Looking for honest Republicans, who can address these questions without rancor?

Question

What is your real opinion about the troubles that the Republicans are having right now? There is unrest in the ranks because you don't have a candidate that you all can get behind. Truly, and not trying to ruffle any feathers, there is a perception of corruption in general coming from the White House. Your congressional members are grumbling about Bush and Iraq, causing a rift in your party. The candidates have to find a way to distance themselves from Bush and stay within the party line at the same time and that's a heck of a fence to walk. Whether you like President Bush or not he has damaged the reputation of the Republican Party and caused many Independents and moderates to turn toward the Democrats for '08.

What do you think needs to be done to correct these perceptions among so many Americans? Do you think the Republicans can repair the damage in time to win in '08?

Doc:
I agree that the main problem seems to be the lack of a truly conservative candidate for the Republicans. But I think that assuming a Clinton or Obama ticket will assure a Repub victory is a big mistake. Sure, a Clinton nomination will unite the Republican Party to try and keep her out. But you guys never take into consideration that the Democrats know that already and will unite just as tightly to make sure the Republicans don't get in again. It works both ways. Especially if the Republican nominate a conservative that even hints at continuing to carry out Bush's policies. That's where you guys are losing the Independent vote, which is very important.

Holy defender:
True, Bush probably shouldn't be a factor, but he IS a factor when it comes to the public's perception of the Republicans. They haven't forgotten the rubber stamp Congress and many people are getting tired of the Republicans speaking out against Bush but refusing to walk the walk at the same time.

This universal health care thing is not a winner for the Republicans. A majority of Americans are in favor of it. Most people don't think it's any more socialistic than Social Security, or welfare, or any other government program out there that gives assistance to the poor. You guys keep screaming socialism, but no one other than yourselves is really taking it seriously. It's like you are preaching to your own choir.

Michelle:
Gore and Kerry are terrible indicators to point to. The situation in this country right now is centered around the public's problem with this war and with Bush's policies and the increasing perception of corruption from the White House. Even in 2004 these problems were not as significant as they are now. You all got a taste of the public's mood in the midterms, and in that instance the polls and prevailing were right. The Repubs lost the Congress. Nothing has changed since then, in fact it's only gotten worse for your party. I'm asking what you guys can do to change matters around NOW, the factors have changed drastically since the 2004 election.

Aunt Acid:
You may not think George Bush is corrupt, but you are in the minority as far as that perception goes. See, this is a great example. You are a cheerleader for the Republicans who refuses to even acknowledge they have a problem. Deliberate denial does not solve problems, and you guys have a lot of them right now.

Brian: I think you hit on the main problem. A solid candidate for your party.

rege:
I'm not disrespecting Republicans. These are very REAL problems you all face. The Democratic Party does not largely consist of left wing loonies, any more than the Republican Party consists of largely right wing loonies.

Kacy:
Sorry, I don't buy the Ron Paul supporter schtick that it's the media keeping him down. He can't climb above 3% in any national poll that you can find, and it isn't the media's fault. They cover the candidates that actually have a chance at the nominations. I sincerely wish that Paul's supporters would stop whining about the media and address the real reasons why he isn't popular with America at large. Being an American apologist? Thinking that we can actually be isolationists in this world atmosphere? Wanting to dismantle the CIA? Please, this guy is going nowhere fast, sorry.

ladyshondra:
Thank you very much. You actually answered the question with honesty and deep thought. That's much appreciated. Have you asked a similar question of the Democrats in this forum? You might get a few honest answers as well ;-). Thanks again.

Madd Texan:
Good answer as well. Though I disagree with you about the candidate thing. The Democrats are ready to get behind whichever top contender is nominated. For the first time in many years they are operating like a cohesive party and not crap shoot artists. But the Republican's favorite candidate is still "None of the Above." It's talked about every day on every political show you can name - liberal or conservative. The concern that you all don't have that candidate that blows up your skirts.

J.R.
Democratic candidates HAVE come up with solutions. Biden has a good plan for Iraq, as does Clinton.

Doc: Well, lol, good luck with that logic. It's funny. I'm getting the impression that the GOP is going to run with depending on the nation rising up against Hillary if she gets the nomination. To depend solely on that will be the biggest mistake they've ever made.

JR

If you think that's Clinton's plan, you need to do some more research. She intends to put some REAL pressure on the Iraqis to solve their political problems instead of demands w/no teeth. She wants to extradite us from this civil war so we can address the increased problems that Al Queda and the Taliban present all over the Middle East, not just in Baghdad. Really, you sound like you don't have a clue what her position is if you think it remotely resembles Bush's.

Deep Thought:
You deserve your screen name. That was a very good analysis of what has happened with the Republican Party. I believe you are right, the Democrats will take over and then the cycle begins again. The Republicans will not recover until after that happens, but they will recover.

