A Humble Open Letter to the Republican Party

Last night's electoral vote trounce has surely left you thinking, soul-searching and (of course) trying to find an escape goat. But don't look at Romney's campaign for an answer or someone to blame.

1. If you really want to know where the problem lies you need to look back at least four years back. Think how you collectively and myopically chose to fully embrace the "Tea Party" movement and all of its ilk for short-term congressional wins, disregarding the fact that such choice was sure to comeback and haunt you sooner or later. Not every conservative aligns him or herself with the "principles" and message of the Tea-Partiers, and as a matter of fact, some feel repulsed by them.

2. Your talking-heads and leaders have sent the party into a negative downward spiral. Yes, your dear Rush-baugh, Hannity, Boortz, and so forth have actually done more harm than good. Their venomous vitriol and rhetoric has accomplished nothing other than to push off your ship all center-right and independent-minded voters. I distinctly remember a Rush Limbaugh speech nearly four years ago in front of the who's-who of the Republican party spewing negative and abrasive rhetoric against the Democratic party. He being the proverbial 800 lbs. gorilla, he persuaded your far-right base to think of the Democratic party as "the enemy", to think that "we're not their friends, we're at war with them, and I hope Obama is a failure" (paraphrasing, of course. Text of said speech can be found here). How can you expect people to vote for your candidate when your have these "talk masters" name-calling, cussing, insulting and verbally demeaning any voter who isn't your constituent on the TV and radio on a daily basis? How can you expect to reach to the swing voters with such caustic and divisive tone?

3. For something more recent, you surely are aware that part of your constituents are Libertarian-leaning. You, as a party, spat and kicked dirt on their faces this election. You did everything you could to get Rep. Ron Paul off the map. You cast him out. You left him out. His integrity, impecable voting record, uncompromised principles and intelligence were apparently a threat too big to the Republican establishment. And then you are surprised when his supporters voted for someone else instead.

As a colleague mentioned today, your party is at a crux and, in my opinion, the possibilities range from healing the wounds with all constituents, bring the negative tone and venom of your talking heads down, expel the extreme and fringe elements, bridge and reach to the independents, the center-right and the youth factions to keep on the downward spiral you're in and risk becoming irrelevant in a few years time.