How are the Dems running the table and cleaning the Republicans' clocks? Read this...

davesdatahut: Fascinating article about how the angry old, Republicans are headed toward long-term political minority status if they don't reshape their message and get a grip on the changing demographics of the country: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/17/magazine/can-the-republicans-be-saved-from-obsolescence.html?ref=politics&_r=0
It was absolutely no surprise that Romney lost a winnable election. The GOP is an increasingly out-of-touch, myopic, angry, lost-in-time, intransigent, uncompromising lot focused way too much on how they can somehow turn back the clock on America.
They have some extremely legitimate concerns, tops of which is the fiscal mess we are in. But otherwise, they are focused on the stupidest shit, like gay marriage and how Obama wants to take away their guns.
If the GOP doesn't fix itself soon and see what's in front of their faces, they are in DEEP shit.

Stassi SUR: Really?

davidk14: .

Gallop - Nearly three in four Americans (71%) say they worry about the economy "a great deal," more than worry about 13 other issues Gallup measured in a March 3-6 poll. Nearly two in three (64%) worry a great deal about federal spending and the budget deficit. Americans show the least anxiety about race relations -- the only issue about which the majority is "only a little" or "not at all" concerned.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/146708/americans-worries-economy-budget-top-issues.aspx



The top of the list of concerns for the US public is the economy, federal spending, the deficit and unemployment.

At the bottom of the list the least concerns is pot, the environment, race relations, hunger and the homeless. The public realizes that we must KISS (Keep it simple stupid.) and perhaps the Dems should concentrate on getting a budget done.

Take care of the economy and everything else will work itself out. Without a healthy economy, everything becomes a problem. Wonder when the Dems will get to to common denominator which is doing a budget just like you and me which has not been done in four years.

Eventually, even a balanced budget would be the right thing to do.

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davesdatahut: Yes, the economy and the federal fiscal mess are paramount among the issues the public is concerned about at the moment - and the GOP has some good ideas on how to work these things out. But despite that, the Republican Party has fallen so out of touch with the electorate that it could not win the presidential election at a time when the citizenry is very upset about the economy.
This problem is that the the GOP is perceived by a significant portion of the electorate as a cluster of angry aging white men, unable or unwilling to strike a deal, not to mention way too distracted by shit that makes the party appear rigid, close-minded and living in the past. The GOP can continue flailing about, pandering to the anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-immigrant contingent and the mouth foamers who think Obama is Hitler and a communist who wants to take away their guns. Or they can embrace the world as it is today, and get back in the sandbox. If they choose the former, they can expect to lose a majority of the elections across the country for years to come.

davesdatahut: Stassi....really.

davidk14: .

Davesdatahut said:

Yes, the economy and the federal fiscal mess are paramount among the issues the public is concerned about at the moment - and the GOP has some good ideas on how to work these things out.

David responds:

Good statement. The issue is that the Dems do not want to make ‘deals’. The Dems have not created a budget since Obama has been in office. They have added over 6 trillion dollars to the deficit in 4 years. Bush had added 4 trillion dollars over 8 years and Obama called him “unpatriotic” for doing so. Same pig...different colored lipstick.



Davesdatahut continued:

But despite that, the Republican Party has fallen so out of touch with the electorate that it could not win the presidential election at a time when the citizenry is very upset about the economy.

David responds:

The polling company, Real Clear Politics, has the electorate split 51% Obama. The other 49% do not agree with his administration or the direction of the country whether it is Dem or GOP. Obama won with 53% of the voting electorate when only 35% (approx) actually voted.

If the left wing media had properly vetted the Benghazi disaster during the elections, Obama would not have won. It was a disgrace that the government allowed this disaster because of the election, but that is for another debate.



