Republicans want to broaden appeal; candidates hurt effort

According to the survey results, Republicans find being a Muslim slightly less objectionable to being an atheist, with a respective 38% and 40% refusal for consideration.

Though disheartening, these results fit with the narrative of many in the GOP, whose aim is Sharia law based on Christian principles.

I find the idea of Carson becoming President to be frightening. It seems that he sees everything through the lens of his version of Christianity which is not even shared by many other Christians. His vision is too narrow to understand or accept Americans who do not see the world as he does. As much as other candidates also promote their religious views as a qualification for becoming President, I sense that their lens is wider. I strongly disagree with their vision for America and their promotion of their religion in the political sphere. But, I don't find them as frightening as Ben Carson. They seem to understand that I am a part of this country. Ben Carson does not.

bass: Trump has tapped into a nerve that resonates with the people

He sure has:

"Public Policy Polling’s latest national poll found that 66 percent of Trump’s supporters believe Obama is a Muslim, compared to only 12 percent who believe he’s Christian. Sixty-one percent of Trump supporters aren’t convinced that the president was born in the United States"

http://www.salon.com/2015/09/01/new_poll_indicates_exactly_whos_supporting_donald_trump_and_the_gop_should_be_worried/

“I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation,” Carson said

Another waste of time from the gop-tea. Too bad that.

Carson has officially resigned from the campaign as he has announced publically he either cannot or refuses to acknowledge the U.S. Constitution as the founding document of the nation. If Mr. Carson had read the document, he would have caught a phrase or two that specifically states the separation of Church and State. The three branches of Government are bound to this precept.

It was nice to see a moderate and intelligent candidate for three weeks from the gop-tea.

As usual, the gop-tea both misunderstands and misrepresents the principles of the Founding Fathers. Religion is not the basis of law, reason and logic are. Neither of which require any religious affiliation. Mr. Carson has announced he has lost interest in the Constitution as what he fears most is religion which is specifically bared from Government.

After AWOL's Three Trillion failure, and 30,000 US soldiers maimed and 100,000 dead Iraqis, the gop-tea is still pushing religion as important to the Democratic structure of American Democracy.

Maybe the terrorists did follow them home and now they're the candidates from the gop-tea. Get ready for another Government shutdown to achieve religious ends sponsored by the zealots from the gop-tea.

Asked specifically about Carson’s comments on NBC, Schmidt said it exposed him as an amateur politician and underscored his “total lack of understanding about the American political system.”

Again, what the gop-tea fails at is literacy.

The Constitution disqualifies Mr. Carson not because of race or faith, but because Mr. Carson himself cannot expand his awareness to comprehend the essential concepts in the document.

Mr. Carson is sadly another example of the myopic that corrupts the gop=tea. Religion is not an American goal or essential to liberty. Freedom is.

Sad how many of the gop-tea are selective in both their ignorance and prejudice. So far, this campaign shows them as fans of both.

Republicans do not HAVE any appeal that can be broadened. Their right-wing radicalism is spurned and abhorred by all Americans.

Republicans want to broaden appeal; candidates hurt effort

Let's parse this a bit. Republicans want to broaden appeal because they want to win the general election (and we're talking about a national election, not Gerrymandered districts), but candidates hurt the effort - and this is because GOP voters are a minority, particularly in the primaries. It is not just that the party's candidates lack; it's that their electorate is out of step with modern American sentiment. Many have speculated on what will drive Trump out of the race, but this speculation is ultimately futile as Trump's supporters will simply migrate to the second-less progressive candidate - they are the cause, not the result.

If Republicans want to broaden their appeal, they must learn how to compromise so as to build a big tent. Reagan could do that. The present GOP is absolutely incapable of it.

First we hear America is a nation of laws, not a nation of men. Then, we hear from Huckabee who supported the marriage license woman that it it is a nation of women. Now we hear from Carson that it is not a nation of Muslims. If John Kennedy had listened to these rhetoric, he never would have been elected president. He was a Catholic, and America was a nation of laws in the 60s. Perry, Huckabee and Carson are no longer significant candidates in the race. Who is next to leave?

The GOP of today make Nixon look good. That is a very scary thing.

So bass, what do you think the GOP should do to attract more minorities and women? Do you agree with the assessment in 2012 about their need to change to capture more voters?

And I don't think anyone believing in an imaginary being should be allowed in any public office after the age of 6. I've heard there are medications to help with that mental disability.

I'd like a candidate who shares my beliefs. None of them do. Sadly, I'm finding more in common with democrats after 30 yrs of NEVER voting for a democrat.

Headline is wrong. Should read:

Republicans strategists want to broaden appeal; rank-and-file prefer right and white.

bass: So now that's a bad thing? Given the way Obama has been towards the Muslim world and in particular to our enemies, I'm not the one for believing in conspiracy theories, but given Obama's 7 year history with everything that has happened

Oh this is going to be awesome to watch. :)

After a blistering examination of the 2012 election, a report commissioned by Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus concluded that “if our party is not welcoming and inclusive, young people and increasingly other voters will continue to tune us out.”

