GOP’s reform report arrives at a debate already well under way
The Republican National Committee has released its “autopsy” on the 2012 election and outline of how to win future federal elections, and it appears to pull no punches. But I have a bone to pick with the way it is being reported, for instance by the Associated Press story linked by my AJC colleague Jim Galloway:
In calling for the GOP to develop “a more welcoming conservatism,” the report rebukes those who remain in denial about the seriousness of the problem and those who are unwilling to broaden the party’s appeal.
A just-concluded gathering of conservatives in Washington cheered speaker after speaker who urged the GOP to stick to its guns and, instead, largely blamed the 2012 defeat on Romney or the way he ran his campaign.
I don’t know whether the AP reporter was at CPAC, the “just-concluded gathering” to which the story referred, and which I attended. But that second paragraph, in my view, completely misrepresents the take-away from the conference.
To say the attendees “cheered speaker after speaker who urged the GOP to stick to its guns” is about a gross a generalization as I can think of. What does it mean? That the attendees want the GOP to ignore the kind of reforms mentioned in the report? That none of the speakers, or at least none of the ones who were “cheered,” urged any changes?
Nonsense. Utter and complete nonsense.
The winner of the CPAC straw poll for possible 2016 presidential candidates was Sen. Rand Paul, who said the GOP had grown “stale and moss-covered,” voiced support for “liberty in both the economic and personal sphere” and specifically referred to the distaste the “Facebook generation” has for jail sentences for nonviolent drug offenders. Is that sticking to one’s guns?
Or how about the loud cheers for Sen. Marco Rubio, who finished second to Paul in the straw poll and has been one of the most prominent Republicans working on the kind of “comprehensive immigration reform” the authors of the RNC report suggested? Or the fact that the members of the most prominent panel on immigration at CPAC scarcely considered the possibility of not reforming immigration in a way that includes offering legal status for most of the illegal immigrants already present in the U.S.? Is that sticking to one’s guns?
It wasn’t the lack of minority outreach — which nearly every possible presidential contender mentioned, with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush perhaps hitting the point hardest — to which CPAC speakers and attendees were clinging. Indeed, the person who gained the most stature in the conservative movement from his CPAC appearance was probably Benjamin Carson, a black neurosurgeon from Maryland (you may have heard his recent speech at the National Prayer Breakfast) who spoke eloquently and forcefully, drawing extended ovations when he hinted at wanting to run for office soon.
It wasn’t an obsession with debts and deficits, which Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal knocked in his speech. Nor was it coziness with Big Business, which most of the aspiring candidates said the GOP must jettison.
I don’t mean to pick on the AP reporter, but such generalizations only feed the idea that conservative activists are hostile to the kinds of reforms the RNC report urges. In fact, one of my earlier blog posts from CPAC described the debate about consultants’ role in torpedoing GOP electoral chances as the one with “the most passionate disagreements” because there was hardly any disagreement about the need to make the other changes mentioned above.
Perhaps the speakers got preview copies of the report and took their cues from it. Certainly, their words last week were only that — words, still to be confirmed by actions. (The same holds true, let’s note, for the RNC report.) Obviously, the GOP since 1992 has experienced the same record of string of presidential-election difficulties the Democrats faced from 1968 through 1988, and it has to change the way it approaches the electorate in some key ways.
But the good news, if you want to see Republicans elected, is that some of the party’s brightest emerging stars are already staking out ground that moves in the direction of change. This necessary process has already begun.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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414 comments Add your comment
Hillbilly D
March 18th, 2013
2:48 pm
Probably comes from spending entirely too much time in joints like this…
Honestly, I seldom meet anybody in the real world, who’d line up with either side here. I think this is mainly the true believers from each end of the spectrum. The average person, at least from my experience, has opinions on politics, but it’s way on the back burner for them, in the priority list. I’d even put myself in that category, to a degree.
I can do all the bloviating I care to here but is it ever going to change anything. Highly unlikely.
HDB
March 18th, 2013
2:52 pm
Rafe Hollister
March 18th, 2013
1:13 pm
“More background checks?” Palin said. “Dandy idea, Mr. President. Shoulda started with yours.”
