Will The Republicans Double Down on a Losing Strategy?

[Minimalist]

Yes, according to Time Magazine.

http://swampland.time.com/2012/11/07/why...-strategy/

As centrists have abandoned the GOP, the power of the base has gotten even stronger inside the party, further reducing the allure of centrist policies, which has further alienated centrists. It’s a closed feedback loop, and GOP veterans do not expect Tuesday’s disappointing but not catastrophic losses to break it before the next election cycle. The party’s voters and funders are not looking for compromise, so its leaders are likely to double down on fossil-fueled, Wall Street–friendly obstructionism. Ryan, a devout supply-sider who is also more socially conservative than Romney, is likely to emerge as an even more central player in Congress and in the offstage struggle to lead the party; Rubio and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal have similar ideological profiles and ambitions. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who had won fans with his aggressive liberal-bashing despite some policy moderation, infuriated many in the party with his enthusiastic praise of Obama after Hurricane Sandy.

Of course, 2016 is ages from now. While there will surely be some intraparty sniping during the next few months, for now, Republicans seem likely to stick with their playbook and cater to their base. Even as that base gets older, angrier and less representative of America.

[Annik]

How fucked up is it that Republicans will bash a guy for thanking the man who was saving the city?

[DeistPaladin]

The GOP has become like the charismatic preacher who has been a con artist so long he actually believes in his own magic and can't understand why it's not working.

The GOP needs to face reality but can't because it's been living in an alternate reality for so long. The situation for them will get worse, not better, since their crazy base is going to start dying off.

I don't like this situation, as we have serious problems to address.

[Rev. Rye]

And, honestly, I've been getting the feeling that the Republican Party is going to be headed in this direction for years. Either they'll turn into an out and out fascist party by 2020, or they'll be headed towards oblivion by then.

[TaraJo]

2016 might be a long way away, but 2014 midterms are coming up soon. I can quite easily see them losing more power then.

The party has had a really bad habit of ignoring evidence when it contradicts what they want to believe. Usually they can get away with it, but when they ignore the polls, they aways get hurt for that. Sadly, they haven't had a history of responding to these ass-kickings by becoming more moderate. I honestly think they'll blame Romney's centrism on them losing the election and the response will be to nominate a far-right whack-job like Santorum in 2016.

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Also worth noting, they've already found at least one scapegoat: Chris Cristie.

http://mediamatters.org/research/2012/11...-fo/191296

[Minimalist]

I can quite easily see them losing more power then.

Ah....but there is the problem. The electorate in mid-term elections is different from presidential elections. People will stand in line for hours to vote for president but not for a congressman. It is almost guaranteed that the party in power loses seats in the mid-term because the opposition's supporters vote in larger numbers.


The real question is, will we see the same kind of tea-bagging assholes being nominated for congress by the GOP or will they look for less strident voices? I am never an optimist. When all you have is a pool of total assholes to draw from the odds are you are going to select a total asshole.

[Faith No More]

Once they get done playing the deflect the blame game(i.e. it's all of those brown people's fault), I believe they absolutely will double down on their conservatism. When you scare off the moderates of your party, as they have done, you're going to be left with only the lunatic fringe. If I was an optimist, I would say that this election was the begining of the end of the Republican party unless it changes its ways, but I am no such thing.

[Darth]

And they're certainly doing their best to purge themselves of their libertarian wing.

[Creed of Heresy]

Pft. Libertarian wing. As if the Tea Party was actually libertarian...

[Darth]

Didn't say that.