I think the only true answer is for the Republican party to transform itself into a far more libertarian party.
The crux of the issue is that the Republican party is one of half-assedness, and has been for many years thanks to the retarded 'NeoCon' movement - a movement where they adopted old-school Democratic hawk posturing, and spending, while keeping the conservative ideology of morality.
The Democratic party, at it's core, is populist and one that seeks state-based solutions for life's problems, and sees the other side of the coin concerning government regulations of private practice (more restrictions on business, less on morality).
The Republican response has been tepid at best, and really hasn't defined itself as a unique party, but a mixture of spend-heavy RINOs, right-wing moralists, and many other ideologies - it really has no core value other than 'Lower taxes' - despite the fact it hasn't come with lower spending in the past ~30 years.
Therefore, it needs to become the polar opposite of the Democratic party: A people-first group that empowers individuals to seek the answers to their own problem, rather than begging the government for a handout.
They, however, don't get that. It was obvious with GW's addiction to spending, and little restraint during 6 years of Republican-controlled Congress and Senate that they really had no compass on a real direction to the country: All they cared about was killing terrorists, and had no real domestic agenda. Not a real good long-term plan.
IMO, the Republicans, to become the dominant party need to:
- Focus on a pledge to reduce government spending, and bailouts of everyone that wants one
- Encourage fierce government efficiency and accountability for it's actions, and wasteful spending
- Push for an end to government monopolies for pension plans, and education (vouchers, more competition) through more flexible retirement plans (not forcing all non-government, non-self employed works to one, and only one, retirement plan that is the Social Security mess)
- Go back to a pledge of non-interventionism concerning foreign matters. There was a time that Republicans weren't so much anti-war, as they were against America becoming the only solution to the world's needs.
- Reduce taxes on all Americans and businesses, fix loopholes in taxation (don't let the rich have advantages via loopholes), but do not sacrifice deficit spending to do such
- Encourage state-led solutions for questions of morality, rather than push fix-all solutions that fragment the Republican base. You know, as a Christian, I think it's pretty dumb that we're pushing OUR moral solutions on politicians and away from us being the solution.
Really, the Republicans need to be more like Ron Paul, and less like whomever their hero is. The Democrats are far more principled, and that's whats winning voters to them, even if their solutions aren't the right ones.
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
