Why can't the GOP bring itself to work with what it has?

[Pedro de San Patricio]

They're not going to win the presidency again for a long time. You have to be far right to get a GOP nomination and at least somewhat moderate to win the election. The GOP brand itself is still tarnished in the public mind by the Bush years, the TEA Party, and all of the antics since Obama's inauguration, from the birther and crypto-Muslim conspiracy theories to the hard lost battle against homosexuality. That the Democrats have been wildly successful as painting them as racist and sexist and proven much better at courting and registering key demographics like convicted felons, women, and racial and sexual minorities has been to their severe detriment as well. All of that combined with the natural bias of the public in favor of the Democratic Party pretty much guarantees their loss next year, if not for the next several elections.

Despite all of this, they still managed to secure strong majorities in both houses of Congress. If they were smart, they could adapt, learn to use this control to their advantage, and work on reuniting the party and fixing the serious disconnect between themselves and the general public. The public is, let's face it, honestly pretty stupid. Everything could get stanped as "old history" given enough time and popular legislation. It would take a lot of effort, and probably several William Buckleys, to rebrand themselves as a palatable option to the average voter, but it could absolutely be done.

They don't seem to understand any of this, though. They still talk like they have a strong contender against Clinton next year somewhere in a pack of extremist dumbasses currently jockeying for a nomination. They still talk like 2017 will be the end of Democratic executive control - like their actions for the past seven years never happened. They still talk like they have even a chance of winning. I just don't get it. I really don't. Is it denial? Are they really that short sighted? Their sole demographic - the older middle class white Christian man they rely on to win elections - is dying out. They can't rely on him forever, and that time will only shrink when the blue state exodus and illegal immigration finally turn Texas blue. Now is the time for them to sink or swim. Why can't they even bring themselves to acknowledge that they're in danger of drowning?

 

[JakeStarkey]

The last two weeks has opened a strong possibility for folks like Kasich to get the nomination.

Despite all the yelling, all GOP now know that ACA, Marriage Equality, Rowe, FHA, confederate flags cannot be used as wedge issues any longer. I fully expect the far right candidates to out of the picture long before Iowa.

 

[BULLDOG]

The last two weeks has opened a strong possibility for folks like Kasich to get the nomination.

Despite all the yelling, all GOP now know that ACA, Marriage Equality, Rowe, FHA, confederate flags cannot be used as wedge issues any longer. I fully expect the far right candidates to out of the picture long before Iowa.

If that were to happen, it would be better for the entire country instead of just republicans. You are more optimistic than most though.

 

[Sonny Clark]

They're not going to win the presidency again for a long time. You have to be far right to get a GOP nomination and at least somewhat moderate to win the election. The GOP brand itself is still tarnished in the public mind by the Bush years, the TEA Party, and all of the antics since Obama's inauguration, from the birther and crypto-Muslim conspiracy theories to the hard lost battle against homosexuality. That the Democrats have been wildly successful as painting them as racist and sexist and proven much better at courting and registering key demographics like convicted felons, women, and racial and sexual minorities has been to their severe detriment as well. All of that combined with the natural bias of the public in favor of the Democratic Party pretty much guarantees their loss next year, if not for the next several elections.

Despite all of this, they still managed to secure strong majorities in both houses of Congress. If they were smart, they could adapt, learn to use this control to their advantage, and work on reuniting the party and fixing the serious disconnect between themselves and the general public. The public is, let's face it, honestly pretty stupid. Everything could get stanped as "old history" given enough time and popular legislation. It would take a lot of effort, and probably several William Buckleys, to rebrand themselves as a palatable option to the average voter, but it could absolutely be done.

They don't seem to understand any of this, though. They still talk like they have a strong contender against Clinton next year somewhere in a pack of extremist dumbasses currently jockeying for a nomination. They still talk like 2017 will be the end of Democratic executive control - like their actions for the past seven years never happened. They still talk like they have even a chance of winning. I just don't get it. I really don't. Is it denial? Are they really that short sighted? Their sole demographic - the older middle class white Christian man they rely on to win elections - is dying out. They can't rely on him forever, and that time will only shrink when the blue state exodus and illegal immigration finally turn Texas blue. Now is the time for them to sink or swim. Why can't they even bring themselves to acknowledge that they're in danger of drowning?

Politics, plain and simple. Professional politicians play politics, and they love and enjoy it.