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What they need to do is become the Republican party again. The same party that Eisenhower belonged to and not the bunch of hypocritical lying neo con artists they have morphed into in recent years.

I think that the Republican party needs to start by looking at History. They need a new ideology and they need to see how the past three decades have changed who they are today. This is a time of renewal and the Republicans should first address the fact that they lost the youth, black, female and Latino vote. Why? Because of their white, male, Christian focused ideology. The American that was spoken so often about during the McCain- Paln campaign no longer represents the majority of Americans. The joe the plumber and joe the six pack are not who Americans are now the world leaders and proponents of change. As a Canadian, my respect for the United States has finally be returned. I hope the Republican party will focusing on how great they once were and go forward as the Democrats have done.

Wait for the Democrats to screw up.

The Republican party needs to figure out a way to appeal to a broader swath of Americans. They're going to have a really hard time attacting new members if their rallies continue to look like an old white male convention.

Get a social economist to lead....the gov't should do more for citizens not less....Capitalism works for the capitalists but socialism works for the rest of us.....Healthcare YES!...Caps on CEO bonuses YES!...less Gov't interference in small business YES!.....more Gov't oversight on big business..Yes!.....Never speak of Palin again?....YES! YES! YES!

The GOP needs to stop thinking in the past and re-invent the party based on 21st century issues. Like President-elect Obama said, "we don't need a smaller government or a bigger government...we just need a better government." You know..."a government of the people, for the people and by the people."

They need to take a hard look at their positions and how they impact the average American citizen. For example, they sneer at universal healthcare and call it "socialism" but never explain why citizens of countries that actually have government-sponsored healthcare live longer, are healthier and have lower infant mortality rates than the United States.

Jack,

The Republicans never cease to amaze me. For 8 years they've been pushing one of the most conservative agendas in the history of the United States and, as a result, they single-handedly crippled the world economy . Now, after losing the white house and losing a number of seats in both the Senate and Congress, they're preaching about the importance of "ruling from the centre" and "eliminating bi-partisan politics". It's funny how that happens when you're no longer the one pushing the agenda. Maybe if they had practiced what they're now preaching, the economy wouldn't be where it is today and their party wouldn't be in shambles.

Quite frankly, unless the Democrats mis-step somewhere along the line and make things significantly worse, I don't see the Republicans "getting back in the game" anytime soon – regardless of what they do.

As for what the Republicans will (rather than should) do – rather than try and work with the Democrats, I think you'll see the conservative base push the Republicans even farther to the right, causing more bi-partisan tension. Then they'll pick someone like Sarah Palin to lead in 2012 and, thankfully, they'll lose yet again.

Back in the game?!! Quite a few of us like them right where they are.

Be willing to work with Democrats and acknowledge that all of us share a common goal: for America and Americans to prosper and to reestablish goodwill (where possible) throughout the world.

The end to the nasty / self-promoting regime of the past 8 years is an incredible relief (despite all of the challenges that we now face). It's time we stop acting like a country divided and learn to respect one another and work towards growing/maturing as a nation rather than remaining bogged down in old world (ignorant) politics/ideas/thinking.

Come into the 21st century, Ronald Reagan has passed as the 1980's have passed, let them both rest in peace and let them go.

There is a new generation that is beginning to come into being, that Party must adapt to new thinking and new emotions.

Possibly if they put "Country First" , nah , i forgot, that didn't work did it! Ah, lets see, Iv'e got it ! all take a refresher course, on Government of the people by the people for the people, and be hypnotized into remembering it !

Start by being HONEST. We got in a war over a lie. People are losing their homes, jobs, etc. They told us the economy was fine a few months ago. Whats up with that. They have to remember this country is made up of different faiths, its not just the christian ideas that should govern this country.

I am affraid it's going to take a revolution. The majority of Americans have been fooled or accept the socialism coming our way.

They need to look at their outdated values. The world is changing and they need to change with it. The Repubs need to appeal to more people. They are not exactly the party of inclusion. I think it's okay to be fiscally conservative, but when religious beliefs began to creep into policies, there is going to be a problem. They need to take back their party from the ultra right wing religious nuts. Govern by the Constitution instead of religion. If the forefathers wanted to govern according to religion, there would not be a separation of church and state.

Put the blame for their demise on George W.Bush and Dick Cheney. No excuses. Work with President Obama and do what is best for the entire American people not just their greedy Republican buddies.

Ditch Grover Norquist and the whole "government is evil" philosophy. The core values of small government, low taxes, and strong military are worthy views, but government is needed to address big-picture issues like climate change, energy policy, and the economy.

I am a former Republican turned Independent. They concerned me when they drifted right. They lost me when they went fundamentilist Christian right. The Tony Perkins Republicans will destroy the party. The GOP needs to move to the center and do so ASAP.

They need to get back to the party of Lincoln, which was for fiscal responsibility but also was surprisingly liberal for social rights. My feeling is that they had better move into the 21st century and dump the radical religious right and the bigotry and become more moderate, or they risk alienating the voting public even more.

Open the ranks to all people and ideas. The problems with the republican party is that they think with in a small narrow box. they must have a much larger box and some time think outside.

If everyones motive is the best for country first that will begin the healing.
Sarah the maverick was not country first.
Start a web site & make public (non partisan) every bill stalled,the reason for it & who is stopping it.
Also a running total & names of all pork.
Light is the best disinfectant.
All the best.

Jack,
Until the republicans realize and acknowledge that the American people will no longer tolerate the unscrupulous, sleezy campaigns by the politicians they will not have respect.
Until they realize and admit that middle class American is the
back bone of our country and quit acting like we do not exist
they will not have our support.
And, until they admit that they have made many mistakes and
policies these last eight years, take a substantial part of the
blame for what has happened to our country they will have
no honor.

They need to get through their thick skulls that they are Americans first and Republicans second. And their false sense of moral, religious, and patriotic superiorty needs to be tossed aside if they wish to realistically reconnect with all Americans. In other words, they need to start acting with humility.

The Republican party has an extreme challenge ahead. They have to be able to identify someone within their ranks that is a strategic thinker, focused on the will of the people and can be identified as a true leader. Looks impossible to do!

Wait four years. Watch what the president and the congress do, then just run against them. Put Sarah Palin in the top spot and win.

Hi, Jack
They should realize that this is one United States of America, not two. They should stop treating people wiht liberal viuews, like myself, as if it were criminals that should be punished by the death penalty. We can all agree to disagree without the name-calling, demoralizing others, and just being respectful to other people's views.

They need to do the following:

(1) Return to the center and core Republican values (elegantly expressed by Barack Obama during his acceptance speech).
(2) Stop using character assassination and fear as their only political platform – i.e. kick out Karl Rove and all his ideas
(3) Kick out the religious nut cases – they have hijacked the party and have nothing to do with Republican ideals
(4) MOST IMPORTANT: Be a constructive and responsible opposition. Support good policies and ideas and only oppose bad ones. Be driven by the good of the people not unthinking ideology
(5) Come up with some good, positive ideas of their own and work with (not against) Barack Obam to implement them

The Republicans should spend their time not trying to demonize Democrats, but trying to compromise on issues that are important to them. Many Democrats recognize that there could not be a working Congress if there was only a one-party system. Republicans should seek out those Democrats who want another opinion, or a helping hand. That way we can stop petty bickering and move towards a more united America.

The real Republican base is founded in security for our nation, a good sense for business and taxation. As soon as Republicans figure this out, they will be interesting to a broader base of Americans. Frankly, due to the economy, the war in Iraq and the strain of security in our nation, it was natural for the pendulum to swing as it has politically. Even with all the obstacles at the present time, Senator McCain did not do so badly in the popular vote.

They should lose the religious radicals and quit trying to tell us all how we should live their vision of a "moral life. I,m all for small government, low taxes and strong defense but morality, birth control, etc. are individual choices and I don't need the government or the republican party or the evangilicals making those choices for me

The Republicans have defined their party as being one that is anti-intellectual, peddles fear over hope, embraces greed over the common good, doesn't believe in regulating anything and paints all foreign people with the same brush (us vs them). Wow what a surprise that the American people rejected their "small tent" platform this year. Americans aren't as stupid as we're often portrayed. We believe in education, we believe in cooperation, we believe in human nature being good at it's root, we believe in our fellow man and our common good. We believe in OBAMA! The current Republican Party seems bent on telling all of us how to live while Barack and the Democrats seem committed to helping make our lives better.

They need to be "konwledge liberal" – open-minded and willing to learn new things and ideas for 21st century. Without ideas, they only can punch out lots of slogans but no substance behind them. Lying, misleading, and labelling people simply won't work. People can find everything from the Internet today. That's why two thrid of young generation choose Democratic party instead of GOP.

The GOP needs to promote people who are loyal to their oaths of office, to the Constitution, to the common good. That describes Olympia Snowe. A good dose of Yankee integrity is what the GOP requires.

I believe that the only way for the Republicans to regain any of the confidence of the American people is to scrap the hard Right leaning side, and start working in the middle where they can help all the people of this great nation instead of just the top 1% like we have seen for the past few years of Republican control. (Remember it took a Democrat for the country to prosper after 12 years of Republican Control just to see the past 8 years destroy everything that made this country great).

The GOP needs, more than anything, to stop trying to impose their religious beliefs on those who don't share them. If they're really the party of smaller government, then keep it out of my private life and medical decisions. They need to focus on fiscal prudence (as opposed to trying to bankrupt the government), smart business regulation (as opposed to a free for all) and the realities of our place on the world stage. They need to understand that deficits do matter and that the budget gets balanced on both the revenue and spending sides. And they need to dump the hyper-partisanship of the Delay era.

Simple Jack, There is talk of Palin in 2012,They need a more serious person to represent the party. Palin can bring attention to the party but they need positive attention not negative. Scratch Palin 2012 and find some one else New, and know Washington's Politics

Until they realize what the real game is, and that they are now on the sidelines, and why, they haven't a chance. Some have woke up, as in the dog food analogy, but party leaders like John Boehner, et al, who can't see the forest for the trees, are the reason why they lost. They have to become the GRAND NEW PARTY. The old one is dead.

being a democrat,i don't know and i don't care

First they all need individual expert counseling by a professional therapist. Then they need to be split up into group therapy by the left group and the right group. Then if they can all make it to the center without fighting or putting anyone down they will may be on their way to a fresh start!

The rest of the World does not want anymore of the Bush ideology's. Eight long years of lying, profiteering, and war-mongering is/was enough. We don't need neo-cons and their screw-ups running the show, it doesn't work.

Sarah Palin?!? in 2012, please, her 15 minutes are up. If that's the best they can come up with, Obama will have a field day with her.

Fist: Dump the neocon agenda. Second:Quit the lies, smears, attacks, negativity and divisiveness. Third: try to remember there are others in this country besides old, white people and embrace them.

Personally, after McCain's campaign of hate, fear, and division, I hope never to see them back in the game again. Sarah Palin's hate rallies still give me the shivers.

The GOP needs to wake-up in the 21st century, and stop blindly clinging to pre-1960 dogmas and concepts. Republicans must adapt to modern day realities, and be more accepting of new ideas. They must apply a COMMON SENSE approach to addressing current issues, and stop counting on fear tactics to win their arguements. Republicans can no longer label as un-patriotic anything with which they do not agree - the days of Jim Crow & McCarthyism should have died a long time ago. This only alienates potential members, and attracts ridicule to the party. They must respect diversity and opposing points of view. Conservatives, by their very nature, do not like change. However, change is the only constant in today's world. Those that can adapt to change and diversity, survive; while those that don't will find themselves more and more shunned in the political arena.

They need to start acting like Republicans worrying about large governement, overspending, and balancing the budget. If they continue to impose their religious beliefs on all Americans and telling us how to run our private life and medicial decisions they will go the way of the Whig party.

They need to get a heart.They need to care about what happen's to the poorest ,most uneducated and the most voiceless.Their biggest problem is that they are greedy ,selfish and bigoted.Some of the same people who today call themselve conservatives,in the pass they called themselves confederates.They need to repect the
American people.The public is not as stupid as they think.This election is proof of that.

Maybe when they stop preaching fear.

hi jackthey need to put some color in the party,man did you look at the diverst crowds Obama had and the crowds McCain and Palin had,it look like a different picture of America,or is that what they beleive,if so their party is in alot of trouble and will,have to look into the 21st century and not the 20th.
clearwater,fl

Jack: If ever there was an election that was not worth winning, from a Republican viewpoint, it was the contest of 2008. Had McCain won, it might have spelled the end of the Republican Party. As it is, the party is pretty well-situated to try come back in 2010 and in 2012, "IF IT LEARNS FROM THE LESSONS OF THIS YEAR"S ELECTION ....however if Obama is as successful with his Presidency as he was with his campaign–you want see the Republicans for a long, long, long time. Wishing you success Obama.

They should go off into oblivion! As far as I can tell they are interested in only helping the rich and not the other 99% of Americans. I don't want or need my life controlled by telling me I have no choice for abortion, no women's rights, and no need to do those necessary items to keep America strong such as fair trade agreements, improving our infrastructure, developing renewable energy sources, and improving our education. All they have done for America is lie to get us into a seemingly never-ending war, cut taxes so they don't have to pay for the war, push trade agreements that are unfair to American workers, and ignore the need to maintain and improve our country. Good riddance to them!

Who wants them back in the game? The American people have spoken and their message was they were tired of Republican rule...And like the game of football..when you're ejected you can't play until the next game..and the next game for the Republicans isn't until 2012!! And if no one believes me, ask the 20 Republican justices that just got booted out of office here in Houston...

Jack, I thought they are already implementing progression seeds in politics. Palin is purposefully being blamed by McCain campaign so her case of being next potential GOP leader or a potential presidential candidate for 2012 is strong. Hence, the next steps would be Palin is seen as someone completely different from traditional Republicans or McCain and then GOP picks up from here.

They need to stop letting the religious right and the neo cons run their party. If they can get back to the old Republican Party and get out of our bedrooms, that would be a great start.

Jack,

The game they play is well suited for the region they like to play it in.

First they can start using the term “Middle Class”. It is the middle class that carried this election. Secondly they should bring in some YOUTH. Get out to the College Campuses NOW for the next election. Instead of wardrobe money, give out some Scholarships! Third, stop being so mean and nasty!

Jack: The GOP needs to come together an support President-elect Obama in Congress. The first 6 months of the new administration needs to be a honey-moon period. If the Republicans do support the new administration in this first 6 months they might be dead as a political party.

John
Alabama

First, purge the party of the social conservatives and religious nut jobs. Second, mitigate their reliance on "trickle down" and "supply side" economics. Third, get some morality and ethics into business practices, something besides me first and eyes for the bottom line only so my compensation package grows without limit while everybody elses shrinks. Forth, try living off less than $10 an hour.

If 'the game' is to push a radically right agenda on a population where over 50% of the people do not want it, I am glad they are out of 'the game'. They should remember that ultimately, Joe the Average Voter decides who the leaders of the country will be, not the pundits who carve the ulra-conservative planks of the Republican platform. Republicans: Enter the 21st Century!

Thy can stop being continually negative. Stop calling the democratic party the democrat party. Show some respect and collegiality. Stop pursuing policies the push minorities away. Stop catering to the whims of fringe groups. Stop being hypocrites who say they are Christian and then behave like hate mongers. Stop behaving as if the are the Alpha and Omega.

Change its party name to Democrat or Independent and find a really smart Woman to run for President in the next Election.

Jack,
They need to become more inclusive rather than divisive. Consider the abortion issue for a moment. Have they saved one life with their truculent stand? If they were to support better education, higher minimum wages and universal health care, more fetuses would be spared than have ever been saved by their outdated policy. Any issue you consider shows the recent right-veering GOP to be as non-inclusive as the abortion issue.

Find some leaders that are smarter than a rock. I think Bush and McCain would make a rock look smart. Until they can come up with some leadership that can move the party to the center. I am pretty sure they will not be successful the Karl Rove days are over thank goodness. That kind of politics will no longer work.

Ain't going to happen until they dump the social conservatives, the politics of fear and the habit of secrecy.

Stop snarling at the first choices he makes through transition and wait until the full picture is visible. If both parties are willing to merge at the center, then a bipartisan effort will show America that Republicans actually care about moving our country forward. If not the GOP's days will be numbered.

They need to bring themselves away from the far, far right and join the rest of Congress to pass legislation that will help the middle class. That is the one thing that will start bringing this country back.

