How To Save the Republican Party

April 4, 2009 by Lisa Krempasky  
Filed under Politics

I hold no loyalty to any party. I vote my values. Those values often, but not always, align with the GOP. If the Republican Party wants to make sure my values align with them this is how to do it.

The GOP is made up of 3 types of conservatives. Those whose primary focus is economic, those whose primary focus is social and those whose primary focus is security. Each group will vote with their primary interest and will tolerate certain levels of unacceptable variation from their view on their secondary issues.

That is why the GOP MUST be solidly conservative and traditional in all 3 areas. To secure your core your platform must encompass their primary belief. If it does not they have no incentive to engage and maybe worse…they may rebel and specifically disengage and take others with them.

I would suggest, for instance, that for the Gay Patriot the primary voting motivation is patriotism and not social issues. If “gay” were the primary voting issue then the Gay Patriot would not vote republican which has not had a party position in support of gay rights. The Gay Patriot would like the party platform to change to encompass his secondary voting motive, but failing to do so has not lost his vote.

That is how you open up the party. You don’t do it by watering down the traditional principles but by shoring them up and providing strength and vision is each core area. Find people’s primary motivator and be so strong in that area that they could not vote for the opponent. If you are weak where a voter seeks strength they will look elsewhere. If you are strong where a voter seeks strength they will overlook lesser important areas where they disagree with you.