The GOP can't change. Just give up and hope for a scandal or implosion by Democrats.

"Stop playing defence and stop allowing progressive cowards the idea they have some kind of moral authority." - comments

The moral authority the gop-tea has is two failed wars for profit, a current loud mouth who hates Mexicans and Women, a failed CEO and now a Super Christian who insults Muslims. That's moral authority?

What galls the gop-tea is their most vocal are also the most repellent to reason, Democracy and intelligence and they are sick of hearing the truth about their failings.

Everyone is entitled to be a fans of whatever appeals to their character. Apparently the gop-tea wants more racism, prejudice and bigotry. As the commenter points up, it's time to bring the fire to appeals for ignorance. So much for "broadening".

Does anyone here find it funny that there's a pattern of people who like the Republicans, and so happens to like Abe and Co as well?

--only 12 percent who believe he’s Christian. Sixty-one percent of Trump supporters aren’t convinced that the president was born in the United States"

So now that's a bad thing?

I guess not if you think that ignorance and bull-headed denial of facts are positive attributes.

"Sixty-one percent of Trump supporters aren’t convinced that the president was born in the United States" - comments

So 61% of Rump fans can't find Hawaii on a map, what a surprise.

Does anyone here find it funny that there's a pattern of people who like the Republicans, and so happens to like Abe and Co as well?

And even more ironic: they hate the same people on the other side of the fence, like Putin and Kim Jung Fat Boy.

So bass, what do you think the GOP should do to attract more minorities and women?

That's easy. Stop trying to attract minorities and women.

Start winning back white working-class men and the rest of America will follow with enthusiasm. Trying to attract minorities and women is folly for the GOP. Hasn't worked for decades and never will.

Start concentrating on winning. Stop apologising and grovelling to the left. Stop playing defence and stop allowing progressive cowards the idea they have some kind of moral authority.

I find the idea of Carson becoming President to be frightening.

Wow! You now if I were a Democrat I would call you a racist.

It seems that he sees everything through the lens of his version of Christianity which is not even shared by many other Christians.

Wow! If I were a Christian I would consider you an anti-Christian bigot.

That's how things work in America these days. No further explanation is necessary. Just saying...

And yet, in a poll a few weeks ago, Trump was leading among potential Black voters (25% of the Blacks that were questioned by a CNN poll) and among women and Hispanics. Even another poll out recently suggested that Joe Biden, would have a higher favorability among Blacks than Hillary. What I am seeing is that people are getting fed up with the supposed political class who think that they "know what's best" and starting to get behind candidates that the establishment (both sides) are not really in favor for.

Republicans do not HAVE any appeal that can be broadened. Their right-wing radicalism is spurned and abhorred by all Americans.

And yet, Trump, Carson and Florina are soaring in the polls, so much for that analysis.

"Public Policy Polling’s latest national poll found that 66 percent of Trump’s supporters believe Obama is a Muslim, compared to only 12 percent who believe he’s Christian. Sixty-one percent of Trump supporters aren’t convinced that the president was born in the United States"

So now that's a bad thing? Given the way Obama has been towards the Muslim world and in particular to our enemies, I'm not the one for believing in conspiracy theories, but given Obama's 7 year history with everything that has happened.........

Oh this is going to be awesome to watch. :)

It will be and seeing Bernie on the Dems side, Oh, without a doubt!

The moral authority the gop-tea has is two failed wars for profit,

And Obama has Syria and what was formally called Iraq, not to mention ISIS.

a current loud mouth who hates Mexicans and Women,

But Obama hates Blacks or at least doesn't care about them OR White people for that matter. I think it's equally as bad, don't you?

a failed CEO and now a Super Christian who insults Muslims. That's moral authority?

But a failed president that ruined the country and claims to be a Christian that insults the majority of Americans how do you feel about that?

What galls the gop-tea is their most vocal are also the most repellent to reason, Democracy and intelligence and they are sick of hearing the truth about their failings.

You really want to go there with that? Come on....

Everyone is entitled to be a fans of whatever appeals to their character. Apparently the gop-tea wants more racism, prejudice and bigotry.

And yet, the Dems and Obama with the help of whack jobs like Al Sharpton have overused and drained the word racism throughout his entire presidency. Obama said, he wanted to unite the country. Hasn't worked out so well now has it?

As the commenter points up, it's time to bring the fire to appeals for ignorance. So much for "broadening".

The people have lived through 7 years of ignorance and they still have 15 months or 413 more days to be exact.

So 61% of Rump fans can't find Hawaii on a map, what a surprise.

Don't worry, most liberal college students don't even know that we have 3 branches of government, who the vice president is or know the name of everyone that was involved in drafting and writing the constitution. So that's what a college education that runs 100K gets you these days.

