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The Trouble with the Republican Party–and Why I Want to See Them Fix it |
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The Washington Post has a piece today discussing how demographic factors are moving the Republican party into minority status. Even though I am liberal and generally (though not always) prefer Democratic candidates, I don’t see this as an unmitigated positive. The Post article notes that the Republican party’s base is centered in the South and that it has trouble gaining support from African-Americans, Hispanics, and young voters, among other groups. 2/3 of voters under 29 voted Democratic in the 2008 presidential election, and the Post notes that this wasn’t simply an Obama phenomenon. 2/3 of Hispanics also voted for Obama, as did more than 95% of African-Americans. There is not a single Republican member of the House of Representatives in all of New England.
As I said, I don’t think this is completely a good thing, even though I was glad to see Obama win. I think the Republican party’s shrinking base, its inability to win a single House seat in New England, reflects the radicalism of the party. Even some Republicans are conceding as much. Republican consultant Mike Murphy is advising the party to moderate its position on social issues, including abortion and equality for gay and lesbian Americans. I hope the party listens. I don’t think it’s a good thing that Republicans are turning to Rush Limbaugh for talking points. In a country with just two major political parties that are realistically capable of winning national elections, having one party that is radical and outside the mainstream is dangerous. First, it takes a lot of pressure off the Democrats. With the Republicans proving unwilling or unable to offer serious ideas on the economy, health care, torture, and other matters, the bar dips lower and lower for Democrats, who don’t have to do very much to stand as the reasonable alternative to a party that includes Tom Coburn, Jim De Mint, Michele Bachmann, and Sally Kern. Second, when there are just two major parties, there’s always a chance one might win the presidency, and the thought of having a Mike Huckabee or Sarah Palin in the White House ought to freak out anyone to the left of Pat Buchanan.
I really hope that the moderates who remain in the Republican party are able to makes their voices heard. Here’s hoping the party turns to people like Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, even former Utah Governor (soon to be ambassador to China) Jon Huntsman and away from people like Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, and Michelle Bachmann.
I think you have a good point. One other issue with the Republican party (and why they are being hammered so hard) is that they don’t seem to stand for any real values. Under Bush we managed to make the country less safe with two wars and a terror campaign , scare a few legal porn producers oh yeah and lock up Tommy Chong for selling glass pipes.
Not much of record
A party that stood for real fiscal discipline personal liberty and prosperity instead of acting like little fascist corporate stooges the minute they were in office would be able to win hands down.
The American people really aren’t any more liberal than they were in 2000, less white maybe but as we can see from the California prop8 fight,still quite conservative. The thing is its not that kind of evangelical apocalyptic fundamentalism that seems to make up a good chunk of the party but a more traditional kind.
Moderation to the level of Bob Dole much less Olympia Sow would be enough …
thanks A.B. There are definitely some myths about the Republican party–one is that it stands for fiscal discipline. Reagan and GW Bush stood for the opposite–they ran up huge deficits. Actually, Bush the elder is the only recent Republican president who can claim to stand for fiscal discipline, but the Rs never talk about him.
I think the problem was that every time the Republicans were elected they pulled everything to the right, and every time the Democrats were elected they pulled to the center. We are now at the point where to get to the right of the Democrats you have to be foaming at the mouth.
On the other hand, there is nothing (aside from Sanders and Kucinich) to the left of the Democrats, so if there was a party that really supported equal rights for everyone, Universal singlepayer healthcare, stopping all wars and getting rid of our 700 foreign military bases, and putting all of our resources towards creating a sustainable lifestyle in this country, I think there would be a lot of interest in that.
good points Michael C. You are very right that there’s not much of a left wing remaining in the Democratic party, especially in Congress, and your specific points are well taken.