The GOP: A Dying Breed

[Howey]

Republicans better get to work, because the teabaggers and assorted loons that have taken over their party are killing it.

The Republican Party’s troubles with young voters are well known. But a new internal report virtually elevates the threat level to apocalyptic, declaring that the GOP needs a “fundamental re-thinking” of its approach in order to remain viable with the younger generation.

The 95-page report by the College National Republican Committee, based on in-depth research by the Winston Group on voters aged 18-29 nationwide, warns of “a dismal present situation” for the GOP when it comes to Millennial voters.

“Neither technology, nor policy, nor branding alone will fully endear the Republican Party to a generation that has now twice broken for a Democratic candidate by historic margins,” the report concludes. “Yet a message and narrative that focuses on economic growth and opportunity cannot exist without substance behind it. [T]here are still many items in the Republican economic agenda that young voters have not been sold on.”

Here are some of the report’s starkest findings about the GOP’s challenges:

‘Closed-Minded, Racist, Rigid, Old-Fashioned’

Uncommitted young voters may not be enamored with the Democratic Party but they have a terrible opinion of the GOP.

“In the focus group research conducted in January 2013,” the report said, “the young ‘winnable’ Obama voters were asked to say what words came to mind when they heard ‘Republican Party.’ The responses were brutal: closed-minded, racist, rigid, old-fashioned.”

‘Couldn’t Care Less’

“We’ve become the party that will pat you on your back when you make it, but won’t offer a
hand to help you get there. This has to change in order to have a shot with young voters.”

The GOP’s focus on low taxes and pro-business policies has left young voters thinking “they will only reap the benefits of Republican policies if they become wealthy or rise to the top of a big business.” The GOP is at risk of being seen as the “fend for yourself” party.

Latino voters in particular “tend to think the GOP couldn’t care less about them,” the report said.

‘Stupid Party,’ ‘Errant Republican Voices’

Bobby Jindal was “absolutely right” to worry that the GOP’s mustn’t be the stupid party.

“The ‘intelligent’ brand (among other positive attributes) is seriously undercut by outrageous statements made by errant Republican voices that are inevitably repeated over and over in the media,” the report said.

‘The Most Extreme Anti-Abortion Position’

Being pro-life isn’t inherently a detriment to the GOP but far-right anti-abortion rhetoric has come to define the party and is alienating the younger generation.

“Unfortunately for the GOP,” the report said, “the Republican Party has been painted - both by Democrats and by unhelpful voices in our own ranks — as holding the most extreme anti-abortion position (that it should be prohibited in all cases).”

‘Anti-Gay Rhetoric’

In terms of being seen as “open-minded,” the report found, “we will face serious difficulty so long as the issue of gay marriage remains on the table.”

The solution? Promote “diversity of thought” and welcome a “healthy debate” on the issue. And: “We should also strongly oppose the use of anti-gay rhetoric.”

‘Turn Voters Away’

While immigration isn’t a top priority for young voters, “the immigration debate may set up a ‘gateway issue,’” the report said. “For voters who are undecided but have a connection to communities affected by immigration policy, the issue can certainly turn voters away.”

More broadly, “[t]he issue of the Republican Party’s challenges with the youth vote and the
party’s challenges with non-white voters are inseparable.”

Incredible, isn't it?

The kids are telling the old folks to grow up. Good for them!

[uselesslegs]

The truly sad part is they had to conduct these extensive focus groups to point out the overt in their findings.

It wasn't like all of this was just some well crafted ideological rhetoric or theater.  This shit has been going on for years.  Hell, Reps, pundits for the right, key players...they say as much themselves. Some of them don't even bother with double speak or empty platitudes...they just spit that shit right out there. That whole, "Hmmmm, maybe there's a grain of truth here", has been a whole fucking wheat harvest of obvious for as long as I can remember in recent history....and you don't have to be devoutly ideological to see it...but you have to be devoutly ideological NOT to.

[Howey]

Republicans better get to work, because the teabaggers and assorted loons that have taken over their party are killing it.

As usual, you heard it here first.

[reverend_darth]

Cocksuckers are killing my business, and the rest of the country!  They're now talking about locking in the sequester until mid Jan.  BFD!  That isn't going to do fucking shit for consumer confidence because they know this cluster fuck is just going to happen again!   But the Reps know they will be able to get more concessions each time.  Then they'll do it again, and again.  It'll never fucking end!  It's govt by intimidation.  As long as they get their way.  They don't give a flying fuck how it impacts every one else.  But that's OK, they still get paid.  Fucking skum of the earth!

[uselesslegs]

Best explanation concerning who does what with the debt limit and makes decisions...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIbkoop4AYE&list=PLqs5ohhass_TF9mg-mqLie7Fqq1-FzOQc

[ekg]

Best explanation concerning who does what with the debt limit and makes decisions...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIbkoop4AYE&list=PLqs5ohhass_TF9mg-mqLie7Fqq1-FzOQc

very awesome!!

[ekg]

Cocksuckers are killing my business, and the rest of the country!  They're now talking about locking in the sequester until mid Jan.  BFD!  That isn't going to do fucking shit for consumer confidence because they know this cluster fuck is just going to happen again!   But the Reps know they will be able to get more concessions each time.  Then they'll do it again, and again.  It'll never fucking end!  It's govt by intimidation.  As long as they get their way.  They don't give a flying fuck how it impacts every one else.  But that's OK, they still get paid.  Fucking skum of the earth!

ding ding ding ding!!

they live in delusion... and here's just how bad the fucking psychosis it.. I listen to Hannity's radio show on rare occasions,today was one of them.. he came back from his break and had Bachman on(who he begged not to retire just so she could piss of the Dems he said).. and some other fucking-loon from the mid west..here's how the conversation wet

(not an exact transcript, but the numbers are his and everything else is pretty damn close too)


Hannity: Congresswoman Bachman, we've got the polls to prove it.. Obama's approval numbers are at 37 and dropping. More people blame the Dems and Obama for the shutdown, Obamacare approval is at an all time low and still going lower. only 17% of the country thinks we're headed in the right direction.. but if you listen to Liberal Media, they're telling you that it's the GOP's fault when we all know, the country included it's the fault of Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama... we have the polls to prove it..

