35-55. they are a group that i believe teh rep. can get more votes from.

jeffbr

know1 wrote:

How do they cater to the religious right? I mean specifically what policies?

In a time of economic peril, or when we are waging wars, why do we hear about amending the constitution to define marriage as a union of man and woman? Why was Palin chosen as McCain's running mate? Why did we constantly hear about Obama's muslim heritage?

blackredyellow

mammasan wrote:

The party can go one of two ways. It can embrace Sarah Palin as it's new star and continue down the road of catering to the Christian Right or it can return back to it's roots. In my opinion the only way the GOP can survive is if they return back to their roots.

I just can't see it going the Sarah Palin route and having any success. Not just because of her, but I think that the base is getting older and really doesn't have a future.

We saw some of the excitement that Ron Paul generated this time around... While it didn't really get to a large scale, it was the first time as far as I can remember where a republican movement was created by mostly young people. I think Paul is a bit extreme to make it as far as the presidency, but they got to find someone a little more mainstream with most of the libertarian ideals.

mammasan

blackredyellow wrote:

I just can't see it going the Sarah Palin route and having any success. Not just because of her, but I think that the base is getting older and really doesn't have a future.

We saw some of the excitement that Ron Paul generated this time around... While it didn't really get to a large scale, it was the first time as far as I can remember where a republican movement was created by mostly young people. I think Paul is a bit extreme to make it as far as the presidency, but they got to find someone a little more mainstream with most of the libertarian ideals.

Well that is what I'm hoping for, that the party starts leaning more libertarian. Unfortunately the Christian right still wields a lot of power and a lot of money.

MayDay10

I think it will return back to normal as a reform party in the next 8 years or so, and be fine, and the Dems may be reeling. It seems pretty cyclical.

However, I do think there are conditions which may split the party to Palin and maybe a more centrist view... but any party splitting seems like a pipedream.

puremagic

For whatever reason, you can tell from the election results that many Republicans crossed over for Obama. That said, I agree with mammasan, the christian right still wields a lot of power and money, but, and its a big but, the Republican party still became divided. That means you had competing power and money. If the Republican party is to survive, intact, that void has to be mended and there is where the Christian right and others will have to concede and consolidate their demands on these politicians.

lastexit78

It's easy to say they need to make huge changes but they really can't. The Christian Right is still a huge part of the base. Republicans won 2 states that bordered either coast last night. Georgia & South Carolina. That's probably the most amazing fact from last night. They can't run a black candidate because they would lose the deep South. They can't run a non-Christian because they'll lose the midwest. They've put themselves in an impossible situation. W set them back at least 10 years and maybe more. The Dems will be using the "let's not go back to the days of W" angle for years. It's an effective weapon and they'll use it until it runs dry. W's legacy will haunt them for at least a decade. I don't see them winning big until 2016 at the earliest.

know1

jeffbr wrote:

In a time of economic peril, or when we are waging wars, why do we hear about amending the constitution to define marriage as a union of man and woman? Why was Palin chosen as McCain's running mate? Why did we constantly hear about Obama's muslim heritage?

OK - so you got one policy - gay marriage. That's hardly catering to the religious right.

cincybearcat

This is my roadmap for the Republican party to "find itself again":

1) Be the party of small government again (cut taxes & REDUCE SPENDING)
2) Be for a strong defense as now, but add to that. The republicans need to be the party that values and represetns the military personnel. This means a substantial increase in spending for VET related issues. This is the one area where I would like to see a spending increase.
3) Put the religious right back in their place. We need to get government out of the lives of the peope as much as possible. This does not just include lower taxes and lower barriers for business, but it also means get out of people's houses. Stop legislating personal behavior that does not harm anyone else. Be the party pf freedom that it was meant to be, in all aspects. I would think that the republican party, while they disagree personally with gay marriage, should be the champions for the cause. This promote individual freedom and limited government. They've been going about this all wrong.
4) Don't compromise on the core values...ie abortion. For those issues where other people's choices do effect the freedom of others, remain true to the core beliefs.


Well, that's the start of my roadmap anyhow. Being consistent with the talk of limited government...walk the talk in all areas possible.

blackredyellow

cincybearcat wrote:

4) Don't compromise on the core values...ie abortion. For those issues where other people's choices do effect the freedom of others, remain true to the core beliefs..

Values (other than abortion) is where the change in the republican party seems to get tripped up. I saw some republican talking head on TV this morning talking about fixing the republican party, and he talked about all of the things that we all agree on (small gov't, personal liberties, cutting spending, etc.), but then went on to talk about upholding our "values" in regards to abortion, family values, marriage, 2nd amendment etc...

When you talk about upholding values, I just don't see how you can have it both ways. At least to me, protecting personal liberties doesn't seem to jive with doing things to uphold family values.