Well, here is sit the night after "the most important election in since the last most important election in our Countries history". Things didn't exactly go as I had hoped. Didn't go exactly as about 50 million other people had hoped either. I don't understand. I mean I REALLY don't understand.
How can a guy get re-elected when, according to polls, 60% of the people in this country didn't approve of the way he was handling the economy? How can a guy get re-elected when the average family is making approximately $5,000 less per year than they were 4 years ago? How can a guy get re-elected when the nations unemployment rate has remained higher for longer than at any time in American history?
I think I have a pretty good idea. (admit it, you knew it was coming) The problem with the Republican party is that the vast majority of voters in this Country can't identify with the folks that they keep putitng out there as their candidate. How many of us can truly identify with a guy that's worth somewhere around eleventy billion dollars, who came from a family that was worth around eleventy billion dollars? I'm pretty sure he never had to dig through the ashtray in his car for gas mone!
And it wasn't just the current candidate. The previous candidate, although a war hero with an impeccable record, wasn't easily identifiable with either.
There needs to be a litmus test of sorts when it comes to candidates. How about a simple "would I have a beer with this guy"?
What the republican party needs to do is find their own rock-star. Find a young guy with enough balls to say what's on his mind. Who isn't afraid to ruffle feathers. Who looks out for the best interests of the Country, even though they might not be the best interests of himself, or his party. Find somebody that everybody can look at & say, wow, I believe in him. Somebody who doesn't back down from his convictions just because his "handlers" are afraid he'll actually speak his mind and piss people off.
Somebody who has a clear picture of where he stands on the issues. Who has a plan for the Country. People want to see and hear about an iron-clad plan for the economy, and for foreign affairs. And they want them explained to them in a way they can understand. Don't come up with some bs line about "we have a plan, a very detailed plan that I can't explain at this moment"! Beyond that, don't get bogged down. There are always going to be issues that pop up that somebody wants your position on. I think it's ok to say "I don't know, but I'll go back and talk to the brightest minds in that field and get back to you".
Oh, who'm I kidding? People want somebody who looks good, smells good and lies to them out of both sides of their mouth. Have I mentioned before that people are stupid?
Great points John. I'm convinced that this election was won on social issues - most specifically - the gay marriage issue. I don't think economics were a consideration for a huge majority of the Obama voters. I think until the Republican party loosens its grip (call it party reform if you want) on the marriage equality issue and put up a candidate that can balance a budget AND recognize gay marriage, it will not win another election. Like it or not, that issue IS what won this election for Obama. They're here. They're queer. They vote. Get used to it!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat point. I do agree with you to an extent. I don't think it was entirely social issues though. As far as gay marriage, I don't think it's the governments job to get into people's bedrooms. It's nobody's business but their own.
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