The good thing was that the American people DID a background check on Sarah Palin….and decided she couldn’t get CLOSE to having a seat of power……
BTW….the debate may be underway….but not too many people in the party general desire to listen….
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/race-and-republican-politics/?hp
Jefferson
March 18th, 2013
2:52 pm
Reasonable people can come to reasonable conclusions under reasonable conditions, unless you are a republican.
If wiil take years to undo what the GOP does.
jms
March 18th, 2013
2:52 pm
GOP should get back to being a party of fiscal conservatives. Forget social issues. It’s our fiscal mess that is going to bring our nation to its knees unless we do something about it.
stands for decibels
March 18th, 2013
2:57 pm
thanks for reminding me about THAT attack as well
It took me a minute to realize–by “attack” you mean that of the mean old liberal media against poor misunderstood Mitt, who was after all only 18 years old at the time…
But the media built that into the equivalent of Romney sending people to the gas chambers.
surrre they did.
we were filling large trash bags with water and dropping them 3 stories at people.
I’ve done some dumb things at a younger age, but that’s pretty messed up, Tibs.
stands for decibels
March 18th, 2013
3:00 pm
The average person, at least from my experience, has opinions on politics, but it’s way on the back burner for them
I think the average American may feel it’s his/her duty to learn a bit about the candidates and vote in a general election, but otherwise avoids most of the political stuff.
later, all…
HDB
March 18th, 2013
3:04 pm
If THIS guy is indicative to GOP general politic….there’s a LOT of work to be done in the party……
http://www.yourblackworld.net/2013/03/black-news/cpac-attendee-says-blacks-got-free-food-and-shelter-from-slavery-should-go-vote-in-africa/
Dave Francis
March 18th, 2013
3:04 pm
Much of the anxiety and frustration could be alleviated from the American people, if the politicians, who are supposed to protect us, ignored the financial pressure from the Special Interest entities and introduced the mandatory Picture ID complete with biometric information. They say it’s too expensive, which is utter “BS” when we spend hundreds of billions of dollars on multiple social programs, which are crammed tight with fraud and abuse. Our Social Security number is an antiquated identification document, never meant for personal identification. A BIOMETRIC DOCUMENT WITH A PERSONS THUMB PRINT, EYE SCAN could relief much of the fraud in our sovereign nation today?
A good example would be the voting confusion, because unknown numbers of non citizens are vote and the great state of Arizona has seen through these circumstances and ready to fight for their rights. Citizen voters and our system of elections, must not to be compromised by any non citizens cheating and committing perjury. ID theft has become an epidemic in the United States, and was involved with the 9/11 killers who had stolen ID and a new type of documentation essential for every American to deem it important. Only people with a shady past, illegal aliens and other profit minded people see a federal ID card as an encumbrance to their plans. It makes no sense to say a nationwide biometric laminated card is too expensive at $2.billion dollars, when the states are being drained of $113 billion dollars plus a year for illegal alien families, that is not counting federal cash.
An ID card would ensure no illegal alien would get a job, or welfare, or any other benefits with a stolen SSN or driver’s license. An official ID card is almost a 100 percent faultless recognition, cross checked with a mandated data base that could be used for all manner of proof of who you are? Why the goons in Washington are dismissing such a simple enforcement tool is beyond my understanding, but then why is it not a Felony to enter America without inspection? Does this gang of eight have investments in companies that supposedly secure our credit cards or run these anti theft businesses that guard our personal information? The ID heist is not going away and don’t think your invulnerable to this theft, which incidentally caught me by surprise. I only got ripped off for $3600 dollars, so I thank my lucky stars. This Arizona court case and all other states caught up in this situation, deciding its imperative for people to show proof of citizenship before voting are in a fighting mood, led by Jan Brewer the governor. Should the Supreme Court rule against this, than every American citizen should demand from their Congressional representative the implementation of a biometric card for every American?
