One Final WrapUp - Change is Needed in the GOP

After this week’s shocking election results, most of us conservatives entered a state of full blown political depression and numbness. Some have been asking me what I think happened. I too have spent the last few days trying to figure out. This is my final wrap if you will.

Let’s face it. Romney didn’t just lose. He got his arse kicked. 332-206. Ouch. It was 2008 all over again. Actually, McCain got more conservative votes than Romney did which I still find so unreal.

As I stated in my last post, I am done with political activism for a long time. I’m sure I’ll pop up in 2016 but for now, let Obama and his peeps have what they want. I’m too tired to care. The only hope we really have now is to overturn many Senate seats in 2014 to shorten the damage. But, if we nominate over-the-top right winged candidates that make stupid comments like Akins and Mourdock did this go around, that won’t end well either.

But I did want to offer my thoughts on what happened, why and what needs to happen if conservatives ever want to win the White House again. I will keep it simple and to the point.

1. The GOP enthusiasm wasn’t as expected. Though Obama had 10 million less votes than in 2008, more than 3,000,000 conservatives didn’t vote for Romney. More than likely a lot of these were Ron Paul supporters and Tea Partiers. Others were just GOPers who didn’t buy into the Romney campaign. Well, thanks guys but now we all get Obama for 4 more years. Good job.

2. Our culture is no longer a majority “center-right” country. There are more getting handouts than don’t. As Rush Limbaugh said we are fighting against “Santa”. Most of these people are also extremely uneducated politically, yet they vote. In its current form, the GOP offers nothing attractive to most of them.

3. Romney wussed out after the 1st debate and let Obama get away with taking all of the momentum from him. He had the chance to hammer Obama on numerous issues but tried to be nice and instead came across as a distant rich guy. His game plan failed. People liked the aggressive in-your-face Obama more.

4. After election polls and focus groups make it clear that the GOP better change or we may never win the Presidential election again.

Number 4 above is the most important. There are some glaring issues that we must be honest in hearing and accepting. If we don’t address them and change our methods, we will never see another conservative President. We have to change in the following ways.

- Immediately, the GOP needs to work with the Democrats and give Obama and his team what they want with some things in exchange of course. If they remain hard lined and unwilling, it will mean the end of us in 2014 and again in 2016. Give them what they want, let them fall on their own sword and they will then own 100% of their own failures. Nominate the right candidate in 2016 and it will be over.

- Voters viewed Romney as a nice but distant, old rich, white guy. Same as McCain, Bush and Bush before him. This is the “establishment” candidate at its finest. This establishment refuses to think we live in a different day. Well, we do. People today are not like people 10 years ago much less 40 years ago. Politics are different. If we keep nominating rich, old, white dudes, we are going to keep losing. We can't be arrogant and assume people will come back around. Our culture has changed and if we don't change to work within that culture we are toast. And, we can do this without becoming like them either. I hear people making that argument and it's just dumb.

- We need a candidate that is younger, not rich, more relational and more like the common voter. The voters like a younger, more relational, “cool” candidate. We had some of these in the conservative world this go around, but instead we ended up with the 2008 runner-up.

- Ron Paul and Tea Party followers better find a way to come together instead of dividing us or it will get even worse.

- Right-winged, vocal Christian candidates with their faith and beliefs on their sleeves are a big problem. The non-believing voter doesn’t want to hear it and certainly not if they open their mouths about it every single day. We have to be smart. Wise as serpents and gentles as doves. Candidates need to keep it under wrap, until AFTER they win! Duh!

- We need to change our language and words. The Democrats never call themselves “liberals” anymore. They are now “progressives”. Capitalism is a bad word nowadays. Reword some of our concepts.

- Our negativity and condescending attitudes towards the liberals on social media and the like are killing us. I’m the biggest sinner in this regard. We have to be about convincing and educating people about conservative values and how THEY can benefit from them if they would just listen. But who is going to listen when we just called them idiots, morons or libtards and attacked their President every hour of the day?

- Consider ideas like “we aren’t the anti-gay party who has to push a marriage act”. Consider saying “we aren’t going to endorse it either way” our focus is conservative government issues, not how you live your lives. Be the party that seeks to give the powers back to the States for these types of social issues, etc. We don’t have to compromise all of our principles, but we need to modernize how we explain and promote them to a degree, unless we just never want to be in power again.

All we need are about 2% more of the votes and we win every time. Conservative values still have a big place. The reality is who doesn’t want these things:

- Less government intrusion in your life
- Lower taxes
- More jobs
- Strong military
- Protection of the Constitution
- Lower gas prices
- Protection of life
- Religious freedom
- Fewer regulations

But when people feel like they would have to join the angry, mean, rich, anti-gay, better-be-a-Christian party, they turn back to the other side. Plain and simple.

We have potential in people like Santorum, Ryan, Rubio, Christie, West, and others. We must nominate and all get behind a young, relational, cool, true conservative candidate regardless if they are Jesus reincarnated. If we don’t, our conservative days will be left to wining local and state races only.

Time will tell if I am right or wrong, but I believe I am very right. We will see.

See you in a few years…if I see promise with the above occurring.