I guess not if you think that ignorance and bull-headed denial of facts are positive attributes.

I agree, but given the way Obama has been handling the ME over the last 7 years and how he has treated our allies, there is room for suspicion and concern. Just saying'....

Another waste of time from the gop-tea. Too bad that.

How so? By the way, how are the Dems polling this election cycle?

Carson has officially resigned from the campaign as he has announced publically he either cannot or refuses to acknowledge the U.S. Constitution as the founding document of the nation. If Mr. Carson had read the document, he would have caught a phrase or two that specifically states the separation of Church and State. The three branches of Government are bound to this precept.

So then how do you feel about Obama being an obstructionist and completely ignoring the constitution. But then again, with all of his bragging, the man was nothing but an adjunct professor of constitutional law for which he gives little regard to.

It was nice to see a moderate and intelligent candidate for three weeks from the gop-tea.

Sadly, that probably won't be the case for the Dems.

As usual, the gop-tea both misunderstands and misrepresents the principles of the Founding Fathers.

Obama is the prime example of that.

Religion is not the basis of law, reason and logic are. Neither of which require any religious affiliation. Mr. Carson has announced he has lost interest in the Constitution as what he fears most is religion which is specifically bared from Government.

So then why is it ok for libs to persecute, antagonize, vilify Christians at every turn, what about religious tolerance? Or does it only apply to situations that are dear and important to libs?

After AWOL's Three Trillion failure, and 30,000 US soldiers maimed and 100,000 dead Iraqis, the gop-tea is still pushing religion as important to the Democratic structure of American Democracy.

But you want to give the sectarian violence that caused the majority of all the deaths that happened in Iraq a pass?? So after 7 years, we'll keep on blaming Bush because we have nothing else tonattack the GOP with, even though it's a losing argument, the world has moved on, but you guys just can't resist and I don't blame you, but that ace in the hole is played out. This is not 2008 anymore.

Maybe the terrorists did follow them home and now they're the candidates from the gop-tea. Get ready for another Government shutdown to achieve religious ends sponsored by the zealots from the gop-tea.

If your president would compromise a little sometimes, there would be no need of a shutdown threat.

So bass, what do you think the GOP should do to attract more minorities and women?

Don't know, Trump is pulling close 25% of blacks and women.

Do you agree with the assessment in 2012 about their need to change to capture more voters.

If they are not part of the Washington political establishment they will do just fine on their principles.

Trump made large gains among women and college-educated voters, the poll shows, gaining 13 points with women to rise from 20 percent to 33 percent and climbing from 16 percent to 28 percent among college graduates. He stands at 33 percent among those without degrees, up slightly from 28 percent in August and at 31 percent with men, up four points.

it's that their electorate is out of step with modern American sentiment.

If that were true, then Trump, Carson and Florina wouldn't poll as high as they are, but in most cases you might be right, but after what the country has been through for the last 7 years with Obama the people are tired of this president, his policies and and the Democratic party. Trump has tapped into a nerve that resonates with the people and they are angry at the politicians and at Washington. All the candidates that are doing excellent are not career politicians and that seems to be the way the people want to go this time around. The days of the established politicians is coming to an end.

Many have speculated on what will drive Trump out of the race, but this speculation is ultimately futile as Trump's supporters will simply migrate to the second-less progressive candidate - they are the cause, not the result.

I seriously doubt it.

If Republicans want to broaden their appeal, they must learn how to compromise so as to build a big tent.

The Republicans would always compromise if they had a president that would do the same, but chooses not to, so why should they do it, if the president, the commander in chief will not?

Reagan could do that. The present GOP is absolutely incapable of it.

True and the same goes for the Dems. Dems like Tip O' Neill would easily reach across the aisle and work with Reagan and the GOP and could respectively iron out their differences, but this group of liberals, forget it and the people don't deserve that as well.

That's easy. Stop trying to attract minorities and women.

Start winning back white working-class men and the rest of America will follow with enthusiasm. Trying to attract minorities and women is folly for the GOP. Hasn't worked for decades and never will.

Start concentrating on winning. Stop apologising and grovelling to the left. Stop playing defence and stop allowing progressive cowards the idea they have some kind of moral authority.

Pretty much summed it all up. But if the GOP focuses on largest group that would vote for them, that would be considered racist, so by liberal standards, try to get as many minorities as you can and forget about White people, how they feel or think is irrelevant. As you said, there are 5 million Whites that sadly unlike Hispanics and Blacks don't vote as often in general elections as they should and these are the people that feel they have a savior in Trump, heck, even Ben Carson. These voters are tired of being stepped on by illegals and immigrants that refuse to conform to our way of life, the open borders, employees that want to give illegals drivers licenses and the legal right to work and get paid, the Democrats certainly won't do anything about it and now because Trump says, he wants to build a wall, strengthen and increase the size of our military, tap and use the natural resources we already have, stop apologizing for every little thing, that is somehow racist according to Liberals?