We all know - or should know - that the party leadership within any political party has convictions that are only as strong as the consensus within the parties themselves - or who within the parties are speaking (spending) the loudest (most). With that in mind, we know that the leadership does not have any firm convictions and will lean towards those who have the power.

As of now, the GOP still gets a lot of its juice from the religious right. Unfortunately, the religious right is a dying breed. They are aging and if you look at the church demographics in the US you see that the younger generations don't subscribe to the notions of religion that earlier generations did. How does the GOP move forward with this in mind. I'm eager to hear opinions on this - even if people believe that we are a stronger Christian nation than ever before. Some stats and articles below for discussion.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/159548/identi...stian.aspx
Interesting point to look at deeper is the participation rate on the survey by denomination.

http://www.pewforum.org/2012/10/09/nones...affiliated

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/201...stay-home/

Holding them back? Only in the sense that the old-school religious right will usually only vote for a GOP establishment candidate. The McCains and Bushes of the world, as opposed to the Pauls or Rubios.

The religious right is still a very significant part of the country. Abandon them, and they will sit out or start their own party and the GOP will lose the South and the heartland and never get 40%.

The religious right holds back the GOP just like the socialist left holds back the Dems.

When I say religious right, I'm interpreting the individuals who are hard core. Same is said with the socialist and race baiter left.

Also what holds back the GOP are the hard core wealthy who feel they should not pay more than the average Joe. Same can be said for the Dems who have hard core lazy liberals who feel everything should be free.

If the Left ran a campaign for equality and preservation only, I'd lean left in my voting. Instead they let these nut jobs on the far left speak and represent their party. Same can be said for the Right.

In the end, the middle continues to get screwed. The lazy and poor don't work and can express their influence because they have no responsibilities while the extreme wealthy can pay and endorse some punk *** candidate that helps his corporation or get bill pass.

For the middle, we continue to work and raise families. We don't have time for politics because we continue to work and pay bills/taxes!

(04-10-2015 09:07 AM)NewJersey GATA Wrote:  The religious right holds back the GOP just like the socialist left holds back the Dems.

When I say religious right, I'm interpreting the individuals who are hard core. Same is said with the socialist and race baiter left.

Also what holds back the GOP are the hard core wealthy who feel they should not pay more than the average Joe. Same can be said for the Dems who have hard core lazy liberals who feel everything should be free.

If the Left ran a campaign for equality and preservation only, I'd lean left in my voting. Instead they let these nut jobs on the far left speak and represent their party. Same can be said for the Right.

In the end, the middle continues to get screwed. The lazy and poor don't work and can express their influence because they have no responsibilities while the extreme wealthy can pay and endorse some punk *** candidate that helps his corporation or get bill pass.

For the middle, we continue to work and raise families. We don't have time for politics because we continue to work and pay bills/taxes!

+1

I used to think so, but not anymore. I honestly think the one issue that has hurt republicans the most is the immigration issue. Republicans are constantly on the defensive about it and they allow themselves to be portrayed and nativist fanatics. The democrats are not pragmatists when it comes to immigration, they simply want to change electoral demographics in their favor. So expose them like that. Come up with an immigration plan where you can trade amnesty for not being able to vote in a US election and watch them squirm.

(04-10-2015 08:35 AM)miko33 Wrote:  We all know - or should know - that the party leadership within any political party has convictions that are only as strong as the consensus within the parties themselves - or who within the parties are speaking (spending) the loudest (most). With that in mind, we know that the leadership does not have any firm convictions and will lean towards those who have the power.

As of now, the GOP still gets a lot of its juice from the religious right. Unfortunately, the religious right is a dying breed. They are aging and if you look at the church demographics in the US you see that the younger generations don't subscribe to the notions of religion that earlier generations did. How does the GOP move forward with this in mind. I'm eager to hear opinions on this - even if people believe that we are a stronger Christian nation than ever before. Some stats and articles below for discussion.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/159548/identi...stian.aspx
Interesting point to look at deeper is the participation rate on the survey by denomination.

http://www.pewforum.org/2012/10/09/nones...affiliated

http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/201...stay-home/

SHHHHHHHHHHH don't tell them

One thing is for sure, the atheist leftists aren't holding the Democrats back. They welcome them with open arms and even let them lead in many cases.

(04-10-2015 09:07 AM)NewJersey GATA Wrote:  The religious right holds back the GOP just like the socialist left holds back the Dems.

When I say religious right, I'm interpreting the individuals who are hard core. Same is said with the socialist and race baiter left.

Also what holds back the GOP are the hard core wealthy who feel they should not pay more than the average Joe. Same can be said for the Dems who have hard core lazy liberals who feel everything should be free.

