When is the Republican Party going to realize they have to move on social issues to become electable?

[Alan]

The Republican party has many policies that are attractive to the American public.

Smaller government
Lower taxation
Less regulation & red tape
Fiscal conservatism
Free market economics
Welfare reform

etc. Regardless of your political leanings any intelligent person can see that this is the sort of thing that the Republicans can put to the American people and get a reasonable hearing - they are all reasonable policies that a lot of people would support.

But there's a big elephant in the room - and it's not the one on their logo...

The problem is that to get the former policies enacted, you have to support a party that also has the following policies

Anti-LGBT (Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Trans) positions - opposing gay marriage & gay adoption. Opposing anti-discrimination legislation for LGBT people.
Anti-abortion and contraception policies and interference with women's reproductive choices - trying to overturn Roe vs Wade. Forcing mandatory waiting periods and anti-abortion counseling on women seeking abortions. Advocating outright abortion bans, even in the case of incest or rape (which is especially horrific - pregnancy is not risk free - women DIE due to complications of pregnancy or childbirth every year even in the USA - "Well you got raped and got pregnant, now we're going to force you to carry the child to term and if you die in childbirth, tough shit" - how screwed up is THAT?)
Anti-enviromentalism - most people agree that protecting the environment is important, especially for future generations but the Republicans want to drill/mine/rape everything in the name of economic prosperity - a lot of people consider this very short sighted.
Anti-immigration - the extreme rhetoric and borderline racism that comes across from Republicans in this political area turns many people off, and as hispanics are the fastest growing voting demographic it's insanely counter-productive.

I could go own but you get the point. When is the republican party going to understand that if they want the American people to embrace their policies and economic position, they are going to have to jettison their out of date social policies?

[Melvin]

In other words, you think the Republicans should become just like the Democrats.

So, what exactly would be the point of having elections, then?

By the way, there is no such thing as "gay marriage" no matter what any politician says. It is a contradiction in terms.

[Douglas B]

Melvin nailed it

[serenaz]

Now would be a good time ... that gives them less than 4 years to become 'electable' ... at the moment they are stuck in the 1950s ... America has moved on ... the world has moved on ... !

[neengefan]

Government is a "catch 22" Everyone would like it smaller, but then their is always the guy or company ready to cheat you. Large businesses screwing up the water supply in a community, people getting many variations of cancer from it. Gays are real, no one chooses to be different or anti society. So how does gay marriage affect you, or gay couples raising kids? Now don't give that "they will "turn the kids gay" B.S. You are either gay or not. A legal union allows them to make medical decisions, financial legacies, and other legal ramifications. It doesn't affect my life in any way at all. Every American should be allowed the pursuit of happiness. And no, I'm not gay.

[Joe]

NO WAY! GET RID OF THE BABY KILLERS AND THE PERVERTS. I'D RATHER OBAMA WOULD DESTROY OUR NATION THAN CHANGE!

[Mark]

You have got to be kidding.

It was not until THIS YEAR that a public opinion poll ever said that a majority of Americans support legalization of gay marriage. THIS YEAR President Obama flip-flopped on gay marriage in order to go with the polls, just like his previous position was with the polls too. THIS YEAR was the first time ever that the voters of any state ever voted to approve of gay marriage. Even California voted against gay marriage only four years ago.
And the majority who support gay marriage now is a SMALL majority. Less than 55%. And that majority is surely not a nationwide majority.

Overturning Roe v. Wade is a matter of legal principle, not political expediency. Roe was not a valid interpretation of the Constitution. Indeed, it was not an interpretation of the Constitution at all. Even Prof. Alan Dershowitz -- not evenly remotely a Republican -- has said that Roe v. Wade was not a valid decision by the Court. Either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party -- hopefully both -- have got to tell the American people the LEGAL TRUTH about what was legally wrong with Roe v. Wade and overturn that ever-controversial decision.