Answer 1

I for one see the main problem with the Republican National Party as such:

They have been in power too long. When you haven't been in power, you have the opportunity to take a step back, look at what you core values truly are and come up with an alternate point fo view. Then when you get into power you can truly work under your core beliefs in an effort to make a better society

Once you have been in power a while, you lose sight of those core beliefs you once held to. What was black and white suddenly starts to become shades of gray. Pretty soon you start liking the power a little too much. Let's be honest: People who are in politics want power. Whether Conservative or Liberal, Republican or Democrat, they want power. In our case, I feel that the party was usurped by the more religeous portion of the party and they did that at the exclusion and other groups. If you push away enough support then you can't sustain your momentum as a party.

The axiom holds true that Power corrupts. The amount of scandals that came out in the past couple of years didn't just happen but have been going on for a while. They just finally came to roost.

As far as the current Republican Presidential candidates, I'm not all that thrilled. Giuliani, McCain and Romney can't get out of their own way and seem to like to shoot themselves in the foot verbally on a daily basis. If Thompson was going to run then he should have manned up and run already. Brownback, Tancredo and Hunter are one topic wonders. Who gives a monkey turd what Ron Paul has to say? The other three guys are so out there that they aren't even on the radar. Personally, I feel I'd do a better job in office or for that matter in the campaign then any of the listed candidates.

Given what I've just said, I think the Republicans lose the 08 race, barring a major gaffe from the Democratic front runner. I don't however think that's a bad thing. Being out of power will allow the Republicans to reach out to a base again. Not just the religeous right but the moderates that made the party sensible in the first place. Hope that helps.

Answer 2

Biggest problem the republicans have is they have discarded the conservative principles that got them elected. They were in the minority for so long they forgot how to lead. They (including the president) tried to "get along" with the libs in Congress, letting Sen Kennedy write No Child Left Behind and the immigration bill.
The perception of corruption in the White House comes from them not just coming out as soon as they fired the US Attorneys and saying "They serve at the pleasure of the President and he has asked for their resignations". That didn't happen, and now the media has made an issue of something that was not illegal in the first place. The republicans have forgotten that they got elected because of conservatives. They have allowed government spending to rise unchecked, have allowed earmarks and pork to be hidden in legislation along with the democrats. As far as "you don't have a candidate that you all can get behind.", it's way too early for that. The democrats don't have a candidate that all democrats can get behind either. People don't care yet.
I think the republicans should make a pledge to not use any earmarks period, (I don't think it will happen though) and challenge the democrats to do the same. As far as the corruption in the Congress, that's on both sides and we ALL know that. Neither party is made up of choir boys (though some from BOTH parties would like it if they were).

Answer 3

I support Bush, But I have to tell you that i think he has made some mistakes. I do feel that the war on terror is a necessary one but I feel as if he has abandoned it. I think President Bush needs to Apologize and fess up to the mistakes he has made, He needs to create a plan that the American people will understand and feel confident with. He needs to Publicly seperate himself from the other Republicans on his past decisions and make it clear that his efforts should not be a reflection on his party. He needs to get Both Republicans and Democrats involved on resolving the issues at hand and doing it in civilized mannar. I think that if he were to take all the candidates running for president on all sides and give them the job of working on a solution to either the War or the Illegal Immigrants issues it wouldn't only help him find a resonable solution but help the American people see what the people we are to choose from can do ahead of time. We need to know that the next President will be able to stay strong and protect us. I think people still have that fear of a Democrat getting in office and letting our gaurd down, but on the other hand Money is important to the Average American and when the Dems are shoving it down our throats that this war cost so much We tend to listen a little more to them.

I personally think that a candidate could win the entire election by address 2 issues that concern most Americans, Money and Power....

Answer 4

I think the problem is three fold...

1. Bush did not just lose trust with Democrats and others, but with Republicans themselves. This all started with the UAE Ports deal, and carried over to illegal immigration. Many a Republican was, and many still are, raging mad that he took the stands that he did (and other republicans in congress supported this as well). Many conservatives now believe that Bush is no different from the Democrats, and perhaps it extends to most of the Republican Party. Bush created a massive rift in the party that is going to take years to fix (and he keeps re-opening that wound...with other Republican help...over and over and over).

Bush has caused many die hard republicans to cheer when he fails. To join in attacking his appointees, and positions. He has almost as many right wingers in opposition to him now as leftists.

2. Due to reason #1 and other reasons, Republicans are very slow to trust another Republican. They do not want another Bush (but for different reasons than the Democrats). The candidates are not very good, and it is hard to support any of them at this point (none of them stand out as the man of the hour, or the man to be trusted to do what we conservatives want...or electable).

3. Many conservatives are conservative for other reasons than economics. Many also would like a functioning health care system that will not bankrupt them (especially as many businesses abandon paying for their employees health insurance). Many also think the costs of the Iraq war are far to high to justify its continuance. They are fed up with "free trade" at all costs. They are fed up with being lied to. They see the nation as being sold to the lowest bidder. The nation being flushed away.

