Futurist Joel Kotkin of Chapman University gave some sober assessments of the Republican Party post-Election 2012.
"The Republicans had a bad candidate for the 2012 election. Romney was a plutocrat. Republicans have strength with middle class and working class voters."
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie or South Carolina's Nikki Haley would hit the spot. Bobby Jindal also has the up-from-bootstraps legacy. Florida Marco Rubio, as well. People have prospered without a silver spoon, and they can represent the truth that men and women can go from poverty to prosperity without a handout from the state. The Republican Party's values reflect the interests of the middle class, but no one will care as long as financial or government elites continue to dominate the national party conference.
Kotkin also discussed the bifurcation of the state of California. Whites and Asians along the coast, and the blacks and Hispanics live inland. The state has lost so much employment, that California has the highest rate of poverty with the greatest concentration of wealth. The exaggerated wealth gap exists in California, one of the bluest, most Democratic states in the union. One of the most frequent talking points for liberals and Democrats hinges on advancing policies that will "close" the wealth gap. California is ground-zero for the zero credibility of such redistributive policies.
"Political leadership has ignored infrastructure," Kotkin continued. "Stop running against government, invest the state's money in infrastructure. We are the party of Lincoln, of public works. Government has a different role." Government has a role to make the private sector do all that it can do without as little interference as possible. One of the hollow talking points from liberals has centered on a fabled "anarchy" spirit within the Tea Party Movement. Congresswoman Janice Hahn claimed in two local newspaper interviews that Tea Party conservatives do not want government to do anything. This charge is patently untrue. Would that government simply did what it was supposed to do, as outlined in the Constitution.
Still, public works is not a bad word. We do have government for a reason. Protecting our rights and securing our borders is part of it. The real question to tackle, how to pay for it, has not been answered. The real question, how to pay for it, has not been answered. The roads, the rails, and the waterways deserve the best support that our country offer. a well-laid infrastructure based on federal block grants is the way to go.
Kotkin's arguments then took a strange turn: "San Francisco has tied up the identity of the state."
Those who work in San Francisco do not live there. Commuters have to pay just to enter "The City", which has some of the most by-unit expensive real estate in the state. Everything is expensive, and the "City by the Bay's" explosion of elitism mixed with rank poverty has not changed for the better. One FBI agent reported that the only affordable housing in his pay range was in Sacramento. The elite-liberal bastions of San Francisco and Los Angeles have held sway for the past decade, though, and the changing demographics inland require a changing rhetorical strategy if the GOP anticipates viability.
"Gay marriage is a stupid fight, wins us nothing. Younger conservatives are more in favor of gay marriage than elderly liberal people."
In the South Bay 66th Assembly Dustrict, older Democrats in the South Bay more often favored Craig Huey as opposed to the Democratic candidate because of the social issues and their fear of losing Prop 13. Republican newcomers like millennial Chris David, who placed third in the June 6th primary for the 33rd Congressional District, advanced a more libertarian platform than old-school Republicans. Columnist George Will argued that Republicans can tolerate gay marriage without endorsing the set-up, as gay Massachusetts Republican Richard Tisei advised in his very close campaign against John Tierney. Stick to your principles, but allow other Republicans to believe what they believe, too.
"People are moving to the coasts, looking for apartment, waiting for the housing market to improve."
The market in the state of California is not improving, at least noticeably, because the business climate has gotten worse, not better. A Democratic supermajority hardly inspires confidence. Senator Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) praises his and his colleagues' efforts for "closing" the budget deficit, with "only" one billion dollars still missing. The state legislature is making claims based on rosy projections. Businesses depend on cold, hard facts. If more people are not moving to the coasts, they are leaving the state altogether, going to Nevada, Arizona, or Texas. More people are going to Oklahoma than then vice versa for the first time in the state's history. Only LA County has received net migration from New York City and Chicago. Lotkin explains:
"People cannot buy a house, raise a family, get a decent job" in California right now. The Golden State is a great place to live, but if people cannot make a living, then they will pull up stakes and leave.
Kotkin also studied the potential effects of Congress letting the country fall off the fiscal cliff. The regions who will be hardest hit by the $250K tax increases lie along the coasts, the liberal metropoli. The Democrats will be hurting their own base more than anyone else.
Kotkin's demographic projections, neither good nor grim, outlined some lessons for the GOP along with the stringent consequences of liberalism. Hopefully, Republican Party leaders will act like their pachyderm mascot and "never forget" the disastrous outcomes of ignoring the changes latent and blatant redefining this country. More populist, more public works-oriented, respecting the diverse demographics of the country, with more outreach to youth and minorities, and Republicans can outline the failures of liberalism unchecked with a roaring resurgence in 2014 and 2016.
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