The Demise of The Republican Party

Recently many political pundits and bloggers have voiced their opinions that the Republican Party has met its demise. These views are not without merit if one reflects on recent events within the Grand Old Party.

In the November elections, Republicans lost several seats in the House and the Senate, as well as the Presidency. This reflects a drastic change in the attitudes of the American people, shifting from one of conservatism to populism. With the election of President Ronald Reagan the U.S. adopted this new conservative voice, and over the next thirty years, has for the most part retained it...until now.

Has the Republican Party purified itself into irrelevancy? Many believe it has. As Sen. Arlen Specter stated, he feels they have tried to purify themselves so much that they have made themselves a party of super strict ideals, exclusive of other voices or opinions. This is the reason Sen. Specter cited as the one responsible for his sudden switch to the Democratic Party. As one of the few moderate Republicans in the Senate, he was increasingly criticized and alienated because of his views, which were not consistent with the ultra-conservative views of the Republican base. Many Republicans have even addressed this issue, and agreed that it has hurt the party and been a divisive force. So the question remains, is the Republican Party irrelevant? As it now stands, it appears that they are. With Sen. Specter's switch, Democrats now have 59 seats in the Senate, and they are likely to reach the filibuster proof threshold of 60 seats with the expected seating of Al Franken in Minnesota. This would lead to an even more diminished voice for Republicans in Congress, already facing issues of insignificance with their steady opposition of Obama administration ideas, while not offering meaningful alternatives.

One of the few bright stars within the party, Meghan McCain, who has written blogs on this very issue, has agreed that the party needs to be more inclusive of other opinions. Conservatism has been widely rejected by most Americans. This is not merely opinion, polls have shown that fewer than one in four Americans identify themselves as Republican. And if recent elections are any indicator, Republicans have little chance of reliving their past glory. Furthering the demise of the GOP, is the constant bickering among party big shots like Party Chairman Michael Steele and radio personality Rush Limbaugh. Lack of unity has pitted progressive Republicans against traditional conservatives. Recent DNC commercials have also highlighted the resistance to change within the party by showing people that Republicans have no new faces calling the shots; Carl Rove, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Dick Chaney signal more of the same, when what the party really needs are new faces and new leaders. The success of the Democratic Party rests with its being inclusive of ideas and people. The old, dried up avant-garde of the GOP are what lost them the election, and if things do not change, they will purify themselves into extinction.