How does the Republican Party expand its base?
 

No matter how much thou doth protest, the reality is that many Americans perceive the Republicans as being driven by ideologically narrow individuals many of whom are racist, sexist, and homophobic. You can argue that's not true, but that's irrelevant. The fact is for the Republican Party to remain viable, it must find ways to change its image.

The fact is people are highly aware that at Republican rallies white people overwhelmingly dominate, while at Democratic rallies there is big mix of people. Many Americans are not comfortable with the Republican Party. It is losing ground, not gaining ground. In general, the experience of minorities is that Republican values seem to lead to marginalization and discrimination. You may think that's unfair, but the people who are victims of Republican values know better. I know for a fact that it's Republicans who are denying me and my spouse equal access to Social Security and equal rights in many states. People of color know that they are the ones more likely to be hurt if tough anti-discrimination laws are not put and kept in place. Women know that its Republicans who are more likely than Democrats to oppose equal wages, reproductive rights, and anti-harassment legislation.

The reality is that the Republican Party is going to have to compromise some of its values or simply hope that Democratic policies fail so badly that people have no choice but to turn to the Republicans for rescue. Even then, that might not be enough.

What do the Republicans do?

Re: How does the Republican Party expand its base?
 

If they want to remain viable they need to ditch the Religious Right. Its really that simple.

I have no problem with someone believing personally in Jesus, that gay marriage is a sin or that women should carry a ball of cells to term because "it's a person".

I do have a problem with public policy being passed on me based on beliefs I (and many many other people) do not share.

Re: How does the Republican Party expand its base?
 

God Guns and Gays don't work. They may work in the House elections, but not in the general ones or even Senate elections. They also better get off the "deport the Mexicans" train because that's moving them backwards.

Re: How does the Republican Party expand its base?
 

Not sure they want to, if they did it may lead to the emergence of a third party.. and that certainly is not the Liberatarian one..

You have hard core folks who lead this party.. Limbaugh, Rove, the Neo Cons and guys like Adelson and Koch who do not want change and inconclusion.. they control the money and they want things to be the same.

Re: How does the Republican Party expand its base?
 

True. The religious right poisons a traditional philosophical platform that has many worthy goals. The GOP really needs to retool its approach to social policies.

Re: How does the Republican Party expand its base?
 

They nominate a moderate presidential candidate and separate themselves from the ultra extreme religious sect and the Tea Party. Do that and it's game over.

But they won't...

They carried something like 40% of the Hispanic vote in 2004 and they are nowhere near that now because of their immigration policies, especially the Arizona nonsense. They need to stop trying to legislate morality and focus on economics. Let individual people decide how to run their daily lives. You're gay and want to get married? Great go ahead. You want an abortion or contraception? Hey we don't necessarily agree with you but that's your choice. It's hypocritical to claim you're a party of small government while at the same time wanting government to legislate individual choices like those.

The sad thin is they have natural allies in the many religious minority groups in the country but they come across as so damn racist that they can't take advantage of it.

They also need to get with the times with science. We can't have people that think the earth was created 5000 years ago by god and that think a woman's body naturally can fend off a rapists seed in charge of handing out grant money.

They could literally come out and say "we have no social policy, we'll leave that to others. I simply don't care. No comment"

And they'd be instantly more vote-able

Re: How does the Republican Party expand its base?
 

Easy just do what the democrats do. Give away stuff that ain't theirs.

Democrats win because they promise to confiscate at gunpoint other peoples stuff to give to them for their vote.

Nobody votes on who is going to provide conditions for a free market or a secure enviroment and fair laws.

In 1960 JFK a real democrat said "Ask not what your country can do for you.Ask what you can do for your country"

today its "Ask what your country can do for you.

Re: How does the Republican Party expand its base?
 

Well said Tune.