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Is there a sea change afoot among the conservative intelligentsia?
As the Republican Party wrestles with how to reinvent itself to appeal more broadly to an increasingly diverse electorate after its two-straight presidential losses, a handful of conservative thinkers are calling upon the GOP to cast off some of its most well-worn proposals and elements of the party’s identity.
Former Clinton White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles and former Republican Sen. Alan Simpson modified their budget reduction plan. Politico's Jim VandeHei discusses.
These intellectual leaders are arguing that the GOP must embraces changes in policy. That’s significantly different than what the official organs of the Republican Party have said, which is that the party needn’t change its core policies and positions so much as frame them in a way that’s more appealing to more voters.
Take, for example, a post on Monday by Jim Pethokoukis of the American Enterprise Institute, who argued that Republicans should abandon their pursuit of a flat tax, a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution or the gold standard – three ideas that have long found advocates on the right.
“Today, the top marginal tax rate is 40 percent, and inflation is 2 percent. Health-care spending and the debt have both risen by nearly 80 percent as a share of output. The average American is 37 years old,” wrote Pethokoukis on National Review Online. “Economics and demography require a reworking of the conservative policy portfolio. But center-right politicians in Washington keep offering same-old, same-old stale solutions.”
Recommended: Obama warns looming sequester would devastate economy
That’s a sentiment similar to the one voiced by Ramesh Ponnuru on National Review in an op-ed Sunday for the New York Times. Republicans, Ponnuru wrote, should be more willing to move beyond the policy prescriptions offered three decades ago by President Ronald Reagan.
"They slavishly adhere to the economic program that Reagan developed to meet the challenges of the late 1970s and early 1980s, ignoring the fact that he largely overcame those challenges, and now we have new ones," wrote Ponnuru.
Michael Gerson and Peter Wehner, both veterans of the most recent Bush administration, argued in a new piece for Commentary magazine that the GOP should learn from the centrist examples of President Bill Clinton, and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose election signaled a new era for the UK’s Labour Party. They argued that Republicans’ sweeping victories in the 2010 midterm elections were an “aberration” rather than a catalyzing moment for the GOP.
Gerson and Wehner prescribed a four-step process for the GOP: Republicans, they wrote, must first renew their focus “on the economic concerns of working-and middle-class Americans;” second, “welcome rising immigrant groups;” third, “express and demonstrate a commitment to the common good;” fourth, “engage vital social issues forthrightly but in a manner that is aspirational rather than alienating;” and fifth, “harness their policy views to the findings of science.”
They wrote that many of the existing Republican presidential frontrunners in 2016 are equipped to deliver that message.
But: “Their challenge is both to refine and relaunch the Republican message, to propose policies that symbolize values and cultural understanding, to reconnect with a middle America that looks different than it once did, and to confront old attitudes, not from time to time, but every day.”
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The GOP needs to stop trying to legislate morality. That's the sea change that needs to take place.
I hope the current GOP power brokers, those same wingnut soldiers who marched us off to an unjustified war in Iraq and are trying desperately to beat the war drums and lead us to Iran, do not change anything.
I hope they filibuster themselves into irrelevancy.
In other words, be Democrats. Give away phones and maybe cars! Give illegal aliens a free house! How about just focusing on the economy, unlike the Dems.
Yes, because all the GOP has focused on so far is abortion, naming post offices, abortion and pretty much nothing else. Sorry forgot, bitching & moaning about how mean the Democrats are.
The Democrats have proposed an infrastructure bill, a bill against violence against women, etc, that the GOP voted down. I would rather have the Democrats than the whiners.
The republicans spend 90% of their time and efforts to block anything Obama and the Democrats do. Even if they know it is good for the country. Even if it is something they had at one time agreed with or even if it had been their idea. Heck, they even filibuster republicans who Obama has nominated for cabinet positions. Dishonorable scumbags the whole lot of them.
