It doesn’t take a ‘political scientist’ to realize that the GOP field is weak this election cycle. Scratch that, the last two election cycles.
Some will argue that Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, or Mitt Romney–sorry Rick Santorum–are legitimate contenders to defeat President Obama. And that may end up being true, who knows. But the reality of the present GOP race is that none of these candidates poll well enough right now to beat President Obama.
A lot can change between now and November, but some things need to change quickly for the Republicans to make a strong case that President Obama should no longer be president.
These are just a few strategies that I believe the GOP must use to defeat the Democratic incumbent in 2012:
- The GOP nominees must start personalizing their campaigns. Rhetoric and philosophical arguments only have so much appeal before people begin to wonder, “Is there legitimate substance to what these guys are saying?” Personalizing one’s campaign is as simple as following the 2008 Barack Obama campaign strategy. The GOP nominees simply need to connect with American people who are struggling with unemployment, growing their businesses, or out of control healthcare costs. The candidates would be wise to mention specific individuals in speeches, debates, and interviews. If the GOP nominees adopt a similar strategy to President Obama’s in 2008, they can begin to showcase their empathetic side–something that has been missing on the trail for a while.
- The GOP nominees must attack the ‘big government’ policies of the past and present–yes, that includes the beloved George W. Bush. Certainly, President Obama has done enough of that himself; but if Republicans want to earn credibility in the eyes of independent voters, they will acknowledge their past mistakes. The GOP insists that it is the party of ‘fiscal responsibility & limited government’. Now is the time to start showing the American people what responsibility is all about.
- The GOP nominees must define capitalism in such a detailed way that folks cannot question its’ merit. No economic or political system is perfect–neither are the people living within these systems. History is the GOP’s best friend. The GOP nominees must articulate how past democratic, free-market countries, empires, and regions have fallen for the lie that a stronger government can cure the ills of capitalism. Societies become more restrictive, not less, when government assumes too much responsibility in the free market system.
- The GOP nominees must define the “obstructionism” that President Obama so often mentions. The mainstream media has assisted the administration in labeling the GOP as the “Party of No”, and now is the time for the Republicans to meet that criticism head on. Obstructionism is not one-sided; President Obama constantly tells the American people that the Republicans are standing in the way of a greater America. Well, now is the time for the GOP nominees to explain the reasoning behind this obstruction and demonstrate the logic behind their fundamental, economic principles. World history shows that this cultural clash is not unusual for a pluralistic society of this size. The American public needs to be reminded that there are competing beliefs for a reason.
- The GOP nominees must be unafraid to proclaim that their religious beliefs impact their decision-making. In an increasingly, pluralistic society with competing interests and beliefs, it has become incredibly difficult not to offend others. There is a misguided belief in our culture today that religion and politics should not mix. Some Americans believe that politicians should not bring their religious faith to the public office. That is not only constitutionally incorrect, but logically absurd. The government is not supposed to favor irreligion to religion or vice versa, and each one of us–Jew, Christian, Muslim, atheist, agnostic–adheres to our personal belief systems in our every day lives. The GOP nominees need to speak out strongly to protect religious–and irreligious–liberties.
The political process is a competition, quite frankly. But it is possible to have a winning strategy, while also standing firm in principle. These are just a few strategies that I believe will make the GOP stronger, more empathetic, and more genuine to the American people.
mittman
January 26, 2012
Great post — Mitt should hire you as an adviser.