Election 2012 was a devastating setback for the Republican Party. The more conservative party of our two-party system was supposed to go into Election 2012 with real chances for winning key US Senate seats as well as holding onto the House majority and taking back the White House from the epically deplorable Barack "Obamacare" Obozo.
But that did not happen.
Instead, the Democratic Party held onto winnable US Senates and even gained two seats, including conservative Indiana! What is wrong with this picture? What happened to the fighting Romney from the first debate, who then squished during the second debate and got flattened completely during the final debate on foreign policy?
I must admit that I was not excited about Mitt Romney. I could not understand how a candidate with such a blue record, including his baseline support for government mandates in health care during his tenure as Governor of Massachusetts, would make him somehow palatable as the front-runner then nominee. He was another candidate in a long line of Republican insiders who wanted to make nice with the opposing side, as long as Big Business got their corporate tax cuts and welfare, bailouts and open borders.
Voters across the country want fighters, not flighters. They want men and women who will stand up and stump for their values, and not just think about who their next donors will be and doing whatever they want. Romney was not the candidate for us, someone who tired off the base and could not appeal to voters outside of the GOP mainstream.
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| Is this truly the fate of the Republican Party? |
Terrible.
So, the Republican Party suffered a sad set-back. The RNC leadership got busy looking at what went wrong.
Their report also known as the "GOP Autopsy" generated the following main points, according to Talking Points Memo:
1. Pass Immigration Reform Yesterday
Normally the RNC's focus is more on infrastructure and staff than
policy, which is left to politicians to chart. But the party's standing with
Latino voters has gotten so dangerously low that the RNC's report openly begs
Republicans to change their position in defiance of the party's own 2012
platform.
policy, which is left to politicians to chart. But the party's standing with
Latino voters has gotten so dangerously low that the RNC's report openly begs
Republicans to change their position in defiance of the party's own 2012
platform.
In other words: "Hispandering"
Byron York ran the numbers on Election 2013. Even if Romney had won the same percentage of the Hispanic vote as Barack Obama. Romney still would have lost. Why? Because the white vote did not vote. Simple as that.
"We are not a policy committee, but among the steps Republicans
take in the Hispanic community and beyond, must be to embrace and champion
comprehensive immigration reform," the report read. "If we do not,
our Party's appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies
only."
take in the Hispanic community and beyond, must be to embrace and champion
comprehensive immigration reform," the report read. "If we do not,
our Party's appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies
only."
There's also a dig at Romney and his hard-line position on immigration
in a section referencing one of his most famous lines. Per the report: "If
Hispanic Americans perceive that a GOP nominee or candidate does not want them
in the United States (i.e. self-deportation), they will not pay attention to
our next sentence."
in a section referencing one of his most famous lines. Per the report: "If
Hispanic Americans perceive that a GOP nominee or candidate does not want them
in the United States (i.e. self-deportation), they will not pay attention to
our next sentence."
Does anyone noticed how bigoted and narrow-minded those phrases sound? Do these operatives believe that Hispanics in this country are all illegal aliens? That is very prejudices sentiment.
And it was wrong.
2. Listen To Minorities
Much of the report is about encouraging Republicans to listen not just
to Republican minorities, but to reach out to black, Hispanic, and Asian
American voters in their own communities. The reason: arithmetic.
to Republican minorities, but to reach out to black, Hispanic, and Asian
American voters in their own communities. The reason: arithmetic.
Donald Trump did that and then some.
He had a great reception, especially in Michigan, when he went to Detroit, Michigan.
Whether the latest effort will make a difference is an open question,
but Priebus has signalled it will be a top priority. He's already committed $10
million to minority outreach as an initial display of his seriousness.
but Priebus has signalled it will be a top priority. He's already committed $10
million to minority outreach as an initial display of his seriousness.
Priebus did an excellent job of reaching out to different groups.
But Trump's appeal was based on more than class warfare or ethnic hatred.
3. Gays Aren't Going Away
It's not a coincidence that more Republicans are endorsing gay marriage:
gay rights has gone from a wedge issue against Democrats in 2004 to a topic
President Obama actively highlighted in his 2012 campaign.
gay rights has gone from a wedge issue against Democrats in 2004 to a topic
President Obama actively highlighted in his 2012 campaign.
The RNC's report doesn't come out for marriage equality, but it warns
that the party needs to move left on gay issues, not so much because gays are
an important voting bloc, but because intolerance scares off other groups of
voters, too.
that the party needs to move left on gay issues, not so much because gays are
an important voting bloc, but because intolerance scares off other groups of
voters, too.
This is a bad idea. In fact, pro-family conservatives have become more mobilized, recognizing the crucial necessity to make the case for the family and for life.
It's important to note that the LGBT activists are demonstrating to the world that they are the ones who are intolerant and hateful, trying to stifle freedom of speech ad religion.
The 2016 RNC platform is an excellent, very conservative platform which rejects the gay marriage decision from the Supreme Court and supports reparative therapy for minors and adults who struggle with same-sex attraction or gender identity concerns. The Republican Party cannot be a force for good if they abandon Judeo-Christian values. Even the centrist Charles Krauthammer reminded his audience that this country does not need two liberal parties.
4. Epistemic Closure Is Real
There's been a long running debate on the intellectual right about
whether the GOP suffers from "epistemic closure," a condition in
which conservatives block out all dissenting voices until eventually their own
arguments sound nonsensical to anyone who doesn't already agree with them. The
RNC report concludes this is a real and growing problem.
whether the GOP suffers from "epistemic closure," a condition in
which conservatives block out all dissenting voices until eventually their own
arguments sound nonsensical to anyone who doesn't already agree with them. The
RNC report concludes this is a real and growing problem.
What the Republican Party needs to do is appeal to better arguments than tradition alone.
