The Republicans are in rather a disarray, though they wouldn't admit it. The mere fact that there has been no serious challenge to the President in the campaign shows how fractious the GOP is at present, how little coherence they have in what they actually want and how badly they are doing.
Their top two presidential candidates have been evangelical beings of the Bush appeasement mode, a literal re-run of the George Bush presidency and his pandering to the religious right. But it is a while since Bush was in power and times can change dramatically in one year, let alone three. With the coming election, which I am predicting -again- that President Obama is going to win, regardless of how it looks now, the Republicans are running on empty for the following key reasons.
First, all governments must at least proclaim to be inclusive.
The Republicans appear to act as though they are only representing one part of America (whether just the rich, just heterosexuals, just whites or just Christians). But the USA is a multicultural melting pot and any potential candidate who ignores that basic fact immediately robs himself of an awful lot of votes. Gone are the days when only white males dictated the rest of society. They are just ONE part of the mix, and a shrinking part as well.
Second, the time of religious domination is past.
Religion used to be all powerful and all embracing in America. It is gradually receding in impact because its teachings and its references to past worlds and texts are proving irrelevant to recent generations. Their lives of technology and global connections bear little relevance to the pastoral and simple life of Bible teachings and a belief in an invisible God; one that seems more negative than positive, more for punishment than for love and more exclusive of sinners than inclusive. Not surprisingly, people are voting with their feet, to seek something else which reflects their way of thinking and aspirations.
Third, where are the jobs the Republicans promised in their last election?
The Republicans have been a clear party of 'NO' since their 2010 victory. They have shown their true colours that only power matters to them at any cost, instead of the economic fate of America. So NO to everything, no matter how beneficial and helpful it might be to the country. In their desire to constantly best the president and prevent him from doing anything which might take credit from them, they have gone the other way and forgotten the country altogether, the people feeling anxious about themselves and their families. No mention of jobs, except a constant boring mantra of what 'cannot' be done, instead of what is possible.
Fourth, no one votes a government into power based on just cuts in spending with nothing to balance it.
Cuts alone do not create jobs. Cuts will stop overspending and trim the fat from the budget, but that's a stagnant situation on its own. Any budget needs BALANCE: cuts on one hand, growth on the other. Where is the growth coming from? It doesn't want to increase taxes either, which could create some public service jobs, not least to mend the many broken highway bridges and roads that cry out for maintenance. So where exactly are the Republican jobs springing from?
Finally, the GOP is far too divisive at the moment to appeal to a solid cross section of voters and to form any credible government.
There are too many branches, too many different voices, too many messages the public are asked to to take in, without any unity of purpose or of design. The simple truth of the matter is that the only thing the Republicans are interested in just now is naked power for its own sake. That is why that party, which is splintering in all direction, cares very little for the people, for their livelihood, for their jobs. It only cares about stopping the president, by any means possible, yet without a coherent strategy, or inclusive candidates to do so. In fact, the ongoing uterus and 'bedroom' focus of the Republicans shows they are still stuck in the past, and still fighting yesterday's battles instead of dealing with a present challenges in a futuristic way,
Unless the GOP up its game on all fronts, you heard it here first: they have no hope of beating President Obama, no matter how far he is trailing. It's still a few weeks from the ballot box and, in the cold light of day, many voters will be asking themselves whether they really want to vote in a government to just say 'NO' and build nothing, who couldn't care less about their lives and suffering, or a caring competent one that might not have all the answers, but is at least willing to try.
