I agree with you. The REAL Mitt Romney (the one who was governer of Mass. all those years) didn't show up for the election. The GOP has been telling their donors one thing and their voters another, hence the reason behind all of Romney's flip-flopping.
As a long time registered Republican small business owner who voted for Obama a second time and a straight-Democrat ticket (not counting propositions) for the first time ever because the party has collectively jumped that deep into the batshit. If the Republican party is ever going to be viable again, changes need to be made. My comments are as follows:
0. Remember that Republican priorities are advancing their policies, not stopping the Democrats policies. Have your own ideas. As proven a few days ago, the Republicans lost big because of their strategy to pound away at Obama's so-called "failed policies" without introducing any policies of their own. Mitt Romney was the personification of this, as his plan to solve the deficit had absolutely zero substance to it, so much so that even the math behind it was disproven.
1. Embrace populism like the Democrats. It need not be the Democratic brand of populism, the GOP needs to find a way to shed its image as the party of the haves where the Democrats are the party of the have-nots. Instead, the Republicans need to maintain that we're all in this together, and the little bit of pain everyone bears now will pay dividends later. This will be particularly difficult as the GOP has done an excellent job of conditioning its party faithful to believe that populism is the same as socialism.
2. Reform the U.S. Senate filibuster rules. Put a time limit on blocking a vote, or allow a simple majority to end it, etc. Something that makes the majority party in the Senate responsible. Make Harry Reid be the problem, not Mitch McConnell.
3. Work with congress and the president to stimulate the economy now by reducing taxes on those who spend nearly all their money (that is, the poor and lower middle classes). There's a surplus of capital right now (note the record low costs for borrowing) so reducing taxes on the investment classes does little good. Our economy depends on consumer spending - let them spend.
4. Work with congress and the president to stimulate the economy later by starting infrastructure projects we've been putting off for decades. Capital costs are at an all time low - let's invest in our own networks. Labor costs are also very low. Our economy depends on the efficient movement of people and goods. Let's make it easier. Don't forget the power grids.
5. Plan budgets that start reducing the debt within five years and pay off the debt in fifteen. Republicans are the party of fiscal responsibility, NOT ANTI-TAXES. This will be painful for everyone, so take the lead by matching budget cuts with tax increases (dollar for dollar). This lets Republicans choose the taxes to increase, instead of Democrats choosing. Quickly move the argument to what to cut instead of who to tax. Send Grover Norquist packing. The tax pledge that he coerced most Republicans into signing has completely hamstrung them. They are absolutely incapable of compromise on the economy, even when they want to compromise.
6. Get the federal government out of the social issues - gay marriage, abortion, drug enforcement, immigration, gun control. Republicans are the small government party; time to prove it. Move those politics to the state level and open up the national party to more diverse positions. These worked as polarizing issues to fire up the base in 1994. Last election has proven that an increasing majority of Americans simply don't care what others do with their own genitals.
7. Stop demonizing education. Educated voters will work a lot harder for your cause than non-educated ones, which was key in Obama's election and re-election.
8. Stop griping about Obamacare. It's a market solution to the problem. Healthcare has always been regulated and always will be.
9. Republicans are going to permanently lose a large part of the electorate. The Democratic Party dumped them when they approved civil rights. Now its the Republicans turn. They couldn't win with them this time and they won't be able to win with them in the future (they're going to be less in the future). They need to dump them now; the sooner they do, the sooner they can reclaim the center. What you'll lose in Deep South baptist rednecks you'll more than make up for with the Hispanic vote. When the social issues are no longer national issues, their fiscal responsibility position will appeal to a large swath of the center.
The people of moderate Republican beliefs are basically in control of the country. After the Reagan and Bush I presidencies the Democrats decided to adapt rather than die and turned very hard towards the middle to take a large chunk of the non moonbat vote. Don't be hung up on names the moderate Republicans have basically taken over the Democratic party. This is why I and MANY other long time Republicans have been voting Democratic more and more lately. And it's exactly where the Republicans need to go back to if they want to be winning national elections ten years from now.
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