The Republican Party is NOT Sustainable

[Michigander_Life]

It simply isn't. The radical right Tea Party is splintering from the less radical GOP already, and that fracture is picking up steam with each passing election.

The demographics of our country are changing, and they all favor US. Soon, there will be more persons of color than whites. Soon, the republican base -- older conservatives -- will simply be dead. There aren't many more election cycles left for them.

Women and LGBTQ, minorities and immigrants, the entire damn 99%, are being held down by draconian Republican values and policies. I'm visualizing the Republican Party trying to stuff their fingers and toes into the leaks in their political, obstructionist dam. They're doing this with jerrymandering, dirty money and fearmongering. But they're simply delaying the inevitable.

When the dam breaks, and mark my words, it IS breaking, there will be a sweeping flood of liberalism and progressivism across the land.

Republicans aren't sustainable. If we can win the presidency in 2016, there will not be another republican president for decades -- or until they abandon their policies of intolerance and inequality.

[mstinamotorcity2]

1. Can't wait

this is really getting ridiculous. The more they disenfranchise people the more they create bigger portion of the electorate to capture. They don't care. As long as they end up with the Loot.

[retired rooster]

28. You can help. It's essential that we stop them now. It's a matter of upmost importance not only that

we not only vote, we must get out the vote. Call you local Democratic Party and volunteer your time, ever how few hours a week can make our ancestors and future generations, proud of us. We're standing up to the bastards and their regressive programs, please answer your country's call. Come join us.

[mstinamotorcity2]

36. I am already

at work you are late. Was at work the day after every election. I never stop registering voters. Welcome to DU.

[B Calm]

2. I think the GOP is dead in the water!

[RKP5637]

3. Well said! The GOP has managed to gather all of the creepy elements of the US under

one tent, and more and more people are recognizing the GOP for what it is, filled with bigots, racists, homophobes, the weird religious element, misogynists, control freaks, endless greed and a host of similar people and a massive number of delusional individuals.

There was a time when the republican party had some good ideas and teamed with democrats to try to find some balanced solutions, but those days are long gone and doubtful if they will ever return. In essence, the GOP needs to die off, and good riddance.

[Kablooie]

4. It does seem that a party that refuses to govern can't last but...

conservatives make up a HUGE potion of our country and that is not going to change.
They will never become Democrats and there is nowhere else to go.
As long as there is no reasonable Conservative party to join, the Republicans, no matter how dysfunctional, will remain.

[Michigander_Life]

6. There will always be conservatives

But they're already the minority. And the demographics in our country are rapidly shifting. The conservative minority is shrinking. The older conservatives are dying off. Our young folks are persons of color, immigrants and more liberal whites.

A few percentage points in demographic shift will start the landslide away from the Republican stranglehold on our system.

[Kablooie]

9. Many religious minorities of all colors are actually conservative.

If the Republicans weren't so xenophobic and racist they would have a large portion of minorities in their party.
Once the older conservatives die off I wouldn't be surprised if we saw the right growing from a very mixed set of communities.

[CBHagman]

8. Virtually every survey I've ever seen suggests conservaties are a minority...

...usually about one-third.

However, as Pew's latest survey reflects, the details are more nuanced, especially when you get into who's politically active and who mostly sits on the sidelines.

[url]http://www.people-press.org/2014/06/26/the-political-typology-beyond-red-vs-blue/[/url]

[Generic Brad]

5. There is an anti-incumbent wave like no other building right now

If voters get into "vote the bums out" mode this November, the GOP stands to lose the most ground in the House and the Senate. The way they continue to operate, the more they speed up their own demise.

[pipoman]

7. At the current rate neither party is sustainable

The numbers of disenfranchised in both parties is in the rise.

[socialist_n_TN]

14. And there it is, the proverbial hammer meet nail sentence.....

The only thing holding the fragile Democratic coalition together is fear of RW fascism gaining power. As soon as the Republicans split into a fascist right and a big business right party, the Dems will soon follow into a big business party and a left wing grouping.

Hopefully, this left group is a Progressive Workers' Party so workers can FINALLY have a voice that is ALWAYS on their side. No more of the bullshit of a "party for all classes, workers and owners" that the Dems have always tried to be. The Dems will be forced into a choice of workers OR owners. We'll see what they choose, but either way, a more progressive party will come into existence.

