# 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:** 53
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1041 "2013-07-03T01:45:19Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > You guys spend all this effort continuously showing Adaher how wrong he is about absolutely every thing he holds dear and not one iota of it is going to stick. Which is basically the answer we’ve been looking for the last 21 pages. To be fair, I’ve only hopped in now, and now I’m hopping out. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1042 "2013-07-03T01:46:36Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > You guys spend all this effort continuously showing Adaher how wrong he is about absolutely every thing he holds dear and not one iota of it is going to stick. Which is basically the answer we’ve been looking for the last 21 pages. I call it… science! ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1043 "2013-07-03T01:59:47Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > It’s kind of insulting, actually, speaking as a white guy. It assumes that whites will always vote racial resentment, which is just vile. Whites vary drastically by geography in their voting habits. I don’t have the exit polls on me but in 2004 and 2008 it basically ended up like this Whites in the northeast voted democrat about 60-70% of the time (I think vermont was highest, the new england area is lily white and very liberal). Whites on the west coast voted about 50-60% democrat. Whites in the midwest voted democrat about 40% of the time. Whites in the rural western states voted democrat about 30-40% of the time Whites in the south voted democrat maybe 30% of the time Whites in the deep south (AL, MS, LA) voted democrat about 10% of the time. So you can’t say ‘white people vote XYZ’. A white person in Mississippi is not a white person in Vermont. On the other hand, I dont’ think there is much diversity among non-white voters by region. I dont’ think at least. Blacks are about 90% democrat irrelevant of where they are living. Latinos, I think, are about 60-70% democrat in the south, west, northeast, etc. Racial resentment politics do work for whites in rural areas and the south. But that is about it. There are tons of white liberals, white working class voters, white union workers, etc. just like there are white social conservatives and white libertarians. The white vote is split and the non-white vote is going dem. It is a demographic time bomb, assuming voting habits don’t change. Also white millennials tend to be 20-30 points to the left of their parents in many states. In Indiana white millennials supported Obama, their parents didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1044 "2013-07-03T02:12:16Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Whites don’t vote as a bloc in most of the country. They do in Alabama and Mississippi… Please please please please please let this be the strategy the GOP goes with for the next umpteen years. Clearly how Alabama and Mississppi go is how the nation goes, right? > [@Truman\_Burbank](#): > > You are very, very alone in this opinion. It is ludicrous on the face of it. As are most of the ideas our friend clings to so desperately. > [@DigitalC](#): > > You guys spend all this effort continuously showing Adaher how wrong he is about absolutely every thing he holds dear and not one iota of it is going to stick. Yeah, none of it will stick. But I do find it immensely entertaining. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1045 "2013-07-03T03:12:17Z")
It’s interesting how the Republican Party keeps saying they get why they lost and need to change, then they turn right around and say people just need to understand their message better (plus, various members keep pissing people off with their antics). They just don’t get it and they will keep alienating their moderate members, like me (I’m white so there’s some white loss there), and keep losing the important national elections. They might win here and there and may keep the House for awhile, but if they keep going the way they are, they won’t be able to hold their gains. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1046 "2013-07-03T03:40:18Z")
Adaher is right, as usual. Just because there are a ton of people ganging up on him doesn’t mean he isn’t. Republicans do not rely on monolithic voting blocs; Democrats do. And to further that point, Republicans do not try to divide based on race and/or gender to maintain those voting blocs; Democrats do, in order to maintain those voting blocs. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1047 "2013-07-03T04:08:45Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > **Adaher is right, as usual.** Just because there are a ton of people ganging up on him doesn’t mean he isn’t. > > Republicans do not rely on monolithic voting blocs; Democrats do. And to further that point, Republicans do not try to divide based on race and/or gender to maintain those voting blocs; Democrats do, in order to maintain those voting blocs. Care to back that up with a few examples and cites? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1048 "2013-07-03T04:40:49Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Adaher is right, as usual. Just because there are a ton of people ganging up on him doesn’t mean he isn’t. > > Republicans do not rely on monolithic voting blocs; Democrats do. And to further that point, Republicans do not try to divide based on race and/or gender to maintain those voting blocs; Democrats do, in order to maintain those voting blocs. Okay, let’s say this is true. What are you gonna do about it? ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1049 "2013-07-03T07:20:36Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Care to back that up with a few examples and cites? Let’s see. Off the top of my head, there’s the “war on women” meme, the Republicans hate immigrants meme and the Republicans are racist meme, the latter of which is usually highlighted by such gems as [Republicans want to bring back Jim Crow](http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0611/DWS_GOP_wants_to_bring_back_Jim_Crow.html) or [Tea Party wants to lynch Blacks](http://hotair.com/archives/2011/08/31/video-tea-party-wants-to-see-minorities-hanging-on-a-tree-at-war-with-a-black-president/) (among other frankly ridiculous comments). Seriously. Do you happen to live in a damn bubble? Democrats fearmonger/race bait, tell people what they want to hear and judge people based on the color of their skin/their gender. This is an _absolute fact_, and if you want to get into a pissing contest on this, I’m more than willing to entertain you. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1050 "2013-07-03T07:59:23Z")
