Comments on: Republican Party of Whites?

By: Tlaloc

Tlaloc — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:16:59 +0000

The GOP did indeed find its way out of the wilderness quickly as the 70s came to a close. But then they had Reagan, didn't they? And now they have... nothing.

Not only did they have Reagan but they were coming after Carter who was unpopular and the 70s oil embargo came on his watch.

Compare with today where the reps are the one with the problematic president hanging over their head, and the economic downturn clearly started on their watch. And nobody in the GOP currently seems to be able to make the various factions happy the way Reagan could with his charm.

Watching the internal GOP fighting reminds me of the modern world koan: why are office politics so bitter? Because the stakes are so small.

The GOP's stakes are getting smaller by the minute.

By: anjin-san

anjin-san — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:45:32 +0000

The GOP did indeed find its way out of the wilderness quickly as the 70s came to a close. But then they had Reagan, didn't they? And now they have... nothing.

By: floyd

floyd — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:15:05 +0000

OK Aip, it's fair, but only if "fair" is read as a synonym to "carnival"[lol]

By: An Interested Party

An Interested Party — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:22:08 +0000

How exactly is this poll "manipulated nonsense"? I realize why you don't care for the results of the poll...

By: floyd

floyd — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:04:10 +0000

""Republican Party will need to drastically change the inertia if it wishes to be other than a regional party in the coming years."" """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" History and current events should prove this statement false... The Democrats will do it for them!

By: floyd

floyd — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 02:00:40 +0000

""A Gallup poll released yesterday finds that, “More than 6 in 10 Republicans today are white conservatives, while most of the rest are whites with other ideological leanings; only 11% of Republicans are Hispanics, or are blacks or members of other races. By contrast, only 12% of Democrats are white conservatives, while about half are white moderates or liberals and a third are nonwhite.”"" """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" One read of this manipulated nonsense should convince readers to never again trust any poll.

By: An Interested Party

An Interested Party — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:56:32 +0000

The GOP should adopt the ideas that G.A.Phillips has shared on this thread (to some extent, they already do)...it's a nice recipe for their further decline...by the way, how can Republicans possibly hope to increase their share of minority voters (many of whom do share, ironically, the party's conservative social views) as long as they appear to be hostile to minorities (virulent anti-immigrant rhetoric among other things)...

By: G.A.Phillips

G.A.Phillips — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:34:48 +0000

Ok, we'll cop to the liberal, you guys cop to the stupid.

sorry Sam you guys got all the teachers and media.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:00:24 +0000

“What we are going to see soon is an end to party loyalty.”

I would like to see that, not only for voters but for politicians as well. I believe the voters will get there first. However the voters are usually given two viable choices which are selected for the most part by the Party’s leader. Yes there are primaries but those in the primaries a mostly groom by the party’s leader and MSM.

By: just me

just me — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:24:37 +0000

I agree that the elephant in the room is that neither party is really growing and both are bleeding members. America is becoming far more Independant in its political affiliations. This doesn't necessarily mean those I's are moderate, and both parties need to be aware of this, but in the end what I think we are going to see soon is that the vast majority of voters are going to be very fluid. They will demand and expect results within what they see as a reasonable amount of time, and if you fail to deliver, they will swing to vote for a different party.

What we are going to see soon is an end to party loyalty.

By: sam

sam — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:29:26 +0000

@GA

And you are right America is becoming more liberal and stupid, but who's fault is that?

Ok, we'll cop to the liberal, you guys cop to the stupid.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:10:18 +0000

Our system is intrinsically a two-party system. That's not an accident of history; it's inherent in the system. James can expand on this particular issue more authoritatively than I and I urge him to do so.

Several posts in the archives (this has been a recurring theme over the years) flesh out the argument: NOT A DIME’S WORTH OF DIFFERENCE. II Third Parties Fred Thompson Loss Ends Republican Party

By: Wayne

Wayne — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:35:13 +0000

“It’s going to be increasingly difficult in the future for Republicans to win nationwide appealing only the whites. “

If the GOP peel 10% from one of the other groups which would be best? Whites of course. That would be net gain 7.3% of the Independents and 6.5% of Democrats compare to 1% of any other group.\

I agree in reaching out to minorities but it should be to convince them how conservative values will benefit them not to promise handouts like the Democrats have done. Handouts are difficult to counter but it can be done. However from winning the elections standpoint, peeling off of white voters from the other groups would be easier and results in larger gains. Don’t let MSM propaganda fool you otherwise.

By: odograph

odograph — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:15:24 +0000

Wikipedia on Duverger's Law

By: odograph

odograph — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:01:18 +0000

Dave, we are living in times of major two-party dysfunction. At state and federal level the Democrats are in charge of spending, and the Republicans are in charge of not taxing.

First, I'm surprised that you see any strengths in that.

Second, I'm surprised that you'd not be looking for change.