"The extreme rhetoric and borderline racism, ....."
Go stuff yourself, jerk. Keep crying "wolf" when there isn't any and soon nobody will believe you when you really are being attacked by a wolf.
Immigration policy is NOT RACISM. An immigrant is not a member of any RACE. Immigrants come to the United States from all nations in the world, including Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, and any immigrant who crosses the border in an illegal manner is committing a CRIME, even if that immigrant came from those nations, even if their skin is as white as a Canadian's.

Romney won over 47% of this vote, carried 24 states with 202 electoral college votes. The Republican Party maintained its majority in the House of Representatives. How are they in danger of becoming a party that can't win enough power to be significantly influential?

You're just entertaining yourself with a pipe dream.

[Lazy-assedbadge505]

They're not good at hustling people that are too dependent or never satisfied with stuff they don't necessarily need, make or earn for themselves. The (D)eceivers are very good at playing up the greed factor from people of any class who wants more, & more things they can afford just don't want to pay for, making everything expensive as well as playing the ethnic card through affinity or demonizing falsehood, & character assassination catering to groups that are far more tribal & intolerant. Trying to play nice with little jabs here & there while the other simply full all tricks they can muster isn't going to full a win that could have worked if only both candidate were of equal ethnic affinity were sympathetic & tribal likability would not be at play.

The old tale of pioneers enduring to cultivate & shape inhospitable land were long gone after WWII slowly disappearing until after LBJ jump-started the era of unearned entitlements. People with strong religious or self reliant conviction cannot govern trying to convert everyone to their core beliefs anymore, but it doesn't mean that they cannot govern over all groups only preserving their core beliefs unto themselves & their congregation keeping their tradition & culture strong.

The constitution, a document of neutrality among U.S. citizens between speech (popular or not) atheist, religion, & government where government does not infringe, dictate for or choose one religion, atheist, activist-ism, corporate or unions interest.

In terms of abortion government should not take side by either banning it nor subsidizing it for the sentiment is not unanimous. It is up to (responsibility) anti abortion groups to persuade members of their family, community, congregation, or collective not to abort their unborn children. Just as its pro-abortion groups to persuade or convince females who wish not to be burdened to abort or sterilize themselves & invest in birth control companies. Both the pro & anti abortion groups must expose a criminal act that may have occurred into the pregnancy putting sterilization or castration on the plate.
When it comes to Education & Tuition, abortion & birth control, Welfare & Food/Phone Stamp, SS & SSI, underage drinking & under age drug use, gay or arrange marriage, prostitution & prescription drugs abuse are all matters & responsibility of the family or individual not the government for under the government waste & abuse is rampant.

The general welfare of any sovereign is for the governing body to protect its Sovereign from foreign or domestic threats to protect its way of life from abruptly changing its costumes, language, rights, prestige & rule of law into a foreign sovereign's will, domineering or not. A sovereign concern is for the prosperity of its self reliance through its citizens self reliance/economic freedom & defend that self reliance/economic freedom with a strong military/law enforcement, to provide a safe environment for its law abiding citizen & business to live & exist in, respecting each others property through commerce & trade using currency or property in return. Governance must not curry favor to some (subsidies, exemption, waivers, & credits) & should keep everyone honest by crushing corruption, grand theft of blue/white collar & inside jobs, smuggling/trafficking & heinous crimes in order for fairness to flourish on a level playing field of opportunity.

(Economic freedom, trade, business, entrepreneurship is a key component & the engine to keep everybody busy, creative, innovative, & productive for the prosperity of a sovereign that can only be sustained through wisely frugal fiscal responsibility strengthening that country).

[Kathy]

Actually you should look at Gary Johnson( Govenor of New Mexico one of the poorest states when he came into office but who left office with a very LARGE surplus). He is more liberal than democrats and more conservative than the republicans. He is for THE PEOPLE and for the Constitution. He wants to abolish the IRS, Corporate taxes and believes in free market. He also got 1.2 million votes and made history of being the first 3rd party to get 1% of the total votes! America is finally starting to realize the two major parties, have screwed us and keep screwing us and keep taking more of our freedom away. The two parties are corrupt, just look a little deeper.