# 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:** 131
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2601 "2014-01-28T19:23:21Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > …Even the liberal talking heads, like Rachel Maddow… Steady up, there, hoss. A girlish giggle, a swan’s neck and a mind like a steel trap. And you got? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2602 "2014-01-28T19:51:07Z")
Clinton! Slowly, I turned…inch by inch, step by step… _Menshevik_, turd way, three legged blue dead dog, Republican Lite, _feh!_ It was all about being “business friendly” and not being scary to the people who most deserve to be scared, to get a cut of that corporate donation pie that the Pubbies had been gorging upon forever. And it worked, in the way that selling your soul to Old Scratch gets you seven years before he comes to collect. Selling stability works so long as stability means security, now, not so much. People who thought they had bought and paid for their ticket on the Suburb Bound Train find out that their ticket is only good on alternate Thursdays between 11 am and 11:30. And if a guy with the Preferred Ticket wants your seat, you are shit out of luck. And if you sold the best years of your life for your Education Guarantee, a good chance you ate ramen noodles for four or five years and now owe more than you can make in ten. How many MBAs can our country support at a hundred grand a year? When stability no longer mens security, stability ain’t shit. Fox News is very rich people paying rich people to tell middle class people that all their problems are because of poor people. And that works until one of those poor people is your brother in law. Or you. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2014, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2603 "2014-01-28T20:06:08Z")
**EM** -You don’t believe the 60s were a period of large gains for liberals? ---
**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:** [January 28, 2014, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2604 "2014-01-28T23:07:51Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > **EM** -You don’t believe the 60s were a period of large gains for liberals? Since I said “conservative attitudes dominated in the 1950s and 1980s in opposition to long-term gains by liberals” I obviously do believe it. Unless you’re quibbling about how I should be starting with Nixon instead of Reagan. Nixon wasn’t conservative as much as authoritarian, which was opposition but in a different way. It took another decade for the true conservative movement to come to fruition. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2605 "2014-01-29T00:19:33Z")
There are some REpublicans out there who I will support Hillary Clinton over. Conservatism was advanced tremendously during the Clinton years anyway. We got lower spending, major cuts to the federal workforce, free trade agreements, welfare reform, and deregulation. I’d take that again. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2014, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2606 "2014-01-29T01:17:53Z")
I assumed you believe that, you just didn’t explicitly say so. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2607 "2014-01-29T17:04:29Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > There are some REpublicans out there who I will support Hillary Clinton over. Conservatism was advanced tremendously during the Clinton years anyway. We got lower spending, major cuts to the federal workforce, free trade agreements, welfare reform, and deregulation. I’d take that again. And a surplus. Don’t forget the surplus. (Bush sure forgot about it fast, didn’t he?) ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2608 "2014-02-02T05:29:04Z")
John Kasich is looking like he’ll run, and he seems to have figured out how to win support from key Democratic constituencies: > **[The Republican Presidential Contender Everyone's Overlooking](https://www.nationaljournal.com/s/62949/)** > > Ohio Gov. John Kasich is serious about running for president, and he'd be a formidable candidate. Plus unlike Christie, he’s actually a conservative. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2609 "2014-02-02T05:50:13Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > John Kasich is looking like he’ll run, and he seems to have figured out how to win support from key Democratic constituencies: > > [http://www.nationaljournal.com/against-the-grain/the-republican-presidential-contender-everyone-s-overlooking-20140129](http://www.nationaljournal.com/against-the-grain/the-republican-presidential-contender-everyone-s-overlooking-20140129) > > Plus unlike Christie, he’s actually a conservative. Too bad he declared that there is indeed a problem with global warming and that we should do something with our emissions, he is DOA with the current GOP. > **[Kasich: 'I Believe There Is A Problem' With Climate Change](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/john-kasich-climate-change_n_1418606)** > > Kasich: 'I Believe There Is A Problem' With Climate Change Seems that to win the nomination he will have to do a Romney but this only leads to flip flops galore, by the time the presidential election takes place I expect that the suspicions of the tea party conservatives about his purity will keep them at home and sit down that election. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2610 "2014-02-02T05:53:23Z")
You assume much about the GOP base. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2611 "2014-02-02T05:57:05Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > You assume much about the GOP base. I don’t assume, we know already. Most of the funding seen nowadays is going to very conservative Tea Party candidates, virtually all will not give a look at John Kasich unless he “finds religion” soon. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2612 "2014-02-02T06:40:58Z")