Maybe if Obama and the Dems would propose something that would actually help the country instead of things that just benefits unions, donors or illegals it wouldn't be blocked. And his nomination of Hagel was a joke. Pick a fool would is against our only real ally in the region? But thats okay right. Obama keeps whining about the rich not paying their fair share while a lot of his supporters get their obama phones that the rest of us pay for.
"Conservative thinkers: GOP should cut 'stale' policies loose."
Hear, hear!! I personally would welcome a 6- to 8-month hiatus from the voices of Messrs. Boehner, McConnell, McCain, etc.
Might even get things accomplished quicker in Congress for a change.
"As the Republican Party wrestles with how to reinvent itself to appeal more broadly to an increasingly diverse electorate..."
In other words, "As the Republican Party wrestles with how to reinvent itself to appeal to people who only vote for politicians who promise more welfare and free stuff..."
Boehner is no conservative, neither is McAmnesty or McConnell. Just more like Obama who care only about power and not the economy.
Truth hurts...
Question...how do you know the truth hurts? You have not posted any truth yet!
I am quit confident President Obama can kill the penny given his track record.
Unemployment still 7.9% and the participation rate at an all time low and the national debt growing by leaps and bounds. Taxes are up and wait until you see next years health insurance premium jump. How about the current rocket ride in gas prices? So much confidence that President Obama can kill the penny...he already helped kill the economy.
Next
The president has NO control over gas prices....that is an old talking point proven untrue repeatedly. He has NO control over gas prices.
Bush had control over gas prices. Obama has no control over gas prices. It is only a viable thought when a political advantage can be reached. Only Republicans can control gas prices. LOL Just thought I'd translate "Say What's" post. You're welcome.
Give me ONE example where Bush had control over gas prices....or do you just make up your own facts?
A simple link to your claim will suffice
Of course Bush had control of gas prices, he was in bed with the Saudi ruling family.
Notsosure10
Despite being "quit (sic) confident," you're still incorrect (and representing your screen moniker well, I might add)
When Mr. Bush took office in February of 2001, the rate was 4.2% but had risen to 8.2 percent when he left office in February of 2009. That's a change of 95.2%, nearly double.
Now, after 4+ years of cleaning up the shambles that was the Bush presidency, unemployment is, as you cite, 7.9%, below that when President Obama took office.
Dontcha just hate facts?!
And if any president wants to "control gas prices," I have an excellent suggestion: Nationalize the petroleum industry, from drilling to transport to refinery to pump. Then your claim of presidential control would actually pack some punch.
Here is a good way for the GOP to get ahead next election. Get people to mail in absentee ballots for 3 different people, then go vote at the polls as many times as they can. Get all GOP voters to vote at least 3 times in one election.Not cool? Then why do Democrats encourage their voters to do it?
A woman in Ohio admitted to voting 6 times last election (for Obama, she said he deserved to be President again, so what's the big deal?). Other reports have all kinds of people (registered democrats) voting by mail in ballot then voting early and then voting on election day. Now we know why the lines were so long and that old woman had to wait 8 hours to vote. Other voters were unaware of the fraud as they sent in absentee ballots but were called days before the election and were told they would have to vote in person to get their vote counted. They didn't know they were doing wrong, but they voted 2 times. All these instances I wrote about were Obama votes.
Now that whole 54% to 44% Romney advantage and all the sudden a 3 point loss on election day adds up.
citizen, you're right, the Dems will do ANYTHING to win, the ends justifies the means. That's why Obama and the rest of the Dems lie constantly and when they're caught, they either lie again or shrug it off.
