Republican Party..In Tatters?

[.Shane.]

I don't think it was a landslide, although to many people who study this stuff a 6% difference is a pretty big win.

You have to look closer to see what's going on.

I think the things the Repubs have to decide is do they want to be a party ran by the far right or do they want to move their party back to the center? I tend to agree w/ the comments that America, on average, is center-right. So, the Repubs don't need to move to their own liberal wing.

BUT, what is really telling is that there are NO Republican representatives in New England. None. And where, in the vote, did they poll best? The old/traditional/deep south. One analyst on election night mentioned this was the culmination (and probably death of, assuming they want to change the direction) of the Southern Strategy that they used so well for so long. Well, times and demographics and electorates change.

So, I think that Repubs need to decide if they want to become a more provincial party that just gives up on the Far West and the NE to cling to their bibles and guns or if they want to quell that part of the party to try and restake themselves.

Seriously, they kind of look like the Federalists did in 1808 (albeit w/ their redoubt being a different section of the country).

It will be interesting to see who emerges as their next generation of leadership. If its Jindall and Palin, well, that sums it up.

 

[Sui Generis]

I don't think it was a landslide, although to many people who study this stuff a 6% difference is a pretty big win.

You have to look closer to see what's going on.

I think the things the Repubs have to decide is do they want to be a party ran by the far right or do they want to move their party back to the center? I tend to agree w/ the comments that America, on average, is center-right. So, the Repubs don't need to move to their own liberal wing.

BUT, what is really telling is that there are NO Republican representatives in New England. None. And where, in the vote, did they poll best? The old/traditional/deep south. One analyst on election night mentioned this was the culmination (and probably death of, assuming they want to change the direction) of the Southern Strategy that they used so well for so long. Well, times and demographics and electorates change.

So, I think that Repubs need to decide if they want to become a more provincial party that just gives up on the Far West and the NE to cling to their bibles and guns or if they want to quell that part of the party to try and restake themselves.

Seriously, they kind of look like the Federalists did in 1808 (albeit w/ their redoubt being a different section of the country).

It will be interesting to see who emerges as their next generation of leadership. If its Jindall and Palin, well, that sums it up.

Factor X though is Hispanic vote, which is increasing year by year. It still might be a center-right nation now, but that influx of hispanics will definitely change that in the coming years. The republicans need to move back to the center to survive.

 

[I'm Cleo!]

BUT, what is really telling is that there are NO Republican representatives in New England. None. And where, in the vote, did they poll best? The old/traditional/deep south. One analyst on election night mentioned this was the culmination (and probably death of, assuming they want to change the direction) of the Southern Strategy that they used so well for so long. Well, times and demographics and electorates change.

So, I think that Repubs need to decide if they want to become a more provincial party that just gives up on the Far West and the NE to cling to their bibles and guns or if they want to quell that part of the party to try and restake themselves.

I think that's pretty much it. I don't think it was a landslide, but I don't see how they're going to expand their support with the current message they have (i.e., re-fighting the 1960s). And I don't know of any other messages that might work (though obviously my imagination does not define the boundaries of American political messaging). Republicans, as the party of big business, were out of power from the Great Depression to the Great Society, and really only re-took power based on the social tumult of the 1960s and the Southern Strategy. I don't know if they can jettison the Southern Strategy and capture a majority of American votes with a "pro big business" approach. They certainly couldn't win with that before 1968 (the exception is Dwight Eisenhower, who was a liberal Republican -- he started moving on civil rights and coined the term "military-industrial complex" -- and was unique as a war hero).

Cleo

 

[Cutlass]

I don't think it was a landslide, although to many people who study this stuff a 6% difference is a pretty big win.

You have to look closer to see what's going on.

I think the things the Repubs have to decide is do they want to be a party ran by the far right or do they want to move their party back to the center? I tend to agree w/ the comments that America, on average, is center-right. So, the Repubs don't need to move to their own liberal wing.

BUT, what is really telling is that there are NO Republican representatives in New England. None. And where, in the vote, did they poll best? The old/traditional/deep south. One analyst on election night mentioned this was the culmination (and probably death of, assuming they want to change the direction) of the Southern Strategy that they used so well for so long. Well, times and demographics and electorates change.

So, I think that Repubs need to decide if they want to become a more provincial party that just gives up on the Far West and the NE to cling to their bibles and guns or if they want to quell that part of the party to try and restake themselves.

Seriously, they kind of look like the Federalists did in 1808 (albeit w/ their redoubt being a different section of the country).

It will be interesting to see who emerges as their next generation of leadership. If its Jindall and Palin, well, that sums it up.

Don't forget that both of Maine's US Senators are Republican, And 1 of New Hampshire's. And then there's Lieberman. There are also governors and local offices, but those people all tend to be more moderate than the national Republican party has become.

Other Republicans from NE have been marginalized by the Republican party itself. Chris Shays was denied important committee posts by a Republican leadership that thought he wasn't conservative enough, and that reduced his influence at home at may have contributed to his loss.

 

[Ace of Gold]

The republican party is not in tatters. They succeeded in making sure the democraps did not end up with 60 seats. And they are just in the same position the liberals were in 4 years ago. in 2012 Jindal will come and save the day for the republicans, just watch.