[Is There a Republican ‘War on Women’?](http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/is-there-a-republican-war-on-women) > [@](#): > > Those who argue that the war is real cite examples like the strong Republican opposition to Obama’s proposed contraception reform and the extreme pro-life stances of people like Rick Santorum—who has said that abortion is wrong even in cases of rape and incest—as instances of lawmakers wading too far into women’s issues. Republican efforts to redefine rape to reduce access to abortions, cut funding for Planned Parenthood, hold a hearing on contraception without any female panel members, and (in South Dakota, at least) make it legal to kill doctors who perform abortions have not helped their case with some women, either. [Republicans vs. Women](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/opinion/republicans-vs-women.html?_r=0) > [@](#): > > Even with a persistent gender gap in a presidential election year, House Republicans have not given up on their campaign to narrow access to birth control, abortion care and lifesaving cancer screenings. Far from it. [9 Lies Republicans Tell About Women’s Bodies](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/27/republican-lies-womens-bodies_n_1374027.html) > [@](#): > > . Birth Control Causes Prostate Cancer. > Abortion Causes Breast Cancer. > Birth Control Is A Sex Pill. > Abortion Industry Is “Selling Abortions.” > Women Can’t Get Pregnant From Rape. > Prenatal Testing Leads To Abortion. > HPV Vaccine Causes Retardation. > Plan B Causes Abortions. > Your Fetus Is Just Fine. By the way, I don’t think Republicans hate immigrants. Where else will they get cheap, exploitable labor? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1051 "2013-07-03T09:35:46Z")
Some recent tweets from Nate Silver, just FYI: > [@](#): > > If the GOP wants more appeal to Hispanics, it should moderate on economic policy and soften the anti-gov’t rhetoric. > [@](#): > > Hispanics are more trusting of gov’t than whites, even if they identify as conservative. They are “compassionate conservatives”, so to speak > [@](#): > > If immigration reform is used as a token to avoid a more “compassionate” economic message, not too helpful to GOP on balance. ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1052 "2013-07-03T15:10:54Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > [Is There a Republican ‘War on Women’?](http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/is-there-a-republican-war-on-women) > > [Republicans vs. Women](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/opinion/republicans-vs-women.html?_r=0) > > [9 Lies Republicans Tell About Women’s Bodies](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/27/republican-lies-womens-bodies_n_1374027.html) > By the way, I don’t think Republicans hate immigrants. Where else will they get cheap, exploitable labor? Jesus Christ. “Women” are not some monolithic voting bloc. In fact, generally speaking, Republicans tend to win the most “liberal” voting bloc of women (Whites) and lose the most “conservative” voting bloc (non-Whites). But, hey. I’m pretty sure you knew this. Honestly, though. Your post is highly ironic and just proves the point being made. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1053 "2013-07-03T15:19:33Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Let’s see. Off the top of my head, there’s the “war on women” meme, the Republicans hate immigrants meme and the Republicans are racist meme To repeat my previous post: > [@](#): > > Do you think that when the GOP talk about the 47%, the “welfare queens”, the “lazy freeloaders”, and the “illegals” who obviously vote Democratic, there exists anyone who doesn’t understand that they mean minorities and the poor (which overlap significantly anyway)? Do you think it’s the Democratic voters making the “It’s called the WHITE House for a reason” jokes, and the witch doctor signs, and the “Don’t Re-Nig” bumper stickers? And you’ve already seen the Atwater quote. Sure, the Democrats tend to take minority votes for granted. But given the choice between the party that gives them a patronizing pat on the head and the party that wants to curbstomp them, it’s unsurprising that most minorities will take the least worst option. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1054 "2013-07-03T15:20:10Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > In fact, generally speaking, Republicans tend to win the most “liberal” voting bloc of women (Whites) and lose the most “conservative” voting bloc (non-Whites). What gives you the idea that non-whites are more conservative than whites? ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1055 "2013-07-03T15:35:05Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Please please please please please let this be the strategy the GOP goes with for the next umpteen years. Clearly how Alabama and Mississppi go is how the nation goes, right? > > As are most of the ideas our friend clings to so desperately. > Yeah, none of it will stick. But I do find it immensely entertaining. 😃 This thread has me REALLY looking forward to Election Night 2016. It’ll probably be even MORE fun than the Fox News Election Night 2012 highlights, which is saying a LOT. ---
**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:** [July 3, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1056 "2013-07-03T15:44:27Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Democrats fearmonger/race bait, tell people what they want to hear and judge people based on the color of their skin/their gender. This is an _absolute fact_, and if you want to get into a pissing contest on this, I’m more than willing to entertain you. Boy oh boy do I hope most Republicans agree with **OMG** on “absolute facts” like this. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1057 "2013-07-03T15:55:14Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > Democrats fearmonger/race bait, tell people what they want to hear and judge people based on the color of their skin/their gender. This is an _absolute fact_, and if you want to get into a pissing contest on this, I’m more than willing to entertain you. Care to expand on why minorities increasingly vote for candidates they know for a fact are racists? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1058 "2013-07-03T15:55:17Z")
Now, you just hold on there a second! We’re not talking about some ordinary, everyday, plain old fact there! This is an _absolute_ fact! Can’t get any more factier than _that_! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1059 "2013-07-03T16:03:00Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Now, you just hold on there a second! We’re not talking about some ordinary, everyday, plain old fact there! This is an _absolute_ fact! Can’t get any more factier than _that_! To borrow a line: > [@Dr Neil Fox](#): > > Now that’s scientific fact… there’s no real evidence for it, but it is scientific fact. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1060 "2013-07-03T16:20:03Z")
Perhaps if some of the GOP supporters could bring supporting evidence for their claims that their party is not based upon subverting the rights of those with whom they disagree, then this debate might be somewhat more elevated. As it is, the level of discourse resembles that evinced in many elementary school playgrounds. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224.md?page=52) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224.md?page=54)