They need to decide what the Repulican Party represents as there are too many conflicting viewpoints. I'd suggest heading back towards 'centre right' and try to appeal not just to their right wing base but also to moderate republicans and independants. Personally I think the general population is no longer aligned 'centre right' as they keep suggesting – it's centrist and moving left.

the gop needs to take on a more sincere and honest role in leadership. Stop preying on fear to promote larger government, or to try and take away some civil liberty that currently exists. they need to be stronger with their beliefs. A pro lifer should not support wars and capital punishment. Certainly a christian pro lifer should not support those things. And probably the most important, CONTROL SPENDING!!!!

Stop appealing to the ignorant and reactionary. I have never felt my intelligence so insulted as it was by this past presidential campaign. Just because you constantly repeat a lie it does not make it true!

It's only a matter of time before the Democrats screw up so badly that the wind will be blowing back in their direction. Until then, I suggest they start by nominating intelligent people. I know it seems like a crazy idea, but we should probably have smart people running the country.

Listen to the people and stop trying to get US to agree with YOU.

Jack, they need to evolve. Oh that's right, they don't believe in evolution. During the campaign I listened to what the moderate Republicans had to say and I felt they are the ones who need to lead their party into the modern age. They were the ones who knew Sarah Palin was a monumental mistake. The religious right has ruined the party and isolated them from the rest of the world. As Oprah said, there has been a "shift in consciousness" and no one is listening to their archaic ideas and beliefs anymore. The Republican party needs to see the light and move towards it.

Jack
The republicans have got to take it to the streets and get away from the board rooms. Lets get some young progressive thinkers and throw out the tunnel vision they have had for awhile now. And by the way they are not going to get back in the game with Sara Palin in 2012.

They need to stand for something. The Tony Perkins party would be against gay rights and abortion. The Grover Norquist party would be against taxes of any kind. The Sarah Palin partry would be against science, reason and reality. I'm even hearing some Republicans today saying that the solution to our current situation is to make the Bush tax cuts permanent. Are there any underlying principles to any of this? Maybe they didn't notice, but the electorate is not buying the far right ideology or the rich-get-richer financial plan. If they think that they are going to rebuild their divisive, deceitful, secretive power base that brought them to power, they are delusional. They need to build a set of defining principles that appeal to more than a narrow band of nut jobs.

Jack, When headlines 2 days after the election state 'GOP Splits on how to FIGHT Obama', maybe they shouldn't get back in the game. Maybe they should try something a little different like actually putting 'Country First' instead of just using it as a meaningless slogan. If the GOP would put the needs of our country first instead of their bruised egos and counter-productive agenda by looking at which offense to use, maybe then we could actually start to get out of this hole instead of digging in deeper. What is wrong with these people? We're in 2 wars already, you don't need to knee-cap the guy that isn't even coming out of the gate yet. Please explain it to me Jack. Why do they act like the only way for our country to get ahead is by fighting with Democrats? They had unbridled control, and their actions brought us to this point. Why won't they try a new tactic instead of smear & fear? Teri in St Augustine, FL

They need to stay away from lying hypocrits like McCain and Palin turned out to be at all their rallies.

Our country needs to be united, not divided.

1. They KNEW Iraq had no Weapons of Mass Destruction, but they told the American people 1000 times that they did so that we would support their 3 trillion dollar war.

2. If Pakistan had actually FOUND Osama bin Laden, would the US still be giving them billions of dollars to help us look for him? Uh-oh, have they been playing the Bush administration?

3. According to the NYTimes, seems the media had the Georgia/Russia /Ossetia invasion upside down and inside out.
Looks like the Republicans were wagging the dog, initiating a little aerial bombing, risking WWIII, but trying to help green screen John McCain look presidential.
They started a war as a campaign strategy.
What should we do to help the Republican party?
Waterboard 'em.

Compassion!!

divide 'em up into 13,000 smaller parties, schedule a 'gathering' for them to sort out their differences, in alaska, then quickly sell the entire state and all current inhabitants to russia. we'll then pay off the 'republican' debt to china, and all of america's woes will be over.

Simple Jack, if they put Country First and not ego. They need to be fiscal conservatives that also understand that while we all like tax cuts perhaps they are not alway needed or permissible. That perhaps eliminating the national debt is more important. Moreover, they need to understand that simply being bullies in the world as opposed to diplomats makes this Country unsafe. Diplomacy first. war last resort only. They must be willing to make tough and diffcult choices and sometimes for the good of the country dis-agree with big business. Eliminate tax loopholes for big corporations that take jobs overseas. Expand their base to be a party of ideas and not solely a party based on being pro-life.

Bring back 'The Contract with America', and stick to it this time.

They need to dump this so-called religious right that is destroying the party. They could form their own party. McCain foolishly thought this group would get him into the White House all the while ignorning the Moderate Republicans, Independents, and Moderate Democrats – who can all be swayed to switch their votes. The majority of the people in those groups voted for Obama. And there seems to be a number of Moderate Republians who switched their affiliation to Independent because of the path McCain went.

Certainly they are as they haven't had a real chance with the way the split was and dumbo in the highest office in the land.

If they fail to perform to expectations this time then the electorate will look after them accordingly.

They should become more rational and pragmatic and less ideological. They need to realize that man and dinosaurs did not walk the earth at the same time and cutting taxes and increasing spending will only result in increasing the deficit.

Ed Reed
Port Aransas, Tx
The Real America

What they have to do is get rid of the religious extremists and their right wing ideology and maybe some people will be able to associate with their policies other than just the fringe of society.

Who cares!

First off, they should check their religious philosophies at the door. They need to stop being two-faced. They say they want smaller government and we should let people and businesses do what they do best and in the next breath they want to legislate how Americans live their personal lives. I don't want religion in my government but I do want government to take on and coordinate national efforts in areas that require it, such as health care, national infrastructure, environmental and energy needs. I also want them to set appropriate regulations to ensure that a true balance exists for all. Right now, that is all out the widow because of current republican philosophies. They also need to change their perception of being the party for business and the rich only.

Give it 10-15 years. It's been back and forth since the two parties came about. By that time, all the young voters who put the Democrats into power will have jobs, and want to keep the money they earn, so they'll shift views on a lot of things.

First, they ultimately cant and should not. But they should reduce the top tax bracket on Corporations to 33% below France and also eliminate all tax loopholes. They can also provide some tax incentives for keeping jobs here at home, and ask corporations to use attrition and early retirement first to reduce overhead from payroll and also ask them to sharply reduce executive management pay. A company that reduce it payroll by 25% or more will be better position to retain current employees or hire more employees. Retirees and highly compensated executives they will okay, in the very real sense of the words.

By dropping the negative social and divisive tactics and get back to being the party of smaller government and fiscal responsibility.

For both parites they need to get over themselves. We NEED representatives who will contribute, listen, and negotiate.

Team work means bringing your valuable opinion to the table....but working toward an end that will work for EVERYONE.

I have seen this done and it is amazing.

For starters they could stop electing convicted felons to congress.

Maybe it's time to change the game. I, for one, would love to see a viable third party that truly represents the interests of the vast majority of Americans in the center of the spectrum. Let's make both the Republicans and Democrats fully define and push their respective unique philosophies instead of each trying to claim the middle ground while pursuing agendas that are supported by their most extreme members.

- Mike

Jack, Diversify for God sakes -they all look alike and check out peoples resumes before nominationg them.

1. Hope the American people forget the Bush Administration
2. Hope that a new breed of republicans get elected as senators, represenatives, and govonors
3. who cares they have ruigned America in the last 8 years

Do we really need them Jack?

cut all ties with the religious right, Russ Limbaugh for one. his hate talk is continuing today. the separation of church and state is very important. everyone has the right to the religious choice of there choosing but leave it at home, let the government take care of our country's business, without interference. religion in the mid east country's control there decision making, they have be at war for thousands of years

The Republican party would start looking like an attractive choice to America if it actually reflected the diversity and changing goals of our country. The GOP now looks like it is representing an exclusive group that is outdated by 40 to 50 years.

Throw the social and foreign policy conservatives out and take in some issues from some of the "third" parties. Fiscal conservatives can never get along with social conservatives. After tasting power, the social conservatives go hog-wild at the trough. And conservatives have totally destroyed their foreign policy credentials, which boiled down to "you don't agree with everything I say? Terrorist!"

The Republican party has to come back to the center and stop giving money to the richest of the rich. While the wealthy may pay the political bills, it's the rest of us schmucks that pay for all of the other stuff. After almost 30 years, the Republicans have not figured out that wealth does NOT trickle down. As a result, while they maintain their wealthy base and the far right wing, they have totally lost the center which is around 60% of the electorate. Without that, you just cannot get elected to any position, let alone the highest office int he land. Once they have that figured out, they need to run an eloquent, get it done type of candidate. John McCain was definitely a 'maverick', but after 26 years as a Senator, had very little to show in supporting his 'leadership' moniker that he so desperately tried to tell us he had. Then there is the whole Sarah Palin thing. If McCain wanted a female running mate, why not get a Kay Bailey Hutchinson or Elizabeth Dole or any of the other more qualified Republican women? Instead, he picks a nube in Governor Palin. Was it that he couldn't convince a more qualified woman to run with him? Is he not liked by Republican women for some reason? Or, is this just another 'flaw' in McCain's leadership – or lack thereof?

The current Republican Party's Leadership reminds me of the English/European Middle Ages - The country was ruled by a bunch of petty tyrants who's only objective was to increase their personal wealth and holdings by what ever means it took - Oh, there were a few "Knights" to inforce the "Lord's" will (you could become a knight by doing a "Great Service" to your "Lord", then you had Shop Keepers – they didn't say a lot about the situation because they were not "Serf's" – knowing if they PO'ed the Lord, it was off with their heads and friends, families and spouses were turned out of their homes to starve (if you don't or cannot contribute to the wealth of the Lord – you were of no use - And the Serfs - hell they couln't even kill themselves -

THEN you had the churches with their bishops, priests, etc who's main job was to gather their own wealth, and most improtantly, keep the Serfs (or peasants) from uprising by convincing them their lot in life was ordanined by God to serve the Lords of Capitalism without question or objection, no matter how bad it got - Pretty neat huh & sounds really familiar doesn't it ??

Gop can't do anything, sit back and watch the new kids on the block.

What game?

Jack,

All the Republicans will have to do to get back in the game is wait a bit until the pendulum swings the other way.

Jack, they need to just get rid of the virus that is the Christian Coalition. Their intolerance disguised as a social agenda continues to drive potential voters away in droves. They need to focus on issues such as balanced budgets, the national debt, homeland security, and the host of economic issues. They need to stay away from political sniping like they are doing with every selection President elect Obama is making. That is getting pretty old very quickly and smells of ‘sour grapes’.

They need to learn "people-skills" from Obama. The American people voted for unity and an improved world view insteasd of conforming to extreme old school perspectives. They also need to remember our founding fathers worked hard to create our country carefully to separate chuch and state, yet the Republicans continue to use religious values to shame people into voting their way.

Republican Michelle Laxalt said it ALL on Larry King Thursday. her party needs to get back to their TRUE conservative principles of fiscal responsability and small government and STOP trying to be the "WE know what's GOOD for YOU" so called "social values" party. it's the ONLY way they will get the younger voters and minorities in the future.

In order to regain its former reputation as the party of the people, it must get rid of the fearful, hateful, control freaks who form its core. If the party could purge itself of the religious right, it might once again be viewed as a constructive organization. Until then, let them wring their hands, cling to their guns and bibles, idolize sarah palin, and wonder how they got here.

Start focusing on the family again. The importance of family to this country cannot be underestimated. I am not talking about social issues, rather I am talking about values. Focus on families staying together, parents being involved in their childrens lives, and the teaching of do unto others as you would have done to yourself. These are values that everyone can connect with.

Support our new president,

For 8 years, they have been fooling the American people. It got me concern they were going to do it again. They have to realize that the American people are not some puppets.

They need to remember this: separation of church and state.

Jack,

They have to stop relying on the white racist vote to get elected and promote a platform of inclusion instead of the hate-mongering politics they've gotten so good at over the years.

They have to stop resisting change and evolve like the rest of us.

Boise, ID

The core of the Republican party is fine and healthy. What they need to do is cut away the slimy mold that has enveloped them. They need to stand up and stop taking advice from the extremist infiltrations. The neo-cons, the Hannitys and Limbaughs have led Bush around like a puppet for the last 8 years. And if they haven't noticed, their ideology hasn't worked. And it won't work. If the Republicans want to get back in the game, they need to return to the Grand Old Party status that they left many years ago.

They must concern the matters that failed for them, mainly PNAC, Neo-conservatism, cost overruns, and President Bush's many failures and scandals. Ultimately, they must conform to the republicans of old and that will take time to heal!

Jack, The only way the repubs can get back in the game is they must all have a "TOTAL ENEMA" done. And repeat if necessary.
Terry Gaffney, Piscataway , NJ

The GOP can get back in the game by becoming a part of the team that is trying to get us, America, out of this financial mess. If they, continue to offer only obstructionist views and positions and not try to find compromise, then the GOP will be find itself in the wilderness again, for a very long time.

Understand that it is the enlighten self-intrest of the weathy that the average worker is able to work hard and get alittle ahead. Both paryties are influenced too much by lobbyists.

The Republicans are not out of the game. They will scratch and claw their way to the top again. Don't ever count them out. It's only the 2nd inning and they have some good pinch hitters.

For starters, change your elitist name from Grand Old Party to one that all Americans can relate to. Second, start relating to people with other skin colors (from yellow, to red, to mahogany, to cocoa). Next, get rid of the dead wood–those people who are so inflexible that they are incapable of understanding the meaning of change. Next, become more bi-partisan; the country has spoken and that's what it expects. Give serious thought to getting out of people's bedrooms; live and let live. Next, separate Church and State; look around you, the country is made up of a majority of people who do not believe the way you do. Last, start showing some empathy and love for others, and they'll do the same for you! Begin all of the above by showing support for our new President Elect.

If they want to win elections, then yes they do need to change and adapt to the diversified thinking now present in this country. They need to listen to the voices of their constituents (even their middle class constituents) and implement ideas that will make our country stronger. Such as fixing the broken health care system and not giving tax breaks to extremely profitable companies that do not need them. (Hello oil companies!) They need to step down from their moral high ground and realize they are not God and do not have the authority to pass judgment on those who disagree with their ideals.
However, when there are still people who accept republican candidates blindly (even Sarah Palin!) they may feel that they don't need to fundamentally change their ways.

The problem with the Republican Party is that they try to limit themselves to fiscal conservatives AND social conservatives.

The social conservatives are largely dying off, which means that there are fewer of them. If they just stick to fiscal conservatism and allow social liberals to join, then they might have a chance.

The reason the Republican Party is where it is is because they have shown a lack of inclusiveness not only of demographics but of ideas. Sticking your head in the sand is not a good way to see the lay of the land. As much as they would like things to be different they are as they are and they have to address that or be left behind.

Do a total breakaway from the extremeists that got them in this debacle in the first place. They might wake up to find better backing by the independants in even bigger numbers than the totally radical right.

Let Sarah and her sheep start their own third party.

They should ditch the religion. I'm sorry, I have nothing against religion, but when you mix it with politics, people get burned at the stake. They need to bring more political diversity into their party, and they need to stop acting like symbols and acting like people that care about the country. Washington said himself, Political parties will be the worst thing for this country....

Jack, how can the republicans get 'back in the game' as you say, while the media is totally in the tank for Obama and all of his Chicago cronies? It is now time for the republican party to sit back and watch the Obama crowd self-destruct. Then and only then will the GOP be back in the game.

By getting rid of talking heads like Rush Limbaugh and Shawn Hannity and getting back to the intelligent conservatism of the Reagan era.

I believe we're at the end of the two party system. The Republican party's far right extremists have to go and will probably establish a third party – a theocratic party. If the Republicans return to smaller government, lower taxes and less involvement in day to day life in America, they might have a chance. As long as they rely on the Evangelicals, they're in deep doo doo. America is made up of more than Bible thumping Christians (and I'm a Christian.)

Greg
Oak Park, IL

They need to stop catering to their "base" and set their sights a littler higher. Let's face it, Joe the Plumber, Joe Six Pack, and a hockey mom may reach the good ole boys & company... but it sure leaves the rest of America scratching there heads and wondering what kind of message they are trying to send out!