The real problem for the Repubs is marketing, they do a VERY bad job of it. The Dems have the entire media behind them, spinning the facts and making the Dems message very appealing to the relatively uninformed masses. The Repubs do not get their message out at all, and when they do, its done awkwardly. They are constantly put on the defensive by the Dems and their media machine. If the Repubs want to gain 'market share', they're going to need to seriously change HOW they get their message out.
bizdoc, the Media is the biggest problem Republicans face. The Media Ignores major Democratic gaffs while magnifying insignificant Republican mistakes. Look at the water drink episode from Rubio. That clip was shown 150 times on the Rachel Maddow show alone. Look at this voter fraud deal. Not one report of it from NBC news. Which is more of an issue? A dry throat or someone voting for Obama 6 times and admitting it on camera? The real concern is the voting base for the Democratic party finds the media bias acceptable. It doesn't question their politics, it reinforces their beliefs and it makes Republicans look bad. They accept it even if it is hurting them. Sad really.
Republicans --- it you want to win again you better realize voter fraud is NOT why you're losing. As for the media -- that's a broken record. You've been bitching and whining about the media for 60 years. Ronald Reagan won 49 states and Fox didn't even exist at the time.
There were districts in Ohio and in PA where Obama got 100% of the vote.....this doesn't even happen with 3rd world dictators......think we need some voter i.d. laws???
Hopeisgone is still lying....uses the word THINK when all know he is incapable of doing so.
I wouldn't think 100% of the vote is impossible in areas where the population is 100% African American. Not that the African American community voted Obama because they liked his politics, but rather that he shared their skin tone. Lots of whites voted for Obama because he is of African decent and no other reason. The fraud is being investigated and some people are going to jail over it. The folks who run the voting in these places have vowed to make examples of cheaters.
That's not as bad as the places in S. Carolina and Florida where Romney got 125% of registered voters.
logig, that is a lie. Ever vote? Well, I do. When I go to vote my name is on a list. They find my name on that list and have me fill out a card to say I was there to vote. Once that card is filled out, signed and my identity verified (have to show even though these folks have known me all my life), my name is checked off the list. No More Citizen XXs can vote that day at the voting precinct. In my state you have to register in advance, so no registration on day of. You also must prove your residency when you register (bill with your name and address on it, DL or ID).
Citizen=xx...
Unless of course the voting machines and polling places are under the control of Romney's son in Ohio and Pennsylvania, like they tried in November 2012
"There were districts in Ohio and in PA where Obama got 100% of the vote."
BS Hopeless. Name one. Back up your comments with real evidence.
Voter fraud isn't your problem --- stupid, worthless candidates are.
How about for a start they adopt policies that they will stay our of our bedrooms and personal lives. They want smaller government yet they keep invading our personal space. Hypocrites.
They don't want to be in your bedroom or personal lives. They want you to keep your bedroom activities and personal lives out of politics. Ignoring your bedroom and personal choices is different than you forcing the issues on everyone. No force, no issue. Like gays. Don't like people like me saying gayness is a mental illness? Don't bring up gays or try and force everyone to accept homosexuals. Simple. You are making the issue, then complaining about people trying to tell you what to do? Don't bring up the issues and no one will know what you do. Easy.
Then why does the GOP keep trying to pass bills that get involved in our personal life & our bedrooms? Sorry the GOP has a terrible track record on these issues. It is like they cannot help theirselves, they have to mettle in women's bodies, etc.
Zannies, no action would be required if people weren't demanding from others. Think about it. Gay marriage has been being demanded for a few years. Republicans get behind their constituency and pass DOMA. Same goes with other issues. If you don't want someone to do something negative to your views, don't bring it up. If you were happier before government got involved, you shouldn't have brought it up. Realize that the action you want might not always be the action you get. Simple.
Look, no one has the right to tell me how to deal with a medical procedure on my body or what medicines I can have. No one has the right to try to take away rights from people who are gay. The GOP needs to get their a**es out of the so-called morality business, until then they are dead in the water except to the right wing nuts. That does not make for a healthy GOP party.
Women didn't get the vote right away, it took a lot of hard work and some negative reactions. But in the end, the war was won. There would be few wins and advances if we are afraid to stand up against those who try to push us down.
I hope the GOP does takes steps to develop 21st century solutions for the 21st century. I think that a strong, realistic, viable party that is bogged down in the past is more like a stone in the country's shoe than a viable political party. Republicans should be conservative, not somewhere to the right of conservative.