AFTER THE REAL FENCE IS BUILT, ACCORDING TO THE DESIGN AND LENGTH OF THE 2006 SECURE FENCE ACT (H.R.6061), AFTER MANDATORY E-VERIFY (H.R. 478) ALONG WITH THE IMAGE PROGRAM IS FULLY ENFORCED, ALONG WITH A REVISED BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP LAW (H.R. 140) AND THE PROVISION OF THE SAVE ACT (H.R.830) IS VOTED INTO LAW. WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF BIOMETRIC ID CARD, THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT GIVING ILLEGAL ALIENS LEGITIMACY FOR BEING IN AMERICA WITHOUT PERMISSION
Americans, legal resident of all nationalities whether black, Anglo, Asian, Hispanic, Latino or from any origin, Liberals, Democrats, Republicans every minority party, must become conscious that another Path to Citizenship will sink us. As Congressman Smith has stated, we must comprehend the consequences of another Amnesty, by any other name? It might seem quite harmless now, but the future of all those people, their extended family members will need pensions and retirement benefit. Even as today government is worried about paying for Medicaid, Medicare, health care and welfare now and adding millions more, and their progeny in the future is a catastrophe waiting to happen. Don’t listen to the rhetoric or propaganda from the Liberals or the open border advocates, but sign the No Amnesty petition at NumbersUSA,
If you really want your cry of dissatisfaction counted write a note to your congressman (a aid will read it and reckon up the letters ‘for’ and against) so you don’t have to hassle about being persuasive since all Your Representative hears about the amount of correspondence). Phone calls are always better and we should jam the phone system, but here you need to be coherent and not explode with an awkward outburst at the central Washington circuit phone 202) 224-3121. LEARN THE REALITY OF OUR BORDER AND INVESTIGATE THE CONCEALED NEWS AND REPORTS AT AMERICANPATROL. Plaster your Senator or Congressional House with a post card, demanding they stop the current path of overpopulation and Balkanization. Bombard Facebook and Twitter with information, as the other side do. Contact your local press and TV station, because the end is near for commonsense and also another hit on the hurting taxpayer.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
3:05 pm
Can we get the over / under on how many MORE times Jefferson will repeat his moronic post at 2:52?
breckenridge
March 18th, 2013
3:06 pm
I’m sorry but I just don’t buy the “it’s the fault of the liberal media bias” excuse. The media has always had a liberal bias, this is nothing new. It’s just a profession that attracts far more liberals than conservatives for whatever reason. Well guess what? It didn’t stop Reagan from getting elected twice, it didn’t stop George HW Bush from getting elected and it didn’t stop Boy George Bush from sorta getting elected.
As for this latest so-called effort for the two sides to find agreement on a budget, well it’s going nowhere. Entitlement reform – Medicare and Social Security – has to happen. Not in a big, Ryan-proposed way, but there have to be changes. And the democrats simply aren’t willing to address that issue. So……it’s nowhere.
Aquagirl
March 18th, 2013
3:06 pm
that would be the charitable way to interpret those remarks, and maybe I ought to assume the best of Rubio.
However Rubio meant those remarks the crowd apparently laughed when he said it. They inferred a connection between the two.
If you’re trying to distance your party from Mitt’s 47% remarks a crowd hee-hawing at freeloader = libs does not help.
indigo
March 18th, 2013
3:10 pm
Tiberius – 11:39
Does this mean you agree with what Rand Paul said?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
3:13 pm
“If THIS guy is indicative to GOP general politic….there’s a LOT of work to be done in the party……”
Yes, by all means . . .
Take the most ridiculous comment you can find, and insinuate that he’s indicative of the GOP general politic.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
3:14 pm
“Does this mean you agree with what Rand Paul said?”
Some, but not all.
I only agree with me 100%
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
3:17 pm
“Entitlement reform – Medicare and Social Security – has to happen. Not in a big, Ryan-proposed way, but there have to be changes. And the democrats simply aren’t willing to address that issue.”
Oh, but they ARE, breckenridge.
They’ll work on them right after they get their tax increases. Just like they worked on cutting spending after their last tax increases . . . Just ask them.
Yeah, right.