Bachman: You're so right Sean. This country does not like where this president is taking us. They don't want or like Obamacare and are afraid of it and the jobs it's going to kill. His approval rating is lower than congresses so you know the people know whose fault this shutdown is..

then the other idiot started chiming in with ..... the GOP isn't going to give this guy in the white house any concessions at all.. none. The GOP and the tea party are winning this war with Obama and Reid. The people are standing behind them and the people know it's the GOP/Tea party who wants to keep their money in their pockets instead of making them buy healthcare, The people know it's the GOP/TP that is saving their jobs and their paychecks for them.. they know it's Obama and Harry Reid who have stopped paying them and want to force them to buy insurance.


soooo that's about all I could stomach.. but do you see wtf they're doing? I know Chuck sees it because him and I are fucking geeks for the details.. but they're out and out lying..they did it during the election and believed their own lies so they were shocked Mitt lost.. and they didn't learn anything from it because they're doing it still..

Hannity say Obama's approval is 37 and sinking.. when in fact it was  43% 2 weeks ago and rising today to 45%.

Hannity says 17% think the country's going in the right direction.. that number (while admittedly shitty) is 23%..  that 17% is the how many approve of congress, not the fucking country..

but the real shocker are the next two.. Hannity/Bachman and that other POS said Obamacare approval is sinking so fast they should call it the titanic.. nu-uh, it was 31%... now it's up 7 points to 38%..

Hannity/Bachman both tout that "More Americans blame Obama and Reid" for the shutdown.. WTF!! By 22 points "Americans" blame the GOP...53 percent GOP fault to 31 percent Dem fault..

 

I  get that msnbc 'skews' their stories.. I get that when you watch them, they cherry-pick what they want to talk about and it will always have a liberal slant... but no other 'news' source makes shit up out of thin air and disseminates it as  facts the way Right Wing Media does.. it's more than just Maher's Bubble, it's evil.. and dangerous and amazing that they can get away with it.. I mean I get that their viewers watch them and if they turn the channel think it's that station that's lying to them, but holy shit! How do they get away with it?

[Howey]

I watch MSNBC. Sure, they skew stuff to a liberal perspective but I've never heard an outright lie. FOX? Every five minutes.

[ekg]

Cocksuckers are killing my business, and the rest of the country!  They're now talking about locking in the sequester until mid Jan.  BFD!  That isn't going to do fucking shit for consumer confidence because they know this cluster fuck is just going to happen again!   But the Reps know they will be able to get more concessions each time.  Then they'll do it again, and again.  It'll never fucking end!  It's govt by intimidation.  As long as they get their way.  They don't give a flying fuck how it impacts every one else.  But that's OK, they still get paid.  Fucking skum of the earth!

just to re-iterate how right you are... this is from an op-ed by David Frum(a gwb assistant) today on cnn..link

Pragmatists want to change the GOP so that it can win elections and govern effectively. Tea party Republicans prefer to express their principles regardless of consequences, which is why the Pew survey in September found that 71% of them favored a government shutdown even though nearly 40% of them expected that shutdown to have a "major" impact on the economy.


so long as they get their way, even tho they know it will create 'major economic impacts'... they simple don't give a shit..


it's astonishing that they use such a patriot name as "Tea Party" to describe themselves when the fact is all they care only about their way or destruction..

[reverend_darth]

it's evil.. and dangerous and amazing that they can get away with it.. I mean I get that their viewers watch them and if they turn the channel think it's that station that's lying to them, but holy shit! How do they get away with it?

They look right into the camera and out right lie.  When called out on it by a "real" journalist they just lie some more.  All with a strait face without a blink of an eye.  Every morning they have all got to be briefed on what the party line distorted bullshit spin of the day is.  It's fucking amazing!  You would think that just ONE of them would have the god damned balls and integrity to call them out on it but they wont.  If they do the party, and people like the cocksuckin Koch brothers, will choose a candidate to run against them during the next election primary sycle and spend a bizillion dollars on their campaign.  The reality of it is that Congress might as well consist of only two people.  The speaker of the fuckin House and the speaker of the Senate because they make all the decisions anyway.  The rest just do as they're told.

[Howey]

Darth... A plAce like yours just shut down in Ormond. Gotta go corporate!

[uselesslegs]

The Tea Party, it just occurred to me, are ideological kamikazes.  As I said before, there will be no direct repercussions to them...and none from the people who sent them to Washington to do what they're doing right now. Fixing Washington, things real and imagined, will require nothing less than the total subjugation of all opposing ideologies and system of Government and Governance that does not comport, at all levels, with their vision of what America is or should be.  If they have to raise it to the ground to do so, so be it.  They cannot be reasoned with and compromise and concessions are just other words for surrender...because this isn't about political clashes and disagreements therein...this is war.  I'm not exaggerating.  Kell and I called this waaayyyy back. We saw where this was going, we caught all the undertones and overtones...all the geeky observation she was talking about.

This will not end anytime soon, they're too entrenched now. To fearfully passionate...to righteously motivated... being empowered within from Reps to scared to stand up to them, empowered without by blind devotion with locked and gerrymanders districts that will keep sending them back again and again with absolutely no reservations, no misgivings.  Welcome to the new norm.