They should add these to their list 1. Government is not bad, without it we have anarchy. Quit preaching hate and fear of the best government in the world. 2.Trickle down economics Does Not Work. 3. Religious based social engineering is an affront to freedom. Give it up.
If you believe the Republican party will change, you can believe I'm the Easter Bunny.
Reaganomics worked. That should be what we are trying. Obama wants to have Obamanomics be refered to as the best economic plan ever. Problem is, it isnt working and it is extremely ineffective in creating growth. Real growth comes from the private sector. Government growth is a drain on the dollar. A dollar has only the value of the work that was performed earning it. A printed dollar takes value away from earned currency dollar for dollar. That is why everything seems so expensive these days. Gas costs 4 of todays dollars and 1.25 of 1997s dollars. That is how much debt to dollar value we have accrued as a nation since then (using a gallon of gas as an example, but gold prices are another example 4x more expensive than it was in 1997). Government debt = devalued dollar.
Don't forget the yellow Peeps when you fill the baskets.
Al, hate to tell you, but you're wrong on all 3 items. One, govt with too much power creates tyranny (the reason for the American Revolution). Two, 'trickle down economics' when coupled with fiscal spending restraint, results in a balanced budget (see budget surplus during Clinton's 2nd term). Three, the country was FOUNDED on religious based morals, which didn't impinge on our freedoms. You Libs like to flaunt lifestyles (gay marriage, abortion, drugs) that have never been accepted by ANY major organized religion. So in order to get these 'new morals' accepted, you wage war on religion and tear at the moral fabric that made this country great. The Repubs stand for the things that made the country great in the first place while you Dems want to remake our country into an amoral, Socialist 3rd world country just like one of the European countries. Bad choice.
bizdoc, if you keep making sense and good arguments, you are opening yourself up to be called a racist or something. lol
citizen, I hope they call me a Tea Bagger, I love it! I also love going toe-to-toe with the likes of Feisty, the Pig, Ed, Leroy Brown, yhbua, and the rest of the intellectually challenged Libs. None of them have ever been able to explain WHY their Socialist agenda is superior to Capitalism. When conservatives like us get them into a debate about economics and business, they resort to insults and name calling. Its very entertaining!
It appears my work is done on this thread. I love killing these threads arguing with Libs. They have only so much they can lie about before they get called out on it and *poof* they are gone. Happens every time.
I only do what I do so if anyone reads these moronic Liberal comments and rebuttals, they will know instantly that Liberals are a far reaching bunch who will lie to cover lies and blame to cover blame. It really makes them look like they are supposed to.
citizen, good work, hope to see you in future threads. There aren't enough of us conservatives getting the message out.
bizdoc, I frequent these threads, you will see me again. I love seeing Liberals try to justify their position when they have no clue what they are talking about. Enjoy the evening.
A good start would be to dump the right wing extremist nut job Fascist wannabe tea party.
Funny, but MSLSD isn't talking about all those EPA high officials resigning because they were doing FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BUSINESS, which would archive emails for record, using private personal accounts. Hmmmm. Why wouldn't MSLSD talk about that? Do they not want their lib base to know REALLY what is going on? Is that why they edit videos and 911 tapes?
Yes and Yes.. LOL. They can always just blame Bush though. That will call off the dogs.
Democrat, republican there is not much difference. Conservatives need to cut the GOP loose.
We need to get our people out in FORCE in 2014, the end any chance that OBAMA, can force any more socialist policies down our throughts! I'm trying to bring up an 11 year old Son, and NOW I'm dealing with e a Democratic President that is fulfilling his fantasy from his 60's & 70's youth! Save them, but then Enslave them, as DNC voters for years to come! All at the expense of us! The working people! PATHETIC!
The country will not be willing to listen to GOP madness again until 2032 at the soonest.
Your 11 year old will be 31 before the GOP has any chance of being relevant. LOL!