HDB
March 18th, 2013
3:19 pm
Question: How does the GOP think it can attract voters when the Speaker of the House has admitted lying about the debt crisis???
http://www.salon.com/2013/03/18/boehners_debt_confession_reveals_gops_intentions/
Any wonder why we look at the GOP differently??
Jefferson
March 18th, 2013
3:20 pm
Until, you change sport.
ND
March 18th, 2013
3:21 pm
I am not a Republican but I’m glad they are making a sincere effort to try to improve. America is better off with two viable parties. Competition is good.
HDB
March 18th, 2013
3:29 pm
Tiberius – pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
3:13 pm
Hate to tell you, Tibbi, but I think this says it neatly (and how many in the GOP have said things like that guy did (Limbaugh for one…)):
” Still, there’s not much acknowledgment that GOP policies are actively repelling voters who aren’t white – and just pushing those policies with more friendliness and sincerity aren’t likely to win those voters to the GOP. It pledges to do more outreach to low income voters, and help them become middle class, but since Paul Ryan’s latest budget gets 2/3 of its cuts from programs for the poor and working class, that’s going to be a hard sell.
It’s amazing how conservatives’ anti-Latino racism finds new justifications: Now the problem isn’t that they’re taking “our” jobs, or bring violence with them across the border a la Jan Brewer – it’s that they vote Democratic. But Coulter has lots of company in concluding that GOP-backed immigration reform doesn’t help Republicans, by taking a wedge issue off the table, it helps Democrats by handing them new voters.”
Like I said…a LOT of work to do!!
http://www.salon.com/2013/03/18/gop_%E2%80%9Cautopsy%E2%80%9D_dismembers_the_party/
“
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
3:31 pm
“Question: How does the GOP think it can attract voters when the Speaker of the House has admitted lying about the debt crisis???”
Question: How does HDB think he’s ever going to be taken seriously in an intelligent discussion when he believes stuff posted on salon.com?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
3:32 pm
Poor Jefferson, ignorantly thinking that I am a Republican.
Not surprising he doesn’t understand what a Constitutionalist is.
Dusty
March 18th, 2013
3:34 pm
jms @2:52
EXACTLY! “GOP should get back to being a party of fiscal conservatives.”
I am working on my tax report and it isn’t fun. I don’t mind supporting our great country but I do mind it being wasted, covered over with debt and all the interest that debt adds plus supporting people who are quite capable of taking care of themselves if necessary.
CPAC, KNICKNACKS and nice speeches are not going to pull our country to its feet. We need limited government with limited government business and not nurse maid, feeder, provider and homemaker government which is established now in Washington.
Independence, my friends. We have lost it. We are now indebted to losing weight, eating right, exercising more, preventive medicine, low cost housing, climate control, non-gasolines and how to heat your house with sunshine. Who cares about liberty and freedom which is cherished around the world where they don’t have it. We want to forget about ours and quarrel about who might go to Washington and PROVIDE! IN the meantime, sterling examples of excess government spending in Greece and Spain are never noticed.
It’s a loser’s game which I don’t care to play. Washington belongs to us, the citizens, and not Washington controlling us. More and more, someone else decides what is “correct’ for us. It’s gone too far. Stand up and say so or get run over.
breckenridge
March 18th, 2013
3:43 pm
“Independence, my friends. We have lost it. We are now indebted to losing weight, eating right, exercising more, preventive medicine, low cost housing”
We’re dedicated to a proper diet, exercise and losing weight? Really? When did that happen, last night? Because I’ve seen no statistics that say we’ve turned the corner on obesity, which is the #1 reason by far our healthcare costs keep going up. In fact it seems I see more and more really fat people every day. But these 3 things mentioned here are good things, they’re good for society and good for our wallets. You make it sound like they are some sort of pagan gods or something.
td
March 18th, 2013
3:43 pm
Centrist
March 18th, 2013
11:34 am
“The liberal media would have us believe this is the end of the Republican Party because they didn’t defeat an incumbent Democrat. They dismiss that Obama made history by winning re-election with fewer votes than he won for his first term.”