Davesdatahut said:


This problem is that the the GOP is perceived by a significant portion of the electorate as a cluster of angry aging white men, unable or unwilling to strike a deal, not to mention way too distracted by shit that makes the party appear rigid, close-minded and living in the past. The GOP can continue flailing about, pandering to the anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-immigrant contingent and the mouth foamers who think Obama is Hitler and a communist who wants to take away their guns. Or they can embrace the world as it is today, and get back in the sandbox. If they choose the former, they can expect to lose a majority of the elections across the country for years to come.


David responds:

Some people, about half of the population like the two parents (one man and one female) in the home. They also believe that life begins at conception and they also support the US Constitution. These people also like smaller government, strong military and secured borders. Some like to twist these folks as twisted or to rigid. Standing up and supporting beliefs is not a negative, but a positive. Buying a home vs being provided a home is not supported by most Americans but there are those that believe the government should provide birth to grave entitlements. Entitlements are socialistic and are not the answer to societal problems, and definitely not the answer to budget issues. The dems believe socialism in its new “package”, progressivism, is the answer.

A great man once said, “Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”

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davesdatahut: And this discussion crystallizes the situation: The Repubs think the country, or half of it, is with them. With them on marriage issues, with them on military muscle and foreign policy, with them on the role of government, with them on abortion, But they're not. If they are, you have to wonder why the GOP has lost four of the last six presidential elections and been outvoted in five of the last six, or why the Senate majority is growing for the Dems while the House majority is shrinking for the Repubs. And it's growing gradually more lopsided.
The GOP has a lot of traction with the issue of the economy/federal budget/deficit. Those issues resonate with people all over the political spectrum. But what clearly turns off a growing majority of voters is the GOP's utter and visceral refusal to compromise or give Obama or the Dems any.perceived legislative victory in this area. And on top of that are the social issues that appeal to a rapidly shrinking segment of the electorate.
The GOP can continue on this course, pushing issues that people view as socially strangling and personally invasive or as having a whiff of ethnic bias. They can continue standing absolutely against anything Obama proposes and trying vainly to paint progressives or other Democrats as the boogeymen. Or they can get it and dig themselves out of their self-imposed trench. It's their choice. But if they don't, it's goodnight Irene to the legislative power they still have left.

davidk14: .

There are 30 states that have Republican Governors. Obamamanski was reelected by a narrow margin on the threat that the GOP gas going to shove grandma and grandpa over the cliff, that the GOP wanted dirty water and dirt air. Also, Romney's religious affiliation was skweemish for some as well.Unfortunately, 53% believed those lies as well as the left wing media's love relationship with Obama which right at the end before the elections, did not tell the public the truth about Benghazi. Benghazi would have been the end of Obama.

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davesdatahut: David, you could very well end up being right. But the demographics of the country do not point in the right direction for the Republicans, and neither does the recent history of presidential elections. Obama didn't just win this election. He won it in a time of deep economic troubles, when he was very vulnerable. And he won the 2008 election easily. And Gore won the popular vote after Clinton won two elections. This is not just a 2012 event.
The GOP leadership wants to point to speculative reasons why Obama won and the Democrats gained seats in the Senate and House. It was lies. It was scare tactics. It was the liberal media. It was the Benghazi incident. It was 'would have, could have, should have.'
It wasn't.
It was the Dems recognizing how - and the GOP failing - to capture the allegiance of young people and the growing numbers of non-whites, who are now deeply suspicious of conservative social messages. The Dems took advantage of demographic changes and took the GOP organization to school on message and on an organizational level. The GOP was left with the older white, the uneducated and the religious vote, which was clearly not enough to win and certainly won't be enough as the country becomes more diverse, less religious and better educated.
The GOP will certainly retain strong legislative majorities in some states. But nationally. sticking to same messages and same methods is a one-way trip to a dead end.

Stassi SUR: You must be ecstatic right?

edit is mine.

davesdatahut: Honestly, no, I'm not ecstatic. This country barely functions politically with a two-party system. If we end up with one-party control of the presidency as well as Congress, that will not make for a good mix of ideas. What we need is more centrists and moderates from both parties to replace the more extreme elements that cannot seem to make any compromises.