GOP report calls for sweeping reforms to compete in 2016

[moonbladem]

Comments

[alexvdl]

"We are not a policy committee, but among the steps Republicans take in the Hispanic community and beyond, we must embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform," the report says, nodding at other points to the bipartisan reform efforts currently before Congress. "If we do not, our Party’s appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only."

The report also notes a growing generational divide on the issue of gay rights, calling the issue a "gateway" for young voters deciding whether to align with the GOP.Gee, you're saying that if you start paying attention to the desires of the groups you want voting for you, you might get somewhere with them? I feel like "Don't piss off the people you want doing you favors" is the sort of thing that most people should learn during childhood

[rex_dart]

If the GOP actually takes a firm stance in support of gay rights and marriage equality

This will NEVER happen. And Mitt Romney didn't actually come very close at all; he just believed that he was going to right up until he lost.

Also, a strong Republican party is fucking terrible for the vast majority of the country who are not wealthy straight white Christian cis men. Saying that two strong parties is a good thing is meaningless nonsense devoid of context.

[alexvdl]

The Republican party isn't going to have much choice in the matter. There's only so long that you can stand against reality. The numbers show that America as a whole is showing what it wants in terms of marriage equality. Continuing to oppose it will quickly become a liability. They've clung to it for so long because it garners them votes. As soon as they understand they'll be unable to play on the national level without that support, they'll change their tune. Especially with the Log Cabin Republicans becoming a more powerful part of the organization

[blackjedii]

Eh I'm not so sure. Assuming the banks don't collapse (again, which is a possibility), the economy's going to be in decent-ish shape and more importantly, more non-white non-dude folks are going to be of voting age. The only thing I see hurting the Democrats ~at the moment~ is that so many citizens are already sick and tired of the federal government. And that Republicans largely control a lot of key state legislatures too.

Then again I think the Republians will try to do what they did this time - put up a lot of smoke and mirrors, wait until the election gets closer, and then run a ~sane and reasonable~ alternative. Bob McDonnell has been acting awfully liberal lately....

[alexvdl]

The economy might be getting slightly better, and the unemployment rate might be trending down, but the overall jobless rate is still at an all time high. Of course, I have a hard time believing that anyone is voting re: the economy because, somehow we keep reelecting the same congresspeople who refuse to create a goddamned budget.

I feel like whoever the Republicans do run, they need someone who screams "I'm a leader." One of the major criticisms of Romney that I heard (At work. Which tends to vote Republican) is that he seemed less like a leader and more like the voice of a committee. Whatever your opinion of Barack Obama, it's quite obvious that he has a charisma and an innate ability to influence people.

Really, as pessimistic as people are, I think that it takes a lot of work and effort to change the course of a leviathan such as the Republican party. This might be a very small step, but if it represents a changing of course vis a vis minority rights then it should be encouraged.