In Answer to Selling the GOP

This is one of those really big topics, between the Republicans vs. the "conservatives".

The smaller answer to how the GOP comes back is easy we must have candidates that can win in whatever seat they are running for. You have to have an Olympia Snowe in Maine or it will go to the Democrats. That only hurts the GOP.

Then you have the bigger question about how does conservatism win. It wins by providing solutions to the problems Americans are faced with. The voting public doesn't care if a soltion is liberal or conservative they only want one that works. The GOP must come up with a platform like 94 but for a new generation and a new America. One that focuses on personal choice in finances and in people's personal lives, smarter government, balancing the budget, and being friendly to all who are America be they African American, Latino, Asian, Gay and Poor.

In other words try for every voter with the ideas that will truly help them with the problems in their lives. If we do that the GOP wil come back.

I think it would help if conservatives (and Republicans) understood that MOST voters are neither Left or Right.

Every time they insist on pushing "real" conservatism, they leave out "real" voters who are not conservative but agrees enough with Republicans to vote for them.

And you can NOT win without a majority, which is why Democrats ran Blue-dog Dems and why Reagan and Bush spent a lot of time wooing the middle.

Until such time as conservatives have at least 51%, they HAVE to get enough Independents and cross over Democrats to make up that number--or they will lose.

They do that by RESPECTING those who have non-conservative values and ideals. They don't have to agree with them, but they do need to accept their right to disagree.

You and I both know that conservatives did not do that.

And that is why they lost. It really is as simple (and hard) as that.