Reforming the American republican party

[Giuliano Taverna]

The way I see it, social conservatism is the rot that has killed the republican party. All this god is good, burn gays, and bomb abortion clinics nonsense has gone a good way to alienating pretty much my entire generation, and most of the rest of the western world.

In an ideal world, my party would have a socially libertarian view.

A fiscally moderate view.

And a strong foreign policy stance.

The way I see it, for the party to survive it needs to embrace historical figures like Theodore Roosevelt, Lincoln, and Eisenhower.

And get rid of the isolationists, protectionists, anarcho capitalists, and the religious fundamentalists.

The question is, can they? Or should they?

[Aetius]

Palin '12


The current republican party is an utter failure. They are probably at an all time low with Bush, horrible candidates in 08, the wars, the economy, and all the disgraced Republican Governers.

Don't worry, the population of old socially conservative loons is fading away over time. One day the Republicans will wake up to realize they are a total fringe party, it is arguable that has happened already.

[Wilder]

Palin '12

NO NO NO NOOO NOOOO NOOOOOO. Seriously bad idea.

I wrote a thing about this subject earlier

Here

[Father Jack]

Don't worry, the population of old socially conservative loons is fading away over time. One day the Republicans will wake up to realize they are a total fringe party, it is arguable that has happened already.

Sounds quite similar to the problems the political parties faced in the UK. During the 1980s the Labour party was particularly left wing and very socialist (on the fringe basicly) untill after 1994 when they decided to move to take a centre-left stance on the political spectrum so they could attract more votes. Similar thing has also happened to the Conservative party, after 1997 they moved to quite a traditional right-wing/conservative stance which did them no favours, although now they have also taken a centralist stance. So it is proberbly a very good idea if the Republicans reinvent themseleves and disassociate themselves with the fringe issues. One US political commentator (the name fails me) mentioned that the Republicans have lost quite alot of their college graduate support, perhaps a move away from the fringes will attract a greater number of these voters.

[Enemy of the State]

I say they go back to their roots. Small government, free markets, non-interventionism.

[Aetius]

There is already a party for that, and its a failure. The libertarians get less than 1% of the vote as it is.

Thats because of the two party dictatorship and the lack of information about libertarian party as well as they are not evne on many ballots.

I can assure you that if the Republican party became libertarian, it would be more popular and get more votes than ever.

People just don't vote for something when there seems to be no hope.

Its always "lesser of two evils", but it doesnt have to be that way.

[Каие]

I say adopt Paternalism.

Reagan be damned, he wasn't a conservative anyway he was a Liberal.

[Nouvelle Vague]

You cant consider Palin a real candidate unless you live in the US I guess.

[Giuliano Taverna]

You cant consider Palin a real candidate unless you live in the US I guess.

As compared to who? Obama?

When choosing a fool to lead, its better to have a bumpkin from Alaska, than a snob from Hawaii.

Besides, who else is there? Romney? No thanks, he was my governor.

I say they go back to their roots. Small government, free markets, non-interventionism.

There is already a party for that, and its a failure. The libertarians get less than 1% of the vote as it is.

[manofarms89]

As compared to who? Obama?

When choosing a fool to lead, its better to have a bumpkin from Alaska, than a snob from Hawaii.

aside from that i agree with your OP. social conservatism is whats really killing the republicans, but it has such tight grip on them, im not sure if they can shake it off.

[Stavroforos]

Just let it die off, and have new parties rise up from the ashes.

[Barry Goldwater]

Get the out of the fringes and back to the roots. Become a socially moderate/apathetic, fiscally conservative and non-interventionist (not isolationist) party.

[Каие]

No way man apathy is not the way forward.

[Barry Goldwater]

No way man apathy is not the way forward.

What I mean by 'social apathy' is to ignore issues like abortion (leave stuff like that up to the States themselves to decide) and focus on things that actually matter, such as foreign policy & the economy.

[nopasties]

They still win in the deep south and plain states and I prefer it that way. If they could be a party that represented Goldwater Conservativism I might be listening. Otherwise I'll take my liberal bought paid for pandering party that's a dissapointment in everyway over the redneck and racist party any day.

[Pontifex Maximus]

I define myself as conservative, but I will never vote for someone who believes god created the world in seven days. If the republican party could stand to lose the fundamentalists, evangelicals, and all around religious nutjobs, I would be much more supportive of them. I don't think it is possible for the Republicans to lose them, however, because many of them are religiously prone. It would be a huge blow to the party.

[nopasties]

I define myself as conservative, but I will never vote for someone who believes god created the world in seven days. If the republican party could stand to lose the fundamentalists, evangelicals, and all around religious nutjobs, I would be much more supportive of them. I don't think it is possible for the Republicans to lose them, however, because many of them are religiously prone. It would be a huge blow to the party.

You sound like the kind of Republican I can disagree with sometimes but respect. Democracy needs balance and multiple points of view. The party of Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin is going to wither into a regional power unless it broadens its view. A fiscal conservative party would have been nice the last 9 years.

[Pontifex Maximus]

You sound like the kind of Republican I can disagree with sometimes but respect. Democracy needs balance and multiple points of view. The party of Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin is going to wither into a regional power unless it broadens its view. A fiscal conservative party would have been nice the last 9 years.

I despise Palin.

I can't place my trust in a person that think spraying is an effective way to bolster national security. I'm not trying to insult anyone's religion, but I just can't stomach that thought.

[Rebel Jeb]

I despise Palin.

I can't place my trust in a person that think spraying is an effective way to bolster national security. I'm not trying to insult anyone's religion, but I just can't stomach that thought.

Hey...I believe that.

I say, MOAR CONSERVATIVE! Rush Limbaugh '12

[Barry Goldwater]

wouldnt that also mean states being allowed to overturn Supreme Court rulings such as Roe Vs Wade or Lawrence Vs Texas?

Yes. The States should answer social issues through popular plebiscites.

Hey...I believe that.

I say, MOAR CONSERVATIVE! Rush Limbaugh '12

That'd be a brilliant way to finish off the GOP, they've moved from 'conservative' to reactionary...time to get back towards the center (or even better, real conservatism), go any further and they're done.