# 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:** 77
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1521 "2013-07-17T02:33:01Z")
You know, all we need someone to do is photoshop McCain in as the turkey being killed behind that press conference of Palin’s. His 2008 campaign summed up in one image. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1522 "2013-07-17T02:39:47Z")
Well yes, McCain’s reaction was stupid. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1523 "2013-07-17T06:50:28Z")
Rumors that he tried to call in an air strike on the financial crisis are unfounded. We should all be diligent in preventing the spread of such scurrilous lies. ---
**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 17, 2013, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1524 "2013-07-17T10:45:41Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Romney lost because Obama ran an intensively negative and personal campaign, with media assistance. You’re just sore because Obama’s intensively negative and personal campaign was better than Romney’s intensively negative and personal campaign. ---
**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 17, 2013, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1525 "2013-07-17T11:06:04Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > You’re just sore because Obama’s intensively negative and personal campaign was better than Romney’s intensively negative and personal campaign. Meh - they’re both amateurs compared to Rick Santorum. Who could forget [Obamaville](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAes5wnEoaI)? ---
**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 17, 2013, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1526 "2013-07-17T11:24:13Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > And then Bible Spice opened her mouth Why did it take five years to come up with the perfect name for Palin? I am SO stealing this. ---
**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:** [July 17, 2013, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1527 "2013-07-17T11:55:31Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Why did it take five years to come up with the perfect name for Palin? I am SO stealing this. Use it in good health. But it’s not anywhere near new…I’ve heard/seen it since before Election Day 2008. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1528 "2013-07-17T12:40:40Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Why did it take five years to come up with the perfect name for Palin? I am SO stealing this. Caribou Barbie didn’t do it for ya, huh? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1529 "2013-07-17T13:17:17Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Sort of. However, it is historically very unlikely that someone could win the popular vote and lose the electoral vote. Yes, isn’t it though? > [@](#): > > Plus since states are polled less frequently than the nation, which is polled every day several times, they lag. Minus Sandy, Romney maybe wins the popular vote. Which probably means he wins the electoral vote, but even if he doesn’t, we at least don’t have this thread.🙂 _That’s_ how you’ve chosen to spin your unskewed-poll nonsense now? ---
**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 17, 2013, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1530 "2013-07-17T13:32:35Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Yes, isn’t it though? In four out of the 57 US presidential elections (1824, 1876, 1888 and 2000) the winner won the EC but lost the popular vote. So about 7% or so. **Fun Fact!** : In the last three of those the Republican won over the more-popular Democratic candidate, while in 1824 both John Quincy Adams (who won the election) and Andrew Jackson (who won the popular vote by a 10% margin) were Democratic-Republicans. And Now You Know. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1531 "2013-07-17T14:54:20Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > I wouldn’t say the DLC is gone, the party has instead internalized it. Resistance is futile. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1532 "2013-07-17T17:56:32Z")
So? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1533 "2013-07-17T18:02:18Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > So? But it’s debatable which assimilated which. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1534 "2013-07-17T18:16:09Z")
Does it matter? The result is that the Democrats are now centrist, not progressive - and in power, reflexive oppositionism from the GOP notwithstanding. The more useful discussion would be about how to get the Dem leadership to recognize that they can be more progressive without risking power, and that in fact they might even \*gain \*support. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1535 "2013-07-17T18:19:02Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The more useful discussion would be about how to get the Dem leadership to recognize that they can be more progressive without risking power, and that in fact they might even \*gain \*support. But, are you sure that is true? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1536 "2013-07-17T18:27:37Z")
No, it’s not possible to be sure in politics. However, just look at, for instance, the number of people who think Obamacare doesn’t go far _enough_, that it easily could have had a real public option, and at all the lies that are being told about it anyway. The criticisms of it are based on the preemptive compromises to it that didn’t have to be made. How do you think thepublic opinion is moved, unless by leadership and actions that help make policies seem normal and necessary instead of extreme? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1537 "2013-07-17T19:09:07Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Does it matter? The result is that the Democrats are now centrist, not progressive - and in power, reflexive oppositionism from the GOP notwithstanding. The more useful discussion would be about how to get the Dem leadership to recognize that they can be more progressive without risking power, and that in fact they might even \*gain \*support. Maybe. I find it as delusional as the Republicans thinking the secret is to move further to the right. The issue isn’t ideology, most of the public is non-ideological. It’s about good government. govern well, you win. Govern poorly, you lose. Govern corruptly, you damage your brand for a decade or more. One of the problems with being more progressive is, where do you get the money? Taxing the middle class is off the table now. Since you can only get so much money from taxing the rich, that means progressives have to scale back their ambitions. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1538 "2013-07-17T19:25:40Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The issue isn’t ideology, most of the public is non-ideological. It’s about good government. No, ideology is more important to some people than others, but [most people have **some** ideology,](http://www.people-press.org/2011/05/04/beyond-red-vs-blue-the-political-typology/) if we broadly define same as political views with content more specific and controversial than “good government”. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1539 "2013-07-17T20:13:48Z")
I’ll concede your point because that’s how conservatism got as strong as it did. Problem is, liberals don’t seem to be very interested in convincing anyone not already on board of the virtues of liberalism. Their strategy is the very definition of base moblization. Even though it’s a smaller base. ---
**Author:** ![CJJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecc23a/32.png) [@CJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224/1540 "2013-07-17T20:20:51Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > No, ideology is more important to some people than others, but [most people have **some** ideology,](http://www.people-press.org/2011/05/04/beyond-red-vs-blue-the-political-typology/) if we broadly define same as political views with content more specific and controversial than “good government”. I tend to agree. Furthermore, I think that once ideology is set, it is very hard to change it. In that sense, I think there are very few true swing voters–meaning true undecideds who could vote R in one election and D in the next. I think most swing voters are really just undecided about whether or not to bother voting for their team this time. Most of these folks IMO know their lone vote doesn’t much effect the outcome of a grand election, so their vote is simply a proxy to “cheer for their side”. It’s considered bad form to switch sides just because your team is losing, so you are going to stick with D or R probably to the bitter end. On the other hand, who doesn’t enjoy cheering when it looks like your side is going to win? Conversely, while it may be noble for a die-hard to cheer his team thru a loss, in my experience most fans aren’t that noble. That’s why we have bandwagons 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224.md?page=76) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-the-republicans-ever-figure-out-why-they-lost/645224.md?page=78)