What's next for the GOP?

[Bigerik]

I'm sure the finger pointing has already started. Who or what was to blame for the GOP loss? The president was very vulnerable. The GOP should have cleaned his clock. I can imagine two possible responses:

1) The party was co-opted by the Tea baggers and moved way too far to the right.

2) The party didn't move far enough to the right.

I think 1 is obviously the answer. Others might disagree.

[finnbow]

The election was theirs to lose for the GOP. The problems were twofold.

The Teabaggers pushed their candidate too far to the right during the primaries, thereby accentuating Romney's flip-floppery as he tried to tack to the middle toward the end of the campaign. The GOP had both a flawed message and a flawed messenger.

For the most part, the country is fiscally conservative and socially moderate. The GOP lost on social/cultural issues with women, Hispanics and the youth.

[piece-itpete]

When Mitt was nominated I wondered if a person that wasn't likeable could win.

It appears the answer is no.

Pete

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by Bigerik

I'm sure the finger pointing has already started. Who or what was to blame for the GOP loss? The president was very vulnerable. The GOP should have cleaned his clock. I can imagine two possible responses:

1) The party was co-opted by the Tea baggers and moved way too far to the right.

2) The party didn't move far enough to the right.

I think 1 is obviously the answer. Others might disagree.

I'd say it's both.

Dave

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

When Mitt was nominated I wondered if a person that wasn't likeable could win.

It appears the answer is no.

Pete

There is just something about telling 1/2 the country, "You're such hopeless deadbeats, there is nothing I can do with you.", then asking for their vote that just doesn't get it.

[ebacon]

I am done with the Republican party until they put someone up with strong enough knees to tell Rush Limbaugh to STFU. I am also tired of Karl Rove and his scare tactics. He also needs to go before I can consider getting back near that cesspool of a party.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

The election was theirs to lose for the GOP. The problems were twofold.

The Teabaggers pushed their candidate too far to the right during the primaries, thereby accentuating Romney's flip-floppery as he tried to tack to the middle toward the end of the campaign. The GOP had both a flawed message and a flawed messenger.

For the most part, the country is fiscally conservative and socially moderate. The GOP lost on social/cultural issues with women, Hispanics and the youth.

For the most part the Tea Party candidates won re-election. The exceptions were the crazy or most overtly hate-filled like Akin, Mourdock, Walsh, (probably) West and (maybe) Bachmann. The rest are still going to be around.

On the other hand, a lot of the new Democrats elected are true progressives like Elisabeth Warren, Tammy Baldwin and the resurrected Alan Grayson. Couple that with Virginia and probably Florida (49.8%/49.3%) going blue and with turnout being so high, and I think what you see is a multidirectional move away from the center. That's the "Tea Party Effect", a further polarization of the electorate with someon the center right moving left, the traditional left moving farther left and the far right moving farther right.

Should be interesting but I doubt that it'll be fun.

John

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Boreas

For the most part the Tea Party candidates won re-election. The exceptions were the crazy or most overtly hate-filled like Akin, Mourdock, Walsh, (probably) West and (maybe) Bachmann. The rest are still going to be around.

On the other hand, a lot of the new Democrats elected are true progressives like Elisabeth Warren, Tammy Baldwin and the resurrected Alan Grayson. Couple that with Virginia and probably Florida (49.8%/49.3%) going blue and with turnout being so high, and I think what you see is a multidirectional move away from the center. That's the "Tea Party Effect", a further polarization of the electorate with someon the center right moving left, the traditional left moving farther left and the far right moving farther right.

Should be interesting but I doubt that it'll be fun.

John

One needs to consider that McConnell and many senior Republicans in the Senate realize full well that the Teabaggers (specifically Akin and Mourdoch) cost him the Senate Majority Leader position and all the committee chairs. These folks may be despicable curs, but they're not stupid.

The Tea Party is akin to Dr. Frankenstein's monster. They were intended to focus and energize the bubba base, not to take over the reins of power within the GOP. Unless and until the GOP succeeds in driving a stake through the heart of the Tea Party (and their amen chorus on Faux and Talk Radio), they will not win another national election.

[ebacon]

The purpose of the Tea Party is to sympathize with the 1%. They are the kings' pawns. It's that simple. That's why the kings prop up dumb candidates. They don't want them to think. Evar.

[piece-itpete]

The Tea Party cost Romney the election? I disagree.

Pete