Posted on 11/13/2008 9:32:30 AM PST by goldstategop
I’m a lifelong Republican and I want to root for the home team. Problem is, I look out on the field of battle and I can’t tell which team is wearing the white uniform.
What do Republicans stand for anymore? The GOP leadership in Congress has virtually destroyed the Republican “brand” and turned it into something of value only to white, well-off conservatives. They have vastly expanded federal government spending and influence. They’ve turned earmarks into an art form. They’ve walked down Main Street throwing cash into the air – in the form of economic stimulus plans – hoping that people can be bought off with a check from the government. And they’ve spent untold billions bailing out mortgage companies who made disastrous business decisions that resulted in unimaginable wealth for corporate executives.
Meanwhile the Democratic standard bearer (now the President-elect) runs on a platform of middle class tax cuts.
Is it hard to see why Republicans have failed to connect with the electorate?
But despite the decade-long mismanagement of the Republican brand, the GOP still has an opportunity to reconnect with voters, if they are willing to devote the financial resources, manpower and energy necessary to do so. And assuming they have the commitment to develop a winning game plan, they will also need the discipline to implement the plan over a period of years.
So, what’s the game plan?
First and foremost, Republicans have to stand for things that matter at an emotional, gut level to average Californians and their families. We have to appeal to their hearts as much as their minds.
It’s time to go back to the drawing boards and start talking to voters. The California Republican Party should launch an intensive voter research program beginning with focus groups across the state. A large part of this focus group research should be aimed at ethnic voters so that the GOP can develop policies that appeal to this critical constituency.
It was my great honor to manage, along with my business partner Jeff Flint, the successful Yes on Proposition 8 campaign in California. This was not a partisan campaign – in fact we went out of our way to make sure it was not a partisan effort. Still, 84% of John McCain voters supported Proposition 8. More importantly, we got nearly one-third of Barack Obama voters on our side, including large numbers of minority voters the GOP hasn’t courted in years.
We learned a lot in the Prop. 8 campaign that can help Republicans reconnect with California families, especially in ethnic communities, because we spent considerable time and money talking with ethnic voters. We reached out to them in their churches and neighborhoods. We talked with them on the doorsteps and in their homes. And we took the time to communicate with them in their own languages. Our campaign produced campaign materials in fifteen different languages.
According to exit polls, Prop. 8 was supported by 70% of African American voters, 53% of Hispanic voters and nearly half of Asian voters. If it weren’t for the support we got among ethnic voters, we might very well have lost Proposition 8.
What we learned from these ethnic voters when we talked with them is that family, especially children, is the center of their universe. They are people of faith with conservative family values. They believe in God. They crave economic opportunity. They care deeply about how their children are educated. They are involved in their communities, and they want government policies that address the things they care about.
These are people who are largely ignored and taken for granted by the Democratic Party, who can be wooed by the GOP. There are also vast numbers of unregistered voters among these ethnic constituencies.
The focus groups I recommend should aim like a laser beam on identifying policies that appeal to ethnic voters. They might include obvious GOP themes like providing economic opportunity by making it easier to start a small business. But it may be less obvious, like tax policies that make it easier for families to afford day care, policies that encourage elder care, after school programs, or detailed reform of the school curriculum.
I’m not suggesting that Republicans become like Democrats and start proposing new government programs to appeal to certain constituencies. Rather, I am suggesting that the GOP align the party’s core values with the values of these ethnic voters in ways that will connect with them in real and emotional ways. An example: ethnic parents want their schools to emphasize real educational excellence and achievement, they don’t want kindergartners asked to literally sign cards pledging themselves to be allies of gay rights when they are not even old enough to write their name in cursive. Think I am making this up? It was part of “Coming Out Week” in the Hayward Unified School District and who knows how many other districts in California.
Once the issues have been identified and a game plan crafted, then the truly hard work begins. It is not easy to reach ethnic voters. It requires an extensive, concerted and continuous outreach program. It will cost real money to do this. Leaders in these communities have to be identified and recruited. Volunteers and staff must be deployed to community events, neighborhoods, churches and gathering places. Materials must be developed in native languages and distributed.
