Jindal’s Populist Manifesto Has a Problem: pLouisiana Governor Bobby Jindal made some headlines with his speech to the Republican National Committee yesterday in which he called out the GOP as having behaved like “the stupid party” in 2012. He is hardly alone in considering the infamous cracks of Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock about rape and pregnancy to be classic examples [...]/p
FRSFreeStatePlus-
There's this saying going around in the Republican Party that the future of the GOP is with its Governors. Where they now hold thirty state houses, I'm a Democrat and I agree with that to a certain extent. But with not all thirty governors, there are Republican governors that would be a disaster for the GOP at the. National level Republicans who would have a very hard time reaching past the GOP base and the far-right. People like Rick Snyder of Michigan who have pushed hard for these bogus 'Voter ID' laws that are intended to solve a problem that doesn't exist. As well as prevent Democrats from voting so Republicans can have even more power. Republicans like this wouldn't be able to appeal to Latinos and Asians groups that Republicans are going to have to make some gains with to win at the national level. In the future but then there are Republican governors who can speak past the far-right and the Republican base and even. Take on the far-right, Republicans like Governor Chris Christie who has his own baggage but is a Republican. Whose a big tent governor and someone who takes on his own Republican base when he believes they are wrong. And Bobby Jindal Governor of Louisiana is in the same mold as Chris Christie.
Its easy to be against things and even to a certain extent explain why you are against things especially when you. Are in the opposition which is where Republicans find themselves at the national level but its another thing. To explain what you are in favor of and why you should be back in power and where the GOP is today. With only controlling half of one branch of the Federal Government, they are a party without one leader and someone to take the party forward. So its not clear where the GOP wants to go in the future but is clear that there are now a lot of Republicans who believe. That what they did in the past is not working and certainly didn't work in 2012 and that they need a new course. In how to move forward if they are going to become the governing party again. And that starts with a positive agenda that the party as a whole can get behind and showcase that agenda to the rest of the country. And be able to appeal to non traditional Republicans and be able to appeal outside of the Bible Belt.
So I agree with Governor Jindal that the Republican Party can't succeed in the future as a stupid party. Especially not as the stupid party that they have to be a party of ideas, facts and most importantly intelligence. Being able to know what the actual facts are then base their policies and opinions on those facts and intelligence. And behind this they can be a real party of individual freedom, limited government , fiscal and economic Conservatism. That can actually win and lead at the national level because they can appeal to a big tent of Americans.