Focus back on the fundamentals of the right – small government and fiscal responsibility. Stop making moral policy calls about the way people conduct their lives and develop some solid moderate policies that reflect fundamental principles and connect better with a new generation of voters.

They need to go back to their roots. The Republican party that I remember was filled with intelligent people. I don't know what happened, they let anybody in these days.

For the Republican Party to get back into the game, the media should be fair in their reporting especially CNN. I have stopped watching you guys and have been watching FOX news instead.

First: They need to identify the party as Palin or non-Palin. Second: They need to stop the immediate and already constant partisan criticism of the new president-elect (Are you listening Mr. Boehner, Tony Perkins and company?). Third: They need to send a memo to FOX NEWS to tell them to tamp down the conspiracy, lies and right-wing nutjob talking points. Note: Mr. Obama is NOT the Clintons.

Jack, could you at least try to hide your hatred of Republicans? Taking comments out of context while ignoring similar statements from your own side is wildly hypocritical ("jobs" a three letter word? Fifty-seven states?). As far as the GOP, I think they need to focus on a specific message, one that is not tainted by association with Bush's approach to it in the past eight years. For instance, fiscal responsibility and conservatism. Bush as definitely not been a fiscal conservative, and after four years (maybe even two) of coming Democratic power, true fiscal conservatism is going to start looking good to most Americans. All this stuff is cyclical anyway. The Democrats are not going to be in power forever, nor will the Republicans after them. The pendulum will swing the other way.

First things first, they have to get their heads on straight. When you lose an election to the far left, the solution is not to go back to the far right. Don't forget, most Republicans in power viewed John McCain as a moderate.

I think they need to update their ideologies and policies to coincide with the changing times and electorate, instead of being the party of alienation and old ideas.

Be a diverse party that embrace everyone. Simple

They can realize that most Americans are not religious zealots. They can also find a new respect for the Constitution.

CHANGE

If they can't figure out that the last eight years were a freaking disaster, then there is nothing to be done for them. Let the old die off, the people like JohnMcCain and Rush Limbaugh and Joe Scarborough, who are so determined to remain filthy rich that they don't care what happens to the rest of us. The Republican party is the cause of our current mess and I don't trust any of them to be a part of the solution very soon. Go Obama!

This in many ways reminds me of the UK when Mrs Thatcher came to power, the labour party became very left wing and advocated extreme socialist changes. Their choices of leaders were not the best either, with the effect of becoming un-electable. Thus giving Mrs Thatcher 18 years in power, the Republican party have done the same thing to an exstent but in an extreme right wing way.

I strongly believe that the American people have woken up to this and although they do not want extreme socialism, I do believe they want Government with a social understanding; health care being one of these, whilst the UK is no prime example, it is eighth in the world for health care unlike the USA at 37.

Therefore the republicans need to read Obama's manifesto, anylize it and then moderdanize the party; this will take a new leader and someone outside the box but not Sarah Palin.
They have to accept that to win an election they have to change, as I do believe without doubt Obama will win a second term.

Martyn Bignell, Fort Lauderdale.

Take back the party from the religious right, they currently have far too much influence. Their narrow right wing views have no place in government in the twenty-first century.

Christine, Toronto

Join The Democrats.
Start putting people before their fat wallets.

Jack ,

After McCain/Palin the Republicans have there work cut out for them. A good place to start is detaching from the Radical right of the party that is so out of touch with America.

James
Eugene, OR

Ditch the lunatic fringe. Until the Republicans appeal to the majority of Americans vs. an extreme minority of Americans, they shouldn't have influence over the laws that govern all of us.

The GOP has always been for big business and the rich. They prey on the rest of us as though we are all stupid.(which is why they never support higher educ for us) To understand WE are the ones who make THEM rich and have lives of our own. But they will continue to lie and cheat and lie about cheating to get more money that they don't need. Just come clean and you'll get what you want. If not you gets nothing!

To me the Republicans got themselves into this mess for two reasons. The first is that they have gone to far to the right, and are trying to bring religion, specifically fundamental Christian into the government. The second is that there has been just to much corruption this past eight years and too much scandal from this "Christian" political party. Honesty, integrity, truthfulness, working for the people, low taxes etc. have just become slogans to them and nothing more. They are not the party of the middle class anymore. They need to get rid of the fringe and get back to the center and moderation.

The Republican party will need to realign themselves with more contemporary conservative opinions. These opinions spring from the intellectual side of the Republican party who saw Sarah Palin for what she was – a sorry choice for a VP candidate. Palin speaks to an old America now – to those who live for divisiveness. At this point, trying to revive Palin for 2012 would be great – for the Democrats!

They could help themselves a lot by forgetting the divisive, hyper-religious and confrontational politics of Karl Rove, Sarah Palin and some of these other clowns and getting back to basics: Smaller government, lower taxes, efficiency and state's rights. They should go back and do some reading on Abraham Lincoln to see how a man with a firm ideology can still gather differing opinions and broker compromise without compromising his principles.

The conservative base is not that far from the middle. I'm pro-life, pro marriage btw man and woman, a born again Christian and I voted for Obama.
Why didn't I vote for McCain? He wasn't a good choice. The GOP has the fundamentals, it just lacks charisma and humanity. It appears so out of touch. Put an knowledgeable Palin and a less war mongering McCain on the ticket and boom, they could have won hands down.

Why don't they try a separation of church and state?

It's pretty sad when people think if they pray hard enough their candidate, no matter how repugnant or unqualified, will be elected. Here in Tennessee you even vote in the churches!

forty years ago in the same city and park the Democrats went into a self destruct mode. Now forty years later the Democratic party rose from the ashes. The Republicans under Rowe, Palin, Bush, and those neo-cons the Republican party imploded and perhaps (if we are lucky) in forty years we will again hear from the Republican party.

The conservative base is not that far from the middle. I’m pro-life, pro marriage btw man and woman, a born again Christian and I voted for Obama.
Why didn’t I vote for McCain? He wasn’t a good choice. The GOP has the fundamentals, it just lacks charisma and humanity. It appears so out of touch. Put an knowledgeable Palin and a less war mongering McCain on the ticket and boom, they could have won hands down.

Become Democrates for the next 5 to 10 years.

The Republican party as it currently exist is whithering away. If they choose to keep the religous right/social conservatives the base of the party then it will find itself representing 7-8 southern state and a few western states. While the rest of the counrty is embracing the 21st century their constituents will become more and more dangerous, sort of like the extemist we see in the middle east.
We will know how they choose to go forward by who they select as their "face". If''s it's Palin... reread the above.

The GOP needs to quit the brainwashing of their base and work on getting them caught up with the rest of the world...

Start by being honest.

They need to stick to their principles of small government, lower taxes, a strong military, and individual freedoms. It was their deterrence from these issues that got them ousted, not the principles themselves. They will also need to wake up every morning and pray to whatever god in whom they believe that they will be given a fair shake by the media. Wait, not enough. They need to pray morning, noon, and night, cross their fingers, carry a rabbbit's foot, find a four leaf clover and whatever else they can think to do. Then they might have about a 10% chance, at the most to be covered in an impartial way. Of course, objective journalism is dead in America, and it is truly sad.I mean, just the other day, I was flipping through the channels. I am serious when I say that CNN and Entertainment Tonight were talking about the exact same thing. You people need to do your job as journalists, not spinmeisters.

The Republican Party needs to return to the Bush strategy of reaching out to minorities, like Hispanic and African American voters, and promoting a policy of inclusion rather than a narrow focus on 'real America.' John McCain's speech to the NAACP last summer was a joke, and if the GOP wishes to move forward they need a country-wide effort of discussing their platforms with all Americans–not just minorities in swing states.

The GOP needs to return to its roots - fiscal restraint, a belief in individual responsibility, and ability to compromise to get it's agenda forwarded as part of the legislative packages that will become law. If the GOP remains hostage to the fundamentalist religious right, it will remain frustrated and voiceless.

They might start by offering all their elitist, exclusive minded, control seeking members, a free corn cobectomy.

They need to stop listening to democrats like Jack Cafferty. They loved McCain while he tweaked Republicans but abandoned him with the messiah came along. They also need to find a way to better communicate around the democrat affiliates of CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC, MSNBC et al and return to a true conservative message in contrast to the big government team of Obama, Pelosi, Reid.

Get rid of Classical Economic Theory (no regulation, deregulation). Get rid of Supply-side Economics (aka Reagonomics, trickle-down economics). They do not work, are responsible for the 81, 89, and current recessions. Classical Economics has now blown-up the banking/financial industries twice now (89, current). Any house is based on a sound foundation (economics) and the Republicans keep building on economic ignorance and shooting themselves in the foot. Ralph, Yakima, Wa.

Republicans are seen as the party of the rightwing base right now, leaving the Democrats the center.

Now, I think for Republicans to get back in the game in congress is to move more to the center and have a lot more fellas like Bob Dole and Gerry Ford...guys who don't seem like intense ideologues.

Now, I' not suggesting they run a gu like that for President cause Republicans lost in both '76 and '96....but in terms of congress Ford and Dole are good models

Stop pandering to the religious right and move towards the center.

Although the GOP have stumbled during the Bush years, the wide spectrum electoral defeat requires that they do some soul-searching. I believe the best cure to what ails the GOP is to prove that they can govern and legislate wisely. This may take some time and many of the bums in the party will be booted out, but the Republican party will be better for it, and so will America.

The people don't want govenment running their life and being told what to believe and having laws and/or restrictions put on what they believe. The REPUGS need to seperate church and state, be the party of the PEOPLE and NOT the party of god!!!!!!!

As soon as the Democrats lose focus on their mandate, the Republicans will be back in the game. That's what happened in the past. REMEMBER?????

The GOP can get back in the game by moving their message towards a more centrist tone. If they stop demonizing intellectualism and accept that fresh ideas are needed to solve todays problems, then younger voters will become active in the party and give it a new lease on life. Clinging to outdated policies and positions will only lead to a slow and increasingly irrelevant death.

They do not need to change at all. Instead, since they do not want to change with the times, they will take place with the Whig Party – in the history books.

We can continue with our two-party system. In 2012, we can have debates between the Democratic candidate and the Green Party candidate (with the Republican candidate not even being invited). All of the fancy electoral maps will show blue states and green states. This is for the good of the country and for our future.

Mahwah, NJ

My advice would be for them to stop becoming so influenced by the religious right in their party and start moving a little more to the center. They have brought religion into their party to the extent that you cannot just be a conservative. You have a certain religious philosophy to be able to belong to the republican party. Making McCain choose Palin for his running mate is a good example of the Religious Right influence in their party. This was one of the big factors in Mccain losing the election.

Grow-Up! Act like responsible adults. Learn that lying cheating stealing and calling adversaries names is not the way to campaIgn nor run a Go't. Also learn how to cooperate , with everyone. Don't fight against another because he's Dem and I'm Rep. Have a viable reason for disagreeing. And instead of trying for greed and power you work to bring this country back from the dead. And the biggie, how about representing the people who elected you instead of corporate America.

Jack,

Instead of blocking legislation wanted by President Obama, the Replublicans in the Congress would be wise to work constructively with their peers across the aisle to slove the problems facing this country over the past 8 years due to the worst President in our country's history...

C.I., New York

Find a leader that relates with the working folks of this country. Unfortunately, the best and brightest are not seen under the Republican flag...

I think the Republican party needs to start looking like our country. They seem stuck in The Leave it to Beaver land. The is a diverse country. The Republican party needs to be more diverse. They need to stay out of people's bedroom and just focus on policy/

It's gonna be tough. The GOP stands for GROUP (of) OLD PEOPLE and old ideals.. There is no diversity or racial inclusion in the rank and file of the party.. Look at Obama, the movement was a real melting pot of all people. Republicans are not inclusive and the white race will become the majority minority race in the country very soon. So if all the GOP can appeal to is It's base, then they will lose every election and political race. Besides the people who voted will stay engaged in politics for a long time..

They need to recognize the face of the electorate has changed. I'm a Libertarian who used to support Republicans because they used to stand for small government. I wound up voting for Kerry in '04 and then Obama this year because the Republicans have lost their way becoming the party of small mindedness rather than the party of low-spending small government. The religious right is the cement in the shoes of the party and they're drowning because of them.

"From putting a woman on the presidential ticket who reportedly can’t name the members,

Uh, Democrats are the only party that has tried to put a woman on the presidential ticket.

Republican party is becoming a fringe regional party losing their relevance in a fast changing world as they stand still – I hear they are planning to move further to the right – and we booted the last Rep in the House out of New England.
Hopefully when the economy begins to improve again – as it usually does under Democratic administrations – towards the end of Obama's first term he can count on winning 40 states as more old racists drop off the map and more young progressives join the electorate.
only way is to realize that the world is rapidly changing and evolving – as they stand still – in short become progressives like the Democrats!

I think they need to come in line with the 21st century and go back to where they were before the far, right wing so-called christians took over. Both parties need to be more centrist. This campaign proved the republicans still think in the past, not the present or the future. Republicans have traditionally been the fiscally responsible party and democrats have been the tax and spend party. That is not true for either party anymore. It now seems to be reversed, the republicans have increased the size of our government tremendously and have spent money like it was water. They have held our country back from the progress that should have been made on such issues as energy independence, global warming. I have been a republican for 45 years and am ashamed that my party has been reduced to a name calling, far right wing evangelical, war mongering, for the wealthy party only. Social issues do not carry that much weight anymore. They are living in the past and need to come up to speed for the future.

It is what's NOT being said. Republicans need to speak to each other about unconditional acceptance of race, beliefs and religion. I didn't see very many visible minorities in the crowd during the Palin/McCain campaigning. Why? Why? Could it be lack of caring? This is what they need to ask themselves. If growth does not happen here, the Republican Party will never have power and will wither on the vine.

First the GOP has to find itself again, since the beginning of Bush's term it has been falling apart bit by bit and now it is just a shell of it's base. Less and less people identify with the new direction party leaders have taken it, hence John McCain's loss. First they need to stop witch hunting Sarah Palin, and figure out what they stand for and why they are here. Once they find that out they will be a new and better GOP.

work with Obama and the democrats and stop whining and finding fault with stupid little things. they need to get their act together and do something constructive for americans. But, woe is me, I doubt that will come to pass.

Jack:
Who cares? All the Republicans I know haven't changed in 35 years. Democrats are at least flexible – and learn from elections!

They won't. The religious fanatics killed every chance they had to recover. It's too bad because the conservative party has many good ideas, but they let their emotions rule over what common sense they had.

The Republican party has a choice – the same choice McCain had – they can try to "energize the base" by pimping conservative ideals and hoping that conservative numbers increase, or they can try to broaden their appeal by moving closer to the center. The political wing of the party will do whatever it takes to win votes, and the idealist wing is more concerned with "Pro-American" values and will voice their displeasure when they don't get their way.

If you thought this election got nasty, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

Believe it or not, the republican party was not always the hateful spiteful mess that we see before us today. They once were the party that stood for sound economic policy and discipline. Somewhere along the way they got mixed up with a bunch of thugs from power hungry evangelical churches along the way and there vile unpopular social policies ruined what once was a fairly decent party. Republicans can be back on top again. Here's the plan – Drop the lousy attitude and tighen up your spending. Put the preachers back behind the pulpit where they belong. Religion is an anchor around political parties necks. They are a turn off to newer younger voters which is where the future of political parties lie.

The republicans are not the sharpest knives in the drawer and the dimmest light bulb in the box. They are disorganized bunch and only side with the rich. They need to be reacquainted with the fact that they are supposed to be representing the people not CEOs, special interests, lobbyists, etc.

The GOP needs to realize where their own history and where it turned against American values. They would do more to heal buy selling War Bonds to pay for the debt their leadership gave Americans. Sarah Palin could be the spokesperson.

The Republican Party would do well to look to the Libertarian Party for some advice. Most Americans can agree with the principles of smaller government, lower taxes, and fiscal conservatism. Most Americans also believe in individual liberty and do not want their government dictating their morals. Therefore, a move away from social conservatism to a more moderate and even slightly liberal position would be a step in the right direction Bring Libertarian principles together under the Republican brand name and you will have a combination that will be hard to beat.

