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Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 3:32 am
by milosz
Assuming Romney continues his path to losing tonight - Florida's non-Cuban Hispanic population makes it more and more a blue state, Texas is majority-minority and could be in play by 2020, moderate Democrats aren't doing too bad in the Midwest these days.

Demographics are against the GOP: old white people die off, the Tea Party is running its course (while burning bridges with the growing Latino vote) and Obama's probably going to get some economic bounce in his second term.

How does the GOP recover and hold on? Jettison the rhetoric about the border and minorities? Get on board with homo rights?

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 3:38 am
by The Cunning Stunt
Shrivel up and die hopefully. Along with the democrats.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 3:39 am
by Abandoned by Wolves
They need to jettison their right wing lunatic fringe and move back towards a more moderate position. Obama's current policies would have been considered appropriate for a moderate Republican candidate like Barry Goldwater back in the late 60s. And the more I read about Goldwater, the more I wish the US had elected him instead of LBJ back then.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 3:40 am
by Holeyfraggaroley
I think they need to get back to their Reagan roots and marginalize the religious aspects of the right. Right at the moment I don't trust the current group of GOP. Get Colin Powell to run with a VP that doesn't give me the heebeegeebees. I would have been good with Mcain, but he had that ding bat as a VP.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 3:42 am
by The Ginger Beard Man
As someone whose politics can best be described as "I wish the republicans really were the party of smaller government, fiscal responsibility, and greater individual freedom", I think the big thing is break from the evangelicals. You have these idiots like Akin talking about god, rape and abortion, and a lot of uneducated people who actually listen to them. Just a lot of backwards people in this country.
On the other hand I thnk a lot of people believe in the benevolence of the government and really want to stay or get on the tit. Which is just fucking sad.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 3:56 am
by CharlieBob
Holeyfraggaroley wrote:I think they need to get back to their Reagan roots and marginalize the religious aspects of the right. Right at the moment I don't trust the current group of GOP. Get Colin Powell to run with a VP that doesn't give me the heebeegeebees. I would have been good with Mcain, but he had that ding bat as a VP.
Colin Powell would be a phenomenal presidential candidate, whom I think could pull votes from all demographics. The problem would be getting him through the republican primary process where any hints of moderateness get blasted to hell so all we are left with is right wing crazy people.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:10 am
by Protobuilder
I think that the country needs a third party, likely from a split in the GOP.

However, cash is the problem.

GWB needed to spend over $350b to win in 2004. BHO easily doubled that then some in 2008. This year he was aiming for $1b. It's easy to say that we need a third party though they would easily get destroyed and never even get invited to the table. Gary Johnson is a solid candidate on the ballot in (nearly?) every state and he couldn't even get a seat at a debate.

If the GOP took a hard move to the center and tossed out the evangelicals while moving to a more moderate position on social issues, they could pick off a lot of traditional Dems. They would take hits for a while but eventually would represent the position of most people.

Of course, they are simply going to nominate Jeb Bush to run against Hillary in 2016.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:11 am
by baffled
Abandoned by Wolves wrote:They need to jettison their right wing lunatic fringe and move back towards a more moderate position. Obama's current policies would have been considered appropriate for a moderate Republican candidate like Barry Goldwater back in the late 60s. And the more I read about Goldwater, the more I wish the US had elected him instead of LBJ back then.
Barry Goldwater a moderate?

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:19 am
by milosz
I'm not sure how 'Reagan roots' means abandoning evangelicals.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:30 am
by Protobuilder
milosz wrote:I'm not sure how 'Reagan roots' means abandoning evangelicals.
Reagan gave lip service to the Bible thumpers and they looooved him for it but he did very little for them.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:31 am
by johno
Give away Mo Free Shit.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:32 am
by Protobuilder
Terry B. wrote:I think that the country needs a third party, likely from a split in the GOP.

However, cash is the problem.

GWB needed to spend over $350b to win in 2004. BHO easily doubled that then some in 2008. This year he was aiming for $1b. It's easy to say that we need a third party though they would easily get destroyed and never even get invited to the table. Gary Johnson is a solid candidate on the ballot in (nearly?) every state and he couldn't even get a seat at a debate.

If the GOP took a hard move to the center and tossed out the evangelicals while moving to a more moderate position on social issues, they could pick off a lot of traditional Dems. They would take hits for a while but eventually would represent the position of most people.

Of course, they are simply going to nominate Jeb Bush to run against Hillary in 2016.
Screw that.

If Romney takes the popular vote, the GOP doesn't need to do anything but double down and block the shit out of everything that comes off of BHO's mouth or off his desk - the country will be in such a mess they will hand the keys back to the Repugs in 2016.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:32 am
by milosz
You bitter, bro?

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:35 am
by Turdacious
milosz wrote:Assuming Romney continues his path to losing tonight - Florida's non-Cuban Hispanic population makes it more and more a blue state, Texas is majority-minority and could be in play by 2020, moderate Democrats aren't doing too bad in the Midwest these days.