Do I think they can fix this before '08? Perhaps but it may depend more on the Democrats scaring the hell out of Republicans with far left leaning and rants.

The Dem's themselves shouldn't feel too secure about this election either. Polls change. It is also generally true that Democrats most often perform worse in elections than they do in polls. As well the election depends on the states and the electoral votes. The election is very likely to be far harder than many are thinking it will be right now.

I will vote Republican because the Dems are generally no kind of option for me. I hope the Republicans win too (while I may like some Dem ideas or positions the ones I do not like are HUGE to me). I am not thinking we will have a great leader however from either party.

Answer 5

I do not think the damage can be repaired. Most of us on Y/A take the time to look at the whole of a subject, and not just what our mommies, daddies, friends, and the media tells us. We'll make educated individual decisions, while the majority will vote because it's a black man, a woman, or the former Mayor of NY-not because they agree with their platforms.

That being said, how could the damage be repaired if the general public doesn't bother to educate themselves about what really has happened and who can fix it the most?

Answer 6

What the Republican candidates (and Democrat ones too) need to do is to make promises they can keep.

They need to step back and truly assess what is going on with our country. They need to look through both sets of eyes. They need to talk to everyday people, not because they are pandering for votes from these people, but because they have seen the situation and truly can somewhat understand it and actually want to make it better.

The easiest (and I do mean easiest) and most just thing for our next President to do is to have us leave Iraq. It is ridiculous how all this money is being poured into this country we are supposedly fixing.

I just don't see it, personally. All I see as each day ticks by is more casualties. More civilians who we are supposedly trying to save. More of our brave soldiers. I see people in Iraq getting frustrated with the fact that we are still there and going to the other side, because they don't care if they kill themselves by strapping a bomb to their chest... as long as they take some of us out with them.

I do not understand why Bush does not see this, or seem to care.

Does anybody see the logic in supplying neighboring countries to Iraq, very few who are actually our allies, with GUNS? That just baffles me. Wouldn't those guns be used against our soldiers before anybody else? Think about it for a minute.

We also need to quell, if not end, the corruption in our government. We need a strong candidate, for both sides, who is willing to stand up against corrupt issues we have held for so long. We need to have two candidates we are all proud to call our next President, however the election turns out.

I know I'm combing both sides for my next Presidential vote... most importantly, my primary vote. This one certainly won't be thrown away because I personally felt one candidate was the lesser of 2 evils.

Answer 7

i am a registered Republican but do not rubber stamp any candidate.

yes, i have issues with my party but any thinking individual surely must have with theirs.

i do not understand why Rumsfeild was not replaced quickly after the initial invasion of Iraq or what all of the Iraqi military was disbanded rather than solicit their help..most of the regular soldiers had no choice but to serve Saddam, only those higher ups should have been kicked out.

i do not understand why they border is not secure. i do not understand why the current laws aren't enforced. why do they makes laws and do not add enforcement provisions. i do not understand why the president is for amnesty and wonder if he really thinks globalization of American is a good thing.

i believe in pro-choice but am sad that so many use it as a method of birth control rather than accept responsibilities for their actions.

i do not understand how government has been allowed to grow so exponentially when our basic tenant is as little government interference in individuals lives as possible.

i do not understand why corruption is not prosecuted to the full extent of the law. i do not think big business is inherently evil and i believe in free market but those individuals who put greed above national interest should be prosecuted.

it is far too early in the process for me to guess if the damage can be repaired in time but i do fear that all the canidates running to date are merely more of the same.

there are more but i don't want to write a tome.

i would like to challenge democrats to be as forthcoming as i have been and ask them to correct my perceptions that they blindly follow their leaders.

Answer 8

I think they can only if the right candidate emerges and/or the Democrats screw up their nomination process. A decent Democratic candidate and an average Republican spells a win in '08 for the Democrats. However, the Democrats have not done a good job in selecting a candidate over the past 2 elections so we will have to wait to see who it is and wait to see who emerges from the Republican field.

Answer 9

The main problem is that Neo Conservatives are calling themselves Republicans and they are not even close. Actually more people from both parties are turning Independent - they can see through the Democrats as well.

Answer 10

Bush shouldn't be a factor in the 2008 election, also many of the quote grumblings have been created by the left throw the use of logical fallacies which has confused the back bone of the party.

I assume or deduce by 2008 the Logical fallacies will have been gleaned away as it were and they will unite against either Hillary or Obama. This free medical coverage thing they are talking about is basically Communism and has failed in every country that has tried it.

Having said all those things your candidates are into socialism and communism and will not get any support from any Republicans, so like John Kerry b4 whom ever gets the candidacy they will only preach to the converted and loss their bid to win a Presidency.