It sounds simple, but is not really – the Republican party needs a leader who can inspire. Ronald Reagan had a pretty basic message that inspired America. It's time for Americans to believe in themselves and step back into leadership. Not by continually saying how great we are, but by simply doing it. My Mom used to say that if someone who has to tell you how wonderful they are they can't be all that much. It sounds so cool to say that the world has changed since Reagan's day and it's time to catch up, but basic moral fiber and character hasn't. Inspire folks to believe in themselves and try to be the best and just see what happens.

I recall a line from Cool Hand Luke that might be of value to the Republicans in terms of 'getting back in the game'. It went, "What we have here, is failure to communicate."

they need to lessen the focus of the extremely conservative religious right and go more towards the middle to appeal to independants and young people. they also need to stop thinking that anyone who disagrees with them is either a socialist or godless.

First of all they should really re-examize themselves entirely as a party and take notes of how the upcoming Obama administration will lead this country. Many lessons have been learned from the past eight years and leading up to what was a no-win situation for McCain to win this presidency.

The GOP's problems run very deep. One only has to look at the red/blue map of the 50s and 60s to realize how deep. Prior to the passage of the civil rights act, a good portion of what is now considered red was blue. So while the majority of the population has come to support diversity, the GOP became the party of those that opposed diversity. The awakening of the religious right has further drove the party away from the diverse group that elected Obama Tuesday. Recapturing the young voters seems almost impossible with these two groups making up the core of the GOP.

Jack
it is real simple. Separation of Church and State, they get too bogged down with the evangelical vote and offend too many economic conservatives.

McCain made the choice easy for me to vote with the Democrats. His economic plan was far too liberal. Once he wobbled and then supported the bailout I knew that his economic policy was very suspect. He then sided with the Evangelicals with the Sarah Palin choice.
That choice was the final blow to his chances with me and many other economic conservatives.

The only solution as I see it is a third party. In addition, A third or even forth party will also make congress more efficient.

I hope they never recover! It's time to move on from the tired old status quo. The Republican party should just call it a day.

I'm an independent voter, one of the centrists the Republicans lost interest in pursuing. Maybe they're listening now? Come up with plans for energy independence, health care, Social Security and economic growth that make sense. Embrace fiscal responsibility. Not just tax cuts, but reasonable spending that's paid for by a fair tax system. Embrace minimally intrusive government, including intrusions into people's bedrooms. I have no need for, or interest in, a party that is basically the political wing of evangelical pelvic warriors.

In short, give me a fiscally responsible, socially tolerant alternative to the unattractive choices I currently have.

Maybe I’m naïve but I strongly believe that future of any party, in any country lies in the centre, where the common sense is and where parties begin to make less and less sense. Politics should be about pragmatisms and values are not about imposing them on others. Luckily it looks like GOP will move further right…

They need to start being more for the middle class and less for the highier class, after all there are way more middle class voters than high class voters! If not I predict Texas will be the next state to go Blue!

The GOP should remember that it is the party of Abraham Lincoln - and act like it.

Game over Jack. From here on out, we solidify our gains at every turn. These guys are out of the game a minimum sixty years and then some. Let them find a way to get comfortable in this minority role. America is leaving them behind. Go DEM!

The GOP could help themselves a lot by co operating with the inbound Obama administration in getting economic bills passed quickly. Botyh parties need to forget partisan politics until the appropriate legislation is passed.

The GOP have to re-define themself. They need to get out of America's bedrooms and go back to their roots of conservative values such as small government and balanced budgets, while understanding social programs such as health care and social security are basic rights.

Quit pandering to the religious right and get rid of religion in politics. They also need to forget about Rovian politics and other politics of fear. It's clear the young voters are turned off. It's about the issues not demonization of the oppostiiton.

Of course fnding a young intelligent leader would help as well.

They need to get out of the religion business. The religous right should get back to influencing people through their pulpits and by example and stop trying to get the government to force their way of thinking on their fellow Americans.

First, throw out that tired "small government" mantra. This is a huge nation and it needs a big infrastructure in place. Stop catering to the wealthy. TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS DO NOT WORK!!! Show some love to the middle class for a change. In 15 years, America will have a majority consisting of people of color. Acknowledge this and learn to deal with it rationally. We are a diverse nation, republicans must find some way to connect with the 'real' America.

In effect, get back to being Republicans...the party of fiscal discipline and smaller government. Set an example for all of us and stop spending what you don't have. If they do that and soften on some social issues, they'll be just fine. They should not, as some have posted here, take on a new ideology...the wouldn't be Republicans if they did. It's their message and execution of the ideology they need to work on.

Morning in America is coming again!

They need to find the new wave of younger energetic members of the party that have a plan and positive message for the future. The politics of fear can only get you so far, and people now want inspiration not intimidation.

They should not get back in the game. They are undeserving and not representative of the American people. They represent greed and selfishness, not to mention that some of them are racist and homophobic. The honest people who were part of the Republican party need to break away and form a new party.

They need to take a course on what separation of church and state means, and learn tolerance. Is that too much to ask?

The Republican party must break the strangle hold the religious right has over the party. There are good strong candidates who would appeal to a large percentage of independent voters. People like Tom Ridge (because he is pro-choice) and Mitt Romney (because he is a Mormon) will never be President because of the religious right. Since when did the religious right represent the country? It is ridiculous that any Republican candidate in essence has to genuflect to the religious right in order to win the nomination.

For the last eight years the republican part has been very dishonest to the American people. The Republican Party has insulted the intelligence of the common man living in this country on many occasions. Now the Republicans are saying Sarah Palin was not qualified for the position of Vice President. So basically they found this out a day after Mr. Obama won. No. They always new she was not capable of assuming the position of VP. This is one of the many reasons why the republicans are labeled dishonest. There are some respectable and honest republicans in this country its just unfortunate that the greedy ones have painted this negative picture for the world to see.

They need to realize that it doesn't take wisdom or skill to point all the things that are wrong, and quit using the us vs. them approach. As we have seen, hurtful words are not soon forgotten.
Start with a desire to heal the nation.

They can stop choosing people like Joe the Plumber to speak for them! This guy still kills me. He just 'woke up' and realizes that he wants to start a charitable organization cause it's nice to help people ! He still spouts his talk about Obama taking his money and dictating where it goes... where has he been all these years?, what does he think gets done with his taxes now? Anyway, the guy irks me and I can't believe the junk that comes out of his mouth. They should never have had him on the campaign trail with them.

I also like what folks are saying, and agree with them, about getting out of the religion business. I'm a Catholic and live a fairly well meaning life. I volunteer and donate time, monies, and food to needy folks. But I was always taught that State and Church don't mix and they are not supposed to. It's why we started this thing call America !

First they need to get away from their 3Gs mantra- God, Gays and Guns.

Be less like Hannity or Limbaugh and more like Arnold Schwarzenegger..

Despite what their loudest members say, the GOP has to move to the middle and ignore the elephants in their room.

The Republican party needs to figure out that there are more than just white men in the country. They need to stop constantly talking about Ronald Reagan. I mean no disrespect to the Regan family, but, all they talk about is Reagan. It is a new world and a different world and they need to figure that out or they are doomed forever. Obviously they have to realize that the fear and the hatered and trying to divide the country didn't work this time. I think people are over that and it is only going to get worse for them as time goes on.

I have some good ideas but I'll keep them to myself.

They have to sign up Joe The Plumber right now.

We (Yes, I am a proud republican) need to learn how to teach the American people to recognize a lie when they hear it.

From Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

From closely following your presidential campaign over the past year I feel that the Republican Party has to go back to its roots. From the comments I have heard and read from the GOP it seems that they feel that it is only Obama and his fellow Democrats that have to all the compromising and not the GOP.

The GOP needs to look closely at itself and realize that they do not have all the right answers nor do the speak for the majority of the American people-they are but one party.

The US has become a diverse nation and the GOP needs to realize that they also need to adjust their viewpoints and be willing to compromise. Obama campaigned and was elected based on the promises he made to the electorate. He has stated many times that he wants to overcome the partisan politics of the past and govern for the American people not their particular political stripe.

Just because a few laws passed in several states this is not necessarily a reflection of the majority. Many factor could have led to why the electorate voted a certain way.

The GOP must overcome their own notion that they are Amercia's party and that they are the only party that reflects the values of the
American people.

Separate church and state.

Not too long ago the Democrats were in the same position. The GOP just needs to find a fresh voice that concentrates on the issues and not the person they are running against. Many of their ideas are still valid and many people still believe in them as I do. These include deregulation, tightening and reforming immigration, lessoning the tax burden on corporations and the wealthy, etc. (GOP, please don't base your platform on abortion rights, it is not what will win an election.)

I for one was surprised the election was actually closer than it should have been given the last 8 years and the perceived failures of Bush. (Perceived since it was Clinton that caused the banking crisis, even the democratic NY Times, (September 1999), wrote about it.) An 8% popular vote margin, (or was it 6%), is in no way a mandate. Just think, if the GOP had put up a viable candidate that stuck to the issues this might have turned out differently.

Jack, I have just what the doctor prescribed.

1. Get rid if the name "Republican".
2. Reach out to minorities.
3. Focus more on the middle class.
4. Don't focus so much on divisive tactics, or the social issues.

They would have to 'connect' with the people. They have lost this ability.... Someone in the RNC today was talking of searching for a black, or minority to step up from within their party... WHAT ? See, now they think they have to compete on a racial level... They just don't get it... The Republicans have no 'vision'. They will just have to wait for the Democrats to screw things up so bad that the pendulum swings back to the right, again.

They need do Nothing. We do not need two parties that are virtually "the same". We need different ideologies. They lost because their ideas were not in line with the populace AT THIS TIME. There will be times when the populace agrees with their philosophy and then they will be in power to implement those ideas, it being the will of the people at that point in time. We have elections every 4 years for President and more often for the House so that our government is responsive to the countries shifting values. Having two parties with virtually the same ideas is not a good idea – it means you only have one choice, one point of view to for which to cast a vote. We need more parties (points of view) to cast a vote upon, not fewer.

Perhaps they can find some responsible leaders who really want this country to move forward. We need to gain a perspective that honors education and looks forward. We need to put superstition and the ideas of the past on the shelf of history. It is not possible to go forward when there are so many that are trying to rush to the past.

They need to get rid of the religious wing that is tearing the party apart. Keep church and state separate and focus on running the country fiscally responsibly! Pay more attention to the average American and not on the hate mongers at the extreme right.

Once a brand name has been tarnished, only a quality product can get you back in the market. The best marketing campaign in the world can't sell a product nobody wants.

The Republicans have a marginalized party from the bottom up and the narrow hot button issues like "guns and abortion" are not relevant to the 21st Century America.

Polarizing figures such as Newt and Palin have hurt more than they have helped and the intolerance within the Party and of the Party needs to be resolved before they look to rebuild the brand.

The question is who can they find to lead and rebuild the party and are the zealots of old willing to take the medicine? I suspect another humiliating defeat is necessary.

They just have to wait until the democrats revive the economy and everybody starts making a litle bit of money. Then they need to bring back the tax argument. That's the way this country works, right? The democrats bring economic and financial statbility, then the republicans convice everybody that they shouldn't have to pay taxes on that new wealth. Then when the repubs run the economy into the ground again, the cycle continues. Gotta love America, right?

You have to follow before you lead. The Democrats darkest days were when they were too fixated on specific items of their platform many of which conflicted with one another and now the Republicans have the same problem. Republicans have to embrace the art of critical reasoning.

You cannot be for less government interference, second ammendment, the death penalty, lower taxes and then be pro-life and have rampant spending. It just isn't coherent no matter which part of that list you like.

Become Democrats.

Join the Democratic Party.

Jack,

Until the GOP change their ideology regarding the rich keeps getting richer by kicking the little man in the face, they will never have a shot. Also a little spice (diversity) could help that party a great deal.

A party without any true representation can not honestly say that they understand the people; at least not ALL of the PEOPLE

Nora,
Gainesville, Florida

They first need to decide if they are going to continue to be a narrow-minded, self-centered party, excluding everyone but far right extremist. For the past eight years they have operated from a platform of arrogance and self-righteousness. We had eight years to see that trickle down economics do not help the country, but destroys it. I am sick of hearing how "we, the American people" still believe that crap. So to get back in the game, they need to decide if they want to continue to listen to their "quick bites" or listen to the people.

Re-read the Constitution to learn about the government for all the people and by all the people and not just the wealthy people.

Very simple; get a whole new team. The one they have now does not know how to work together and has become so corrupt they have lost sight of any rational goal.

Once again, wheres the common sense? Look how many comments are blaming the Republicans for the way the economy is. The economy has been tanking over the last two years (right about the time Democrats took over congress) not the last eight years.

They need to lay off the culture wars – that accomplishes nothing but division. they also need to be more inclusive – the gop is the party of older rich white people – where's the diversity? – the America that I live in is brown and multicolored – that's reality.

Stop demonizing intellectuals. Joe, the plumber, can not match up with a Harvard graduate. Address issues intelligently, rather than with simplified catch phrases.

I think they should just sit back and shut up for awhile but being Republicans I know they won't. They need to realize we, the people, are sick of them and their lies, cheating and stealing and we don't want to hear anything from them for a long time.

they have been doing.

They need to understand why they lost. They lost because people like me. I do not want to hear about capital gains tax cuts. I have no capital gains (or losses for that matter) I need to hear how they are going to keep me in my house, my daughter in college, gas in my tank and food on my table. They did not speak to those issues that me and millions of Americans think about every single day. They need to give hope to the middle class not tax breaks to the corporations and wealthy.

Karen

Austin, TX

Simple. Be true to conservaties values. Take a good look at Teddy Rossevelt's legacy and remenber what Republicans are supposed to be like.
Be inclusive, avoid radicals at the top, dont force values down peoples throat since Church and State must be separate.

Look out for the middle class and create stiif punishment for greedy Wall Street,.... and let Gay people be.

Just keep fighting with each other so I can have something to laugh at.

Hopefully they can't!

Become Democrats.

I think every Republican and Democrat serving in some sort of office should be required to perform community service while they are in office in order to really understand the needs of the majority.

The GOP needs to take a breather. They can stay out of the game for the next 8 years and regroup while we fix the mess they created for us.

They need to focus more on the Middle Class rather than the wealthy. They were the party of Lincoln and all my history books tell me Lincoln was a poor man who looked to helping his fellow man.

That would be a great start. Then they could focus on policy that is in line with the way the public thinks.

They need to remember all people's definition of Values are different and they can't judge people if their definition is different from the parties definition.

They need to change their game plan, get away from the "ideals" of the Religous Right and give the Party leadership to moderate Republicans; back to the basics of the Republican Party, less government interference in personal life, controlled spending, lower taxes on working people, promote small business and leave the social issues to the States with the exception of discrimination – that should not be tolerated, I don't care how Red the State.

They need to become conservatives again and get away from the Rovian tactics that have destroyed the party. Calling people unpatriotic, unamerican, cowards and traitors will not work anymore. They have done nothing for the country itself, they have just won elections. And if some are waiting for the democrats to screw up I have got a feeling the democrats will be the majority for a long time to come. History shows the economy is always better under democrats than republicans.

Well, Jack, they could start by abandoning their extremist right-wing agenda. Stop trying to control people's lives just because it doesn't fit their religious agenda. Stop spending more money on war than on jobs, education and healthcare. Stop the divisive attitude of us against them. Abandon their cowboy attitude when it comes to international relations. Stop the Neo-con rhetoric and return to conservative ideals along the lines of William F. Buckley. Allow for a moderate wing of their party, as they once did.
I don't think any of those things will happen, but I think that would work for them.

I love hearing people say the country is screwed now with Mr. Obama as President. What are they afraid of: That he will run an enormous deficit? That he will start wars with no end and stretch our military thin? That he will wreck the economy? That we will be attacked by extremists? That he will not regulate anything? Well, that would be quite a disastrous Presidency... Oh wait a minute that would just put him right on par with what he had for the last 8 years. At least 29% of the people approve of those feats. The bar is as low as it gets I don't think any 'donkey' could do worse.

the republican party should be normal and start thinking about middle class for once not the rich fellows..leave religion,guns, abortion,and patriotism out of poltics for good..oh yeah, start paying taxes for once and for all..

Jack,

Get back in the Game ? no thank you, I like them riding the bench

Jack, it's time the GOP joined the 21st Century. Face it Republicans, the old way of doing business is not coming back. When you finally realize that, hopefully you will only be about a decade behind, but that is light-years ahead of where you are now.

Get back to the center with appealing, intelligent candidates. They end up pandering to the far right and shooting themselves in the foot – a la Palin.

