Michael Steele says "Republican party facing irrelevancy"

[veritas]

The problem with the prescription for being "more inclusive" is that it would dictate a change in core values. The majority apparently no longer believes in the idea of working your way up and practicing delayed gratification or the idea that handouts should be temporary just to help people get back on their feet. This change in values involves not only economics but social norms as well.

It may very well be that the GOP has to become the Dem-lite party to compete. The GOP is generally older and whiter than the Dems and it is those people, the remnants of the WWII generation and the baby boomers, who are the last vanguard of what we called traditional American values. Sure, many young people subscribe to them as well but they are now a decided minority. The new attitude is that government is there to help you all along the way and even prevent you from failing as failure is a bad thing and might damage you psychologically. It's a new world alright but I would't call it brave.

[soulflower]

I think they probably will eventually (or they'll be replaced by another center-right party less prone to exploiting racial fears) but I don't think we're quite there yet. For all the talk of a landslide the Republicans still hold the House by a considerable margin and while Obama won a lot in terms of electoral votes his margin of victory really wasn't that high in terms of popular vote.

Along with the White House, the Dems won just about every Senate race this year. In some cases in several states, the Democrat Senate candidates got more votes than Obama.

The Democrats' problems with winning House seats is structural the same way the Republicans' difficulty winning the Electoral College is becoming structural. The tables have turned since the 70s and 80s when Dems struggled to win the WH and Republicans struggled to win Congressional seats.

Presidential Elections are decided by the Electoral College. I don't see how a republican Presidential candidate can win states like Nevada, Colorado, Virginia, and Florida in the future if they don't get more Hispanics to vote Republican. Colorado should worry republicans most. It's a state that has historically leaned republican but the Dems have been sweeping the past few elections in the state.

I believe the GOP can change. I just don't think they will.

[veritas]

Along with the White House, the Dems won just about every Senate race this year. In some cases in several states, the Democrat Senate candidates got more votes than Obama.

The Democrats' problems with winning House seats is structural the same way the Republicans' difficulty winning the Electoral College is becoming structural. The tables have turned since the 70s and 80s when Dems struggled to win the WH and Republicans struggled to win Congressional seats.

Presidential Elections are decided by the Electoral College. I don't see how a republican Presidential candidate can win states like Nevada, Colorado, Virginia, and Florida in the future if they don't get more Hispanics to vote Republican. Colorado should worry republicans most. It's a state that has historically leaned republican but the Dems have been sweeping the past few elections in the state.

I believe the GOP can change. I just don't think they will.

The ironic thing is that catering to illegal aliens is the worst possible policy for hispanic citizens. They should be running from that in droves.

[kudzu]

The Democrats' problems with winning House seats is structural the same way the Republicans' difficulty winning the Electoral College is becoming structural.

Elaborate.

[soulflower]

The ironic thing is that catering to illegal aliens is the worst possible policy for hispanic citizens. They should be running from that in droves.

The GOP lost Cubans in Florida and lost Asian Americans 70-30% nationally. Those groups have been more republican leaning in past election cycles.

Republicans need to figure out why those groups that have been supportive of the GOP in the past are now abandoning them. I don't think immigration is the only issue they care about and Asian Americans certainly aren't looking for 'freebies'.

[soulflower]

Elaborate.

Redistricting and demographics

[kudzu]

Redistricting and demographics

Gerrymandering ?

[veritas]

The GOP lost Cubans in Florida and lost Asian Americans 70-30% nationally. Those groups have been more republican leaning in past election cycles.

Republicans need to figure out why those groups that have been supportive of the GOP in the past are now abandoning them. I don't think immigration is the only issue they care about and Asian Americans certainly aren't looking for 'freebies'.

Easy on the Cubans. The generation that had first hand experience of Communism is passing away. It is their children and grandchildren who are now voting and they've grown up here.

[Up2DaRack]

The ironic thing is that catering to illegal aliens is the worst possible policy for hispanic citizens. They should be running from that in droves.

Valid point, and yet many of the Republican proposals, such as requiring all Hispanics to carry papers to prove their citizenship did not sit well. Or are you still mystified about why there might be some resentment and anger within the Hispanic community toward Republicans?

[BlandFood]

Easy on the Cubans. The generation that had first hand experience of Communism is passing away. It is their children and grandchildren who are now voting and they've grown up here.

And now they too are suckered into the me me free free mindset. They too will pay along with our own when we're dead and gone. Oh well, did what we could......... :shrug:

[veritas]

Valid point, and yet many of the Republican proposals, such as requiring all Hispanics to carry papers to prove their citizenship did not sit well. Or are you still mystified about why there might be some resentment and anger within the Hispanic community toward Republicans?

It all depends on how much they believe the picture the Dems painted of the GOP and its ideas. Any citizen should be concerned when we talk of giving amnesty to the better part of 12 million illegal aliens while we simultaneously fail to aggressively upgrade our border security. If it turns out that we give amnesty to most of the illegal aliens already here, then there should be a 10 year moratorium on any new immigrants from Mexico and any and all illegals found after that should immediately be deported, no questions asked. We also need to upgrade border security or the influx will continue.