re: What can republicans do to get back to their great success in the 1980s?

The republicans need to work on their communication skills and on unifying their message. The republican message is disjointed and often contradictory. It is often communicated in a style that creates false perceptions of bigotry, mysogeny, xenophobia, elitism, callousness, and anti-intellectualism. While the democrats and left-leaning media may do a great job of framing comments and disseminating them, republicans do themselves no favors in making ignorant sounding statements.

What the republicans need to be is a party that at least seems to consistently mean what they say while speaking to a consistent philosophy of individual liberty, small government, accountable government, and efficient government.

They can win on these ideas by actually trying to start conversations with voters. Stop trying to scare them, stop writing off demographics as "leaches" or "sub-classes". Just talk with people, not at them. Speak with belief and conviction, with enumerated policy as the manifestation of that belief. It can be done.

Not much is necessary. They just have to avoid big screw ups.

Reagan (not without his faults ie deficit spending) hit it out of the park in many ways, but he was lucky in a sense the he had Carter tee things up for him by doing so horribly that the next guy was going to look better no matter what.

Same situation here.

Do something with healthcare that will put job creators more at ease and you might see a sharp spike in economic growth. Nothing speaks to the American public like a strong economy. Ride that tide and convince enough people that you had something to do with it and you will be remembered as one of the great ones.

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And you still wouldn't vote for him. The "I'm a fiscal conservative but a socially liberal voter" is the most hilarious construct of the Internet message boards. Hey, Mr. fiscally-conservative-but-socially-liberal, do you support Obamacare? Yes. Did you support the stimulus? Yes. Can you name a single government program which should have its budget reduced? The military. Ok. I think we're done here.

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The question wasn't how the GOP could get me to vote for them. It was about returning to their great success. And you completely whiff on what I'm talking about despite me effing cluing you in by calling him a RINO.

Maybe I would. Maybe I wouldn't. But, Reagan amnestied a bunch of illegals. Naw, that kind of action/policy couldn't help make inroads in the Latino community. Lol

You do realize their are plenty of independents that are completely turned off by the extreme far right of the GOP. Guess what, you don't get to call 1980s Reagan as fiscally conservative. That is just mind boggling ridiculous.

In the 80s the GOP and reagan were happy. Happy warrior. Look around. Nobody in the GOP seems happy. Angry, pissed off, dour, mean, whiny, etc. the GOP of the 80s wasn't just politics it was the culture. It was an attitude. And the culture has changed. There are no more Republican Party reptiles. There is nothing fun about the party.

Lastly, you really don't know anything about me. So, writing screeds based on nothing seems kind of dumb. And the hubris you exhibit is astounding. Thinking you know what motivates each voter. But, I will say that in order for me to vote for the GOP the party would have to return to the 70s. When the party wasn't beholden to the RR and taking about one's religion was considered tacky.

It is kind of sad that you think you know so much when I'm from the state of Tommy Thompson and Lee Dryfuss.

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Posted by Message BuckyBadger What can republicans do to get back to their great success in the 1980s? Perhaps acting like republicans of the 80s. Reagan would be a RINO today.

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This!!!

Reagan and Daddy Bush would both find it hard running to win the GOP nomination today.....and when they did (Romney managed to do so) the base of the party would not turn out to elect them because they would not be conservative enough. And the nomination process would force them to at least more or less ignore some pretty disturbing shite coming from the real republicans in the primary which would lead to moderates turning a deaf ear to the RINOs message. Y'all can pretend that it is ignorance and dependence all you want but the truth is that as y'all weed out the Bachmans and the Palins and the Cains and the Gingriches there are a bunch of moderates who are turned off to whatever message y'all have.

There is also the failed economic policies of the GOP that have proven time and again to be bad ideas...but very few voters are aware of this and rely more on shoe trappings under toilet stalls and stupid people saying stupid shite like a rape victims body will reject a pregnancy.....

The GOP is in great shape considering.....their demise has been way over stated. We will see just how badly a national party (Dems) fare when a regional party (GOP) is determined to do what they can to impact issues. The GOP has done an astounding job to this point...winning the Whitehouse would mean the GOP would have to actually make things work and they have proven time and again that this isn't their cup of tea.....the GOP is in great shape, unfortunately.

Run a candidate who actually has a shot of getting elected President is pretty much it. Politics shifts from left to right all the time. Find a candidate who can be elected in a national election and unless they are just bat shite crazy as far as their policies you are in good shape.

First of all, lets look at the US Presidentail candidates that got beat.

George Bush I. Rode in the WH in 1989 on the coat-tails of Reagen. A patriot and WWII vet BUT he was an old stuffy candidate that got bested by a slick talkiing hillbilly from Arkansas.

Bob Dole, no doubt a good man. A patriot & a WWII vet who served out country honorable. BUT another old stodgy man. Again, he got bested by a silver toungued slim bag.

John McCain. A man who served our country under the most difficult circumstances. A man who wore the countries uniform and help out under the worst circumstances. Was out done by a slick talking racist coummunist.

Mitt Romney. Probably a good man and one heck of a business mind and leader. Probably would have been a very good President. BUT was kind of a stuffy guy * didn't communicate well. Once again, the GOP candidate was bested by a slick talking con artist.

Do you see any similarities in the failed GOP candidates?

Most were probably good men and would have been good presidents.

BUT they were not good communicators and allowed the enemy to define them.

Until the the powers that be at the GOP get this through their thick skulls, the GOP is going to be shut out of the WH.

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become Libertarians..

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I don't think hardcore Libertarian would work. But lay off the social issues, scale back the federal police state, restore quaint ideas like needing a warrant to spy on Americans, quit supporting overseas adventurism...those would be a big help.

The answer: Paul Ryan.

Read his book "The Way Forward". That man has the most sensible policy ideas to fix our country's problems that I have ever heard. His ideas are very realistic and not the Republican talking points. I have trouble seeing how a pragmatic, reasonable person could disagree with the plan he's laid out.

The trouble is I'm not sure we can count on >50% of Americans being pragmatic and reasonable.

More Rockefeller Republicans.