Jack,

The Republican party needs a new face, someone that could not only re-energize the base, but possibly be a symbol of post Reagan ideaology. I think Gov. Jindal could be that face, and could restore the Republican brand. Anyone associated to John McCain, George Bush or Sarah Palin other than party affiliation will not be able to restore faith in the Republican brand.

Unfortunately, I don't believe anyone could beat Obama in 2012, unless Obama makes our situation even worse, which I doubt. I think the Republican brand will need to start focusing more on b-partisanship so they can take credit for those initiatives, and start thinking 2016, when they won't have to face the Obama political machine.

Stop the Insane belief in Trickle-down Reganomics. It never has and never can work ! 20 of the last 28 years were wasted banging our heads against that fact. That is insanity: repeating the same thing expecting a different result.
Stop the Insane belief in Lies becoming truth, if you repeat the Lies enough times. McCain & Palin are living proof that it does fool some uninformed, uneducated, hateful types that really want to believe the lies. However, the lies infact remain Lies !
Stop the insane belief that some parts of America are more American than others. The folks in those parts are the "real" Americans.?

Jack...they have to clean house. They have to find leadership that is going to operate closer to the center. They have gone so far right they are falling over. The right of the party has been shrinking and no longer has the power they wish to have. In order to restore respectability they must CHANGE with the rest of America. This should be the mantra C-E-N-T-E-R R-I-G-H-T.

Ha Ha... Why would we want them to get back in the game? If anything most of them like Ted Stevens and Karl Rove should go to jail for messing this country up. The GOP is the Grand Old Party of Corruption.

Get rid of the "neo-cons", 'Christian Right", anti-intellectualism, Bush and his ilk, learn to think, be more "Obama-like", . . . oh well, it's just too much to hope for – and I don't.

The Republican party has got to reject the Evangelical religous right that has hijacked their party. These religous fanatics have driven a social agenda that has kept the party not even in the 20th century not to say anything about the 21st.. Keep Palin in Alaska. Never speak of George Bush or Dick Cheney again. I for one would like to see their bigotted, fear mongering polictics gone for good.

Jack-

When the Republican realizes that America is a big melting pot and that we are in the 21st century, than the party can re-group. When comparing both parties convention; the democratic convention represented the America of today where as the Republican represented the America of the past which is exclusion of all other races. Yes I know there are few African American, Hispanic, Asian- American, Indian -Americans who are Republicans, but how often do you see the diversity of the party. You have members of the Republican Party who believe every person that practice Islam is an Extremist. They are already planning to regroup back to the Republican of the Regan era, but when are they going realize that was 28 years ago, get some new ideas

The Republicans had control of both Houses of Congress and the Presidency from 2001 to 2006 . Instead of keeping the national debt under control, they went on a spending spree. Republican Presidents before George W Bush always said if the electorate gave them a GOP Congress there would be no more deficits. But look what happened. Bill Clinton eliminated the deficit and stabilised the debt during his eight years. He had to deal with a GOP Congress for six years but between them they kept the debt under control. Not a single Republican suppported his first budget in Congress. You can't give everyone a tax cut and keep spending more without borrowing and thereby increasing the debt. Both parties need to learn that lesson. Contrary to what some think deficits do matter.

Let's leave them on the sidelines for a while..they are just fine where they are!!!!!

Jack,
Actually the Republicans need to do very little. Give Obama four years and everyone will be glad to vote Republican again, if they still have the freedom to vote! Linda, Lorain, Oh

The Republicans need to understand the United States of America is a country of people of all races with different cultures who have found a way to exist in harmony. No one race is better than another here in the USA. Let go of the past now. UNITE

The CNN election night's split screen highlighted the GOP problem. At Obama's Chicago rally: all ages, races, males and females, rich and poor. At McCain headquarters: tired old white men with their tired old white wives. A political party can't continue to be viable if there is no infusion of new blood.

They need to embrace policies that appeal to ALL Americans. Eliminate the death grip the christian right has on their party.

Whatever happened to the Republican "big tent?" Guess it imploded from all the same old hot air!

Very simple.. they need to stop pandering to the religious right. They praise less government, but then want the government to butt into peoples personal lives. Mainstream America doesn't want the government to dictate to them what's moral and what's not.. that's what we have churches for. Separate the party from the church.. stop spending more liberally than the liberals.. go back to being fiscally conservative.. and you'll have your party back.

And this is coming from a leftist.

Democrats went after every county, every state. They treated the entire country as their own. Republicans can do the same thing. Don't let it be acceptable any longer to build your campaigns on "us" versus "them". Visit every rural and urban neighborhood, churches of all backgrounds, and let every single community, whether it is black or white or brown know that you regard them as Americans with valid concerns. Treat every voter as a potential campaign worker. It will be an uphill climb, but it's better than looking backward.

Republicans need to come out of their caves. Bending to the ultra right ignores the reality of today. Just as the Democrats become more centrist so should the Republicans.

They need to get rid of their alliance with the evangelicals,right-wing extremists and small-minded,self-interested war mongers and move to the center and become more like the party of Eisenhower.

In four years we'll see if Obama actually delivered on his promise of change, if he shows us anything less than phenomenal, then the new poster child of the GOP, Sarah Palin, will be breathing down his neck in 2012.

I don't think it could ever return to the GOP of the Eisenhower Administration, but they need to 'grow up'.

And, NO MORE PALIN....

They need to give up the Christian right, even when they win with their help, there wins with diminishing returns. Yes, prop 8 was past in California, but not nearly by the results a ban on Gay marriage past a couple of years earlier. God, Guns, and Gays, doesn't seem to be working for them well. the decline started with Terry Shivo, and the cou-de-gra, will come in the 2010 senate races if they continue to embrace the culture of us against them, because the country now has many more of the divest us.

Mumble mumble, ... perhaps, by choisng a leader with a brain?

The GOP needs to regroup and get back to their roots. It seems that a moderate republican presidental candidate did not work, however, his conversative VP pick rallied the base. Then, he focused on independents and undecided voters and left the base in the dust. The base needs to get everyone back on track and tell the nation why the party is the Grand Old Party.

The need to remember the true principles that founded the Republican Party... I am sure they were much more dignified and stable that what we have seen from the Bush administration and this past campaign.

Simple. Take a page from history. Separate from the elitest right wing, neo-con, evangelical Republicans and name them the Federalist party. The moderate Republicans can keep their name and get back to listening to the American people as a whole and not just a small portion of them they claim is the majority.

Disregard reality, and substitute it with the`re own, and make you belive it.

Joe M -
"Once again, wheres the common sense? Look how many comments are blaming the Republicans for the way the economy is. The economy has been tanking over the last two years (right about the time Democrats took over congress) not the last eight years."

Joe M. where have you been? The economy has been tanking even before the Democrats took congress and even before Bush became President. This goes back 40 to 50 years. When the country became buy buy, buy, and not build, purchase, build. We became consumers and not producers. We became a country of debt and not surplus. Oh please! The Bush policy had just given us a kick in the head, we were already on a downward slope! Way before I was even born.

A few suggestions:
1. Stop pandering to the extreme right wing base of the GOP
2. Stop taking advice from the Pat Robertsons and Jerry Falwells
3. Stop with the hateful rhetoric towards anyone who doesn't agree with the GOP
4. Stop demonizing the rest of the world.
5. Start with being more inclusive and open-minded

Conseratives-Quit listening to hate radio with people like Rush Limbaugh and Fox'sHannity. who are only leading good people down the road to doom. What these men preach it not what a Chritian people or nation need to hear. This is not WWJD message. This is not the mainstream Repubicans but most of the south is eating it up.
They quote these people as truth! The mainstream Repubs need to educate the base and quit being a party of hate .

They become the Republican party again, the party of Eisenhower and Goldwater. Reaching out to NASCAR dads, hockey moms and the evangelical right isn't doing it for them. They need to stop their practice of pseudo-patriotism and stop lying to the American public about their plans, their goals, their vision, and the people they run against for office.

That, and jettison idiots like Tucker Bounds.

Loose the "them vs us mentality", recognize the diversity that exists in this country, stop pandering to the religious right kooks and for heavens sake look to the best and brightest in the Republican party and forget Sarah Palin. If Sarah Palin is the best they can come up with, the Republicans are screwed.

Jack, they have to get rid of the so called social conservatives, and the neo-cons also. They need to stop bringing up Ronald Reagan. He's dead and buried and so is his movement.

Bob

I am over 50 and I believe the Republican Party is too full of itself and old, white-haired men. They need to realize we are in the 21st century now and start acting like it. I was always a registered Republican until George Bush!

I think Republicans should ride it steady. Every storm passes and this one is no different. Palin should definitely prepare to run for President in 2012 and Republicans will be wise to rally behind their emerging leader in order to produce the best outcome for the 2012 election. Democrats will handily defeat them again!!!!

Pick and choose, like in the old Everet Dirkson, Jerry Ford days:

1. Battle for a balanced budget during good years.
2. Try to limit Govenement intrusion into private lives.
3. Support the Military
4. Limit military adventures

You know the 4 basic Repubilican ideals abandoned under W.

The Republicans are going to have to wander through the political wilderness for at least 2 more election cycles. During this time there will be split between the base, who will embrace hard right candidates like Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin, and the moderates, who will embrace candidates like Bobby Jindal and Mitt Romney (Mass. Governor Romney, not candidate Romney). After suffering major losses for being too ideological, the base will fall in line with the center. The same thing happened to the democratic party in 2000 when some members voted for Ralph Nader.

Once they move more towards the center, particularly on social issues and civil liberties, they'll have a greater appeal to younger voters and minorities.

How to get back in the game... become the party of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Ford.

Republicans need to dump social issues from their platform and get back to their roots – fiscal conservatism, strong national defense, and keeping government off people's backs. Then they need to wait for time to erase people's memory of the fact that their party gave us the worst President in the history of our country.

we can't Jack. Not until 2010 anyway.

Break ties with the ultra-conservative religious right who forced McCain to pick Palin and move more towards the center. No one cares about abortion and gay marriage when the sheriff is knocking on your door with a foreclosure notice and your boss is handing you a pink slip.

Jack make no mistake about it this was a vote against Bush not conservatism. Obama actualy ran as a moderate candidate and if the Dems abuse their power and push a liberial agenda people will comeback to the GOP. If you look at it, the majority of all people are moderate conservatives regardes of race. This election proved that even in California.

What they need to do is stop living in the past. I'm tired of hearing about Ronald Reagan and how great things were 'back in the day'. We don't care about Ronald Reagan. The name of the game is 'what have you done for me lately?' and the answer to that question is nothing. They need to get younger and they need to come up with some new ideas to focus their philoshpy around. What that new philosophy will be, however, is anybody's guess.

Jerome
Atlanta

The Republican Party is still in the game and will be until the American people wise up to the fact that there are no fundamental differences between the Democratic and Republican parties and start demanding that alternative party and independent candidates start getting a fair shake by the news media and that they be included in debates.
Brownwood, Texas

The GOP needs to houseclean from the bottom up and recruit outstanding candidates for Senate,House and Governor's Races for 2010 and recruit outstanding candidates for 2012 whether it be Sarah Palin,Tim Pawlenty,Chartlie Crist,Mitt Romney,Mike Huckabee etc. The Republican Party has to recruit outstanding Black and Hispanic candidates if they are to be viable

While I have more faith in the ability of the Democrats to fix the damage done by the GOP and the Bush administration, I think the U.S. needs both major parties in good health in order to keep our country on the right track. It really saddens me that the GOP has spent so much time over the last 8+ years fear-mongering, and playing to the fringe elements in society. Perhaps they could start to repair their brand by disengaging from the Neocons, and make a stand as to whether they're a theocratic religious faction, a pyramid scheme, or a political party. If the GOP has a real message after that, it might be worth listening to.

I think they need to have a discussion with all those party leaders saying they need to move more conservative and less moderate and get them to see reason. They lost 2 years running big because the party has moved to far to the right. Basically I think the republican party needs to once again be that center right party it once was rather than the far right party it has evolved into since 2000.

Also I think they need to come to the realization that he US is neither center right nor center left. The US more far more center, than left or right. We tolerate left and right shifts because well, we have to it's just part of the nature of politics. But what we really want to see are good, practical solutions to the problems facing our nation, not rhetoric implemented as policy.

Be inclusive and stop all the race baiting. As a black man when they held their convention I felt left out.

Jack,

Look back to the history books for an example of what is to come; do you remember American History from school? Well it looks like the Republicans are following in the footsteps of the Federalists - a dying brand - that will eventually be something that is a note of how NOT to govern a county... in the History Books of the future that is.

What we need is for the ultra-right wing of the Republican party to become the true 3rd party it is so that in 2012 the Democrats will get 60%, the Republicans 25%, and the new Conservative party 15%. The Republicans have placed themselves in the dark ages.

We are 77 year old Republicans. My wife and I have never missed voting in a presidential election since we became eligible to vote. For the first time we voted for the Democrat candidate when we voted for Obama.

When McCain chose Palin, who to anyone the least bit objective is incompetent, as his running mate it became obvious to us that appeasment to the extreme right of the party was more important to the Republican party than the welfare of the nation.

In order to be succesful in the future the G.O.P. must become more concerned with the real problems of the nation and less concerned with playing to, and promoting ,the dogma of the extreme right wing being promulgated by right wing talk radio .

Bob Fleming
Louisville, Ky

Republicans need to read the Constitution to see that it says "We The People" and not we the republican party then start representing the people instead of the false republican commandments.

They can't as long as he right wing is in control. Americans have woken up and no way they are going back.

Stop under-estimating the voters and offer thoughtful policy formulations rather than clever, contrived sound-bites.

They need to face the truth they lost because they believe in a failed economic policy of Trickle Down, the voting public can now see does not work. If the GOP thinks that they should go back in a time machine to the Reagan era they will be out of power for a very long time. They need to develop new economic policies that work. If they think the public is so stupid to believe that just give tax beaks to the rich works, the GOP will continue to lost national elections. Deregulated markets, Free Trade and Tax Cuts for the rich have wrecked this country . And it they continue to live in some Reagan
Era fantasy land, GOP will continue to mean Get Out of Power

Start from scratch and not have Palin in any part of it. Invite new moderates into Republican Party and not have so many narrow minded right-wingers.

Unite not divide. Get rid of the religious right. Conservatism stands for the respect of the constitution which states a clear separation between church and state. By incorporating the religious wing into the party they sacrifice meeting the values of the entire nation.

What the Republicans don't understand is that America is at a different place now. Most American's are tired of see the same old white men. America is becoming more and more diverse. Simply put, the Republicans are out of touch with America. They want to hold onto the Regan era. How many years ago was Regan in office.

Leave god, guns, and gays to the looneys, and actually focus on issues that matter–like the economy, foreign policy, immigration, health care, etc.

Let Perkins, Robertson, Palin, et al. have their own party (about 15% of the total), and then recast in the mold of Colin Powell republicans.

Note that "al quaida" translates to "the base!" Lincoln must be spinning in his grave given where Bush and Rove have morphed his party into a neo-theocracy!

The republicans need to include all americans rich or poor. Joe the Plumber was a smoke screen for McCain's statement of giving the rich a tax cut. What about the middle class and poor? The republican plan needs unity like Obama's plan has.

If I knew, I sure wouldn't tell them. Hahahaha.

The republicans need to get a major reality check and look at the "REAL" america which is truly diverse. They then need to look at the face of the republican party "old, white, rich guys" and read up on their founding father one of this countries greastest presidents a simple lawyer from Illinois Abraham Lincoln and get their party back in line with his beliefs! Since they have been so divise they have apparently lost the most important belief of Lincoln's.

"This union must endure at any cost"

Abraham Lincoln

The Republicans will get back into the game when they stop calling everyone who runs against them the anti-christ and un-american.

Hi Jack!

They have to let down their crazy religious right wing (in fact, they should have their own party if they want to and try to put a theocracy in place) and make sure they 're working for the well-being of American people and the world. Simple as that!

If the Republican party is ever to have any hope, three things need to happen

1) Stop being Democrats and get back to the fundamentals of fiscal responsibility and true Regan conservatism.

2) Build a clear, consice mission statement and stop the "Vote for us, we are not Democrats" mentality

3) Live your values and do not cower in fear when challenged.