Demographics are against the GOP: old white people die off, the Tea Party is running its course (while burning bridges with the growing Latino vote) and Obama's probably going to get some economic bounce in his second term.

How does the GOP recover and hold on? Jettison the rhetoric about the border and minorities? Get on board with homo rights?
Run a stronger candidate.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:40 am
by milosz
If Romney takes the popular vote, the GOP doesn't need to do anything but double down and block the shit out of everything that comes off of BHO's mouth or off his desk - the country will be in such a mess they will hand the keys back to the Repugs in 2016.
You mean just like the Democrats did after they won the popular vote in 2000?

A stronger candidate can't survive the GOP primary. Anyone who thinks Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich or Rick Santorum would have bested Romney's result is high as fucking kite.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:43 am
by Holland Oates
Romney should have stayed a moderate.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:48 am
by Turdacious
milosz wrote:
If Romney takes the popular vote, the GOP doesn't need to do anything but double down and block the shit out of everything that comes off of BHO's mouth or off his desk - the country will be in such a mess they will hand the keys back to the Repugs in 2016.
You mean just like the Democrats did after they won the popular vote in 2000?

A stronger candidate can't survive the GOP primary. Anyone who thinks Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich or Rick Santorum would have bested Romney's result is high as fucking kite.
You're taking way too short of a view. Mitt was nobody's first choice. Daniels was the heir apparent-- he turned down the job. None of the others you mentioned were strong candidates-- Santorum would have never been a viable candidate as long as he was in a normal GOP primary. Even McCain, not the strongest of candidates, would have made him a footnote months before.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 4:55 am
by Protobuilder
milosz wrote:
If Romney takes the popular vote, the GOP doesn't need to do anything but double down and block the shit out of everything that comes off of BHO's mouth or off his desk - the country will be in such a mess they will hand the keys back to the Repugs in 2016.
You mean just like the Democrats did after they won the popular vote in 2000?
Pretty much though BHO is the incumbent which would make his situation even more precarious. The GOP is willing to play hardball more than Democrats are as well.

Democrats the House and winning the popular vote have to be beyond the expectations of most GOP insiders.

Romney 2004 would have won this election and Romney 2008 would have kept it closer. Romney 2012 was built for the GOP nomination and didn't have a realistic prayer in the general election but was still this close?

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 5:01 am
by Abandoned by Wolves
baffled wrote:
Abandoned by Wolves wrote:They need to jettison their right wing lunatic fringe and move back towards a more moderate position. Obama's current policies would have been considered appropriate for a moderate Republican candidate like Barry Goldwater back in the late 60s. And the more I read about Goldwater, the more I wish the US had elected him instead of LBJ back then.
Barry Goldwater a moderate?
Go back and read his stuff. He was painted as a war-hawk and a nut-case by the Dems, but his actual speeches and track record in the Senate was that of a decent man with a conscience.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 5:03 am
by Batboy2/75
No where.

The fix has been in since 1913. It has just taken 100 years for the full effects to take place.

I have only voted for the Republican Party as a protest against the statiist democrat paty. My vote for Mitt was a vote for slowly crashing into the iceberg. I was never under any delusions that Mitt or any Republican presidential candidate would reverse our course.

My support for the Republican Party nationally ends tonight. Not because I'm jaded or have sour grapes, but because I always felt they were fighting a rear guard action. After tonight the rear guard action is over. Tonight solidifies the strangle hold of socialism on the USA. Enough Americans believe someone else is going to pay for their free lunch.

All one has to do is look at the Federal Budget and financial commitments to conclude we are royally fucked. If something can't go on forever, it won't. We are headed for a crash of massive proportions.

Enjoy the free hand outs and unicorns while they last.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 5:21 am
by JonnyCat
What Bats said.

Not at all looking forwad to the future. Our kids and grandkids are going to hate this generation when they see what has been left for them to deal with.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 5:46 am
by johno
This election was a turning point.
We just committed to ObamaCare, an ever-expanding national debt, and a Kumbaya foreign policy.

I hope recreational marijuana passes in WA state - I'm gonna need it.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 5:51 am
by FRKCTL
put country ahead of obstructionist partisan politics for a change.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 5:59 am
by Batboy2/75
FRKCTL wrote:put country ahead of obstructionist partisan politics for a change.

Please expand on this platitude.

Re: Where does the GOP go from here?

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 7:58 am
by CharlieBob
milosz wrote:
If Romney takes the popular vote, the GOP doesn't need to do anything but double down and block the shit out of everything that comes off of BHO's mouth or off his desk - the country will be in such a mess they will hand the keys back to the Repugs in 2016.
You mean just like the Democrats did after they won the popular vote in 2000?

A stronger candidate can't survive the GOP primary. Anyone who thinks Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich or Rick Santorum would have bested Romney's result is high as fucking kite.
As much shit as he gets I think Ron Paul would have had the best chance at challenging Obama in the general election. He would have pulled a lot of the moderate youth vote that Obama dominates, and as a boarder state representative (Texas) could have pulled decent latino vote numbers as well. Problem was the conservative base and mainstream media just wrote him off without second thought...