It’s not that you’re totally wrong, it’s that you assume that there are enough ultraorthodox conservative voters in a primary to keep a candidate like Kasich out. Yet Kasich is far more conservative than Mitt Romney. The only likely Presidential contender who is pure is Ted Cruz. And while sure, he’s getting a lot of support, do you really think he can Cruz to the nomination? Heh. I’m funny. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2613 "2014-02-02T06:46:26Z")
The horror. The horror. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2614 "2014-02-02T06:49:34Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > It’s not that you’re totally wrong, it’s that you assume that there are enough ultraorthodox conservative voters in a primary to keep a candidate like Kasich out. Yet Kasich is far more conservative than Mitt Romney. Tell that to Bob Inglis > **[Climate of Doubt | FRONTLINE](https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/climate-of-doubt/transcript/?)** > > FRONTLINE explores the massive shift in public opinion on climate change. > [@](#): > > BOB INGLIS (R), Fmr. Congressman, South Carolina: You know, I’m pretty conservative fellow. I got a 93 American Conservative Union rating, 100 percent Christian Coalition, 100 percent National Right to Life, A with the NRA, zero with the ADA, Americans for Democratic Action, a liberal group, and 23 by some mistake with the AFL-CIO. I demand a recount. I wanted a zero. > > JOHN HOCKENBERRY: But Inglis does accept the scientific consensus on global warming and favors legislation to curb the effects of CO2 in the atmosphere. He faced a tea party rebellion in his primary. > [@](#): > > MYRON EBELL, Competitive Enterprise Institute: Bob Inglis was defeated in a Republican primary 79 to 21 percent. Now, how many times has an incumbent who isn’t in prison or facing a prison sentence lost his own primary by 79 to 21 percent? This was overwhelming. But what’s happened is— > > JOHN HOCKENBERRY: [on camera] The smile on your face suggests, “Man, we won one.” > > MYRON EBELL: Of course we won one! > > Rep. BOB INGLIS: We’re on the record. And our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren are going to read— > > JOHN HOCKENBERRY: This climate hearing in the lame duck Congress was Inglis’s last. > > Rep. BOB INGLIS: Your child is sick, 98 doctors say treat him this way, two say, “No, this other is the way to go.” I’ll go with the two. You’re taking a big risk with those kids. > > Rep. JAMES SENSENBRENNER: That was a very key factor in 10 to 15 congressional districts in the 2010 election, where strong supporters of climate change legislation ended up being defeated. > [@adaher](#): > > The only likely Presidential contender who is pure is Ted Cruz. And while sure, he’s getting a lot of support, do you really think he can Cruz to the nomination? Heh. I’m funny. Missing the point, what I said was that Kasich will have to flip flop like crazy into supporting crazy positions, and that craziness will not lead to victory in the main election. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2615 "2014-02-02T06:52:43Z")
The climate change thing is easy to defuse. Believing in climate change doesn’t get you in trouble with the base. It’s supporting stupid job-destroying plans to deal with it. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2616 "2014-02-02T06:54:48Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The climate change thing is easy to defuse. Believing in climate change doesn’t get you in trouble with the base. It’s supporting stupid job-destroying plans to deal with it. Tell it again to Bob Ingliss and all the other republicans that were defeated by the deniers that are now in congress. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2617 "2014-02-02T07:00:38Z")
He favored legislation. That’s what got him in trouble. Kasich will do the right thing and tout all the new developments in the energy field, such as more reliance on natural gas, which leaves a smaller carbon footprint. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2618 "2014-02-02T07:07:10Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > He favored legislation. That’s what got him in trouble. Kasich will do the right thing and tout all the new developments in the energy field, such as more reliance on natural gas, which leaves a smaller carbon footprint. Missing the point again, almost all Tea partiers do not accept that there is a problem so suggesting legislation that supports that is not seen as necessary by them. And really, just doing that is not the right thing **adaher** , you are **really wrong** on that one. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2619 "2014-02-02T07:27:36Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > And really, just doing that is not the right thing **adaher** , you are **really wrong** on that one. Now, that IS definitely surprising and shocking. I may need to sit down until I recover my _sangfroid_ or aplomb or something. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2014, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/2620 "2014-02-02T07:48:58Z")
No, you’re wrong. If Mitt Romney can get past the Tea Party, John Kasich sure as hell can. You just need to believe in a party so extreme that all the members are far right. Although you sorta have to ignore reality to get there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224.md?page=130) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224.md?page=132)