Truemors
is reporting from
Member
NP Rank:
NP Rank:
A Reality Check for the Republican Party
Share:
by Karen Hatter | December 28, 2008 at 09:23 pm
621 views | 22 Recommendations | 16 comments
From an article entitled The GOP's White Supremacy :
" .... John McCain lost by a margin of 90% among African-Americans, and 2 to 1 among other ethnic and racial minority groups, and young people. The future hardly belongs to a party who is falling further and further behind among the fastest-growing demographic groups, and among those who will be voting for decades to come. Republicans' problems go well beyond their dreadful record of the past decade and their wrong-footed policies, although neither helps. As it shrinks, the GOP is becoming ever-whiter, more male, more Southern, more Christian-centric, and increasingly unable to appeal to voters, or potential candidates who do not fit its narrow mold."
The article cites the recent election of a white supremacist to the Palm Beach County Republican Executive Committee in Florida and the most recent action that has raised more than a few eyebrows, resulting in condemnation from the current Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan, the distribution of a CD titled We Hate the USA to RNC committee members by Republican Chip Saltsman.
Mr. Saltsman was the former campaign manager for Mike Huckabee during his bid as the Republican candidate for U.S. president in 2008, with Saltsman currently seeking chairmanship of the RNC. The CD sent to members of the RNC by Saltsman features a song called Barack, the Magic Negro.
The article offers the above named actions as an indication of the need for factions within the Republican Party to rethink strategies for a more inclusive approach to be adopted by the party.
Click here to read The GOP's White Supremacy.
A link to election day results on Tuesday, November 4, 2008, offering percentages state by state.
Also at NowPublic:
What is NowPublic?
NowPublic lets people work together to cover news events around the world.
Crowd Power
Sue Frause
Langley, Washington, United States
Karen Hatter
All Locations, Everywhere, United States
Related Stories
Recommendations (22)
Anonymous users (4)
Jordan Yerman
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Emilio Lizardo
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
harringtola
Town-send, Massachusetts, United States
Pythiian1
New York, New York, United States
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (16)
at 23:06 on December 28th, 2008
Far be it for me to comment on the Republican party, but based on your piece, it appears the party needs drastic changes. For starter, the Republican party needs to change its views and internal policies toward inclusiveness. They clearly need to adjust to the evolving racial and cultural diversity of America. Its party platform is facing irrelevancy among the population, except for the extreme right.
As things stand, the Republican party is already splintered into several factions.
It's a good Opinion piece, Karen.
at 19:20 on December 29th, 2008
Pythiian1, as I read this piece, it was more than obvious, given the mixed message coming out of the Republican Party of late on a variety of things, including the items mentioned in the author's article, gives credence to proving that splintered effect you've mentioned.
at 04:46 on December 29th, 2008
~ there they go AGAIN, thrusting forth the propaganda theory that the GOP is the party of the "white -man" , while totally ignoring the fact that former democrat Senator Byrd was a po-bah in the KKK, as was ALGore's father. Democrats fought against the GOP's attempts to grant the Black man the right to vote, Nixon forced integration -against the leftist popular opinion and although JFK spoke a nice peice about equalizing rights, he did absolutely NOTHING to advance his "talk". People need to be educated and not indoctrinated. All the democrates have ever done is continute this race-hustling for votes.
What the GOP needs to do is go far more to the right, it's this need to be "inclusive" and conciliatory that lost us this past election, Reagan was a true conservative and won landslide elections, carrying both Bush administrations on his coattails.McCain is a comprmiser and a moderate, Govenor Palin is not -this explains the sharp increase in the ticket's popularity when she was called onboard.
at 12:07 on December 29th, 2008
It may be that the actions mentioned were actions taken by the Republican Party in the past.
However, the rabid, reactionary, isolationist positions advocated by elements within the Party reveal the Republican Party, as is configured at this point in time, has embraced an ideology and methodology that, given the changing demographics and voting trends, will continue to alienate the majority of those in the United States.