Do not forget to talk about the fact that Romeny received 9 million less votes then McCain and still won the independent vote. It was the Tea Party and Religious conservatives that stayed home and gave the re election to Obama.
HDB
March 18th, 2013
3:43 pm
Tiberius – pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
3:31 pm
Tibbi…when Salon routes you to the ABC clip from Boehner……
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/03/17/boehner_agrees_with_obama_we_do_not_have_an_immediate_debt_crisis.html
MANGLER
March 18th, 2013
3:45 pm
Dave, even the most earnest readers move on after the 32nd paragraph.
jconservative
March 18th, 2013
3:45 pm
Couple of thoughts on the comments so far.
1. The Republicans in the state houses keep passing bills that, in effect, say that a woman’s womb is state property to be regulated. Keep this up and the women’s vote will never again be Republican.
2. Stop beating the “liberal media” dead horse; there has been a liberal media since 1948 and yet Republicans Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan, Bush and Bush have been elected president.
Limbaugh has had a national radio show since 1988 and there has not been a single conservative president in that period.
The media is a neutral element in US politics.
Finn McCool (the system isn't broken; it's fixed)
March 18th, 2013
3:46 pm
The F-35 isn’t even close to fully operational – it can fly only on sunny days. It can’t fly at night. And it can’t fly in clouds or near lightning. We know this because the Pentagon tells us so, in a report written for the Secretary of Defense by the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, J. Michael Gilmore, dated February 15, 2013.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
March 18th, 2013
3:48 pm
Let them take the low ground.
Hillary Clinton Endorses Same-Sex Marriage
We can’t out deviate them.
Buzzy
March 18th, 2013
3:55 pm
It won’t work. Rove did such a good job in getting the Neanderthals to join the Republican Party, you can’t just turn them off in a second. Oh, I also saw that it was suggested that the Republicans have fewer debates next time. Translate: We can’t let America see just how crazy our candidates really are.
I will enjoy watching this unfold. I don’t think the Republicans can help themselves.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
3:56 pm
HDB, when you link to a salon.com opinion piece which claims the GOP has been “lying” to us, when Boehner merely says we don’t have an “immediate” debt crisis (which we don’t in his mind), you lose all credibility in an intelligent discussion.
Politico
March 18th, 2013
3:56 pm
“Do not forget to talk about the fact that Romeny received 9 million less votes then McCain and still won the independent vote. It was the Tea Party and Religious conservatives that stayed home and gave the re election to Obama.”
Excuse, excuses & more excuses
Obama didn’t receive as many votes as he did in 2008. Anyone can slice and dice the demographics and say what if this, what if that……… Great fodder for the DNC and RNC put at the end of the day……… you showed up to vote or you did not……
Politico
March 18th, 2013
3:57 pm
“…but…”
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
3:58 pm
“Oh, I also saw that it was suggested that the Republicans have fewer debates next time. Translate: Why keep giving cherry-picked sound bites to the liberal media to hammer us with for nine months.”
Fixed your typo, Buzzy. No thanks needed.
Buzzy
March 18th, 2013
4:00 pm
Sorry Tiberius. I must have hit a nerve.
Politico
March 18th, 2013
4:01 pm
td
Can you post a link were exit polling or any other study shows that the Tea party & religious conservatives didn’t come out to vote?
You can save the Op Eds and conjecture, just the polling info will suffice.
Thanks in advance.
melshop
March 18th, 2013
4:02 pm
If conservative Republicans are hated so much, how come they keep winning state elections, even in places like Wisconsin, and New Jersey? That is what has the GOP leaders producing the report puzzled. My answer: they run as what they are. The problem most voters, even those who vote Republican, is that Romney was an establishment candidate – as opposed to grass roots – who morphed into whatever the establishment told him to morph into to appeal to all people. No one really knew where he stood exactly even when he said where he stood exactly. And Robert, you’re wrong about no President being challenged…try Chester Arthur, our 21st president. People speculated he was born in Canada. His father was British. Other candidates have been questioned as well, including George Romney, running for president in 1968 and McCain.