We need to remember when the nuclear family is important: One Father, one mother, and raising children. We need capitalize on the technological advances which have revealed to millions the miracle of life within the mother's womb. More Millennials are pro-life than they have ever been before,
We need to make this case on other cultural issues, including the blessed stasis of gender as well as identity based on truth, not feelings.
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"The Republican Party needs to stop talking to itself," its
authors write. "We have become expert in how to provide ideological
reinforcement to like-minded people, but devastatingly we have lost the ability
to be persuasive with, or welcoming to, those who do not agree with us on every
issue. Instead of driving around in circles on an ideological cul-de-sac, we
need a Party whose brand of conservatism invites and inspires new people to
visit us."
authors write. "We have become expert in how to provide ideological
reinforcement to like-minded people, but devastatingly we have lost the ability
to be persuasive with, or welcoming to, those who do not agree with us on every
issue. Instead of driving around in circles on an ideological cul-de-sac, we
need a Party whose brand of conservatism invites and inspires new people to
visit us."
Absolutely. Thank goodness for conservatives like Ben Shapiro and even Milo Yiannopoulos who have the courage to take on university left-wing autarchy to strike out for principles in line with classic learning and mainstream reality.
With this remark, I could not agree more.
Ronald Reagan is dead, folks. This country is facing unparalleled challenges on different fronts, and none of them are the Soviet Union.
Donald Trump is better than Reagan. He is not dancing around the issue of amnesty or making illegal immigration easier. He is fighting back and kicking butt. He has a different rhetoric flourish and aura about, more shock and awe than shake-and-bake.
And it's just what this country needed.
5. Look To The States
The RNC report makes a careful distinction between federal Republicans
— bad! — and state Republicans — good! The GOP currently holds 30
governorships and many of them, like Chris Christie in New Jersey and John
Kasich in Ohio, have been both moving to the center and gaining in popularity
recently. They stand in stark contrast to House Republicans, who have more
conservative constituencies and typically have been more inflexible in their
views.
— bad! — and state Republicans — good! The GOP currently holds 30
governorships and many of them, like Chris Christie in New Jersey and John
Kasich in Ohio, have been both moving to the center and gaining in popularity
recently. They stand in stark contrast to House Republicans, who have more
conservative constituencies and typically have been more inflexible in their
views.
This is another massive fail.
Republican Governors in the states have been (for the most part) effective for the following reasons:
1. They have Republican legislative majorities at their fingertips. They have more willing partners in the legislative process to accomplish their agendas. In Congress, the Republican House was on its own against the Democratic US Senate and the Democratic President.
Any House rep would look "took conservative" precisely because they were fighting for their values rather than accepting the Democratic talking points. After all, most of those Republicans flooded in from Election 2010, a major backlash to Obama's progressive monomania.
Furthermore, the states have to live within their means. They cannot print money. They cannot endlessly borrow, either. They also have to deal with stricter elements of competition from surrounding states, or pay the consequences: fleeing businesses, fewer jobs, lost revenue and population growth.
States must balance their budgets at the end of the fiscal year, and they are pushed against the wall to seek every means possible to demonstrate fiscal prudence of some kind.
"Republican governors are America's reformers in chief," the
report reads. "They continue to deliver on conservative promises of
reducing the size of government while making people's lives better. They
routinely win a much larger share of the minority vote than GOP presidential
candidates, demonstrating an appeal that goes beyond the base of the
Party."
report reads. "They continue to deliver on conservative promises of
reducing the size of government while making people's lives better. They
routinely win a much larger share of the minority vote than GOP presidential
candidates, demonstrating an appeal that goes beyond the base of the
Party."
They connect with voters. They have to, since the media markets are too small. The governorships have now expanded to 33, including deep blue Illinois and Maryland, as well as Massachusetts (although Charlie Baker has turned into a RINO Faker.)
6. Stop Being The Rich Guys
Wrong advice, at least the way that it's framed. The real issue is "Stopping being distant elitists."
Trump pushed away any concerns about that. He was not afraid to take charge, to ruffle feathers, to mock reporters and liberal dissidents. He was also unabashedly proud to be an American, and showed sincere, probing care for the American worker decimated by bad trade deals and illegal immigration.
So, where did the RNC autopsy go wrong in particular?
Let's consider the key sources behind this report? Rich people looking to stay rich, even if it meant illiberal policies hurting the country, perhaps? The study sessions with key voters of all demographics and backgrounds was not the wisest approach, either.
The people who shared their views about the Republican Party where getting their ideas and opinions from the media. Anyone who knows or recognizes how the mainstream media operates, they know that they are biased against conservative and Republican views.
For the Republican Party, the bigger problem has been the news, the biased national and social medias. The conservatives have to focus on the pillars and major institutions in our society. It's time to shape opinion rather than imitate or respond to it.
Of course, there was no discussion about this fundamental problem in our culture, which has thankfully been exposed by the efforts of Breitbart, Townhall, Daily Caller, and YoungCons. Donald Trump has been the premier opponent and victor against the corrupt media, fully exposing their left-wing madness and shaming them with their own tools. He drives the media narrative now, and has put the media out to pasture.
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Final Reflection
Republicans need to embrace, not refrain from embracing, their values.
They need to stop pandering to groups by abandoning their principles.
Instead of accommodating the culture, it's time to confront the decay and attacks against Western Judeo-Christian values.
Donald Trump pushed away the snide self-examination of the RNC and fulfilled a true commitment to conservative principles. He did it by attacking the real source of the anti-conservative rot: the corrupt media.
And he won.
Ironically, for the GOP to follow the RNC woud have lead to a real autopsy for the party. By ignoring the flawed and failing report, the GOP is stronger than ever, while the Democratic Party has been decimated at the state and local level as well as in Washington DC.