You can't beat something with nothing, and that's the problem. Americans are concerned about their jobs, their health care, their futures, and President Barack Obama offers answers — the same big government solutions Democrats have always offered, but packaged in a way that appeals to voters.
Republicans counter with a handful of white, tired, boring senators tapping out a Morse code of despair: "Obama is bad. America is going to hell in a handbasket. Woe are we." A few bombastic radio hosts shout the conservative message to listeners who are already conservative.
Americans haven't rejected Republican values — less government, lower taxes, strong defense, and traditional values. Instead, Americans have rejected Republicans because Republicans didn't stay true to those values, because they haven't communicated them, and because they haven't applied them to today's real-world problems.
Republicans must re-brand the party's message to appeal to young people, to people of various ethnic backgrounds, and to Americans who have seen their personal wealth evaporate in the past year. They must use today's tools and speak today's language.
Party die-hards assure each other that, when Republicans run on conservative values, they win, and when they run as moderates, they lose. They're mostly right, but just because you don't run as a moderate doesn't mean you can't ally with them. Ronald Reagan won two terms not simply by throwing red meat to the party base but by appealing to Reagan Democrats — blue-collar, hardworking, family-oriented Americans, some of whom are now Reagan Republicans.
There are still many Reagan Democrats out there. Many have recently reached voting age, or they speak with an accent, or they were raised by parents who do. Credible leaders must invite them inside the Republican tent. Otherwise, they'll keep buying what the Democrats are selling, and all of us will keep paying the price.
Party die-hards assure each other that, when Republicans run on conservative values, they win, and when they run as moderates, they lose. They're mostly right, but just because you don't run as a moderate doesn't mean you can't ally with them. Ronald Reagan won two terms not simply by throwing red meat to the party base but by appealing to Reagan Democrats — blue-collar, hardworking, family-oriented Americans, some of whom are now Reagan Republicans.
There are still many Reagan Democrats out there. Many have recently reached voting age, or they speak with an accent, or they were raised by parents who do. Credible leaders must invite them inside the Republican tent. Otherwise, they'll keep buying what the Democrats are selling, and all of us will keep paying the price.
Posts
