How the GOP Views the Future of the GOP

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The Republicans lost in November. Big time. Not just the Presidential race, nor the Senate and House numbers, but they lost their way. And now, as we've posted about before, they are discussing which direction they should take to "return."

Gallup polled, and found that 61% of Americans (of all parties) have a poor opinion of the Republican Party. That number is the lowest (or highest, depending on how you view it) since Gallup began asking the question.

Look at the little bump. That matches up with the height of Spunky's popularity.

In case you were wondering, only 78% of the Republican party members have a positive opinion of their own party. Maybe it's just me, but perhaps those 22% percent should consider belonging to, hhhmmmnnn, a different party?

So where do Republicans want their party to go? 59% think it should become MORE conservative. There is no telling how that 59% correlates to those who approve/disapprove of their party.

The House Republican leadership, just elected this week, are from the conservative branch of the party. Boehner (re-elected Minority Leader) said that his caucus will be pushing for small government and "conservative root" issues. And this is going to play well with the Republican base. Maybe. "Small government" "Fewer government programs" "Less government intervention in everything except religious issues" may not sell so well to an electorate which is legitimately hungry.

While the incoming Obama administration is selecting moderates, in yesterday's selection of Waxman over Dingell for Commerce and Energy, the House took a decided step left. If the GOP moves decidedly right, and lacks the votes to overcome the majority, and the ideas of the majority work, it will be a bad 2010 and 2012 for the Republicans. They won't just lose AGAIN, but their base will shrink to wingnuts only.

Take something like environmental protection. The Democratic position is that air pollution is bad, water pollution is bad, protecting endangered species is good, and doing something about Global Warming is critical. A far-right GOP will have to sell TO THEIR PEOPLE the idea that it really is better to pollute more, it doesn't matter if species die, and Global Warming is just part of a long term pattern.

Seems if they want to remain any sort of organized party, the GOP should move to the center, jump on the bandwagon, and help to save America. But they won't. Nor will they even cling to actual Republican ideals, rather they've decided to adhere to the co-opted ones from the last 30 years that have led us to this sandy precipice on which we stand.

For those few of you who like to send me nasty personal notes questioning my dedication to, and sometimes membership in, the Democratic Party, I say this: these times we live in are uncertain and dangerous. I would rather work with moderate Republicans to find solutions than have to waste time arguing with right wing idiots ideologues elected officials.