This is the second in a series of how the GOP needs to fix its problems.
Mitt Romney lost in part because he got record low amounts of the minority vote. He got 6% of the African American vote, 26% of the Hispanic vote and 24% of the Asian vote. While he did win white people with 59%, the minority vote was able to put Obama over the top, just like it did against McCain. As the percentage of the white vote is going to drop at a rate of 2% per election, these numbers are going to be fatal to the GOP in the long run.
The GOP had a choice, work to get more minority votes, or stoke white racial fears, and unfortunately, they picked the latter. Not only didnt it work, but its created problems for them further down the road.
To put it in perspective, in 1956, Eisenhower got 40%of the African American vote. In 1960, Nixon got an impressive 32%. Then Barry Goldwater opposed the Civil Rights Act and he only got 6%. Instead of correcting the problem, the GOP has for years played the race card. Nixons Southern Strategy, Reagans Welfare Queen, Willie Horton and so on.
Romney decided that there was no point trying to win minority votes, and started blowing the Birther and Self-Deportation dog whistles.
There is probably more room to work with Hispanics than blacks in the short term, but the GOP really has to work very hard on both. Neither is going to be one-cycle fix, but its a good place to start.
First and foremost, they have to stop listening to the ugly voices like Glen Beck and Tom Tancredo on immigration reform.
They should stop vilifying people on welfare. Most folks on welfare would rather have a good paying job than a check. Romney's "47%" comments set the tone of this election, and that's why he lost.
And they should stop pretending racism doesn't exist anymore. There are valid complaints about programs like affirmative action, but claiming "problem solved" isn't a plan, and people don't buy it. Offer alternatives.
Mitt Romney lost in part because he got record low amounts of the minority vote. He got 6% of the African American vote, 26% of the Hispanic vote and 24% of the Asian vote. While he did win white people with 59%, the minority vote was able to put Obama over the top, just like it did against McCain. As the percentage of the white vote is going to drop at a rate of 2% per election, these numbers are going to be fatal to the GOP in the long run.
The GOP had a choice, work to get more minority votes, or stoke white racial fears, and unfortunately, they picked the latter. Not only didnt it work, but its created problems for them further down the road.
To put it in perspective, in 1956, Eisenhower got 40%of the African American vote. In 1960, Nixon got an impressive 32%. Then Barry Goldwater opposed the Civil Rights Act and he only got 6%. Instead of correcting the problem, the GOP has for years played the race card. Nixons Southern Strategy, Reagans Welfare Queen, Willie Horton and so on.
Romney decided that there was no point trying to win minority votes, and started blowing the Birther and Self-Deportation dog whistles.
There is probably more room to work with Hispanics than blacks in the short term, but the GOP really has to work very hard on both. Neither is going to be one-cycle fix, but its a good place to start.
First and foremost, they have to stop listening to the ugly voices like Glen Beck and Tom Tancredo on immigration reform.
They should stop vilifying people on welfare. Most folks on welfare would rather have a good paying job than a check. Romney's "47%" comments set the tone of this election, and that's why he lost.
And they should stop pretending racism doesn't exist anymore. There are valid complaints about programs like affirmative action, but claiming "problem solved" isn't a plan, and people don't buy it. Offer alternatives.
