GOP divide deepens on abortion, immigration, gay rights - A party civil war could be looming

[pampango]

over social issues, especially if Romney fails to defeat Obama.

But behind the harmonious images that Romney aides have worked hard to produce, Republicans face a frightening demographic future and a party civil war. Polls show that the GOP is united today more by an intense desire to defeat President Obama than by enthusiasm for Romney. The former Massachusetts governor made it to the nomination after a long and bruising primary contest that exposed continuing strains within the party.

This time, with an eye toward broadening the Republican Party's appeal to undecided voters, Romney strategists have tried to keep the focus on healthcare and the public's dissatisfaction with Obama's handling of the economy. Pushed as far into the background as possible: strictly conservative stances that Romney adopted in the primaries on immigration and social issues, including same-sex marriage and abortion, that helped win over the GOP's base.

Latinos, the fastest-growing demographic group in recent years, are put off by the party's immigration stance. Younger voters reject its positions on abortion, same-sex marriage and attendant issues — such as contraception — which Democrats have used against the GOP for months. Republicans are becoming an older and whiter party in a nation that is becoming less so. Unless Republicans can broaden their appeal, the party's viability could ultimately be in doubt.

Nowhere is the looming difficulty more apparent than among Latinos. The coalition that Romney will try to mobilize this November will be made up overwhelmingly of non-Latino whites (89% of Romney's current supporters are white, according to national polling by the Pew Research Center). Looking ahead, the nation's white majority will continue to shrink, according to demographers. Minorities, and particularly the Latino community, will make up an ever-increasing share of the population.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-republicans-future-20120827,0,3798871.story

Maybe it is their understanding that they face "a frightening demographic future and a party civil war" that makes them as desperate and nasty as they are.

[warrior1]

1. Well,

Willard is going to lose so...

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

2. Make it harder and harder to vote?

Proof of property ownership to be able to vote next on the Republican agenda?

[Motown_Johnny]

3. The Republican party is doomed.

They can't appeal to groups outside their base without alienating their base. Either way they can't survive.

That is why they are trying to deny American citizens their Constitutionally protected right to vote. It is the only way they can stay competitive. It is a stop gap measure and there will be a backlash.

I give it 8 years. By 2020 the white vote drops below 2/3 of the electorate and IMO it is at that point that the (R)s cease to be a national party. They can still win in some areas of the country but national elections will be out of reach.

They were the minority party for ~40 years and those were they best 40 years this county ever had. The sooner we return to that arraignment the sooner this country begins improving again.

[Ineeda]

4. One direction that may additionally support this theory

is that soon ONLY corporations and zygotes will be "people, my friend." And they don't vote.

[SoCalDem]

5. We need FOUR parties..not two

Evangelical Christian Party
Conservative
Liberal
Labor Party

the whole republican v democrat thing is no longer valid.

[madrchsod]

6. women became the focus of the party`s hatred...

and pissed off more women than they think...