The Republican party needs to realize that mixing religion and politics is like trying to put out a grease fire with water. It blows up in your face. They need to get out of trying to legislate morality. They talk on one hand about wanting government our of people's lives and proceed to oppose abortion and gay rights – effectively putting even more government in people's lives. They need to find heros like Eisenhower and Lincoln and abandon their current group or heros – Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, et al.

I think since they proved they don’t understand anything about free market economy or economy in general, they should really become the Conservative Christian republican party and move out of governance (like they do in Europe). The bad news is that the democratic party will become the conservative party and the space or a more truly liberal democrats.

They could start by having Bush step down early. Doesn't he have some sick leave or a few personal days he could cash in?

Don't be anti-science and technology. Don't thrust your god down my throat and focus on the coservative economic principals...But luckily you don't know how to do those things so we democrats will win more and more.

Neither the GOP nor the Democrats need to celebrate over this election.The American people have not voted for Democratic issues,they have only voted against it.What this country needs is a moderate political party,and as it stands now,either of them is not providing such moderation.The GOP can stage a come back,by shifting to the middle and the Democrats will continue its mountain of victories if it comes to the center too.

They need to shed the fundamentalist evangelical fanatics and rely on sound conservative economic policies, attracting like minded Democrats and create a new force in American politics. Religious and divisive social issues have no place in national deliberations. The founders made it very clear...we will make no, that's NO!, laws on religious matters. Let those who believe otherwise form their own party and re-write the Constitution if and when they take power. That's what they want to do anyway, creating a secular Christian nation with liberty and justice just for them.

1. get rid of Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber and all their ilk. If you continue to attract the lowest of the base you'll never win any future elections.
2. embrace things that interest college kids and young people, philanthropy and climate change for starters. Yes young people are less likely to vote but if you establish political identity young then they'll probably stay with you as they age...its what the Tories in England are doing now.
3. return to the idea of small government and fiscal responsibilty and less government in personal lives and weed out anyone who thinks differently

The GOP has long abandoned it's roots and merely has to go back to basics: sound financial policy and a more rational approach to social issues.

Frankly I hope they don't!

They need to do some soul-searching and figure out if and then how they can join the rest of the world with a positive contribution, given their divisive, exclusive, barrel-of-the gun, holier-than-thou approach to leadership.

They'll be busy for a while.

The Republican Party has abandaned the ideals of smaller government and fiscal conservatism in favor of gay-bashing and being pro-life. While their conservative base is happy with that, moderates and independants aren't.

I'm not going to waste a minute trying to figure out their next move. Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be reprehensible as always.

Dear Jack, I'm not sure if they can or they really want too. After the Republicans devestating loss, the members of the GOP are saying they have to go futher to the right. Not a smart move. After McCain's hate filled campaign and scare tactics, Americans finally had enough. The only way the Republicans can move foward is to stop bowing to big business and actually care about middle class citizens, if not, they are toast.

Recruit Hillary Clinton for the Republican party

Jack they could start by telling the truth!
Have them read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights!
Realize that an elected official is a privilege! Learning the meaning of the words humility, equality, integrity and honor!

We need a Republican Party of the Center and Not the Extreme Right. The Conservatives have to show what they can offer the nation in 2010, and recapture the Congress

Find a way to prevent abortions, not outlaw them. Use the Christian motivation and money to create programs that give women and families more opportunity to make informed choices instead.

ALSO, with the vote in California and other states against gay marriage, I hope the Republicans see that they are not the only ones who have religious and family values. I, like many others, agree that they should have civil rights, but I believe most are against re-defining marriage itself.

FINALLY, QUIT calling Democrats ungodly just because they are not Republicans...

I don't know, but I wouldn't tell them if I did.

The Republicans are like a high school click club which is limited to a few who have the same ideals and excluded others which ultimately resulted in the end game. They simply need to grow up, stop acting like spoiled brats and embrace new ideals that may change the Republican brand for the better.

It is simple Jack.

The Repulicans have got to stop acting like Democrats.

Stop the excessive spending and get back to your conservative roots.

A lot of Republicans voted for Obama to send a message to the Republican party and that is "if we wanted a democrat, we'll elect one."

McCain is a prime example. There are democrats to the right of McCain on some issues, and McCain was too far to the left for a lot of us.

I am prepared, like a lot of other conservatives to fight this left wing party every step of the way, if necessary.

Reagonomics is not dead, the Republican party has just lost its way.

We Conservatives will be watching.

Wait two years.
mel
la junta,Co

Get it through their heads that the constitution calls for separation of church and state for a reason. That is the way the majority want it. Quit trying to shove their values down the nations throat. We are a free people and we have free will. We like it that way.

The Republican party cannot do anything to get back in the game. It is a dinosaur on the way to extinction. They have done an excellent job running hard toward the 19th century.

First, they should all read their oaths of office. Perhaps that wouild restart them to thinking more like Americans instead of divisive party hardliners. They could also use someone in charge who understands the platform of the GOP. At the moment they are nothing more than a bunch of barking dogs each looking for attention. This election clearly showed their selfishness and disarray. Also, Thune is making plenty of discordant music.

They need to realize that today's America is a different America from the one twenty years ago.

Hate to tell you this but the chistian values are not what hurt the Republicans. The economy is what hurt us and not sure if anything will heal that at this point. By the way Obama belives in the same Christian values that you peopel are slamming!

They should settle down, cooperate with the party that won this time, and work really, really hard to get America on a better path. Good, honest work can restore credibility like nothing else c an.

What the Republican Party must do is shake off the loss. It's done, its over, we need to get back on our feet and focus on what we stand for. For starters while Obama is is focused on fixing the economy I would present a plan for health care, immigration, and energy before the democrats do, in others words beat them to the punch. If congress rejects our proposals we can use that rejection as a weapon and accuse the democrats of politics as usual and not being genuine about change and reaching across the aisle. If by a miracle they do accept our proposals, great we can take credit for change and trying to do the right thing. Also we must attack, attack, attack Obama on his weak point which is "change", the longer it takes for change to occur the worse for him. In Washington DC change happens but very slowly so time is on our side.

Religion does not belong in politics James. So said the founding Fathers of our nation!

They need to become Democrats or Independants. It is going to be a long time before Republicans can become the majority again.

To – Dave November 7th, 2008 4:28 pm ET

"We need a Republican Party of the Center and Not the Extreme Right. The Conservatives have to show what they can offer the nation in 2010, and recapture the Congress"

You had that shot with McCain because he is about as close to the middle as it gets, if not leaning left altogether. His ways, and those like him, are what cost us the election.

Note this , in a poll since the election 97% stated that the Republican party was NOT conservative enough.

To get back into the game, the Republicans have to act like Republicans.
They laughed, snickered and jeered when Ron Paul spoke. Now they should shut up and listen, follow, then lead.

Jack,
TRY to remember who they realy work for, the people of the U.S.

Let's see where can I start...

1. Accept responsibility of their own actions
2. Get the video tapes of all RNC past and present – look at the people – That is not America
3. Embrace Diversity – give respect to earn respect
4. Community Service – help people in need
5. Stop looking down on other people
6. Listen to people who are in need
7. Help stop RACISM of all races
8. Stop paying people to vote for their party
9. Stop CHEATING – Election 2000
10. Believe in CHANGE
11. Stop scaring people into believing a war is needed
12. Last but definitely not the least, look at the last 8 years! Be careful of who you choose to lead America.

I hope my party, the Democratics, hold on to this forever! Way to Go Democratic Party...

James, we are not slamming the Christian values. We are just saying do not govern us by them. Obama may be a Christian, but he does not want to govern us by his beliefs. We are not all Christians. I'm not and do not want those beliefs forced on me like the Repubs want. Govern us by the Constitution and not by your beliefs. This is why Obama/Biden are there and McCain/Palin are not.

They can't. For way too long the republican party has consisted of two parts. One part are wealthy people who want to use their wealth to control the government and get wealthier. The other part are people who can be suckered into voting against their own interests based on emotional issues like abortion, religion, guns or gay marriage. That is what produced Reagen democrats and the culture wars. Well the wealthy have been so successful that they have trashed our economy and pulled all of the ladders up after themselves and now even Reagen democrats are realizing that they good hoodwinked. In the end even bigotry will no longer be an issue that can make people vote against their own interests.

Easy. Kick back and watch the Democrats and their infighting and spending. And if the economy continues to flounder, in two years the average american will blame democrats for all the country's problems and momentum will swing back over to the Republicans. With the neocons out of the way, Republicans will be palatable again.
Until the average american takes the time to think about how things work, instead of just being partisan or automatically pointing fingers at who is "in charge", the cycle of one party over the other will continue.
Note the current financial crisis. Democrats were equally to blame for a lot of what happenned. They have controlled congress the last two years. Yet because a Republican was president, the Republicans got the blame. Obama engineered that successfully, although Obama himself and the Democrats accepts large contributions from institutions like Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac. It would have been good for people to examine the situation rather than just accepting what was politically expedient for Obama.

Jack,

The Republican needs to start embracing new ideas and forget about the country of old. Obviously a majority of Americans want change. Constantly pinning your hopes on the religious right and shunning new voters and college students will result in more elections lost for the GOP.

Steps:
- Identify their target audience – at the moment it's secular – change that
- Develop a new ideology that is inclusive and give it a name
- this name becomes your brand – it should be clear simple and concise
-use this brand to develop all your theories of behaviour
- hold your party's leaders accountable to the brand
- BE CONSISTENT

They were the ones that changed the game 8 years ago. I think they should sit out the next 8 years and cheer for the winning team, or go home.

We asked the same thing of the Democratic party not too long ago. The truth is the American public's sentiments lie between the two parties extremes and once the Democrats move things too far left the voters will pull things back over the other way.

Maybe learning to communicate in a way that the opposite of Right is not Wrong....it is just left....disagree without being disagreeable.

Jack,

They lost the game because they've failed miserably. I think it is time to let the winner team to deal the cards for a while.

I don't understand why people are complaining that Obama is naming Democrats to the top positions of the cabinet.

Let the democrats play their game and not worry how to bring back the politics of fear.

I'm sorry maybe my history is a bit hazy, but wa'nt htis country built on conservative christian values (Anne from Florida) if it was good enough then, then why is'nt it now?

Stop the negative adds is my number 1.
Stick to the issues and only the issues.
If the economy is really bad... exhibit frugal tendencies... I can't vote for someone that does not have a clue how the middle class is living or trying to live.
Don't seem to enjoy booing crowds... try to work for positive changes... stop the booing and as Obama said... 'vote'.

Hey Jack. The only thing to fix the republican party is to get rid of it, then get rid of the dems and all other special parties. Lets us just be americans who vote for the man or women not a party of special intrests.

They need to to embrace libertarianism... What they used to be. They ousted Ron Paul, and I will never forgive them for that.

Lets hope the neocons stay in the sea Jack.They should never have crawled out.

the gop should adopt a complete, fair and reputable code of ethics and enforce it to the hilt. Sioux Falls, SD

The GOP needs to quit hanging on to the past, and live in the now.

By becoming Democrats.

Give Amnesty to the 1 million immigrants and they will authomatically add 12 million voters to the GOP party.

I think it will be fine if they go back to their evangelical roots. That guarantees they will remain a minority party.

Do we really need Republicans? There should be a new party-with new beliefs to adapt to our changing world. I think the word "Republicans" will be an enduring stain on this party and the American people will forever associate this word with words like liar, cheater, greedy, self-important, egotisical, religious fanatics, etc, etc, etc.

Jack,the GOP must learn to realize to keep religion private,and not flaunt it in its political races.This is universally recognised as a n intelligent and progressive strategy.Unfortunately there always be hardheaded bigots.

Honesty, integrity, intelligence. Oh, what a dreamer I am!

Denis
Upper Saint Clair. Pa.

By separating state and church. PERIOD.

They have to do some serious soul searching. But since I haven't seen much evidence that they HAVE souls, that could take a while.

By the way, thanks for the map. It underlines what I've said on other blogs, that if Obama had made a series of campaign stops in Texas, he might have actually carried it. It was pretty close as it was, considering (48% for Obama to 52% for McCain). With Bush's mishandling of Katrina, Rita, and Ike, and McCain doing nothing here either, inertia set in. For a state that once was solidly Democratic, we've become accepted as Republican stronghold, even though a significant number of us are either Democrats or Independents (independent for me...I vote by issues, not party). I plan on working more locally to see if we can do more to put Texas back in play...

They need to actually stand for something other than attacking Democrats.

Shaundra
Houston TX

Maybe they should take some advice from the cast of SNL and remember the face of George Bush every time they make decisions.

May be they should look back in history, how the party was and how it performed. Also some more sensible leaders amongst the republican party should come up and drive the engine. Most importantly, they should understand the mind of the American people. I loved this party and so much wanted to endorse them but they didn't give me a single reason to do that.

Kick the Limbaugh, Slannity, etcetera out of the ears and mouths of the party. They have, along with Bush’s help, changed the party into one where hate and fear are the main operators. They created a country of strife and for what? Their own pocket books.

Alas, I doupt it will happen therefore: RIP

Obama needs to avoid frequent use of the word "my" when referring to the administration, transition team, etc. Bush always used the word "my" which made people feel like everything belonged to him and not "we the people". Andy

The Gop needs to get back to what gave them the appeal under Reagan. They need the pro-American rederict that he gave the country that enmphasized it's greatness with the American people.

In my opinion, three possibilities.
-A hispanic candidate. Though this would largely lead to a re-evaluation of the party's stance on immigration and a possible loss of support because of it, it would show a trans formative republican party looking forward.
-A version of Sarah Palin that would not lose a geography quiz to a third grader.
-Although most hypothetical, there is a politician out there that I think would stand the best chance of toppling Obama in 2012, who has proven himself as a very popular figure who can get things done and draw bipartisan support. I refer to Arnold Schwarzennegar, though his candidacy would require very large lawn signs and for the part of the constitution banning foreign born presidents to be "terminated."

The Republicans will get their party together again and it will undoubtedly happen within the next four years when Americans continue to be disappointed in their Senate and Congress representatives - this Congress did nothing for two years!!! And Americans will get tired of nothing but fluff from the liberal media for two years and start asking questions of the administration.

As an Asian American, the republicans scare me. John McCain was supposed to be a moderate, but look at his VP pick and his audience during the campaign. Imagine, if Huckabee or Palin was running as a candidate. I would be even scared to attend their rallies.....
One more thing, they don't get is most people are smart enough to manage their personal life but not everyone is smart enough to manage their financial life. That is why there is a boom in financial advisors...

They can start by joining the rest of us in the 21st century.

Jack it would be nice if the GOP would visit the dictionary and look up words like arrogance, neglect, scandal, corruption, greed, equal human dignity, control, grandstanding, "real democracy".

The GOP needs to become fisically conservative but more socially liberal. This would be ideal and attract most of the young voters and women.
–Emily

Hatboro, PA

What the Republicans need to do is stop trying to shove there all too righteous Christian morals down everybody's throat, and stop assuming that all Americans are stupid enough to believe that somebody like Sarah Palin will be their savior in 2012! It is the same righteousness that favored war over diplomacy, lies and deception instead of truth, and a fierce greed that lined the pockets of the of the rich while leaving our infrastructure and economy in shambles. I hope they, the Republicans, can take a long break. Long enough to recognize the results of their "high and mighty" deeds and realize that they nearly buried this great country.

RNC is damaged goods, cannot get back in the game with the current set of leadership and values. RNC supporters are stubborn, thoughtless and does not have any compassion. you need clues look at the crowd at McCain concession speech

change their name !!!!!!!!!!!!!

When oh when will my party learn? America may (and it's debateable) be a center-right country, but we Republicans have for too long been fixated on the "right" portion of that phrase. What is clear is that Americans are firmly in the center, and as a liberal Republican who has long bemoaned the hijacking of my party by right-wing radicals, I hope we wake up and come back to reality and move firmly and permanently to the middle of the political spectrum.

Obama has emphasized how he wants us not to be a red or blue America... but The United States of America. Republicans, and Democrats, should start adopting this idea and they probably would get a lot more done for the benefit of all of the people.

Try doing things for the country and it's people ,rather than have only have an ideological adgenda.

The republicans can do nothing to get back in the swing of things' Obama however can put the republicans back in the game if he tries to mess with the law abiding citizens right to own a gun. I grew up in
the south I am 46 years old , white and believe that Obama was the better man for the job , something you won't hear many southerners say, but there are alot of democrates that believe in the 2nd amendment, if he tries to mess with that then he will only enjoy 2 years of congressional control, because the republicans will return to office in a hurry

Dennis

Mississippi

The fat lady has sung Jack. The Republicans may just be added to the heap of dead political parties such as the Whigs and Federalists. I am a Democrat but it is truly sad to see the party of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt reduced to this. George Bush should be ashamed.

