The intellectual wing of the party can attribute the problems to pandering to religion. The God and country folks can say that republicans have lost their way and need return to a more religion-centered party. The moderates in the party will say that the losses were due to not enough reaching across to the other party, not being inclusive enough. The ultra-conservatives will say it's because the party is not conservative enough.

Each of these groups can cite instances supporting their cause, and they are right about those instances, but wrong about their conclusions.

I won't make any sweeping pronouncements, but here's what I see as a the root problem -- A lack of prioritization. The electorate is basically divided 50/50. Even if one party gets a 55% or 60% majority in congress, the electorate itself is still 50/50. That means that a party may get the political power to force a lot of things through legislatively, but because they have a temporary political advantage, they should wield that power carefully or they will really annoy enough of the electorate to get themselves voted out of power.

In other words, either party in power should try to implement their important ideas while not forcing through many of the smaller ideas just because they can. When smaller thing after smaller thing gets railroaded through, resentments get built up in the opposing electorate.

We failed miserably at doing this. Time will tell if Obama and the Dems do likewise.

We are now a Muslim/Hindu/ Christain/Jewish/Agnostic/ (pick a religion) country... Tom P.

Oh, yes! Hindus about 1 million; Jewish about 6 million, Muslims about 6.7 million, non-religious, including zeros, agnostics and atheists about 33 to 34 million; while Christians of all sects about 274 million.

Can anyone guess from this what the dominant religion is in America? I do think that this poster is exercising wishful thinking. Not that we disrespect other religions, but a majority is a majority, and that fact carries with it certain beliefs in common, certain morals in common, and certain cultural norms in common. Were the Democratic Party to renounce religion altogether, they would lose every election they entered.

Conversely, from a religious perspective, the Republican Party can, if it really tries, draw upon a huge majority of Americans with the right platform provisions, led by Conservatives, who have strong religious ties.

The so-called wedge issues, or Value Issues will be a strong factor for a majority of citizens as well, because they have little choice in the matter. It is part of their religious beliefs.

If there were to be a national referendum tomorrow on the two main wedge issues of abortion and same sex marriage, I assert that those issues would lose dramatically. Especially since in this way of voting, without the distractions of wars, the economy, and the fears of some about Bush (BDS), a purer decision could be reached.

Most people I know recoil in horror at the fact of 50 million abortions in the nation since RvW was set forth. Is seems that at conception, something more than mere inert matter is conjoining, with an inherent prescription to create a person.

Let's also remember, please, that the whole of the civil rights movement back in the day, was founded in and supported by religious figures in our society, who frequently quoted the bible. Including King. Are these now to be thrown aside because they used source material of which you disapprove?

My point is this, this country was founded on the principle of "Freedom of Religion", but what is that, with out "Freedom FROM Religion"???

Do you understand that there is a difference between cultural values and religious values?
DO you understand that a high percentage of those who voted for prop 8 for example, don't consider themselves particularly religious?

Your entire rant falls down on that one.

Perhaps, but it strikes me as being ill informed as to the nature of religion, which is supposedly the source of the values that the individual holds highest. If we consider political views to reflect one's personal values, then why wouldn't one's politics be dicatted by, if indirectly, one's relgious beliefs?

Bit, I would love to have this conversation with you some day....

but it strikes me as being ill informed as to the nature of religion, which is supposedly the source of the values that the individual holds highest

and here is the crux of the problem with todays GOP... I have no problem with an individual being against gay marraige, but when that individual tries to tell me whom I can and cannot marry? I have a problem with that (don't like it? don't do it.) I have no problem with an individual saying they do not like 3rd trimester abortion... but when it comes to the morning after pill? c'mon, a zygote is a human being??? At best it is a potential human being (spontaneous abortions happen... shall we string God up?) Terry Schaivo... say no more.

My point is this, this country was founded on the principle of "Freedom of Religion", but what is that, with out "Freedom FROM Religion"??? Which, if you read the 1st Amendment closely, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;" is exactly what they are talking about. They are not talking about a "freedom of religion" but rather a "freedom from religion", because they understood that when one religion becomes dominant, others suffer.

Pick your religion, Catholic, Quaker, Baptist.... all have suffered at the heel of the dominant majority (or were they really a dominant majority?perhaps, a dominant minority?) It is impossible to argue that we are now a "christain" country (whatever the hell that means, the above mentioned "christains" have all suffered intolerable prejudice at one point in time or another) We are now a Muslim/Hindu/ Christain/Jewish/Agnostic/ (pick a religion) country...

But today's GOP hasn't a clue. Hence, I don't fit in. And I am not alone.

I have often said, that there is nothing wrong with one's religion informing one's political views, but dictating them?

Well put.

Perhaps, but it strikes me as being ill informed as to the nature of religion, which is supposedly the source of the values that the individual holds highest. If we consider political views to reflect one's personal values, then why wouldn't one's politics be dicatted by, if indirectly, one's relgious beliefs?

I have often said, that there is nothing wrong with one's religion informing one's political views, but dictating them?

Well put.

He basically called out libertarians as faux conservatives and wished them into the cornfield.

Sad thing is that I have been trying this on liberals for the last 20 years for being faux Americans but it don't work:(

NPR Link

Probably important enough to be a OTB topic in itself ...

" The sad thing is that Religious Right seem so ready to exclude themselves on narrow religious questions, questions that do not in fact find commonality among "people of faith."

It's a game they've played for at least a decade: "Give us an evangelical Republican platform or (lose) our votes." "

Sad, indeed.

I disagree. All of the Republican Party’s major leaders are from the social conservative wing of the party and that wing dominates grassroots recruitment,

I do not have time to read all the comments (as deeply as they deserve), but... Where do I fit in? There are many points in today's GOP that I do not agree with... but there are many others I do agree with... and yet I am "apostasy".

The GOP’s goal shouldn’t be to drive out the social conservatives but rather to bring in others.

I have often said, that there is nothing wrong with one's religion informing one's political views, but dictating them?

There is a difference. And it is that difference that keeps me from voting GOP at this point in time.
As odograph said:

Men of reason and religion have often suffered Doubt.

At times, I have been one, at other times, I have been the other... Now? I am... merely a man of doubt. Today's GOP has no place for one such as me.

I think many of the Founders were of that persuasion. But most intellectual conservatives today are, too. As am I. That's never been the mainstream grass roots conservative, though.

Sneaky of you to appeal to my innate elitism ... effective though.

Are you kidding me? Men of reason and religion have often suffered Doubt. If doubters now face this hurtle for your party ... WTF?

I'm making a semantic argument. Historically, conservative parties and the conservative ideology was founded on preserving religions principles.

BTW James, do you buy into the narrative that our Constitution grew out of Scottish Enlightenment ideals? And weren't those ideals, about a more general "public religion" and what qualifies now as an "ancient" American separation between Church and State, what the Religious Right been out to overthrow?

I think many of the Founders were of that persuasion. But most intellectual conservatives today are, too. As am I. That's never been the mainstream grass roots conservative, though.

In the same way that the stores start putting their christmas merchandise out earlier and earlier each year, Parker and the "Happy Holidays" crowd are trying to ruin the season for the vast majority of us already--and it aint even Thanksgiving yet!!!

We let them have Hannakah and Kwanzaa, why can't they let us have Christmas?

I mean, look at 2004. Definitions of marriage became a hotter topic with some than the war. "Values" voters cared about marriage more than war.

Bush calls for ban on same-sex marriages - February 25, 2004

I guess that's a "G-O-D Problem" only when it stops working, eh?