Buzzy
March 18th, 2013
4:03 pm
“GOP should get back to being a party of fiscal conservatives.”
True. When the GOP has absolutely nothing else to run on, then they can pretend to be fiscal conservatives.
But during the Bush Administration they spent like drunken sailors. Fortunately, America has not forgotten.
Dusty
March 18th, 2013
4:04 pm
Breckenridge,
Are you not able to take care of yourself? You need someone to tell you what to eat, drink and how to live?
Sounds like it. Too bad you lost your independence and need help. But it is understandable. Even young people are being taught how to be dependent by Democrats. Early training!
Aquagirl
March 18th, 2013
4:06 pm
Not surprising he doesn’t understand what a Constitutionalist is.
Or perhaps he doesn’t think the Tiberius Dictionary is quite as awesome as its creator does, and the gold standard of a Constitutionalist is not “complete agreement with Tiberius’ interpretation of our supreme laws.”
Frankly you’re just a variant of a Tea Party member. They all think they’re the true heirs of the Founding Fathers too, and thus entitled to pepper their medicare scooters with Gadsden flags.
Unless someone is planning to overthrow our government or emigrate, they’re a Constitutionalist by default. If you’d like to style yourself as one special sort that’s your right, of course, but nobody else is obligated to accept your self-appointed royal title.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
4:06 pm
“Sorry Tiberius. I must have hit a nerve.”
No, Buzzy. You were just wrong.
Scrivener
March 18th, 2013
4:07 pm
Buzzy: “But during the Bush Administration they spent like drunken sailors. Fortunately, America has not forgotten.”
And so they voted for Obama who makes Bush look like a slacker when it comes to spending. Your comment made no sense whatsoever.
indigo
March 18th, 2013
4:08 pm
Finn – 3:46
We don’t need to let this one get to far ahead.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY8Yv8AM-p8
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
4:09 pm
“But during the Bush Administration they spent like drunken sailors. Fortunately, America has not forgotten.”
Yeah, ’cause in 2010 America’s short-lived memory kicked those even more drunken sailors led by Pelosi to the curb.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
March 18th, 2013
4:10 pm
“Unless someone is planning to overthrow our government or emigrate, they’re a Constitutionalist by default.”
Second dumbest post of the day.
After Jefferson’s repeat.
Dusty
March 18th, 2013
4:11 pm
Buzzy,
The Bush administration had that little thing called 9/11 on their calendar. just nine months after they were in office. It was also a time when Clinton had cut the armed forces to a much smaller force.
Of course you forget that Congress (Repubs & Dems) approved an opposing attack and voted for a strike on Iraq right along with the British. Defense does cost money.
Are you taking anythng to improve your memory? You should. You only remember on side of everything.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
March 18th, 2013
4:14 pm
Vladimir Putin is more vigorously defending private property rights than the liberal fascist Obozo regime:
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized on Monday a levy imposed by the European Union on bank deposits in Cyprus as unfair and setting a dangerous precedent.
Obozo: “No comment”
JDW
March 18th, 2013
4:14 pm
@Rafe…”Well, we just lost an election, big deal, happens to both parties. I believe those ideas played fairly well in 2010, which is not ancient history.”
Well actually you lost the last two Presidential elections, last four Senate elections and two of the last four House elections and in one of the two wins lost seats. An even bigger concern should be the fact that about 2/3’s of the country describe the Republican Party as “out of touch”. But please do carry on, the future will pass you by that much faster.
Politico
March 18th, 2013
4:15 pm
” It was also a time when Clinton had cut the armed forces to a much smaller force. ”
Before 9/11 was it Rumsfeld’s strategic plan to continue with the current or even smaller size in regards to the military and continue and even increase the technological weapons systems and tactics or to increase the size of the military?
Dusty
March 18th, 2013
4:18 pm
Oh oh Aquagirl is “calling names’ again. I mean “variant of a Tea Party member” is almost as mean as “freeloader=liberal”.. Our fishy friend is ever so ebullient today whatever that means.
I think it means blowing bubbles over nothing.