Become Democrats.

Change their names. Find new people. Develop new policies.

I'll never tell, Jack. I like things the way they are.

Become Democrats.

I think that there is a serious chance that the Republican party as we know it today will never recover. More likely, Obama will move the Democratic party solidly into the middle, attracting moderate Republicans and alienating liberal Democrats. This could open an interesting possibility of having a three-party system: What remains of the Republican Party on the far right, moderates in the middle under the Democratic banner, and another party on the far left (possibly the Green Party augmented by liberal Democrats leaving the fold).

Start caring about the people of this country, not just the corporations.

Rockvale, TN

Stop acting like minorities are the plague.

When you look into the faces of the Republican party they need to look like the country.

I think the party needs to stop focusing on social and moral issues, such as abortion and gay marriage, and start focusing on their original beliefs. This means their belief in smaller government and less spending.

Grow a conscience.

Get in the middle lane and make sure you use their turn signal!!

Talk to Canada's Prime Minister for ideas on how to rebuild Republican Party!

To get 'back in the game?'...Wear blue jerseys!
DC Millwater
Charlottesville VA

They can't.

Unless the GOP changes their pattern of simultaneously saying that government is the problem while they are running to lead the government, little will change. They should just move to the private sector and be done with it.

Change the name and drop the religious right. By constantly saying that GOP is patriotic does not make them so. Drop the fear agenda and focus on the public welfare. In other words, work towards improving lives in the future and not just for the moment.

With their choice of George Bush in 2000, and then Sarah Palin in 2008, it is obvious the GOP has put likeability and political deal making ahead of actual brains and intelligence-and what is best for the country. They need to change this, or they will continue to be in trouble.

It is time for a youth movement. We need to get young and take back the House and Senate. Then take back the White House

The Republican Part HAS to shed its ties to the Fundamentalist Christian Right. Their intolerance and narrowness of view on issues precludes a lot of centris-oriented people from any party belonging to any party that adopts as planks in their party such views. Let's face it, there are many people of faith, most of which do not push agendas like the Christian Right. They are little different than any other special interest group.

Be honest – and stop underestimating the intelligence of the American people..

Raleigh, NC

The Republican party needs to have someone strong and confident for the people to believe in. Basically, someone the complete opposite from George Bush and John McCain. Maybe after Obama's two terms, they will learn from their past mistakes and regain what made the Republican party, the Republican party in the first place.

i think they should just go with the flow keep there eyes open and there lips shut and they might learn something from this new congress

They need to rename themselves the Evangelical/Fundamentalist Party, so the Real Republicans can again become the Reform Party.

What do the Republicans have to do to get back into the game?
BECOME DEMOCRATS! ! ! !
I think the country has LOUDLY expressed it's political will in
this election, so there can be little doubt which way the country
is feeling generally towards the republicans!
I know that I myself am SICK of these Republicans and their
failed policies.

I think that the party must look at them selves and theirs ideals; then look out at the world finally realize that the adage "things change, and you must change with it." is a reality. You can not remain static and survive.

Why don't the Republicants just stay OUT OF THE GAME.

They need to figure out their purpose. It seems to me that there are two different sects within the Republican Party. Either they need to split and form coalition groups like they do in Canada, United Kingdom, and Israel – or they need to find a nice middle they can agree upon.

From San Jose, CA:

Republicans can get back into the game when they start working for the United States of America and not idiolgy.

They need to get back to the basics. In moving so far to the right to appease the Christain fundamentalists, they have alienated the true conservatives. WE have become a very global and diverse nation. The GOP has not refelected the cahnge in the population at all.

The simple truth, Jack? The Republicans need to stop playing the politics of destruction and fear. They need to put their right-minded moderates in charge - the ones who will stop throwing around ridiculous words like "socialist" and "terrorist" to describe their Democratic opponents. Only then will the American people begin to trust that the GOP cares more about the average citizen than about grabbing for power at all costs.

What they have to do Jack is help the Democratic majority pass legislation that takes this country off in a positive direction. Obstructionism will not serve them now. It's really that simple... help and take a good hard look at who their base really is and who they really want it to be.

I believe the biggest problem with the Republican campaign was the assumption that the majority of this country is Republicans. This message alienates Independents, Democrats and the unaffiliated. Obama on the other hand reached out to all parties and this is reflected in his numbers with Independents and Republicans.

They need to humble themselves in the eyes of defeat and go back to school. Wisdom is found where the mighty shun.

Trade their elephant in for a donkey.

The Republican Party needs to "dump" the right wing haters that have been a big drag to everyone. Sarah Palin was a strong example of this right wing group. What a shame it can only be correct if it is their way.

Not much they can do in the next 4 years with the Dems calling the shots. They need to take the bi-partisan roll and learn what it takes to win an election.,

Elle from Pullman, WA has it right–"Wait for the Democrats to screw up."

When the Democrat policies are in place for a few years and our economy sinks again, people will finally realize they traded in a Republican problem for a Democrat problem. Bush had a Republican Congress for 6 years and it led to too much government. Obama is going to start out with a Democrat Congress with a way stronger majority than the Republican majority before 2006. And Obama's core principles include even bigger government.

Meanwhile, after Ron Paul was written off by the media as crazy after the Republican primary debates, they go back to him time to time for his opinion on the state of things such as the economy/bailout. The media finally realizes Ron Paul is much smarter than they realized, even if they don't agree with everything he stands for.

The RNC can get back in the game by reaching across the aisle to the new President Obama and offering their cooperation, constructive criticisms and finding a way to bring on board the many voters who went their way.

It's a brave new world and there is room on board for all.

Bring your hearts and minds and leave the bitterness and derisiveness at home.

I'm proud to be an American today!

A miracle!

The party is over.....They haven't figure out that their is something called a new world is emerging. Obama has figure this out and the Republicans are still living in the days of Ronald Regan. Good luck Republicans your days are over and an I think you need to change and get into the real world and stop living in the past

Change.

The Republicans need to get back into the business of conservative spending responsibility, acknowledge that people with less than $250,000.00 incomes do vote and quit worrying about what is going on in Joe Six Packs bedroom.

Denny S.
New Kensington PA

Easy question, Jack. As in business, you do what your competition does, only better!

The republican party is in an identity crisis. From support of absurd ideas such as the wall street bail out (while main street suffers) to the Iraq war and all it's obscurities...This party must get back to true "conservatism". A man like Ron Paul is the man to do it. Thousands of people are entering the political system following his ideas and I think the GOP is in for quite a turn around shortly.

The GOP has become the party of Ignorance and pander to the ignorant. They have given up on leading with intellect and have quickly become a gimmick. Americans have awoken to their tricks, and now realize the importance of holding politicians accountable. I don't think they can recover from where they are now. They know the direction America wants and needs to go in... they are merely holding on to what dwindling power they still have.

As the Religious Right became more and more influential, I felt less and less welcome in the Republican Party.

They need to back away from the Religious Right and embrace a policy of Protectionism as far as foreign trade goes.

What can the GOP do to get back into the game?

Become Democrats.

As an Independent, the Republican party members (note the plural use) need to stand up and send the far right arch-conservatives back to a position of input, not complete control. The moderates need to more than stand up and be counted, they need to 1) take back the party, 2) prove their beliefs, and 3) find methods to encourage re-enlistment.

Keeping Palin in the press and future thoughts, arch-conservative newscasters as heros and not nuts, and religion as primary and punitive, will not help Republicans re-build. Rather it may well result in many of us throwing up our hands and eliminating the party altogether! For the countries and our peoples benefit, the Democrats needed to moderate...and so do the Republicans. No longer will it be "business as usual".

Jack -

The GOP can get "back in the game" by supporting candidates who have demonstrated true conservative values through their votes and their behavior. The shameful manner in which the GOP treated Ron Paul and his supporters is only one example of where they went wrong. It appears that the GOP did everything in their power to exclude people who were excited about the party. From playing dirty tricks at their conventions to endorsing a Republican-In-Name-Only for their presidential nominee, the leaders of the GOP need to resign and let in some real conservatives.

Joe
Chapel Hill, NC

They need to shut up and stop screaming about, literally, everything. Furthermore, they need to come up with new ideas that actually benefit the majority of the country rather than their rich supporters. The fact of the matter is this: people who don't have jobs don't really worry about higher tax rates. They should ground their new policy ideas (if they ever come up with any) on reality rather what benefits their own self-interests. And, stop politicizing religion. Personally, I'm completely fed up with hearing about the religious wrong and their so-called "values".

Well, they'll have to come up with a new bag of tricks. The Hank Jr., NASCAR circuit, Joe the plumber, and Godlessness playbook doesn't fool us anymore. Maybe honesty and genuine concern?

Perhaps they could start by not being war-mongers and finding a way to stop telling everyone else who disagrees with them that they aren't "real americans" – during this administration I have some times felt like I was part of the "axis of evil" for being a democrate...that tends to stay with you for awhile.

Kearson
Hattiesburg, MS.

Absolutely nothing. I am a big Obama supporter but the only thing Republicans could do in such an economic disaster was to give up the power to Democrats. Giving the size of the crises any President is set for failure, at least for the first 4 years. This way, they (Republicans) will lose only 4 years. With McCain win they would have lost as a party for decades to come.

They need to stop being greedy and start understanding people in everyday life not just millionaires, maybe that will help them get back on track.

All they need to do is wait.After the country sees Obama is failing the same way bush was they will realize it wasnt all Bush's fault and it was just the circumstances they were given.Then people will open up to the GOP again

Look Jack we all know that you despise Sarah Palin.......more talk on some things you think that she may or have may not have said.....when are you going to stop sawing the saw dust Jack......its over , you can relax she's gone......get on to other things .

Get back to the ideals of Goldwater conservatism...strong defense, fiscal responsibility, and government staying out of people's religious, personal and medical lives. The GOP began to collapse the further right they went.

the gop need 2 stop trying 2 find slip up's on elect obama decisions he make right now, and work with him and come together and help him get this country out of bad shape, showing unity would help because thats what the country wants. and as of now republicians are showing alot of hate.

The next generations of Americans are rejecting the Republican party and that's because neo-conservatism and fundimentalism-as-political-policy are dead ends. The new America is diverse in terms of economic needs and religious philosophies. The GOP has to learn that the world has changed around them.

They need to become DEMOCRATS!

Become Democrats!!

WHO CARES?
Nick D. Neighbour.
Pasadena. CA.

Since the republicans can’t win anything maybe they should try one more thing challenge the democrats in a brake dance winner takes all but here’s the catch let Joe the Plummer be the DJ

They need to wake up and join the rest of the world in the 21st century. My church teaches karma and I think that's what we saw in this election. They are so filled full of hatred, it's a shame.

They could review what they have done in the last 30 years... and then change sides. But, as this election proved, we are no longer the "looking back" nation, trying to hold on to what we never really were. We are now the "going forward" nation, into the future, with the rest of the world, with our eyes wide open and full of hope.

Tell the truth.

Steer the car to the left and drive in the middle of the track Even NASCAR turns left all the time. Turn right too far and you hit the wall.

Jack,

They need to break the stale mentality that conservatism from yesterday still applies to today. "Members Only" jackets were hip at one time, but lets face it... just because they worked back then does not mean that the public will rave about them now. Change is good, but it cannot be superficial. They need to look deep inside their hearts and re-define who they are and how they fit in today's world. And that means NOT being so short-sighted and close-minded that they only include only people who look and think like they have been for years. And guess what, the American people are a little more complex and smart to think that the mantra "NO NEW TAXES" sould drive a political party. Give us some credit, the American people are smarter than you think!

Push the extreame, religious right out into their own lunatic fringe party and try to attract back, the Regan centrists. Also, it must return to fiscal responsibility.

The nation has been shifting politically to the right ever since Reagan. I think that it shifted too far and now is shifting back to the left. The republicans, if they were smart, and that is a discussion for another day, should purge those ultra right wing people and politics from their ranks. I hear them talking like they should shift even more to the right, appeal more to their fundamental constituents. This would only further alienate them from the U.S. mainstream populace.

I personally do not care what happens to the republicans at this time since they do not have the best interests of our country at heart, but instead only care about their political and religious agendas. I just hope that the Democrats don't get punch drunk and try to swing too far left. I'm sure Obama will find a happy balance that we can all live with. The country definitely needed a person like him.

Find a way in the next election to break some voting machines and and then pay a judge huge to make the decision of who wins. Didn't they do that once before?

Nick from Vancouver B.C.

Find another Barack Obama!!!!!!!!

The best hope for the G.O.P. would be for the following states to secede: West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Okalahoma, and Texas.

Then the Republican Party would be the majority party in the new
"United Hillbilly States of America."

I wonder if they can ever get back in the game, Jack. They've relied on wedge issues, scare tactics, and devision for so long that I'm not sure they even remember what "conservative" means anymore.

Barry Goldwater used to talk about a small, minimally involved federal government. I wonder what he'd think about his party sticking their noses into American bedrooms, relationships, personal moral choices, phone records, and more.

We often hear people speculate on the "Bush Legacy". As bad as he's been, and with so few repulicans willing to own that, I can't help but wonder if the history books will remember him as "The Last Republican President."

Brad
Rio Rancho, NM

The Republican Party should shed its reliance on the fundamentalist nutjobs, stop nagging women with Roe versus Wade, and rely on good American values to rebuild their party from the ground up.

Just wait two years... No, seriously. Republicans need to become republicans again...

It has been shown that when facing the choice between a democrat or a republican pretending to be a democrat, the people will choose the real deal (Democrat).

Remember that the majority of Americans are fiscally conservative but socially liberal.

So...

1. Be fiscally conservative! (try to balance the budget)
2. Be honest. (positive campaigns)
3. Reach out to minorities.
4. Explain to minorities the fundamentals of fiscal responsibility and what it means.
5. Stop trying to preach to people how to live.
6. Stop persecuting gays. Let them be.
7. Make taxes more equitable across income levels. Why do we have 45% of working people that don't pay federal taxes? This must stop. Everyone should pay something so they feel that they have a stake in the government.

Easy question, Jack. As in business, you do what your competitor does, only better!

Summerville, SC

The Repablicans will be back once Obama starts to implement his new policies. The HOPE for Change will become disenchantment. The first sign is already here. Look at the new Chief of Staff.

They need to drop the culture war. As a young voter, I have seen first had how tired much of my generation is with fighting over "social issues" like gay marriage and abortion. California's Prop 5 was overwhelmingly opposed by people under 30. If the Republicans embrace their original ideal of fiscal responsibility and focus on the running of the country and not the running of people's personal lives, they may have a chance of a come-back.

I am not a republican, but the republicans have been too slow to embrace the changing demographics. The fact that the republican brand has been iwrapped with a centristic view of:
Pro-Life
Pro-gun
Little Government

They really do not have anything to hang thier hats (for this election) to contend with the economy and emergent situations require intense attention. They need to do a better job addressing the needs of the many and steer away from their primary mantra and character assissination when all else fails.

This is not the Republican party that put Regan in office and the Demo's have done a better job appealing to the US as a community. Perhaps that joke about being a community organizer is similar to the same joke Detroit had with fuel efficient cars, and we see where they are....

I think the only the way the GOP will get back into the game, will be after the democrats have saved for the next 12 years. who do you think the GOP got to out shine this democrat machine? Sarah Palin? no way!

Las Vegas, Nevada

The republican party has been divided in two for as long as I can remember. The problem is that a moderate cannot win the party nomination and a conservative cannot win the general election. They don't necessarily need to become socially liberal, but they do need to once again become fiscally conservative.

They need to stop acting self-righteous. They also need to lose the ideology that being a Republican makes you more patriotic.

The Republican party needs to get back to their economic standards and move away from social issues. After looking at the map; citizens are no longer center right. As an Independent voter, I would look seriously at a Republican economic plan in 2012 but, if it includes narrowing my social options then I will have to say "thanks but no thanks."

Tell Palin to stay home in 2012, and let Bobby Jindal be nominated to run for the Republican Party (the party of Jefferson, Madison, Lincoln, T. Roosevelt, and Reagan). Republicans need to become conservatives again, and Jindal can be the leader and transformer we need.

