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Subscribe to RSSMark Shields, the veteran political analyst for PBS, yesterday asked Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), House Judiciary chairman, whether the problem with his party was the “pizza” or the “box.” As First Read reported, Goodlatte responded this way: “It’s primarily our inability to communicate our message in a variety of ways. … Our message still resonates with a lot of people; we have to figure out how to get it to resonate with more.”
Translation: It’s the box.
It’s a view held by many in the party. But Rich Lowry today says it’s the pizza, too. “Republicans should prepare for more discontent,” because they have no leader and it’s the message – not just the messaging – that’s the problem: “At times, it seems as if “we have a $16 trillion debt” is the sum total of the party’s argumentation. When party leaders say that they have to become the party of growth again, the policy they invariably advance to that end … is reducing the $16 trillion debt. This necessary, but hardly sufficient message is almost all we hear from Republicans in Congress, where their majority in the House gives them responsibility without decisive influence.”
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg claimed yesterday that the Illinois special election, in which he spent $2.5 million to defeat a Democrat with ties to the NRA: "Is it a harbinger of what's to come? I think so."
But Stu Rothenberg’s unimpressed, dismissing the win as one in a heavily Democratic district.
What’s with all the butt talk this week? Karl Rove on why he started a group to take out fringe conservatives: “My posterior was shredded a little bit by donors wondering why we are writing checks for people who then turn around a run such lousy campaigns.”
And this kind of thing just keeps on happening to the GOP: Minnesota state Rep Glenn Gruenhagen (R) said this of being gay: "It's an unhealthy, sexual addiction."
And this: Louie Gohmert (R-TX): "Slavery and abortion are the two most horrendous things this country has done but when you think about the immorality of wild, lavish spending on our generation and forcing future generations to do without essentials just so we can live lavishly now, it's pretty immoral."
ARKANSAS: “The Club for Growth will launch a television advertisement in Arkansas on Friday targeting Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor, who is up for re-election in 2014,” Roll Call writes.
MASSACHUSETTS: Five candidates qualified for the ballot in the April 30 Senate special election – two Democrats and three Republicans. “According to the Central Voter Registry at the secretary of state’s office, Democratic US Representative Edward M. Markey led the field by day’s end, with 33,799, followed by his rival for the party nomination, US Representative Stephen P. Lynch, whose tally was at 25,104,” the Boston Globe writes. “Former US Attorney Michael Sullivan, using only volunteers, led the Republican field, with 18,812, followed by Cohasset businessman Gabriel E. Gomez, whose count was at 16,937, and state Representative Daniel B. Winslow, at 13,406. Winslow and Gomez paid signature-gathering firms to help their signature drive.”
NEW JERSEY: Ex-Sen. Scott Brown’s holding a fundraiser for Chris Christie in Boston Friday.
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Rich Lowry and some conservative pundits get it. Almost. If this was horseshoes, he'd get 1 point for being close. Hey, if you can't show me how your policies benefit me and my loved ones (or at least don't screw me into my socks), you're toast. And you should be.
White Rule down on its luck
Needs Help
Repeal the Voting Rights Act
https://twitter.com/DaRiverZkind/status/306827434861416448/photo/1
☺ smile
I personally think it is the message, the republicans have nothing to offer the working middle class American. Their policy's include causing pain to the middle class while letting those that can afford it most to not pay their fair share of taxes. Middle American spoke that message to them last election and I don't think since they have not changed their role in obstructing government they will get another lesson in 2014.
It's the product - when your cheesy-peasy pizza is served with stinky, moldy, over-ripe, old green cheese, changing the box doesn't change the fact the pizza is rancid. It might be time to start using fresh ingredients.
Although I've not used the pizza/box analogy I've been predicting since the day after the election that Republicans would decide it's the packaging, not the content. They haven't disappointed in that regard, and it'll lead to further electoral losses coming up.
It's the end game of a long term strategy pandering to an ever-smaller base while trying to turn ever-larger numbers of people from voting. Ultimately your base becomes so small there's no way to prevail...especially once that base becomes so radical it's alarming to the average American. Putting the John Birch Society craziness into a Tea Party box fits that definition as well.
The GOP is well positioned to make a comeback. Sorry, First Read.
Since when is flat on it's @$$ "well positioned for a comeback"? Under that theory, morgue inhabitants are "well positioned for a comeback".
Any in site into how GOP Comeback 2014?
Yeah. Lack of "voter enthusiasm" among Democrats. That's how it worked in 2010.
Republicans always claim it's the messaging, not the message, that leads to the failure of their Party to win elections, this, despite the fact they control an entire network to disseminate their point of view, raise billions of dollars to spend on advertizing campaigns, and are afforded half the slots on the Sunday talk shows to put forth their case.
To me, it's not the messaging or even the message that people are rejecting, it's the results of their policies: two endless wars, growing income inequality, inability to address gun violence with common sense, global warming leading to extreme weather events, while Republicans fund climate change deniers to protect the profits of the oil companies, at the expense of the nation as a whole.
Forget for a minute, like the GOP does, that they created most of the deficit through tax cuts, unfunded wars and give-aways to big corporations that ship jobs overseas. Their positions in the last election regarding women (denying access to healthcare choices), minorities (voter suppression) and young people (college loans and individual liberties) have nothing to do with the message and everything to do with the policies. It's insulting to the American people to insinuate that they can be fooled with a slick marketing message trying to sell their view of the world. Apparently they learned nothing from 2012 or 2008. For example, McCain thought that women were so shallow and uninformed that former Hillary supporters would flock to Palin just because she was a woman. These guys just don't get it, and if they hadn't be able to gerrymander the congressional districts they'd all be out on their a$$es in 2014.
You forgot to mention the two rebates Bush II gave out to get reelected.
The tea people republicans are still under the impression (all though it's a false impression) that buzz words, catch phrases, Fox, Limbaugh, Lunz and all the big money from Citizens United will carry them to victory. It's not the messaging and it's not their policies (frankly they don't have any policies) it's their anger and hatred. America has finally caught up to the tea people republicans lies and fear mongering, it's that simple.
The tea people republicans are still under the impression (all though it's a false impression) that buzz words, catch phrases, Fox, Limbaugh, Lunz and all the big money from Citizens United will carry them to victory. It's not the messaging and it's not their policies (frankly they don't have any policies) it's their anger and hatred. America has finally caught up to the tea people republicans lies and fear mongering, it's that simple.
Sorry for the double post, it's the FR gremlins.
Oh their message is resonating with people loud and clear. That is why they did so poorly in the last election. If they continue to send out the same message the 2014 election will make 2012 look like a cakewalk for the GOPers.