Not only has the Liberal Housing Crisis crushed us, but now the Student Loan debacle will now crush the Middle Class again! Probably won't be reported until a Republican takes power again! This CRAP is REAL! These Kids are coming out of college with a mortgage over their heads, before they even have a chance at home ownership! Please RUB your heads out of the Sand! 11/6/2012 just continues the direction FORWARD to Economic Destruction!
Come up with some new talking points....the public voted the ones you are using and said NO in November. You lost...get over it
theeightiesruled1, I bet I can guess what kind of car you drive... bet it's a Rambler.
I mean, "Liberal Housing Crisis"? Need you be reminded that it's the "liberals" who are trying in earnest to establish consumer protection against the misdeeds and malfeasance of Wall Street and the banking barons, whilst the GOP fights it tooth and nail?
Jeez, Louise!
"Probably won't be reported until a Republican takes power again!"
Don't hold your breath.
Say What?-809562 Thanks for being civil on this otherwise uncivil board, but My Son understands what is going on! Before he has to hear from Career students in College about the Wars, etc. We're no paranoid, just realistic! We need another REAGAN conservative to convince the people of the ills of the current administration! Oh I'm sorry, it was Bush's fault! TRULY PATHETIC!
Reagan was the guy who put the middle class on the downward spiral we've been on.
Theeighties....
The big problem is the GOP does not have another Reagan. They really have NO one to deliver their message in a way that will rally the country. Rubio cannot do it, Rand Paul cannot do it, Paul Ryan certainly cannot do it.
Any attempt by Rubio, for example, will be offset by Julian Castro, a far more eloquent speaker. The country will rally behind him, faster than they will behind Rubio. This will become very obvious if he is the Vice-Presidential candidate with Hillary.
The condition of the country right now, is directly linked to the collapses caused and allowed by the Bush administration. There is no denying that, it is proven fact. The GOP obstructing everything Obama submits will be glaringly brighter than ever. A great example is the Veteran's Jobs Bill killed by the GOP in the Senate last year. One million new jobs, just for returning vets, blocked.
Finally finally a ray of light struggling to make its way into the dark ages where the pubs live.
They HAVE to change.....or their decline will move them into oblivion.
The country needs a vital, intelligent, CURRENT, republican party. Hope these guys knock some sense into the deadheads.
I don't see anyone in the Republican Party that will be able to lead and turn this old pig around. This party is doomed for irrelevancy because they are too fractured by the TeaParty.
Got to drop the name "Republican" as it has become synonymous Sewer Plant or Toilet Water. In either case, plug your nose.
If the republican party cut their stale policies.....then they wouldn't have any policies at all? Well, actually that might be an improvement.
I honestly can't believe they still don't get it. It's pretty simple, and obvious, especially after this last election. My conservative friends were SHOCKED when Morph lost, some didn't even speak to me for a few weeks while they struggled with it. I told them I thought Obama would win, and why. They simply do not understand who this country is TODAY. They really need to get over themselves and move on.
Easier said than done Julia. Hatred runs deep, just look at some of these blog posts.
I know....I've been on another post about the guy who shot someone breaking into his house.
The hatred is intense. I've been avoiding these stories since the election! Too many insults, too much nastiness....
Julia. It feels like it has gotten worse. The GOP or whatever you want to call them are digging their fangs in deeper and deeper or least the very vocal viscous side of the party is doing that.
coop, ure right. My friends - and they are good friends - are a small example, but they are so PISSED that our president was reelected. It's like they feel entitled to have him lose...it's weird. They say the most slanderous and nasty things about him and his family. It's sickening, really.
How can you vote for TOTAL Failure of Keynesian Economics AGAIN! We've been here before, and now you 66M strong reelect failure! It's unprecendented in your history! Forward to 1968! GREAT Vote! Idiots!
All GOP has is stale policies. Americans rejected them in 2012 election, will continue to reject them in 2014 and 2016 elections.