-Kurt
Louisville, Kentucky

For starters they could stop talking down to their base. Not everyone in the GOP has pizza and beer on a friday night while they watch pro wrestling. Not everyone with conservative values is a whack job from the religious right who thinks the world was created 6000 years ago.
Some of us are just moderates who are fiscally conservative and would like, for once, to be represented by our party.
Please..no more beauty queens with the IQ of a Barbie Doll.

Mike

Jack,

The Republicans know they have 8 years to repare the brand because with President Elect Obama in the White House things are not likely to change much as far as the distribution of seats.

There best bet is to let Palin run in four years and save there good candidates for 8 years from now. Give Palin a great running mate who can build there public image.

The Republicans perfer coronations which is why VP's are often considered the next Presidential nominee. So give Sara a chance to get clobbered by Obama again, then the Republicans have a shot again.

The GOP doesn't have to do anything. I am a big Obama supporter but the only thing Republicans could do in such an economic disaster was to give up the power to Democrats. Giving the size of the crises any President is set for failure, at least for the first 4 years. This way, they (Republicans) will lose only 4 years. With McCain win they would have lost as a party for decades to come.

The Republican party has to dig deep into it's soul and quit this business of infighting between Democrats and Republican. They are there to solve problems, that's why they are elected to represent this
great country. It should be what is good for the country and not what is
good for their own selfish reasons. This country spoke out clealy in this election and told the electorate they are sick and tired of the inaction and incompentency in our goverhment. Wall Street greed and
the Banks bailout, high gas prices and our Senators and Congress stood by and let it happen. What a disgrace. The people want good
government, not rhetoric. Lead or get out of the way. Hopefully that will change come 20 Jan 200. God bless America and God Bless
our great country.
Hank Mailloux
Goddyear AZ

If Liberman can say that "He will work together with Barack Obama to keep american people safe." Even though he was saying bad things about Barack Obama, i think they will be okay!

Go back to the party of Teddy Rosevelt, and think about working people and not just the rich, who they truley represent.

If they don't shake out the Sarah Palins of the world they are doomed to only get the votes of the right wing nuts and bible thumbers.

Apoligise for the mayhem they have created within the USA and abroad....and promise they will not do it again for at least another 4 years.

How can they get back in the game? Well, I don't think they can! Our current president just may have ruined the GOP in the eyes of the youth, first time voters, and immingrants. Just image being new to politics and your example of a republican is George W. Bush...yikes!

First is to be honest to the American people, second to tolerate diversity and third to put their nose out of people's bedrooms! !

The GOP will get back in the game by changing the messengers.

Not the message.....the messengers.

As long as Limbaugh, Colston, Hannity, and O'Reilly continue to alienate independents that are trying to interpret their pep rally for a dwindling demographic base of aging, white, rural Southerners, the Gop will be taken to the woodshed.

It was reported this week that those in the GOP who are interested in re-defining themselves and moving forward are suggesting that the party 'listen to what the people want." This thunderbolt struck them, apparently, by the election results proving that people will vote for what they want – however, why is this a hindsight view? Don't politicians serve the people? – what's taken them so long to realize it?
With the "YES WE CAN" spirit moving in, it just might become possible that the Rush Limbaugh nasty and demeaning argumentative style will no longer be vogue, and cooperation and support of one another might at last be "in" – at this particular time, that seems to really be what the people of America want.

Dump the Elephant, far right, corparations,crapie trade deals & religious nut's....

As a former socially moderate but fiscally conservative Republican who broke with the party by voting for Kerry in 2004 and Obama in 2008 I feel they need to put together a new coalition governing from the center. They need to leave behind Lee Atwater and Karl Rove type campaigning that divides this country, leave behind Pat Robertson and other believers who want creationism taught in science class and the senate to interfere in families affairs such as the Schiavos. They need to move away from the Sean Hannitys and the Rush Limbaughs of the world. They need to, for real this time, work to eliminate waste in government, to streamline regulations instead of eliminating them, to eliminate the national debt that they've created, to keep taxes low on the middle class including the upper middle class, and to embrace the fact that we live in a diverse country and that people should be free to live their lives without Religious Right Republicans looking down on everyone and judging everyone. Though I have to admit that if the Democrats play their cards right then they won't lose my vote. The only way for Republicans to get my vote back is to move drastically to the center and for Democrats to move fiscally far to the left. Democrats, don't blow it.

The Republicans needs to stop the dirty campiagn and focus of what they will do as the leaders in charge. John McCain spent his time talking about what is wrong with Obama and that hurt the chances of winning. They need to get a better leader because Sara Palin woudn't do any good.

I became a US citizen in February this year. Casting my first vote was a great feeling made even greater by the fact that my citizenship came through right in time to vote for President Obama. Now, what can the GOP do to get back in the game? The GOP is becoming an all white club of southern conservatives in a country where the urban population in growing both in number and diversity. The Republicans need to see the change and adjust or get ready to become a regional pressure group rather than a national political party that the GOP once was.

They could start by ceasing to say inflammatory and ridiculous things – they don't try to defeat their opponents, they seek to destroy them. It just leaves a bad taste in your mouth. As long as they scream "socialist", "terrorist", "baby killer" – well, frankly they look like a bunch of idiots.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, a true compassionate conservative. Daniels is the leader W. promised he would be, bipartisan and an effective administrator. The republicans would be smart to move this guy into the national eye.

If you look at the composition of the Republican Party and the audience they target, I think you will find that this is not a very "inclusive" party. That was apparent by the tone and divisive rhetoric we heard during their rallies. I think they need to come up with a strategy that reaches out to the diverse country we live in. Stop trying to scare people into voting for the republican candidate and instead form a platform that has room for everyone.

First and foremost they need to get back to what the Republican party is suppose to stand for: fiscal responsibility, small government and lower taxes. I believe they got 2 out of 3 right in the past 8 years.

After that they need to focus on removing themselves from the religious rightwing and the racist that are not in the same century as the rest of us. Afterall there is a separation between church and state and this country is based on equal opportunity for all. See comments at FoxNews on election night that make you wonder who exactly does the Republican party attract!

The Republicans have to do just two Simple steps.
1/ Dump the religious right. Because bigotry does not belong in American society. Even less in a major political party.
2/ Return to the goal of balancing the budget. Even children know you MUST pay the bills.
There are 3 ways to eliminate the debt and balance the budget.
-increase taxes and control spending,
-Inflate the economy and ruin everyone on a fixed income,
-sell everything to the Chinese.
This last choice is the one the current administration chose, but the first is the only good choice.

To single handily hunt down osama binladin then loose 50% of they`re hardheadedness.

Help Obama givern from the center and stop alienating the country.

Just using the same slogans with God, Country, guns will do it.

What can the Republicans do to get back in the political game? Resurect Lincoln!

Two words...Ron Paul.

Dayton Ohio the so called swing state that really "swang" this time...I am proud to be an Ohioan today!

Who cares!!

I have already donated to Obama 2012!

The best comment I heard was the second or 3rd one, "wait for the dems to screw up". That's the truth and nothing but the truth. This is how the two party system works in this country. One is in power for an elongated period of time and eventually screws up. The American public gets PO'd and "votes the bums out of office" and the next cycle takes hold. Nothing really changes. It's all about "perceived" change. There isn't any real change.

Obama and he bunch are now on the clock. Instead of being on the outside looking in and complaining about the government they now have a 2 yr mandate to make change or get it on the road toward success. If nothing happens the mid term elections will see the republicans gaining. If nothing happens in 4 yrs the Republicans will be back in the white house.

And so goes the game of duping the American public into thinking their so called public servants are working for them and not themselves.

Grow up America.

They could start by picking a candidate with an IQ in triple digits

JACK they should sit out for eight yrs thatshould add up to as long as it took us to get into this mess then they can get back into the game.

Get intellectual integrity. Learn the difference between thinking and feeling. Forget ideology; use validated information and reason. Read the Declaration of Original Intent (ok, Independence) and the Constitution and consider, abide by and apply them. Cease trying to manipulate but communicate well reasoned policy coherently. Exercise discipline at doing those things. Sanity may return.

They need to learn to appeal to the New America, which is increasingly young and multicultural. The messages of fiscal responsibility and smaller government will resonate with this group. However, they will not want to join a party that tries to fit these ideals alongside xenophobia and intolerance under the saem tent.

I agree with Dave from Brooklyn who wrote, "What they need to do is become the Republican party again. The same party that Eisenhower belonged to and not the bunch of hypocritical lying neo con artists they have morphed into in recent years." The Republican party has to dump the Evangelical and NASCAR image, and get in tune with the rest of America and the world.

I am a woman and would not want to see the right to choose go away or be limited in any way. Palin’s very extreme views on abortion, sex education and all that, was what made me take a closer look at Obama, and run away from the Republicans. You can say that thanks to Palin, Obama got my vote, donation and full support.

I'm not going to tell the Republican Party how to get back in power after the great damage they have done to this country. OK, one suggestion: they should find people who will think for themselves rather than follow mindlessly Pied Pipers, such as Bush and Cheney.
Sam
Columbia,MD

Recapture their party from the extremist they have lost their party to and go back to true conservative nature. You can't call yourself conservative with spending like the bush adminstration(cut taxes and still outspend you're income 10,000 to 1). Character attacks and misusing low-blow approach to politics will cause more republicans like me to switch to the democrats

It is simple, stop spending so much money. People do not get excited about a party that spends a little less then the other guy. It is hard to figure out what the republican party is all about these days. Once they go back to their smaller government ideals the people will give them control of the government, but until that day they will continue to lose.

They need to stop being the party of trickle downs, mergers, and wedge issues and return to their roots. I would change my politics in a heartbeat if they would become the party of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt again.

The Republican Party needs to embrace its intellectuals and not put religion as its highest priority. Any party who truly values the first amendment should think twice about wanting to force strict religious views on the entire country. Basically, it should stick to politics.

I don't know if they can ever get back in the game..........they may be around for a while but it will not last. Caucasians will no longer be the majority in the US come 2050 and looking at republican demographic, it doesn't look pretty. Unless the repubs drastically change their hard conservative stance, they will not be able to attract the minority vote which will be the majority in the future.

The values politicking that began in the Republican Party with a landslide loss by Arizona Senator Goldwater has ended with a landslide loss by Arizona Senator McCain. The American voter has finally learned that both parties have strong values. The Republican Party needs to get back to its roots as the party of fiscal responsibility, compassionate economic growth and multilateral global partnership. Ooops! That's the Democratic Party. On second thought, maybe they can fool the American voter if they just change their name.

Jack, along with all other comments posted, they should get rid of their Radio and Television hate monger mouth pieces, like Rush, Snit, Hannity, Michelle Maulcan, O’Reilley, Dobbs and the other one that left CNN to go to Fox because he wanted to be with people of like minds.

I just wait for America to see that they have made a bad decision in electing president Obama. The america people will see that down the world. We are not going to be safe here at home. I pray that I am wrong but I think that America will still be hated. By the way congress is the one that has the most power not the president. We were founded on Christian principles.

They can't get back in the game, secular progressives out number individuals with traditional values, the leftist media propels a left wing agenda and W (a good man with a bad reputation) has, in the eyes of most americans destroyed the world. The democrats success is more a reaction to Bush than anything else

Ask Susan Collins (Republican) how she won with 60% of the votes at the same time that Obama received 57% of the vote. Collins is a MODERATE who doesn't need to rely on the religious right to win an election.
The Republican Party now just addresses the interests of a small, fringe coalition of the very rich, white intolerant "Christians", war hawks, non-environmentalists ... do I need to go on?
They really need to look at what the rest of the country is concerned about.

Very nearly 50% of the country still vote Republican. But the party as a whole was damaged by the actions of a few. When a sex scandal or money scandal hits Washington, the public looks for the (D) or (R) in the newspapers.

The Republicans can get back in the game by:

(1) Getting elected Republican officials to keep their pants zipped.
(2) Keeping their hands out of the public till. Stop thinking that lobbyist’s gratuities are one of the “perks” of the job. Avoid “gifts” like plague rats.

If that is not enough:
(3) Keep yourselves honest by being honest about why we are doing things. Stop thinking that domestic spying is the answer: the government does not need to keep tabs on the business of the people; it’s the other way around.
(4) Stop putting the foxes in charge of every henhouse in the nation. “Self-regulation” is bunk. Zero regulation is better, but you have to allow the goofballs to fail.

The majority of Americans are semi conservative and religous. However, being told what to do and what to believe are un-American. We are fee to worship and feel what we want. If someone is gay then they are gay, it really has nothing to do with me how they live their life. If we as Americans are looking for either party to save us then look again. All of these people are millionaires that really share nothing in common with us. They don't go to school where we go to school and they don't share a port-a-potty at the big ballgame.
Three main ideals: do what's right, do what's best and treat others like you like to be treated. Look around because where ever you go we have become a lazy society that points the finger at everyone else. Government by either party isn't going to solve any of that

Just another quick thought - the GOP has certainly hurt itself with their neoconservative disdain for multiculturalism. They seem to be very happy with the money gained by importing foreign workers and off-shoring jobs to offset the salaries of U.S. workers...but they really don't seem to value the workers they've imported from other cultures (many of whom actually become U.S. citizens).

The GOP's support of economic colonialism (in-shored and off-shored) is an affect it could do without, if it wants to rid itself of mono-cultural and anti-middle class branding.

cooperate with the democrates !

Times change. Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan were all Republicans, and each had a different (and compelling) vision for his time. Nixon and W both went down in flames because they clung to the past and failed to assess the times they presided over.

Reagan was elected only 6 years after Nixon resigned in shame, leading a near-comatose Republican Party to a triumphant comeback. Surely there are 21st century republicans waiting to be recognized.

The Old Guard of this party really needed this wake up call to step aside and let a new generation lead. I'd like to see the Republicans return to their true roots, in the tradition of the first-ever Republican President. Can you even imagine a modern politician being worthy of a moniker like "Honest Abe"!

Dump the 30% backwards looking, anti-intellectual religious morons and let them form their own party – 'The Irrationalists Party'. Those that are left can only hope that the Republican brand has not been irreparably shredded and left as historical trash.

One of two ways:
1. Sarah Palin
2. Come to the center and help the country get out of the mess they got it in.
One of these will destroy the party

dump the religous right. people want more than putting god in church, taking away peoples rights. and the old tricks fear and taking guns away

The GOP is lost and until they can admit they have a problem of not being on the side of working Americans and not on the side of big business they will continue to be lost. It's much like having a problem with drugs or alcohol a person can never beat the problem until they admit to having a problem.

Bush destroyed his own party. McCain and Palin just hammered the nails into the coffin. If the Republicans want to survive, they will have to get a new base, and essentially reboot. The neocons/hard core right had their shot, look where we are now. They blew it. Now they will be marginalized back to the way they were before Bush, basically Pat Buchanan territory. Basically, unelectable. If you put all the neocons together to vote, they cannot win an election now. If the party backs this horse again, they will not prevail.

The center of our country has shifted to the left, thus for the Republicans to survive they will have to shift to moderate again. If Palin is the face of the party (which many Democrats would love), it's over for the Republicans. Again they have to shift from right wing back to moderate, or continue to fail.

I second the sentiment of Stacy of Virginia: the Republicans need to find a way to expel the religious bigots/cretins and their toxic "social values" agenda from the party and keep them out. Sixpack Sarah Palin and her willful ignorance are an embarrassment and a disgrace. The Republican party currently is seen as hostile by most educated people, thanks to the dominance of people like Palin and the rest of the know-nothing "Christian right", aka the American Taliban. The idea of a "big tent" is fine, but no tent is big enough to house the bigoted religious crazies along with the political and intellectual heirs to Eisenhower, Nixon, Ford, Reagan, Rockefeller and others who actually /succeeded/ at governing.

Jack,

For the republicans to rebound, they're going to have to shed years of fear mongering and bible thumping. As risky as it sounds, they'll need to stop appealing to the worst qualities of their constituents – the very xenophobia, media illiteracy and blind sense of righteousness so common to their "base."

In other words, they're going to need a candidate who's not only passionate, but also well-read and highly objective. Someone who can inspire (the creation of) a new generation of EDUCATED conservatives who eschew mixing politics with religion.

Of course, they'll be too frightened to try anything like this in 2012. With all the recent talk of reconnecting with Christian America, gun-toting rednecks and the like, I wouldn't be surprised if Ann Coulter was their next candidate!