In the wake of last week's election there has been a solemn and somber recap of how the Republican Party has hosted its last tea party. Despite overwhelming demographic evidence, it took Republicans until 11/6/2012 to recognize that America is no longer a nation of old white people. In fact, America is even less a nation of old white people as I write this than it was six days ago. The Republican party, pundits tell us, is dead and gone...dead and gone.
The problem, of course, with this analysis is that it isn't true. Like most of what is said on television, this is being talked about more to fill time than because it is a real issue. Don't get me wrong, the poor showing of Republican candidates in this election was remarkably encouraging, partially because half of them are true fools, and partially because the other half were willing to hide their good ideas beneath a mountain of lies and politically distasteful maneuvers simply to get elected.
So in some sense, the pundit drumbeat is positive. If Republicans have learned anything from this perhaps it is that rape is real and so are pregnancies resulting from rape. Perhaps they've also learned that lying for political gain gets you the opposite, and that when you're whole political strategy puts elections ahead of the welfare of the American people you get bit on the butt. At least that is what I hope they've learned. If not, Republicans are in fact in dire trouble.
But there is no reason why the party can't recover and in a meaningful and positive manner. If Republicans want to have any place in America's future, they will have to drop the whole social issues act and find a home in the 21st century, a century in which all men and women regardless of their sexuality, skin color, or country of origin, were created equal. If Republicans refuse to believe that, they're doomed, but if they accept that, drop antiquated social mores, and decided to instead focus on contributing economically, then the Republican party has a bright future indeed.
America is still a nation in need of fixing, and Democrats do not have all the answers. A responsible Republican party, dedicated to facts and data and without all the social baggage would be both a boon to the national conversation and an appealing alternative to voters who loathe Republican social "values," but who recognize the benefits of small, efficient government. Imagine if Republicans showed willingness to compromise on taxes, brought meaningful ideas about entitlement reform (as some have already), accepted climate change and tried to apply market solutions to growing clean energy, and offered budgets based on analysis of what works and what doesn't with targeted and substantial cuts rather than willy-nilly Tea Party style hacking. That is what America needs, and if that's what Republicans offered, they probably wouldn't need to focus on lies and obstruction to win elections, they could probably win seats on merit and ideas.
Republicans should be chastised after this election. The American people saw through the lies and obstruction and were not compelled to vote for a candidate whose only ideas was to cut taxes even more and just hope things got better. In some instances, Republican candidates lost where they should have won because voters rejected outright their oppressive social views, especially when it came to abortion and - and I can't believe I'm writing this - rape. When you start trying to explain away rape, you really are living in an alternative reality. But demographics do not have to doom Republicans. The death knell is premature. Drop the social issues, embrace science and data, and apply your positive economic ideas to the problems confronting America. Once that happens, I'm sure you'll find plenty of room at the table, or better, seats in the chambers of Congress.
happy belated.....kathie v.
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