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Some leaders expressed worry that the turn to contentious social issues in the days leading up to the Republican National Convention, where the party platform is likely to embrace a tough anti-abortion stance and strict curbs on immigration, could undercut the party’s need to broaden its appeal. Many of them said they feared it was hastening a march to becoming a smaller, older, whiter and more male party. [New York Times]
REPUBLICANS HAVE A big problem, which Todd Akin emphasized last week with the convention in Tampa bringing it center stage. It’s breaking out in the open this week.
The only people who care about former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist endorsing Pres. Obama are the political elites and the establishment of both parties, though for different reasons. But what Crist said while doing it is the big Republican problem.
But an element of their party has pitched so far to the extreme right on issues important to women, immigrants, seniors and students that they’ve proven incapable of governing for the people. Look no further than the inclusion of the Akin amendment in the Republican Party platform, which bans abortion, even for rape victims. The truth is that the party has failed to demonstrate the kind of leadership or seriousness voters deserve. – Former Gov. Charlie Crist: Here’s why I’m backing Barack Obama
Jeb Bush doesn’t see the large disparity with women and minorities a problem either, but he delicately made the point on Meet the Press that in the long-term, Republicans have to reach out to a broader section of Americans.
It’s much more dire than this for Republicans looking forward and it will get even worse if Pres. Obama wins the White House. The Republican base has never been excited about Mitt Romney, with Mike Huckabee’s backing of Todd Akin revealing a fissure that could live beyond this year and set a virus loose that would infect 2016.
The GOP is intent on shooting itself in the foot or should I say “cajones.” Instead of focusing on the economy, they have resorted to hitting on issues such as immigration that should be put on the back burner and in the case of abortion, left alone. That a minority of the party has control of the GOP is terrifying because if Romney wins the election it means that this country will be governed by a small minority.
Actually, I believe that would be pata.
There is a reason why Romney and the GOP doesn’t focus on the economy, and its because they have no answers to fix the economy, except more tax breaks for the rich and deregulating wall street and banks.
This should be another object lesson for progressives, but I’m sure it won’t. These folks exert an inordinate amount of control on the GOP because they don’t take crap from their politicians. They aren’t especially smart or numerous, and in contrast to the economics wing of the Republican Party, they’re not inordinately rich. They are just willing to withdraw their support from any pol who doesn’t toe the line.
Progressives, in contrast, will make excuses for their politicians until the cows come home.
Absolutely.
The republican party tent is getting so small. they’ll be able to fit the whole thing in that little clown car.