All politicians talk out of both sides of their mouths, but when it comes to the Republican Party, it seems like the two sides don’t know what the other is saying.
The GOP published a new “road map” this week, aimed at fostering a more inclusive party that welcomes Latinos, blacks, LGBTs and other minorities, only to have Republican leadership immediately distance itself from the report.
The 100-page Growth and Opportunity Project recommended a $10 million campaign aimed at reaching out to gays, women, Americans of color, and young voters:
We need to campaign among Hispanic, black, Asian, and gay Americans and demonstrate we care about them, too. We must recruit more candidates who come from minority communities. But it is not just tone that counts. Policy always matters…
For the GOP to appeal to younger voters, we do not have to agree on every issue, but we do need to make sure young people do not see the Party as totally intolerant of alternative points of view. Already, there is a generational difference within the conservative movement about issues involving the treatment and the rights of gays — and for many younger voters, these issues are a gateway into whether the Party is a place they want to be.
If our Party is not welcoming and inclusive, young people and increasingly other voters will continue to tune us out. The Party should be proud of its conservative principles, but just because someone disagrees with us on 20% of the issues, that does not mean we cannot come together on the rest of the issues where we do agree.
The report was made public on Monday and condemnation from tea-party stalwarts and other reactionaries was swift: Even RNC chairman Reince Priebus told reporters “this is not my report”—despite the fact that he was the one who commissioned its publication after the GOP lost big-time in November.
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He had previously stated the road map would help change the perception that the party was “narrow-minded, “out of touch” and “the party of the rich.”
Good luck with that, Reince.
Polaro
I am so conflicted about the republican party. They do represent almost everything I believe to be wrong about the US. Do I want them to continue to be venal asshats so they continue their death spiral to irrelevance (causing significant collateral damage in the process) or hope that the sane in the party can fix it? Is it even fixable is my next question. And the last question is, would the democrats up their mediocre game if the republicans offered a more rational counterbalance? Shoot. Never mind. There is no such thing as Santa Claus. We’re doomed.
GayTampaCowboy
CLEARLY the DEM’s have made it clear that they are not only WILLING to compromise on core issues facing this country (entitlements, deficit, spending, immigration, etc.)and ironically, the core of the DEM supporters understand that in politics, you have to
compromise to get things done. The GOP on the other hand, has been pulled (and locked) so far into their dogma, that they can’t even talk about compromise. If they do, they risk being vilified by their own party (and the tea-baggers)….and worse yet, actually feel that talking compromise is tantamount to “caving” on a core principals.
So, to the GOP, it’s their way or nothing – DONE.
If they continue this path, their perception by the VAST majority of REGISTERED VOTERS will continue to run away from the GOP and, ironically, the only real members will be OLD, ANGRY WHITE, GREEDY, BIGOTED, WHITE MEN! And you only have to read the census to know that those demographics are FALLING! While women, minorities and Millennials are growing in power.
As i’m fond of saying when discussing politics with GOP’ers…..”Never let the facts get in the way of a good discussion.”
WHile they aren’t on life support – it’s my prediction that if the GOP stays the path they are on, they will be relegated to a minority political party (segregated in 2 groups: Tea-baggers and more traditional conservatives). They are already having infighting – and tha the fact that they are willing to sacrifice their own on principles that aren’t reflective of the US society as a whole, only makes my point even more powerful.
macmantoo
@GayTampaCowboy: I agree with the comment on compromise to a point. And it seems the Democrats does more than their share. I personally haven’t seen anything that would “welcome” me as a gay guy into the Republican Party.
I recently made a point to read a lot of what was happening at the CPAC. I found it interesting that while some were talking about being so “anti” and being “out of touch” others were talking about the blacks should still be in slavery or sent back to Africa. One person even told a woman who corrected him that “as a woman it wasn’t her place to correct a man”. This is what the Republican Party is all about. They’re no different than the KKK.
MuscleModelBlog.com
It seems like the GOP is conflicted and may split into two factions, as GayTampaCowboy said. If they split into two, it will make it even harder for them to win. This should be interesting…
Elloreigh
After following various media reporting on CPAC, I have serious doubts about the ability of the GOP to broaden the party’s appeal. It’s a losing battle for those who wish to dispel the image of the party as being exclusionary and extreme. Especially so when their messaging is almost immediately countered by those exclusionary and extreme factions within the party who still just don’t get it.
Guess which side within the party still has the louder voice? It ain’t the ‘reformers’.
Victor_in_PA
“…we do need to make sure young people do not see the Party as totally intolerant of alternative points of view.”
Seriously?! Someone actually suggested that? But then, they came to their senses and realized that they ARE totally intolerant of alternative points of view and shit-canned the report. Good for them! We want to make sure that everyone sees exactly what kind of people vote repugnican. They don’t need to change a thing in my opinion. I enjoy seeing them circling the drain.