[1000words]

45. For the win.

[Freddie]

10. Gerrymandering and voter suppression

And the nature of the Senate giving disproportionate power to red states. This is how they stay in power and they'll do whatever it takes to keep these things. Look at the past few Presidential elections to see which party the majority of the country wants in power.

[RoverSuswade]

11. Rush Limbaugh is keeping the dam from breaking.

As soon as that blowhard is off the air things may change.

[CanonRay]

12. I'm old enough to remember hearing this after Goldwater got creamed.

Who knew what lay around the corner then. I expect these assholes to be around in one form or another forever. I'm beginning to believe that there is a gene for it.

[Jackpine Radical]

37. There's at least some evidence that your genetic theory is correct.

[Hoppy]

13. After 1964 - Goldwater, everyone knew the Republican Party was dead.

Thank god, it's finally coming true,

[ReRe]

35. Hear! Hear!

Welcome to DU, too!

[Dustlawyer]

15. The Republicans may be in the minority, but as many have stated above they fight dirty.

We could effect the change now, but for the fact that the Republican backers control the MSM and encourage the voter apathy that keeps the majority of the people from making the effort to go to the polls.

We need to find a way to engage them as Obama's run in 08 did. If we could plan on protests and marches starting in September with the sole focus of getting the money out of our politics we could give them a single cause they can understand and get behind. OWS had so many different issues aside from Wall Street it was just too much for most people.

Let's take a page from the Republicans play book and turn the reason for the apathy into the reason to vote, ending the corruption! Republicans are famous for taking a strength, such as John Kerry's Vietnam service, and turning it against him. Well, the corruption has kept the Repugs in power and contributed the lions share of the apathy, let's make that the issue in this election. The more money they raise the more we can show that they are trying to buy votes.

Let's force the candidates to support the Constitutional Amendment process to overturn Citizens United, money is not speech, and add to that Publicly Funded Elections across the board, Federal, State, and Local! Let's make them support COMPLETE Campaign Finance Reform!

OWS did a lot of good, especially in changing the conversation to the rising inequality. Let us refine what they did by keeping this singular focus. If we can achieve these goals, Representative Democracy will return and we can start addressing the myriad other issues facing us such as climate change, education, gun control, infrastructure.... We must act now!

[Warpy]

16. That's what they said about us in 2005.

Remember Rove crowing about the permanent Republican majority?

The Republican party is splitting apart, yes, they made too many deals with too many devils. It will be increasingly difficult for them to pick someone for the top slot in national races. They will be a regional party in Dixie and the Moron Corridor.

However, the Democrats also going to have to shape up and realize that policies that only benefit the ultra rich are going to give rise to splinter parties of all types. If they continue to be run by Wall Street Democrats, they're going to have a great deal of difficulty getting anyone to vote for the stiffs they offer in general elections. We'll be in chaos, with regional splinter parties (and the GOP will be one) collecting the majority of votes while the "national" party or parties find themselves with little to no popular support and only the militarized police to keep them propped up in office.

[madville]

17. There will always be a right, left and center

As we know them, the Republicans have another decade or two of relevance in their present form. It's fluid though and things change. Just 50 years ago most of the opposition and the filibusters of the Civil Rights Act came from the Democratic Party and look how it evolved. For all we know in 50 years the Democratic Party could split and the Republicans vanish or they could hold the Congress and White House, impossible to say.

We could see a predominantly Hispanic Party emerge out of California, Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. What happens if this party starts running third party candidates for the presidency a couple of decades down the road and it gives the Republicans a shot at the White House by diminishing Democratic numbers? Just a scenario, there are way too many variables to say that the Republicans aren't sustainable.

What is also not sustainable is a party getting too large. There aren't enough power positions for the political egos and they can splinter.

[Michigander_Life]

18. The more parties, the better.

[A Simple Game]

29. I'm starting to think a coalition government would be better than what we now have. n/t

[Motown_Johnny]

19. IMO, 2020 should be an interesting year.

By then, estimates show, that the white vote will have fallen to around 2/3s while the non-white vote will have risen to roughly 1/3. This really should be the breaking point for the (R)s. (see link below for context)

If you remember the "un-skewed polls" prediction in the last cycle, it was based on a ~74% white electorate. It turned out to be more like 72% and Pres. Obama won in an electoral landslide. Even in 2016 the electorate should be only about 69% white (give or take a little). I think the (R)s can still make a show of it in 2016, and if our nominee does something to self destruct then they might even have a shot at winning the White House.