Govenor Sarah Palin's performance on the campaign trail, claiming only those who came out to McCain-Palin rallies were the only 'real' Americans, attempting to distance, frighten and separate, in conjunction with the various actions taken by Republican officials, i.e. racist literature being distributed and posted at official Republican Party websites, does explain the thought processes and desire of many that found themselves supporting that losing ticket.
It also explains why many within the Republican Party feel the need to attempt to retool its image.
at 06:27 on December 30th, 2008
Well a little insight here:Johnson passed the civil rights act,and no Democrat ,except Obama,ever won a deep south state since then.The Dems against civil rights?Yes the Southern dems who switched parties to the Republicans.KKK?Lets see...David Duke-Republican,and the newest KKK Republican from Florida was elected to some kind of leadership post?You can say what you will,but the Rep. party is the party of the right wing conservative Southern white man.Oooops...older white man.Take a count.It`s obvious there are very few minorites in the Rep. party.It`s a fact.Spin all you want...Farther to the right?I hope so since this will keep Repubs out of the White House for 16 years(?)..I don`t think this country can survive another Repub administration.Reagan huh...whats conservative about spending more than you have?He played his greatest Hollywood role as President
at 07:46 on December 29th, 2008
I think the point is that the general philosophy of the Republican party is one of exclusivity rather than being inclusive. Historical reference is not as important as what is being practiced currently. Also, wbsfr8 referring to the lack of action of JFK, really? What he might have done for this country and many causes is unknown based on his untimely and tragic death.
at 19:28 on December 29th, 2008
All points well taken, Harringtola.
at 19:17 on December 30th, 2008
Since I recently had a bad experience discussing with Anon postings, I'll just post my comment chronologically instead.
I think wbsfr8's comments seem to reflect one faction in the Republican party that is stuck on a narrow view of America and even a narrower view of the world while dismissing the need to adjust to a contemporary and diverse society by heading further to the right. Ronald Reagan's world was less complicated than in the 21st century, yet for some odd reasons, some among the Republican party seem to cling on Reagan's views.
It is a concern that a faction in the Republican party seems to latch on to the governor of Alaska. Palin is a populist who has used dangerously divisive measures and tactics to incite the crowd and to get ahead politically, as her records indicated during the presidential election. Evidently, some among the Republican party seem to conveniently forget that one of her political mentors is an extreme right-wing Alaska Independent Party leader.
I'm afraid this does not bode well for the Republican party's make-over and to expand its membership.
at 13:06 on December 30th, 2008
Obviously these folks are sick, twisted paranoiacs who are able to relate to their world only through conflict, suspicion and manipulation ...
What bothers me perhaps the most is that so many of us see things their way ...
at 23:42 on December 30th, 2008
Yeah, Emilio, it indeed gives one pause.
at 13:28 on December 30th, 2008
Was the 90% vote a rejection of the Republican party or a vote for an African American candidate? I agree that it is a reality check, i'm not sure it's only to the Republican party.
at 00:04 on December 31st, 2008
The 90% vote by African Americans for an African American candidate represented 26% of the vote of the electorate, with African Americans voting for Barack Obama for a variety of reasons, including the chance to participate in an election whose outcome, if Barack Obama won, would be monumental and historic.
The African American electorate has not heavily supported the Republican Party in recent history so, rejection of the Republican Party is almost a moot result, having not lent the support in a significant way.
What will be an interesting assessment is an analysis of indicators for the decision making process for gauging the remaining 74% of voters and what motivated their vote.
For the Democrats' part, the Party may not have been prepared for the emergence of two strong candidates, leading to the tumult that resulted but, the factions within the Democratic Party pulled themselves together well enough to get into formation, backing the Democratic Party candidate.
It will always be remembered that many members of the Republican Party and its surrogates sought to demonize the Democratic candidate and frighten the American public into voting for the Republican ticket to prevent the election of a Democratic candidate, with the heavily implied innuendo that by doing so would usher in an era of an un-American, foreign, sleeper president, with un-American attitudes and actions that would endanger all Americans, innuendo that is still being spouted by some within the Republican Party.
