Post Mortem: RNC Report Calls for Major GOP Overhaul

Republicans have gotten their backsides kicked in the last two presidential election cycles, which are essentially the "Super Bowls" of American politics. The party's standard-bearers have lost the popular vote in five of the last six contests, with the lone exception of President Bush's 2004 re-election.  Bluntly stated, the GOP's national political model is broken.  The Republican National Committee has just published an exhaustive report about what went wrong in 2012, when a Democratic president with mediocre approval ratings and historically poor economic indicators won a second term by a comfortable, 3.5 million vote margin.  The political bubble and its inhabitants are infamous for self serving ass-covering, which is why the RNC's new autopsy deserves significant credit for its refreshing -- and at times startling -- frankness.  Though various elements within the conservative coalition will surely identify elements to criticize, the 100-page report advances some hard, unvarnished truths about the party's deficient mechanics, assumptions and strategies -- as well as the changing face of the electorate.  It draws conclusions based upon raw data and feedback from tens of thousands party organizers, political practitioners, pollsters, candidates and elected officials, technology experts, grassroots activists, and swing state focus group participants.


(1) On messaging, the RNC document recommends rebranding the "Grand Old Party" (which evokes a sclerotic, aging entity) as the "Growth and Opportunity Party."  It warns that Republicans are increasingly viewed as a "scary," "stuffy," and "out-of-touch" party that doesn't care about average people.  Gov. Scott Walker issued a similar admonition in his excellent CPAC address over the weekend.  The report emphasizes the need for Republicans to articulate why conservative principles and governance make people's lives better, and downshift their focus on statistics and dogma.  On the subject of persuasion and success, it notes a striking dichotomy between state-level Republicans and Beltway Republicans: The GOP controls 60 percent of the nation's governorships, yet is flailing in Washington.  The message is that the party's salvation and reformation lies in the states, and that Republican solutions and rhetoric must be more "people oriented."  This requires active and persistent outreach to citizens beyond traditional conservative precincts; expanding the party's appeal and message beyond the existing echo chamber demands more persuasion and less rigid purity, the assessment argues -- even as it affirms long-standing principles that undergird the party and wider conservative movement: 


    "The Republican Party needs to stop talking to itself. We have become expert in how to provide ideological reinforcement to like-minded people, but devastatingly we have lost the ability to be persuasive with, or welcoming to, those who do not agree with us on every issue." 


This document tackles a few thorny "gateway" issues, explicitly endorsing comprehensive immigration reform (reason for healthy skepticism here), and acknowledging the growing generational divide on gay rights.  RNC Chairman Reince Priebus says these postures represent a reinforcement of Ronald Reagan's "80 percent" rule on strategic alliances; not a unilateral surrender on values.  "Abandoning our principles isn't happening and will never happen, but I'm also not going to tell someone they're not welcome into our party because I disagree with them on a few issues," he tells Townhall.

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Don't tell people. Just do it! All this does is say "We will pander to Latinos, women, blacks...anyone if it gets us votes."

Just explain the Conservative message to everyone. If you have to focus on specific demographics then just do it. Don't announce it. These people are idiots!

This is exactly what I was saying all along.

QuoteTo facilitate moving up primary elections to accommodate an earlier convention, the Party should strongly consider a regional primary system or some other form of a major reorganization instead of the current system. The current system is a long, winding, often random road that makes little sense. It stretches the primaries out too long, forces our candidates to run out of money, and because some states vote so late, voters in those states never seem to count. 

I have no doubt they've been reading this forum, many of the ideas/suggestions in the article reflect what most of us have been yelling for years.

God, I knew the GOP had idiots leading it the party, I had no idea just how bad it was, till I read the recommendations.

Quote from: Solar on March 18, 2013, 05:58:04 PM
This is exactly what I was saying all along.

I have no doubt they've been reading this forum, many of the ideas/suggestions in the article reflect what most of us have been yelling for years.

God, I knew the GOP had idiots leading it the party, I had no idea just how bad it was, till I read the recommendations.

This really isn't rocket science. You, Taxed and myself and a few million quid could have this sussed in a fortnight. It is that simple. First off: Grow some balls! People already supposedly hate you so give them a reason to. TELL THE TRUTH!.

Quote from: The Boo Man... on March 18, 2013, 06:03:53 PM
This really isn't rocket science. You, Taxed and myself and a few million quid could have this sussed in a fortnight. It is that simple. First off: Grow some balls! 

Stop capitulating, enemies always see this as a weakness to exploit.

OK, this has been bugging the Hell out of me.

Hey Prebius, Quit fucking showing weakness Dictate Dammit, that's what true leaders do, they don't sit down and work out terms with the enemy, they give the enemy ultimatums, my way or the highway.
And if you need evidence of this tactic, watch the mid term elections, where we dictate the outcome.
I'm speaking of Conservatives sick and tired of weak kneed RINO/liberals capitulating away our Rights and Freedoms.

I know you have people reading this forum, if you disagree with what I have to say, I challenge you to send you best warrior to defend your honor.
Yes, you've been called out!

Got distracted and forgot to post the excerpt.

QuotePriebus calls last year's debate parade a "free for all" that was too often injurious to the party and its brand.  "We need to help pick moderators that we want, and avoid a bunch of gotcha questions from people who aren't our friends." he says.

Quote"Republicans ought to be involved in deciding who the moderators are going to be for an important part of choosing a candidate within our own party.

No Shit!

QuoteThe alternative with networks making unilateral decisions is unacceptable."  The general idea is to select in advance the dates and locations for a pre-determined number debates, starting no earlier than September 2015, and spanning into March 2016.  The party would construct a series of rules (both "incentives" and "penalties," according to Priebus) to attempt to enforce adherence to the established schedule, and would work with the networks to shape the tenor, themes and arbiters of those discussions.