By 2020 though, even a self destructive (D) may be able to still win. I think it is already to late for the (R)s to make any serious gains in minority votes by then. Even passing Immigration Reform today would not have a big enough impact simply because of the fact that the (R)s have been fighting it so long. The divide is clear and 6 years isn't long enough to breach that divide.


There are also estimates which predict renewable power (solar and wind) will reach grid parity as soon as 2020. At this point the entire rational for fossil fuels subsidies begins to fade away. Once clean renewable electricity can be purchased by the average consumer for the same price as coal produced electricity then the arguments that the (R)s have been making for decades become exposed for what they were. Just lies which hurt this country, and the planet, in order to benefit the fossil fuel industry which in turn financed political careers.

Then there is the 2020 census, and the redrawing of congressional districts based on those numbers. I think that this decade long disadvantage that we have been at will be somewhat reduced. I don't expect it to really end until 2030, but the 20s should not be as bad.


On a side note. Without "Obamacare", Medicare would go bankrupt in 2016. So we will need to do the math and figure out (as best we can) an exact date and make a HUGE deal about it when it comes around. Then from that day forward we can all point out that the people who wanted to repeal the ACA would have make Medicare go bankrupt and seniors would all be without health care. Over and over and over again, we need to beat that into the heads of everyone. Especially people who are actually on Medicare at the time.



Modern conservatism is not sustainable. I agree. The Republican Party may continue to exist in some form, but not as we see it now. It is this extreme form of faith based conservatism that simply can't continue on a national level. The extremists seem to be headed toward a regional party which will have little to no effect on national policy decisions. Just small havens for people who are able to believe what they want to believe no matter the evidence which points elsewhere. In time even this is unsustainable. It may take a generation or two, but eventually people in those havens will want to have some voice in national policy. I think that I am old enough to not see that day, but I am fairly sure it will come.








for context: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002975365

[Michigander_Life]

21. Excellent post

The demographics simply are against them. They'll have to change or become the party of irrelevance -- both are acceptable options.

[ReRe]

38. They will die before they change. n/t

[EEO]

20. Adapt or die.

[ybbor]

22. From your lips, er fingertips, to god's ears

We can only hope to be around to see it. And then what a mess we will have to clean up!

[adieu]

23. It's not the GOP that is unsustainable

it is the mentality of those within the GOP. Those who hark back to a mythological history that never occurred. Those who refuse to see reality. Those who prefer regression rather than progression. Those who prefer tradition for the sake of tradition rather than innovation because there is no choice. They will realize that they cannot maintain that attitude. We must progress. We must move forward.

[IronLionZion]

24. I hope so, but many of them don't think so

Ralph Reed thinks abortion and birth control are limiting the number of liberals while conservatives are multiplying like cockroaches. And they also think they can win minorities over on religion and by promoting the nonsense that Dems want to keep them poor.

[Cartoonist]

25. The One Percent

Nice dream you have there. Here's the reality: It's the money. The wealthy have all the power. They are doing just fine with the status quo. Their puppets, the repubs, are able to stymie any progressive actions that will hurt them. Gay rights do not hurt the rich, therefore they are able to proceed. When repubs can no longer defend the rich, then the rich will buy the democrats. They already own quite a few.

[Cartoonist]

31. A new strategy is called for

I wish I could come up with one. The Occupy movement really brought the 1%/99% divide into the open. Since we can't vote for who becomes rich, we really can't vote for who is in power.

[indivisibleman]

32. Totally agree

I have been saying this since 2006. Back then I predicted the next 6 cycles would be democratic presidencies. But local elections are another creature and progressives need to be vigilant on maintaining unity. As the GOP loses power at the federal level I am concerned about them, under the influence of the Tea Party, gaining more and more power at the local level.

[DesertDiamond]

33. All of my friends who were rabid Republicans now call themselves Independents...

BUT. They STILL listen to RW talk radio and watch Fake News channel! But I am working on that. That will be ending soon.

[ReRe]

40. You need to branch out and....

... get some new friends. Those guys will drive you nuts, eventually.

[ChiciB1]

34. While I Would Like To Make A Positive Comment In Favor

of the Democratic Party I no longer feel I have much faith in what ANY in D.C. can do for "we the people!" It's really up to the American people to get out and vote and make their voices heard. While I would prefer to think that people in this country will wake up to what's going on, I'm afraid it's going to take longer than not.

This country is much too absorbed in many more issues that entertain or are of a frivolous nature. While I've seen "some" stirring & awakening of the masses I'm not sure enough people are paying attention yet. Kind of liken it to "Rome Burning While Nero Fiddles!"

