The Repub party has not figured out quite how to deal with the diversity within its ranks. It’s not a totalitarian party and its adherents, unlike Democrats nowadays, resist regimentation. The question is not who the Repubs throw out, but how they manage to accommodate the diversity already within the party. So far, they haven’t done a good job of it.
No, they haven’t done a good job of it. The biggest problem, though, that I have seen in both parties is (even if it’s not completely true, it sure appears that way) the insistence on not compromising on ANYTHING. There are non-negotiable items (most especially abortion), but there also should be items that should be able to be negotiated (such as the tax code, immigration, etc.). For the fringes of both parties (which seem to control the primary process), the insistence is that nothing is up for negotiation.
I used to frequent a political forum. It allowed people of all stripes, but most of the posters were quite leftist. According to many of the posters there, the Dems have gotten too conservative. According to many of the posters here, the GOP has gotten too liberal. Let’s just step back a little bit.
The truth is, the elected officials of both parties actually
have gotten more “conservative” since the 1960s on many economic matters. ObamaCare is actually more conservative than HillaryCare, which itself was more conservative than NixonCare. Bill Clinton favored NAFTA and deregulation. The primary reason Obama decided to increase regulation was due to the economic collapse - which convinced him that deregulation went too far - but his economic policies, just like GW Bush’s before him, have primarily helped Wall Street executives and megacorporations. Obama is also willing to make changes to Medicaid and Social Security that his base is infuriated with (they want no changes at all - not even to the retirement age), yet they are changes that do not go far enough for the GOP base, which supported them until Obama did, and then insited that they weren’t enough.
On the other hand, both parties have become more “liberal” on social issues, especially same-sex “marriage” and the reluctance of some GOP governors to endorse pro-life legislation due to fear of blowback.
Regardless, though, the GOPs problem with Hispanics has a lot to do with the fact that many Hispanics who are either legal residents in the United States or US citizens have family members who are undocumented. These people are fighting for their family members, especially if said family members are their own parents and/or siblings. And then, they get told that the 14th amendment shouldn’t apply to
them, either, because their parents weren’t US citizens, and that the purpose of the 14th amendment was to make sure that former slaves would have the same rights. In other words, they’re pretty much told by the GOP that “We don’t want you here, even though you agree with us on pretty much everything but immigration”. So, they get accepted by the Dems with open arms, with the intent of brainwashing them to their point of view.
The problem the GOP has with African Americans has to do with the Dixiecrats leaving the Dem party for the GOP after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed and Nixon’s “Southern Strategy”. Remember, before the 1960s, most Blacks were Republicans due to Lincoln, and due to the GOP being formed as the anti-slavery party.
Women have always been a Democratic party constituency. The feminist movement embraced the Democratic Party, and used the Dem party to push forth its goals, namely, women’s suffrage. Honestly, for decades, many leaders in the feminist movement and in the NAACP were at odds, and believed that only one of the two groups would receive rights.
The reason why the Catholic Church was a solidly Democratic constituency for decades goes back to the Civil War, where working Catholics in the North were afraid that freed slaves would take their jobs. This partnership held together the until the 1980 election campaign, when Reagan railed against Roe v. Wade 6 years after the case had been decided. Still, up through the 1990s, there were many pro-life Catholic Democrats in elected positions at both state and national levels (they became a slowly dying breed after the 1992 Democratic National Convention, though, and are now nearly non-existent).
Regardless, the GOP has to find a way to mend bridges with the constituencies that they have all but pushed into the Dem party base. Get people like Alveeda King to explain to Blacks how PP has destroyed their race, not in a preachy way, but in a way that gently opens their eyes. Find a way to improve the immigration system that is both just and merciful, and don’t rail against people who were brought over as little children, were raised in the US, and, quite frankly, might not even know that they’re not US citizens until they try to apply for a job or for college.
And… finally, GOPers, stop being callous delta bravos when discussing issues such as abortion - it really plays into the Dems “War on Women” meme. Instead of Akin’s “legitimate rape” comment, say something like, “I know that it’s quite an ordeal when a woman becomes pregnant due to rape. It’s relatively uncommon, but it happens. It’s also understandable that women in this situation want help, real help. Unfortunately, for many women in this situation, the only advice they get is to abort their children. Relatively few get actual help that would allow them to carry their children - who have done nothing wrong other than the manner they were conceived - to term, which has been shown to help in the healing process. Most women who conceive children through rape and decided to keep their children do so in the face of rampant opposition. Maybe, though, if abortion were made illegal again, these women would be able to receive some real help.”
Rob