If the polls taken during the lead up to the election offer any insight into the voting decisions of the electorate, it has been clear that many were turned off by the Republican Party's choices as tactical maneuvers for seeking the presidency.
There is a need for the Republican Party to re-evaluate many of its isolationist stances in a demographically changing America.
at 12:57 on December 31st, 2008
By virtue of those statistics can it be interpreted or at least argued that the vote on Prop. 8 was a Reality Check for the Gay & Lesbian Community? I agree absolutely that the leadership of the Republican Party is lost and out of touch. But many conservatives of all groups feel that it (the Republican Party) abandoned the central message of conservatism. A message that was far more inclusive and has a past record of moving this country towards major changes that helped Right a great many wrongs in our country's short history. Some of those changes helped to pave the roads that made this historic election finally manifest itself. The Republican party may need a wake up call, but in my small opinion it is to get back to the basics of following the conservative message that most of us do believe is good for our lives and our future. I agree that there are one too many fools in the Republican Party that need to be seen as the ignorant individuals that they really are, but there are no less of those ignorant fools in the Democratic Party. Although America is changing demographically I believe that philosophically all Americans share more conservative values then many would like to see highlighted in our political discussions.
Happy New Year from Brooklyn!
at 11:59 on January 3rd, 2009
Happy New Year to you as well, Urbano411!
At this point, I'm not sure what the statistics I listed would mean for the Gay and Lesbian community.
And I agree with you. There are ignorant fools in the Democratic Party.
However, it must be accepted that the actions of Republican Party officials during the presidential election of 2008, acting on behalf and in most cases with the knowledge of the national leadership of the Republican Party, engaged in xenophobic, racist terror tactics, including the mailings ominously stating no one knew the true persona of the Democratic candidate, attempts meant to alienate anyone who may have appeared to be similar to or like an Arab, a Muslim, a minority, to whip the electorate into a frenzied state, to miseducate voters by using the underlying remnants of fear and anger that remain after September 11, 2001 as a motivation to reject the Democratic candidate.
There was no similar activity, seeking to cast the Republican candidate as un-American or a closet terrorist emanating from the Democratic Party.
I am unaware of which conservative values you refer but, as is often the case, common ground may be found on some conservative issues I am sure.
I think this election was a clear indicator that, for one thing, the majority of voters, are/were sick and tired of what has been the bane of existence for many within the United States, the embrace of 'tickle down' economics, originally a philosophical, ideological gift from the late President Ronald Reagan but, an ideal that was integral during the last eight years of the George W. Bush administration, which has succeeded in making the rich, less than 10%, a small percentage of the populous, much more exceedingly rich and the poor, their numbers increasing every day, becoming very much more poor.
at 07:12 on December 31st, 2008
>rightisright (not verified):"Johnson passed the civil rights act,and no Democrat ,except Obama,ever won a deep south state since then." -ever heard of Jimmie carter, or Bill Clinton?I believe these 2 charlatans came from the south~ and are both democrats.
"Dems against civil rights?Yes the Southern dems who switched parties to the Republicans.KKK" -so Senator Byrd switched parties? -news to me!
-Hussian Obama won the Presidential election, he did not without the help of registered republicans (and ACORN).
I had hoped against hope that the election of a black man to the presidency would a least stifle some of these racist acusations, apparently not. Race Hustling will continue on, so long as there is any noticable difference in the appearance of peoples, these differences will be used to benifit the racist Jesse Jackson snake-oil salesmen of America.
at 10:33 on December 31st, 2008
Had you explored the link within my most recent comment linked at analysis, you would have learned that the election of Barack Hussein Obama Jr. occurred when Americans from the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, Independents, others not declaring any affiliation, Black, White, Latino, Hispanic, Asian, young, old, men and women, all ages, from all demographics, voted to elect the first African American as President of the United States on Tuesday, November 4, 2008.
The narrow view and misunderstanding of the electorate that accomplished this feat, evidenced by your comments, is unfortunate.