I've been an activist for such a long time and while I've seen upheavals and violence during and since Viet Nam, I don't think I've ever seen so much "navel gazing" until now. We are a seriously fractured people and much too uninformed of some really serious problems. And to those of us who try so hard to make them aware, so many times we see them more interested in Reality Programs, some of which are mind boggling to me. Like "Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo!" HOW this show is still on is beyond my comprehension! And there are so many more like this.

When I began to realize that so, so many people don't even understand HOW our Government works my jaw dropped. People who didn't even know the difference between the Executive, Senate & House and what relevance they have to how our country runs. Let alone people who could even give me ONE name of a Supreme Court Justice!

At first I gave them the benefit of the doubt, thinking that their lives are so busy with jobs & family and felt it's difficult to keep up with so much going on. Yes, many people are overwhelmed each day just trying to get by, but after while taking a closer look I saw how little they knew. Then of course finding it so very hard to get people to register to vote. A basic right that's now in jeopardy and being eroded and taken away.

Yes, people in power are becoming stronger and stronger and we could be defined as an Oligarchy these days, but getting MORE PEOPLE involved and aware is really the FIRST step needed! Gossip, lies and blind faith will be the ruin of America, and we seem to be sinking down the rabbit hole faster and faster every day.

Sorry to be so cynical, but I sincerely wish I felt differently. And of course, this is just MY opinion. Still I don't feel that alone.

[undergroundpanther]

44. ChiciB1 I am with you on your post

People have been atomized,dumbed down and have turned narcissistic. We are becoming so vulnerable to manipulators,scam artists liars etc. people cant learn new perspectives,relare to the"other"or reason with each other without base emotional reactions. interfering with the thought process.

[Agnosticsherbet]

39. Parties changed, and sometimes die (Whigs, Federalists) but the right and the left endures.

Eisenhower was a real Republican and a Conservative in the context of his time. This was the same time that William F. Buckley fought to purge the racist, hyper nationalist John Birch Society out of the Republican Party. Back in those days, the New England states were a bastion of the Republican Party and the old South was a Democratic stronghold from the Mason-Dixon Line to the Gulf. Not much later, Johnson passed the Civil Rights act with the help of those New England Republicans while the Southern Democrats opposed it.

Beginning with Nixon's "Southern Strategy" Republicans began appealing to Southern Democrats using racist language. Reagan took those Southern Democrats and made them Reagan Democrats. Under Clinton, the last of the Democratic establishment in the South switched parties.

Beginning with FDR and Truman, the the Democratic Party began the change to the part we have today, eventually loosing the South as the parties changed.

Todays Teaparty is just the John Birch Society with a different name and poor spelling. It is even funded and partially founded by the Koch brothers, whose father was the cofounder of the John Birch Society.

The Republican Party, or a conservative party, will always exist. Even if they go the way of the Whigs, another party will take its place, or, conservative elements in the Democratic Party will continue to move the party to the right and some party like the Greens will become the New Left/progressive/liberal party.

It is the nature of any human institution to change and evolve through time.

[sarisataka]

41. I have been around long enough

To see the GOP die and come back like Frankenstein's monster. Until I see them throwing their signs into a bonfire and voting for decent people I am not going to assume anything.

[Snarkoleptic]

42. I believe many in their tent are awakening to the fact they've been tricked

into supporting obstructionists who couldn't care less about them and act only in the interest of the 1%.

High inequality frays society and reduces trust in institutions.

It is not an accident that trust in major institutions has declined on a linear track with rising inequality. Study after study has shown that trust in our fellow citizens and in institutions at large are dependent on the level of inequality and corruption in society. This stands to reason: people know when they're getting the short end of the stick, even if they can't agree on why. Conservatives wrongly blame government spending and regulation. Liberals rightly blame disproportionate rewards going to the very wealthy. Not surprisingly, then, high levels of inequality also create strong partisanship within society as politicians and pundits alike ratchet up the rhetoric of blame. As both secular and religious institutions seem equally powerless to address increasing economic and social insecurity, the social fabric begins to fray and people tend to self-segregate in many ways, including politically. Economic tension and social tension tend to go hand in hand.

More here-
http://www.alternet.org/economy/5-reasons-rich-are-ruining-economy-hoarding-their-money?paging=off&current_page=1#bookmark

[Blue Owl]

43. Gasping, dying... yet still alive...

n/t