I also like how the report says “…but just because someone disagrees with us on 20% of the issues, that does not mean we cannot come together on the rest of the issues where we do agree.” I think that’s a bit generous. I’d say most people disagree on about 90% of their platform. That’s what they just can’t get their empty, bulbous heads around.
LadyL
It was Vito Russo who observed that a bigot is “someone who resents losing control of a world he thought belonged to him.” This sums up the GOP perfectly.
Cam
John Boehner is the most powerful GOP politician in the country, he controls their legislation in the House and he flat out said he would not support gay rights/marriage etc… So any Republicans trying to tell us that the party MIGHT be moderating it’s stance is absolute B.S. The guy in control flat out said no.
jeff4justice
While more and more voters register as independent or decline to state or no party preference and support of Congress continues to reach all time lows it’s a shame voters aren’t getting braver at helping alternative political parties overcome media bias/blackout, unfair election laws, uniformed voters’ lack of education of other parties, and the fear-based abuser/victim mentality that keeps those who still vote stuck voting for the same 2 crappy political parties that perpetuate endless lie-based wars, poverty, environmental destruction, and erosion of civil liberties.
Compromise seems to mean Democrats adopting Republican ideas while letting the Republicans fail over their idiocy on social issues.
tjr101
Honestly I would love to see the GOP stay the way they are, bigoted and exclusionary. That party needs to die and fast. They have done nothing but stymie progress of equality particularly in the last 4 years. By remaining stubborn in their self-righteous beliefs as I am confident they will be, the party will splinter and become more regional. This can only be viewed as good news for America!
rand503
@LadyL: Love the quote.
Bob LaBlah
I am a former Reagan democrat whose not surprised the GOP lost their way and now amount to nothing but a rudderless ship at sea. Two back to back presidential conventions wrapped it up for me as a Reagan democrat.
*
In 1988 Pat Robertson old sanctimonious ass decided to become the Jessie Jackson for white people and hijacked the entire party steering it so far to the right the words left or center became martian to the ears of the faithful, whom amounted to nothing more than lost, disillusioned whites who were still yearning for the glory days of the immediate aftermath World War 2 and America’s rise to a total world power. It was really scary to see just how organized those religious farts were. They came dangerously close to taking over the country. Those men and women who remembered how it once was have passed on for the most part and made no attempt what-so-ever to groom heirs who understood compromise and the changing face of America that was to come.
*
1992 brought us Pat Buchanan, who chatised George Bush for abandoning the “Reagan Doctrine” as he called it. He gave the nastiest speech to date at a presidential convention. George Wallace in 1968 had nothing on him. He could have taught old George a thing or two on how to appeal to Bubbah’s critics and get them to cheer right along with you instead of booing. Thank god he lost too.
*
People such as Sarah Palin, the very bafoonish Marco Rubio and his counter-part Paul Ryan are perfect examples of a party that will soon go the way of the doedoe. They are the so-called stars only the GOP see as shinning. Everyone else reaches for the remote. It is too late to save themselves and I am beginning to believe that they realize it as well. They destroyed themselves and needed no help from outsiders because they would not let outsiders in.
Atomicrob
There is no doubt that a dwindling segment of the American electorate shares extremist values and attitudes that are based in bigotry and prejudice. However, that constituency’s definition of equal rights is defined quite differently than trending attitudes embracing a more inclusive attitude. Clearly, the trajectory is moving away from those archaic injustices that the GOP platform clearly represents. The resulting conundrum is disconcerting for the Republican leadership. Consequently, we’ll continue to see these rather puerile exercises play out as the entractable zealots hang on to their last vestige of hope.
dkmagby
There’s nothing wrong with the Republican party fading into obscurity. At some point, political parties change, break-up, merge, etc. It’s a fact of life in politics. America is just a poor example of what happens when you only let two political parties rule the entire government from local to national. It’s history in the making, folks.
1EqualityUSA
Dead reckoning has the GOP floating off course, farther out to Sea where the ocean falls off the flat Earth, where the Sea NOMsters reside. The young swabbies of the GOP’s U.S.S. Bigot haven’t the starch to stand up to the 12 men in a smoky room, running the show. No mutiny on the Bounty here mates. Captain Gerry Mander says, “Scurvy is a sorry way to goproud.” (arrgh! Nothin’s too disgustin’ for ol’ Dick Wench!”)
It’s entertaining to watch them implode. They’re splitting into pieces and can’t stop the tectonic shifts within their own twisted party. Their only hope is by cheating, gerrymandering, Supreme Court manipulations, and voter suppression. Embarrassing. That large sucking sound you’ll here in about 31/2 years is not John Boehner on his knees before Princeton’s NOMinal thinker, Robert P. George, but rather, disenchanted youths leaving the Republican Party out of embarrassment. They ones that do stay deserve each other.
Cam
Say “Hi” to the Whig and the Bullmoose parties when you get there!