Again genius, there is no working with the enemy, quit playing the nice diplomat, they either do it our way, or they don't get to play.
You really might be surprised to find out people actually respond positively when they are given few options.
Remember, these are libs, they are used to being told what to think and do, so take advantage of a natural Stockholm syndrome effect.

The GOP needs to put Rubio, Ryan, Cantor, Cruz, in a room to map out a winning strategy. McCain and Graham need to sit down and take some notes.

Quote from: willowtree on March 18, 2013, 06:53:10 PM
The GOP needs to put Rubio, Ryan, Cantor, Cruz, in a room to map out a winning strategy. McCain and Graham need to sit down and take some notes.

Schooled!

What the Republican party needs As Jack Nicholson Said in bat man What this Republican party needs is a good Enema To flush out the Liberal Leaning RINOS Like McCain Lindsy Snow And lets not forget Romney.The last 2 Elections the Liberal Media Brain washed Rino Republicans into Nominating Idiots Like McCain Romney And a Bunch of other Left Leaning Rinos.Until Republicans learn to think for them self's We will keep ending up with LibTurds Masquerading as Conservatives       

Quote from: REDWHITEBLUE2 IRISH REBEL on March 18, 2013, 08:05:55 PM
What the Republican party needs As Jack Nicholson Said in bat man What this Republican party needs is a good Enema To flush out the Liberal Leaning RINOS Like McCain Lindsy Snow And lets not forget Romney.The last 2 Elections the Liberal Media Brain washed Rino Republicans into Nominating Idiots Like McCain Romney And a Bunch of other Left Leaning Rinos.Until Republicans learn to think for them self's We will keep ending up with LibTurds Masquerading as Conservatives     

If you notice, nowhere in their recommendations, did they mention giving true Conservatives/Tea party a voice.

People don't screw things up by making mistakes, they destroy it by repeating mistakes, and the GOP are destined for failure if they don't reverse course immediately.

Quote from: Solar on March 18, 2013, 06:46:04 PM
OK, this has been bugging the Hell out of me.

Hey Prebius, Quit fucking showing weakness Dictate Dammit, that's what true leaders do, they don't sit down and work out terms with the enemy, they give the enemy ultimatums, my way or the highway.
And if you need evidence of this tactic, watch the mid term elections, where we dictate the outcome.
I'm speaking of Conservatives sick and tired of weak kneed RINO/liberals capitulating away our Rights and Freedoms.

I know you have people reading this forum, if you disagree with what I have to say, I challenge you to send you best warrior to defend your honor.
Yes, you've been called out!

Got distracted and forgot to post the excerpt.
No Shit!
Again genius, there is no working with the enemy, quit playing the nice diplomat, they either do it our way, or they don't get to play.
You really might be surprised to find out people actually respond positively when they are given few options.
Remember, these are libs, they are used to being told what to think and do, so take advantage of a natural Stockholm syndrome effect.

I don't think we should refer to the left as the "enemy." Doing that requires us to sink to their level of rhetoric.

Quote from: American on March 18, 2013, 09:41:19 PM
I don't think we should refer to the left as the "enemy." Doing that requires us to sink to their level of rhetoric.

They are the enemy.  They support destructive policies and behaviors that destroy our society and freedoms.  That is enemy behavior, therefore, they are the enemy.

Quote from: taxed on March 18, 2013, 10:00:11 PM
They are the enemy.  They support destructive policies and behaviors that destroy our society and freedoms.  That is enemy behavior, therefore, they are the enemy.

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=ie7&q=enemy&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7TSNA

Quote from: willowtree on March 18, 2013, 06:53:10 PM
The GOP needs to put Rubio, Ryan, Cantor, Cruz, in a room to map out a winning strategy. McCain and Graham need to sit down and take some notes.

They both need to shut the hell up, period.  They are Republicans depending on the day of the week.  They made themselves irrelevant.

They still don't get it.

The reason the GOP has been branded the way they have, is that they have allowed the left to define them, without so much much as a peep of a pushback from them.

Democrats win elections by lying about and attacking their opponents, and they are relentless about it. The Obama campaign is still in full swing, doing it's level best to destroy GOP inroads in 2014. If the GOP doesn't go on the offensive, Obama will succeed.

There is no excuse for this hand wringing and desperation on the part of the GOP; nor does the excuse that the left owns the mainstream media. Mainstream media is hemorrhaging viewers, and is suffering record low ratings. This is an opportunity.

Obama and his democrat cronies tell lies almost daily, and nobody in Washington is responding. The public assumes that everything that is said, is true. Reaching out is fine, but without going on the offensive and exposing the democrat lies, along with the damage they are doing to the country, no reach out effort will bear fruit.

There are lots of people that are willing to help, maybe the GOP should consider reaching out to them, rather than alienating them.

http://usconservatives.about.com/od/gettinginvolved/tp/TopAdvocacyGroups.htm

Millions of Americans are represented on this page; if they felt they had representation within the GOP, we would be looking at a Romney presidency today, and genuine fixes to our fiscal problems being worked on. Wake up GOP!!!!

You depend on conservative radio and television personalities to hold the base together, while you repeatedly capitulate to the left and abandon conservative principles. It's a recipe for failure, as you are witnessing.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Conservative_political_organizations_(U.S.)

Quote from: willowtree on March 18, 2013, 06:53:10 PM
The GOP needs to put Rubio, Ryan, Cantor, Cruz, in a room to map out a winning strategy. McCain and Graham need to sit down and take some notes.

McCain needs to go away, seems as though every time he speaks the MSM is all over it. Problem is he speaks counter to what most cons want. He has become an embarrassment.