 

[Godwynn]

The republican party is not in tatters. They succeeded in making sure the democraps did not end up with 60 seats. And they are just in the same position the liberals were in 4 years ago. in 2012 Jindal will come and save the day for the republicans, just watch.

Quoted and subscribed.

 

[Mowque]

Who is this Jindal fellow?

 

[VoodooAce]

Don't forget that both of Maine's US Senators are Republican, And 1 of New Hampshire's. And then there's Lieberman. There are also governors and local offices, but those people all tend to be more moderate than the national Republican party has become.

Other Republicans from NE have been marginalized by the Republican party itself. Chris Shays was denied important committee posts by a Republican leadership that thought he wasn't conservative enough, and that reduced his influence at home at may have contributed to his loss.

It wasn't long ago that the Republicans thought they were headed for a 'permanent' majority. Full of themselves, they turned on their more moderate members - u know, RINO's - figuring, I don't know, that they didn't need them anymore. Oops.

They have some soul-searching to do. Is there room in the party for social conservative/fiscal liberals like Huck and also for social liberal/fiscal conservatives like Rudy? Can they fight their nature and not cannibalize themselves? For their own good, you would think these would be an easy yes, but.....

Future Senate battles:
2010 = 15 seats each up for grabs
2012 = 2/1 dem seats over gop up for grabs

 

[MobBoss]

Quoted and subscribed.

OMG....4 year necro incoming....

 

[LesCanadiens]

If America were a multiparty system, the Republican Party would have ceased to exist at least a year ago.

 

[Godwynn]

OMG....4 year necro incoming....

Finally! A prediction that may not fall flat on its face.

 

[Aleenik]

Dude, he got 46% of the vote. wth

it was a blowout..the popular vote doesnt matter its the electoral college man..Obama got twice as many electoral college votes, it was a land slide

WTH man!

Personally I think the Popular vote should be all that matters and the electoral college should be trashed, but the way it is currently, it was a landside

 

[GenMarshall]

The Republicans may be precived as in tatters. But they are in the same possition as the Democrats eight-four years ago. The thing the Republicans needs to do now is rid itself of the extremist wing of the Republican party. Namely the Social Conservatives and other factions that are silencing the more Moderate Republicans.

Also, IMO, the Republicans should tone down their excessive nationalism and quit crying "Unpatriotic" or "UnAmerican" when someone, inside or outside, their party disagrees with them.

Personally I think the Popular vote should be all that matters and the electoral college should be trashed, but the way it is currently, it was a landside

If that was the case, Gore would have won back in 2000 .

 

[Aleenik]

The Republicans may be precived as in tatters. But they are in the same possition as the Democrats eight-four years ago. The thing the Republicans needs to do now is rid itself of the extremist wing of the Republican party. Namely the Social Conservatives and other factions that are silencing the more Moderate Republicans.

Also, IMO, the Republicans should tone down their excessive nationalism and quit crying "Unpatriotic" or "UnAmerican" when someone, inside or outside, their party disagrees with them.


If that was the case, Gore would have won back in 2000 .

I know, and he deserved to win cuz he won the popular vote IMO

 

[Mowque]

if you stick to just popular vote, there will be even LESS reason to go to smaller states, and less populated ones...

 

[Aleenik]

if you stick to just popular vote, there will be even LESS reason to go to smaller states, and less populated ones...

but its more fair? I think so at least

 

[Cutlass]

It wasn't long ago that the Republicans thought they were headed for a 'permanent' majority. Full of themselves, they turned on their more moderate members - u know, RINO's - figuring, I don't know, that they didn't need them anymore. Oops.

They have some soul-searching to do. Is there room in the party for social conservative/fiscal liberals like Huck and also for social liberal/fiscal conservatives like Rudy? Can they fight their nature and not cannibalize themselves? For their own good, you would think these would be an easy yes, but.....

Future Senate battles:
2010 = 15 seats each up for grabs
2012 = 2/1 dem seats over gop up for grabs

The problem is, the core of the Republican party is not going anywhere. They will still have the Christian fascists, the Neocon fascists, and the racist fascists.

And that means that if people want a moderate-conservative political party, they are going to have to create a new one.

 

[GenMarshall]

They have some soul-searching to do. Is there room in the party for social conservative/fiscal liberals like Huck and also for social liberal/fiscal conservatives like Rudy?

With diehard republicans who think disagreeing with even a couple of their possitions would grant the label of RINO or a Republican Heritic Liberal. I don't even think there is even room for Moderate Republicans.

 

[Aleenik]

With diehard republicans who think disagreeing with even a couple of their possitions would grant the label of RINO or a Republican Heritic Liberal. I don't even think there is even room for Moderate Republicans.

at least its not this bad http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7694739.stm

 

[luiz]

Factor X though is Hispanic vote, which is increasing year by year. It still might be a center-right nation now, but that influx of hispanics will definitely change that in the coming years. The republicans need to move back to the center to survive.

Latin americans may be economically left-wing, but they are very socially conservative. In most countries in LA abortion is not an issue because everyone opposes it. Gay marriage? Forget about it.

If anything, the influx of latinos may push the republicans further down the wrong direction, that of big spending and social conservatism.