If the Left ran a campaign for equality and preservation only, I'd lean left in my voting. Instead they let these nut jobs on the far left speak and represent their party. Same can be said for the Right.

In the end, the middle continues to get screwed. The lazy and poor don't work and can express their influence because they have no responsibilities while the extreme wealthy can pay and endorse some punk *** candidate that helps his corporation or get bill pass.

For the middle, we continue to work and raise families. We don't have time for politics because we continue to work and pay bills/taxes!

Definitely agree with this. I'm mostly liberal in the sense that I want to see us invest money in infrastructure, including smart transit options for the changing demographics of the country (growth of cities, decline of rural areas). I also favor gay marriage. I can't get behind the crazies that like to spout off about white privilege, those that always turn the poor into victims, etc.

Beyond that, I align largely with non-religious conservative platforms.

(04-10-2015 09:49 AM)EagleRockCafe Wrote:  One thing is for sure, the atheist leftists aren't holding the Democrats back. They welcome them with open arms and even let them lead in many cases.

Atheist don't belive in anything.

(04-10-2015 09:52 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:49 AM)EagleRockCafe Wrote:  One thing is for sure, the atheist leftists aren't holding the Democrats back. They welcome them with open arms and even let them lead in many cases.

Atheist don't belive in anything.

They believe in cutting off people's johnsons.

(04-10-2015 09:56 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:52 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:49 AM)EagleRockCafe Wrote:  One thing is for sure, the atheist leftists aren't holding the Democrats back. They welcome them with open arms and even let them lead in many cases.

Atheist don't belive in anything.

They believe in cutting off people's johnsons.

WTF?

Where do you guys get this stuff?

(04-10-2015 09:57 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:56 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:52 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:49 AM)EagleRockCafe Wrote:  One thing is for sure, the atheist leftists aren't holding the Democrats back. They welcome them with open arms and even let them lead in many cases.

Atheist don't belive in anything.

They believe in cutting off people's johnsons.

WTF?

Where do you guys get this stuff?

I'm not even going to dignify myself with a comment on this.

Someone save this fool.

(04-10-2015 10:02 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:57 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:56 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:52 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:49 AM)EagleRockCafe Wrote:  One thing is for sure, the atheist leftists aren't holding the Democrats back. They welcome them with open arms and even let them lead in many cases.

Atheist don't belive in anything.

They believe in cutting off people's johnsons.

WTF?

Where do you guys get this stuff?

I'm not even going to dignify myself with a comment on this.

Someone save this fool.

You are the one who brought up the Johnsons.

(04-10-2015 10:05 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 10:02 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:57 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:56 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:52 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  Atheist don't belive in anything.

They believe in cutting off people's johnsons.

WTF?

Where do you guys get this stuff?

I'm not even going to dignify myself with a comment on this.

Someone save this fool.

You are the one who brought up the Johnsons.

Here you go.

(04-10-2015 10:06 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 10:05 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 10:02 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:57 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:56 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  They believe in cutting off people's johnsons.

WTF?

Where do you guys get this stuff?

I'm not even going to dignify myself with a comment on this.

Someone save this fool.

You are the one who brought up the Johnsons.

Here you go.

OMG

That explains alot. Not very refined are you?

(04-10-2015 10:08 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 10:06 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 10:05 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 10:02 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 09:57 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  WTF?

Where do you guys get this stuff?

I'm not even going to dignify myself with a comment on this.

Someone save this fool.

You are the one who brought up the Johnsons.

Here you go.

OMG

That explains alot. Not very refined are you?

Obviously you're not a golfer.

(04-10-2015 10:10 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 10:08 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 10:06 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 10:05 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(04-10-2015 10:02 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  I'm not even going to dignify myself with a comment on this.

Someone save this fool.

You are the one who brought up the Johnsons.

Here you go.

OMG

That explains alot. Not very refined are you?

Obviously you're not a golfer.

Are you kidding? I have a 12 handicap

I shot a 64 at the Masters yesterday.

(04-10-2015 08:52 AM)EverRespect Wrote:  The religious right is still a very significant part of the country. Abandon them, and they will sit out or start their own party and the GOP will lose the South and the heartland and never get 40%.

The flip side is larger and larger parts of the electorate are identifying more as libertarian - fiscally conservative and socially liberal. You risk alienating this base just as much. Funny thing though is the religious right would be so hypocritical to do so because they try to get others to apply the "lesser of 2 evils" doctrine when choosing a candidate, i.e. choose the guy beholden to the the evangelical beliefs in order to maintain fiscal conservatism. However, if they themselves would choose to sit on their hands because a fiscal conservative would also support gay marriage, for example, that would be evil.