Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Jack Kemp's Warning
The Jamestown Sun ^ | 5/9/09 | Steve and Cokie Roberts

Posted on 05/09/2009 12:43:27 PM PDT by steve-b

"I've taken showers," Jack Kemp loved to say, "with the kind of people most Republicans have never met."

By the time Kemp died last week at 73, he was no longer a force in the Republican Party, but the warning contained in his joke resonates more than ever....

He wanted the "big tent" of the Republican Party to cover the entire football field where he once starred as a quarterback for the Buffalo Bills. The black linemen who blocked for him and the blue-collar workers who cheered for him should all have a place in the GOP.

But as Sen. Olympia Snowe, a Maine Republican, has noted, Kemp's old party is today more like an umbrella than a tent, "under which only a select few are worthy to stand." New York, Kemp's adopted home, reflects that decline. In 1980, the Empire State supported Ronald Reagan and elected a Republican, Al D'Amato, to the Senate. Twenty-five years ago, Republicans held 14 of the state's 34 House seats.

Today, New York Republicans control no Senate seats and only three of 29 House districts. Last fall, New Yorkers voted 63 percent to 36 percent for Barack Obama....

This trend is not just about race and demography. Views on critical social issues that helped build the Republican majority are shifting swiftly. For the first time in the ABC/Post poll, more voters supported gay marriage (49 percent) than opposed it (46 percent). Five years ago, only 34 percent backed same-sex unions and 62 percent were against them.

Last year, conservative Republicans thought they could rally their base by opposing "amnesty" for undocumented workers, but today 61 percent favor making citizenship easier for illegal immigrants and 35 percent are opposed. Less than two years ago, those numbers were almost even....

(Excerpt) Read more at jamestownsun.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bigtent; gop; jackkemp
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-47 last
To: SuziQ

You are confusing “principle” with appealing to race.

The “big tent” was not about race but confliciting ideology. Pro abortion and against abortion were supposed to get along. It doesn’t work.


41 posted on 05/09/2009 3:49:18 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: steve-b

For starters, the party needs a change of name.


42 posted on 05/09/2009 4:07:22 PM PDT by Does so (One Big Assed Mistake, America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nmh
Well, since most black and Hispanic voters are not necessarily living in the same places as white voters, would it kill GOP leaders to make an effort to visit them? Heck, during the last campaign, I was reading about some conservative voters who got their knickers in a twist because some GOP candidate or the other didn't come to their town, and ask them personally for their vote!

The more we keep the attitude that voters need to come to US, rather than make the time to take our issues to them, the less likely we'll be able to woo them. Some GOP candidates make the effort to get support from Evangelical and Catholic voters, why not black and Hispanic ones, too?

43 posted on 05/09/2009 4:18:43 PM PDT by SuziQ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 40 | View Replies]

To: SuziQ
“Well, since most black and Hispanic voters are not necessarily living in the same places as white voters, would it kill GOP leaders to make an effort to visit them? Heck, during the last campaign, I was reading about some conservative voters who got their knickers in a twist because some GOP candidate or the other didn't come to their town, and ask them personally for their vote!”

I don't agree with that. Hispanics in particular are quite entrepreneurial. Hispanics aren't the largest segment of the population and neither are blacks ... . Hispanics are the largest growing segment of the population so if they MUST have a “personal” visit by the GOP, so be it. It troubles me that for some reason THEY can't go to where GOP candidates are like other races. You don't see Asians or Indians (India) demanding special treatment. It is not feasible for all GOP candidates to hold race rallies to get their message across. It's just another narcissistic entitlement brewing ... . The appeal to “race” really needs to go. Yes, the Demoncrats cater to that but why can't the GOP rise ABOVE the “racist” appeal?

“The more we keep the attitude that voters need to come to US, rather than make the time to take our issues to them, the less likely we'll be able to woo them. Some GOP candidates make the effort to get support from Evangelical and Catholic voters, why not black and Hispanic ones, too?”

If you haven't figured it out by now, I'm tired to appealing to RACE. It makes more sense to APPEAL to HUMAN BEINGS regardless of their race. Racial politics really has to go. Nothing is holding anyone one of any race from knowing the political issues and figuring our where they stand on them as an individual; regardless of race.

44 posted on 05/09/2009 4:37:28 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: SuziQ
“The more we keep the attitude that voters need to come to US, rather than make the time to take our issues to them, the less likely we'll be able to woo them. Some GOP candidates make the effort to get support from Evangelical and Catholic voters, why not black and Hispanic ones, too?”

No, it's the “Evangelical leaders” that motivate their followers. Catholic voters - who knows who motivates them. They claim to be “pro life” and vote Democrat most of the time - certainly FOR Obama this time around.

I don't agree with your approach to segment people by race or religion. If anything we need to MOVE AWAY FROM THAT.

45 posted on 05/09/2009 4:40:05 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: SuziQ
I'm just curious ... is there some reason that blacks and Hispanics can't be Evangelical or Catholic and listen to those leaders? After a while the ulness really falls on the individual; not their race or their religion. This is why I don't want more catering to religion or race.

Honestly, I was terribly disappointed in Dobson and his political pick - Huckabee - Demoncrat light. I no longer consider myself an “Evangelical” either. I don't want to be lumped in with people who totally vilified Mitt about his religion. Granted, Mormonism is not Christian but you don't need to put out full page ads on him threatening people not to vote for them.

46 posted on 05/09/2009 4:49:35 PM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: nmh

I’m not talking about ‘segmenting’ voters by race, I’m talking about simply acknowledging their existence, which the GOP doesn’t seem to even TRY to do with any regularity or even sincerity.


47 posted on 05/09/2009 8:47:09 PM PDT by SuziQ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-47 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson