My suggestion is that we take a long-term view on the presidency - 12-16 years. The GOP is a damaged brand, as is the “Tea Party” (not the Tea Party philosophy, just the name). There is no point in pursuing either one any more. The media has successfully destroyed them.
Instead, we hijack the Constitution Party and start looking for legitimate candidates who can communicate conservatism in a rational and convincing manner - a cross between Rush Limbaugh and Tom Sellick (I can dream, can’t I?).
In the meantime, we abandon the presidency and concentrate our efforts on getting Tea Party-type people into a majority position in the House and Senate - local and state efforts, not national efforts - more under the radar. If we’re able to do that, whoever is President is immaterial. With 60 senators and a majority in the House, we can get anything passed we want to - overriding a presidential veto as required.
I don’t see any other way at this point. I said early this year that the selection of Mitt Romney as the GOP candidate would be the death of the GOP. We can’t change it from within and I believe that there is no way to convince the mentally-challenged non-conservatives and non-republicans to join us - the media won’t let it happen. It’s time we recognize this and take some positive action to save the Country.
Agreed. The Republican and Tea Party properties have been run down pretty well. A fresh coat of paint won’t sell either anymore.
It’ll have to be something fresh. That way it can be completely self-defining and unburdened by pre-existing baggage from either party real or imagined.
You write, “Instead, we hijack the Constitution Party and start looking for legitimate candidates who can communicate conservatism in a rational and convincing manner....”
There’s no hijacking needed. The Constitution Party (unlike the Libertarian Party) already espouses solidly conservative principles.
Although the Tea Party has “party” in its name, it’s not a political party. It’s a popular movement that can fuel the success of a genuine party that’s geared toward electoral action. This process would repeat, on the right, the success of the civil rights movement. The difference is that the Democratic Party establishment accepted the civil rights movement. Democrats who didn’t go along with that change became “DINOs” (though that term wasn’t used then) and migrated to the Republican Party.
What the Republican Party establishment should have learned from that experience is that, when there’s a large, energetic popular movement that’s generally in accord with your principles, you should view it as a source of strength rather than a nuisance. The GOP-e didn’t learn that, however. Instead, they persisted with moving toward the center.
They’ve had their chance. I’m not willing to wait forever for them to wise up. Let them compete with the Constitution Party for conservatives’ allegiance.
“The media has successfully destroyed them.”
Yes the media has successfully destroyed the GOP and Teaparty brands. And will destroy anything else that comes up.
The media needs to be bought out by some of those wealthy folks that were pouring money into Mitt’s campaign and turn the media around from the inside.
I promise I did not read your post before I wrote mine. Looks like great minds run in the same channels. Ha.