It won’t be easy and it won’t happen overnight. But it can and should be done. It’s time for a new game plan that helps California voters know for which team to root.
Part of the reason for the results of the election was that Obama connected with his voters in a way McCain never could.
Obama connected with black voters, getting solid support. McCain had no similar following.
Republicans are borrow and spend, which I consider worse than tax and spend. Borrowing is merely putting the burden of debt on future generations. It's irresponsible to place the welfare of the current generation over that of future generations. Ever hear of taxation without representation?
No. It's much better to remain a permanent minority, then we have the freedom of taking no responsibility just sitting back and whining about Government.
Maybe they wouldn’t stay in the liberal parties if the conservative parties didn’t put up with the racists in their own party - all in the name of “free speech,” of course. :(
There's the problem right there. For many, conservatism is not a philosophy at all. It's merely opposition to change they currently feel 'uncomfortable' with. It's necessary to differentiate between conservatives and reactionaries.
I'm sick of being used.
You want to know why so many so-called social conservatives voted for Obama? Because they see the rich getting richer, and using Christians for our votes. They don't see any changes. Election after election, we vote republican, but conservatives are thrown crumbs. Lately, we don't even get crumbs. All we got was an expensive war and a sagging economy.
Now, go ahead and start throwing stones, but after the corporatists rob us blind between now and when Obama takes office, we won't win another election for the next twenty years. Bush gave those people a blank check, while most Americans are hurting with sagging wages, outsourced jobs, outsourced factories, and a crumbling infrastructure. It's time we start telling the truth amongst ourselves. If we can't be intellectually honest and realize we've been duped, and do something about that - well - WELCOME TO SOCIALISM!
I'm sick of being used.
You want to know why so many so-called social conservatives voted for Obama? Because they see the rich getting richer, and using Christians for our votes. They don't see any changes. Election after election, we vote republican, but conservatives are thrown crumbs. Lately, we don't even get crumbs. All we got was an expensive war and a sagging economy.
Now, go ahead and start throwing stones, but after the corporatists rob us blind between now and when Obama takes office, we won't win another election for the next twenty years. Bush gave those people a blank check, while most Americans are hurting with sagging wages, outsourced jobs, outsourced factories, and a crumbling infrastructure. It's time we start telling the truth amongst ourselves. If we can't be intellectually honest and realize we've been duped, and do something about that - well - WELCOME TO SOCIALISM!
I'm sick of being used.
You want to know why so many so-called social conservatives voted for Obama? Because they see the rich getting richer, and using Christians for our votes. They don't see any changes. Election after election, we vote republican, but conservatives are thrown crumbs. Lately, we don't even get crumbs. All we got was an expensive war and a sagging economy.
Now, go ahead and start throwing stones, but after the corporatists rob us blind between now and when Obama takes office, we won't win another election for the next twenty years. Bush gave those people a blank check, while most Americans are hurting with sagging wages, outsourced jobs, outsourced factories, and a crumbling infrastructure. It's time we start telling the truth amongst ourselves. If we can't be intellectually honest and realize we've been duped, and do something about that - well - WELCOME TO SOCIALISM!
What a load of cluckery! There aren’t many social or fiscal “progressives” among men in working class neighborhoods, but many liberal Hillary fans are going to the nursing homes soon.
Most affluent voters key to Obama sweep
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2130542/posts
Give it up. We can’t have so many “persons” administering production in communist countries from US offices indefinitely, and there’s no way of getting in touch with reality and healthier habits again like actually doing physical work.
BTW, what was so “conservative” about the higher percentage of white people than others voting against Proposition 8?
On every corner, a church, a pipeyard, and a strip bar.
I have a feeling that blacks in general are much more conservative than they think (they put prop 8 over the top in California - THANK YOU!). I hate to think we conservatives have lost our chance to talk to them and find common ground and overcome some long-standing animosity.
