# Will The Republicans ever figure out why they lost? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [December 26, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224 "2012-12-26T21:33:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/201 "2012-12-28T05:26:34Z")
Something about the White Working Class (capitalized like so) not voting enough, plus his super-secret plan to save the Republicans that he’ll reveal when we are sufficiently enlightened. ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/202 "2012-12-28T05:37:04Z")
Ah! So the old trick of “I’ll know it when you say it” as pointed out upthread is still in play. Got it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/203 "2012-12-28T05:39:53Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Sorry, John. The outcome was completely predictable long before the primaries, let alone the campaign. And you, of course, took out a second mortgage and bet the farm on this, right? If not, why not? Look, no matter what the outcome of the last election, someone would have predicted it. The fact you “predicted” the outcome is absolutely meaningless. None of us knew if the unemployment rate might have taken an unexpected spike a month before the election (to name just one of the unknowables in play). Obama was certainly favored over most the campaign. The smart money was always on him. But that didn’t make a foregone conclusion except in hindsight. And let’s not confuse a Romney’s loss with an inevitable Republican loss. That is the question inherent in this OP. People on the left and the right were shaking their heads all through the campaign at the repeated missteps Romney made. Not just one bad move here and there, but a constant barrage of them. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/204 "2012-12-28T05:45:29Z")
> [@Gleena](#): > > I waded through the copypasta, but did the OP ever actually say why the Republicans lost? Because they did not take a hard line on nonwhite immigration; wasn’t that plain enough? ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/205 "2012-12-28T06:11:49Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > And let’s not confuse a Romney’s loss with an inevitable Republican loss. That is the question inherent in this OP. People on the left and the right were shaking their heads all through the campaign at the repeated missteps Romney made. Not just one bad move here and there, but a constant barrage of them. What were the missteps, though? The whole 47% thing seemed like a case of him being caught saying what he actually thought. Clearly, that’s a misstep from the point of view of someone who wants to win the election, but it’s the kind of misstep that I’m very glad happened. I that’s an attitude he holds, and which will shape his views on policy, I want to know about it before the election. And there were people at the time who said he should embrace the remark, admit it and repeat it, that it would energize his supporters more than it would alienate those who weren’t going to vote for him anyway. The other missteps were things he concealed, like his tax returns or the details on his tax reform plan. Those may have been wise moves. It’s possible the real story would have damaged him more than the speculation about what he was hiding. It seems like his biggest mistakes were in not hiding the truth better. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/206 "2012-12-28T06:30:11Z")
> [@Gleena](#): > > This made me laugh harder than it should have, because Whiskeypalian was my last stop on the Christianity train before I got off. > > I waded through the copypasta, but did the OP ever actually say why the Republicans lost? I got lost in the “You Say Slavery Like It Was a Bad Thing, Because Hispanics are Made Up” serenade. I think the general point was that the GOP lost because it did not take a hard enough line on nonwhite immigration. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/207 "2012-12-28T07:49:37Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Something about the White Working Class (capitalized like so) not voting enough, plus his super-secret plan to save the Republicans that he’ll reveal when we are sufficiently enlightened. I’ve been thinking about this, and I think I have this plan figured out. I’ll tell you later… but I think I’m three-fifths of the way there. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/208 "2012-12-28T07:52:46Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > I’ve been thinking about this, and I think I have this plan figured out. I’ll tell you later… but I think I’m three-fifths of the way there. I think you’re on to something… ---
**Author:** ![Gleena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b3f665/32.png) [@Gleena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gleena)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/209 "2012-12-28T07:55:42Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I think the general point was that the GOP lost because it did not take a hard enough line on nonwhite immigration. Oh, yeah, I got that bit. I thought he was still withholding some great, deep answer other than simple racism. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/210 "2012-12-28T09:41:53Z")
> [@SmilinJack](#): > > I will clue you all in real soon. heh heh Must be tough being the last of your race, Goku. > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Without going into too much detail about the rest of your courageous, novel, and unusually capitalized argument, let me say that I disagree with this part, at least. I think there was cause for significant doubt on this particular point. Depends. Horizontally, by the acquisition of Mexican and Canadian territories? Tectonically, through bringing on the End Times prophesied when we’d have a Mormon leader? Erratically, under the bombardment of nuclear missiles? Culturo-temporally into the pre-Civil Rights era? ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/211 "2012-12-28T10:36:24Z")
I think his goal was to use up all the ellipses in the world. Somehow that would save America. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/212 "2012-12-28T10:43:42Z")
> [@gamerunknown](#): > > Depends. Horizontally, by the acquisition of Mexican and Canadian territories? Tectonically, through bringing on the End Times prophesied when we’d have a Mormon leader? Erratically, under the bombardment of nuclear missiles? Culturo-temporally into the pre-Civil Rights era? Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra. Shaka, when the walls fell. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/213 "2012-12-28T13:51:26Z")
The sad thing is: This was an interesting conversation before the OP came back. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/214 "2012-12-28T13:55:17Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra. Shaka, when the walls fell. Sokath, his eyes uncovered! Picard and Dathon, at el-Adrel. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/215 "2012-12-28T13:57:50Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Sokath, his eyes uncovered! Picard and Dathon, at el-Adrel. How does Sokath, his eyes uncovered make you feel? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/216 "2012-12-28T14:21:30Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#): > > How does Sokath, his eyes uncovered make you feel? Temba, his arms wide! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/217 "2012-12-28T14:33:50Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > And let’s not confuse a Romney’s loss with an inevitable Republican loss. That is the question inherent in this OP. People on the left and the right were shaking their heads all through the campaign at the repeated missteps Romney made. Not just one bad move here and there, but a constant barrage of them. This is nothing more than the standard “the Republicans could have won if Romney were a better candidate.” Or if Obama had gone crazy and raped Nancy Pelosi. Or if a meteor strike took out all the blue states. IOW, being a Republican candidate for president in the year 2012 wasn’t an inherently losing proposition in a shrinking white world. And that’s wrong. You cannot spin the wrongness out of it. Republicans will never win again until they learn to accept the fact that this is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/218 "2012-12-28T15:15:30Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > This is nothing more than the standard “the Republicans could have won if Romney were a better candidate.” Or if Obama had gone crazy and raped Nancy Pelosi. Or if a meteor strike took out all the blue states. IOW, being a Republican candidate for president in the year 2012 wasn’t an inherently losing proposition in a shrinking white world. > > And that’s wrong. You cannot spin the wrongness out of it. Republicans will never win again until they learn to accept the fact that this is wrong. I wouldn’t get cocky about it. I don’t think the primary system is set up for them to get an electable candidate through right now, but Americans don’t like single party politics. Any one party in power for any long period of time seems to spook us. The good candidates don’t tend to come out against an incumbent, we should see a stronger GOP field in 2016. And I suspect that if the rank and file don’t get it, the strategists do. You won’t see another Paul Ryan or Sarah Palin as VP - throwing a bone to the conservative wing. Strategically, you’ll see someone who can pull some Hispanic vote or another constituency (to some extent, Palin was supposed to be about getting Hillary voters - but since Palin was vetted so poorly, and the ruse was so transparent, it didn’t work well.) And the Democrats are perfectly capable of running non-electable candidates and putting unpalatable items in the platform - that was most of the 1980s for them. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/219 "2012-12-28T15:18:09Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Temba, his arms wide! Stop saying Temba has fat arms. You’re hurting his feelings. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2012, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/220 "2012-12-28T15:26:02Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Temba, his arms wide! Please go on. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224.md?page=12)