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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"It’s an “Archie Bunker” posture in a “Modern Family” world."
Posted with permission.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-perils-small-tent-party
The perils of a small-tent party
09/21/15 12:55 PMUpdated 09/21/15 01:06 PM
By Steve Benen
In the last national election cycle, the Republican losses obviously counted, but so too did the way in which they lost. GOP candidates, party officials later acknowledged, were catering to an increasingly narrow part of the population. The Republican Partys base was getting older, whiter, and male-dominated.
GOP strategists were determined to change the partys focus. They failed spectacularly.
Of course its worrisome if you have a party thats perceived as anti-Latino, anti-Asian, anti-gay, intolerant of Muslims, Schmidt said.
Schmidts correct that the partys problems are exacerbated by perceptions of intolerance and exclusivity, and this doesnt just alienate Latinos, Asians, Muslims, and the LGBT community. It also has the effect of pushing away white mainstream voters who start to see Republicans as wildly out of step with a diverse, modern nation.
On Friday, for example, President Obama nominated Eric Fanning as the next Secretary of the Army. No one has questioned Fannings qualifications, but GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee condemned the nomination because Fanning is gay. Its clear President Obama is more interested in appeasing Americas homosexuals than honoring Americas heroes, the Republican said, adding, Homosexuality is not a job qualification. The U.S. military is designed to keep Americans safe and complete combat missions, not conduct social experiments.
Its an Archie Bunker posture in a Modern Family world.
Of course, the broader point is that the campaign to create a small-tent party isnt limited to Huckabee. Ben Carson doesnt think Muslims can be president. Donald Trump vowed last week that hes going to be looking into non-existent Muslim training camps. Bobby Jindal said this morning that a Muslim could be president, but only if he or she took the oath of office on a Christian Bible.
Its against this backdrop that many Republicans want to shut down the government over Planned Parenthood funding. And condemn the Black Lives Matter movement while ignoring the need for a Voting Rights Act repair. And push over-the-top talking points about anchor babies and mass deportations.
After the 2012 cycle, Republican officials concluded, Our party is too small. To which the GOPs driving forces spent three years responding, Lets make it smaller and more reactionary.
All of which brings us back to that Steve Schmidt quote: Of course its worrisome if you have a party thats perceived as anti-Latino, anti-Asian, anti-gay, intolerant of Muslims.
The GOP presidential nominating process has several months to go. Theres every reason to believe the most worrisome developments are still to come.
Bucky
(54,003 posts)It's possible to be conservative and not an asshole north of the border. If the Republicans quit bashing on Latinos, Asians, gays, Muslims, and (it's understood, tho Schmidt didn't say it out loud) African-Americans, they'd lose have their votes. They depend on white resentment just to keep the country club set in charge of the Ways and Means Committee.
You'd think a Republican strategist would have a better understanding of supply-and-demand dynamics.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)AndreaCG
(2,331 posts)Archie had a gay ex army buddy, and a transvestite singer who had a very interesting and progressive story arc. (She was killed in a gay bashing incident. Archie was not happy).