I think strong families, a stable economy, opportunity to succeed and excel on one’s own, protection from enemies abroad and national sovereignty are issues most of us can agree on. I’m willing to learn from others too, to be less condescending or snobby.
I’d like to see outreach from churches to disadvantaged areas in:
Keeping a neighborhood in good shape by sharing skills in carpentry, plumbing, etc.
Dealing with problem children
Dealing with money problems
Overcoming a dysfunctional family background
Making yourself a better employee and succeeding in business
Would these be welcome and beneficial subjects for us to help our poorer neighbors and friends? In exchange they can show us how to make a dollar stretch further, share their traditions and stories, foster cross cultural appreciation, how to live as if money and possessions are NOT the only thing, etc. It’s important that each group teach and give the other something, otherwise the relationships become dysfunctional and bad dependencies develop.
We all have a lot to give each other and right now we are kinda holding back because of distrust or bad feelings.
Any ideas? Do you know what I mean? I’m not advocating an invasion or pushing a “white” culture on a black or hispanic area. I don’t want to dominate anyone who doesn’t want to learn or teach, but instead we need to learn how to be ambassadors to different communities and foster friendship and knowledge sharing. And understanding our friends and being OK with them doing things their way unless they ask for help in learning another way!
I think strong families, a stable economy, opportunity to succeed and excel on one’s own, protection from enemies abroad and national sovereignty are issues most of us can agree on. I'm willing to learn from others too, to be less condescending or snobby.
I'd like to see outreach from churches to disadvantaged areas in:
Keeping a neighborhood in good shape by sharing skills in carpentry, plumbing, etc.
Dealing with problem children
Dealing with money problems
Overcoming a dysfunctional family background
Making yourself a better employee and succeeding in business
Would these be welcome and beneficial subjects for us to help our poorer friends? In exchange they can show us how to make a dollar stretch further, share their traditions and stories, cross cultural appreciation, living as if money and possessions are NOT the only thing, etc. It's important that each group teach and give the other something, otherwise the relationships become dysfunctional and bad dependencies develop.
We all have a lot to give each other and right now we are kinda holding back because of distrust or bad feelings.
Any ideas? Do you know what I mean? I'm not advocating an invasion or pushing a “white” culture on a black or hispanic area. I don't want to dominate anyone who doesn't want to learn or teach, but instead we need to learn how to be ambassadors to different communities and foster friendship and knowledge sharing. And understanding our friends and being OK with them doing things their way unless they ask for help in learning another way!
TRANSLATION: All you white folk out there just gonna have to suck-up your core values and go along with the status quo of the “centrists”.
Maybe that’s a bit far fetched, but what exactly does the writer intend for us to do? Should be just “dis” the white folks, and lose what is left of them?
By and large, the Republicans will never get even a good percentage of the black/hispanic vote...and obama will see to it that it will remain that way
I am kind of the same mindset
Whenever I hear “GOP must bring in (name favorite minority group here)” is nothing but code for “going liberal”
This is why Obama is in the White House...running a candidate w non-conservative values
John McCain, accoring to the “code-speak liberals”, should have won Hispanic votes because he was pro-illegal alien (he wrote the Amnesty bill). McCain ended up losing Hispanic votes 2-1 to Obama
Instead of pandering to groups by going Liberal....these “Centrists” (liberals) fail to understand that the reason Obama won was that he energized his liberal base...while McCain did not bring in the Conservative base.
Core Conservative values win elections...not pandering to liberals...whether in the GOP or not
Number one, conservatism is a movement not a political party. Movements expand by convincing as many as possible that they have the right ideas. You do not win by pandering in the long term, you win by standing by your convictions. Reagan knew that, since then we have forgotten that lesson. Conservatism must proselytize in order to win new converts. Most people are conservatives, they just don’t know they are. We must win back the propaganda war. We have allowed the enemy to define us, we must define ourselves and most people will see they are part of us.
dance with the one who brung ya..
care to name one racist in the conservative wing of the GOP for the forum?
I’m not talking about the multinational corporatists, I’ve never considered big government, including in the economic sense, “conservative”. So we have no disagreement.
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