Post-election lessons for Republicans

Face it, Republicans--you have been beaten in the last two elections. You lost majorities in both houses of Congress in 2006, you lost even more ground in Congress in 2008, and a Democrat will soon be in the White House. And he got there by winning some key "red" states.

There are reasons why your party is out of power, and if you don't recognize and accept those reasons and then change, your party is going to stay out of power for a long time.

Here are the reasons in a nutshell...As a party, Republicans have offered nothing of substance. Instead, they have used negativity and fear to gain and try to retain power. As a party, the GOP has made the following standard operating procedure: hypocrisy, corruption, and cronyism (as in party and personal loyalty are relevant while competency and ethics are irrelevant). As a result of all of this, the Republicans have basically done a crappy job.

And just in case you think I am wrong, consider the list of "accomplishments" of the Republican party: most of the policies that caused the current economic crisis, vast expansion of the federal government, record government spending, record budget deficit, the Iraq war (and all that involves), systemic disregard of constitutional rights (domestic spying, torture, and other violations), blatant politicization of the Department of Justice, the response to Katrina, drastic diminishing of our standing internationally, and on and on...

Let me be clear here...it was not so much what the Republicans did as how they went about it. Slowly more and more people saw through the bullshit, and then they got sick and tired of it.

And into this setting came Barack Obama. Some Republicans do not realize why Obama won the election. Here's a news flash--it was not because those of us who voted for him were mesmerized and failed to see what an evil heathen bastard he is. The foundation of his campaign was "change." And as I have explained time and time again to people, the "change" he was talking about did not address policy (and Democrats need to remember that I said that). The "change" he was talking about from the start was a change in the process and procedure. The change he was talking about was changing all the bullshit that has been going on under Republican rule (and that included some same type of behavior by Democrats--remember that I said that). The change he was talking about was trying to get both sides to work in a way where actual meaningful discourse would occur which could lead to things getting done. The change he was talking about was trying to get Democrats and Republicans to have some respect for each other and try to work together.

That is the message that attracted people--plain and simple.

And then Obama largely conducted his campaign in accordance with that message. On the other hand, McCain's campaign was almost nothing but negative attacks, and they did not work (just as they did not work for Hillary in the primaries). Obama offered substance and a change in the system that people wanted. McCain offered none of that. Instead, McCain played to the base of the Republican party, which was to go negative and try to scare everybody about an Obama presidency. In other words, the McCain campaign was almost entirely about why people should have voted against Obama rather than for McCain.

And here's one of the lessons the "base" of the Republican had better learn: you are out of touch with the clear majority of this country. The last two elections prove that. A good number of Republicans are recognizing this, but unless the "base" wakes up and accepts this, the Republican party will be out of power for a long time. During the 2004 campaign and up until this election, I said repeatedly that any Democrat wanting to be President would have to get some Republican votes. Obama did just that. And guess what, Republicans? The tables have turned. From now on, "turning out the base" is not going to be enough for you to win elections. You are going to have to get some Democratic votes. You are going to have to offers ideas of what you are going to do rather than try to demonize Democrats.

And here's a related lesson: cut the hypocrisy in general but specifically in the slogan you started using in this election regarding "country first." The GOP has put the party and retaining power first and the country has been a distant second at best. Either show that you are actually putting country first and party second or face an extended time in the wilderness. In other words, practice what you preach (and maybe don't "preach" so much).

Another lesson goes back to why Obama won the election. The message of change in the process and procedure was not merely the central theme of Obama's campaign. In my opinion, it was the unifying factor among his supporters. It was the one thing upon which all of them could agree. What this means for the GOP--particularly the base--is that ultra-partisan, divisive tactics are not going to get you anywhere. Does that mean you have to just give up and never stand up to the majority party (like most of the Democrats did during the last eight years)? No. But it does mean that you are going to have to at times cooperate and almost all of the time you are going to have to focus on why your ideas and positions have merit instead of doing nothing but attacking the other side.

And speaking of ideas, many of you Republicans would benefit from learning the actual principles of "conservatism," for as has been discussed some on this blog and in many, many other venues, the GOP of the last 8-10 years has had little to do with conservatism.

I am sure there are other lessons to be learned, but the major point, Republicans, is that your party has got to adapt and change from what it has been or you are going to be out of power for a long time.

And by the way, Democrats better take heed of this lessons lest they become applicable to us in the near future...