America Votes 2008

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Bond

The problem here is that the GOP has drifted away from intellectual, fiscal conservatism (William F Buckley and Ronald Reagan), and has moved to small-minded, social conservatism (Sarah Palin and George Bush).

Did someone say William F Buckley? Who is he?

I 100% agree. The Palin pick never should have happened and hopefully this will teach Republican strategists that the social conservative is no longer the key to victory... its the pragmatic conservative.

Example: Palin was brought on board to do one thing... keep Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio and a few other red swing states in the Republican fold. She failed to do so because the demographics of these areas have shifted.

On the other side, Palin's choice killed McCain in "purple" states like PA and New Hampshire who are filled with social progressive but affluent and educated independents who like McCain before Palin threw a wrench ion the machinery.

Now I'm not saying Palin cost McCain the election, because she didn't, but the point is that the social conservative is hurting the party in elections and Republicans need to go back to the realm of ideas where they have succeeded in the past. The problem is social conservatives are uncomprimising and hold a powerful voting block that they are more than willing to withold if they are now cowtowed.

The Republican party is in trouble and can pretty much guarantee to keep losing elections until they begin to see the young guns of the party like Bobby Jindal and Charlie Crist as the future.