Republicans need to get with it – and fast

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  GAZETTE BLOG EDITORIAL 
By Jim KeyworthGazette Blog EditorIt’s really hard to be gracious to Republicans and rightwingers in the wake of their disastrous defeat at the polls when idiots likeTerrel Kuhn of Mesa are given a forum. In Kuhn’s case it was The Arizona Republic that published his letter tothe editor, but your own Payson Roundup also allows right wingers to spewabsolute, unchallenged nonsense on a regular basis.  Kuhn wrote:
“This election has shown the country is controlled by peoplewho care for nothing beyond either handouts from the government or theirleft-wing agenda.”
Really?  Is that whatthe right wing took away from their defeat? You have to wonder howGOP-mainstream Kuhn’s view is based on Mitt Romney’s 47 percent comment.And if that's what a sizable number of the Republican Party thinks, it is on a downhill path tooblivion.  
I’m not sure that wouldn’t be a good thing, because theRepublicans have become way too extreme to contribute to a meaningful dialog aboutwhat this nation stands for.  But itwould be messy and destructive, so please allow me to offer some unsolicitedadvice.
First, the Republicans need to ditch the Tea Party.  It’s a radical fringe element made up mostlyof old selfish white guys.  It will nevergain the numbers it needs to tip the scales and, in the meantime, all it doesis label the Republicans as uncompromising extremists.  You can't continue to allow 25 percent of your membership to keep calling the shots.
Two, the Republicans need to find viable candidates.  Mitt Romney is an elitist, out-of-touchpretty boy who got his money from daddy and from dismantling small businesses, thenhe promptly moved said money out of the country to avoid taxes.  If you doubt this, tell me why he wouldn’t release his taxreturns?  I'm never going to vote for a guy like that.
And Santorum and Perry and Gingrich aren’t going to cut iteither.  I have a lot of respect for Gov.Chris Christie, but his fellow Republicans don’t seem to after he dared tocompliment President Obama.
Three, Republicans need to start caring about women’srights.  And they need to mean it.  In fact “meaning it” is something the GOPseems to have in short supply.  We needreal answers, not unsubstantiated fearmongering and BS about legitimate rape.   Four, where are the facts?  Romney wouldn’t even let budget wonk Ryantalk specifics on the campaign trail. The American people are not as stupid as the Republicans seem to think.
Five, the demographics in this country are changing forever,and the Republicans don’t seem to get it. It’s going to be harder each electionfor fat, bald white guys to win.  It’sover, folks.  You better find a way toreach out to people of color and you better mean it (see the paragraph above).
Sixth, and most important, Republicans need to get a heart.  You can call them entitlements or handouts orwhatever you want, but great nations take care of their sick, their poor, theirelderly.  As one of the latter, let mesay it very personally: “I have contributed my share to this country.  I have paid for my Social Security.  You damn well better get this messagestraight.  We are not begging foranything, but by God we earned it and you will never win an election by tryingto deny that.”
So if all of the above is what Mr. Kuhn refers to as a “left-wingagenda,” I’ve got news for him.  We arenow the majority and you can climb on this train or you can wallow in all thatnonsensical crap about entitlements and handouts.   I am extremely proud of what I stand for.  I am not only in the majority, but I am right– and you, sadly, are on the wrong side of history.  Seniors, people of color, women, not to mention gays – you’llnever win against that coalition.
A part of me says go ahead and finish the job of destroyingyourself, and I suspect that is what is going to happen.
But we liberals are dreamers (it's that hope and change thing), and I wouldlove to see that day come again when the ideals of Ronald Reagan and even BarryGoldwater hold sway in the Republican Party. I would love to see that day come when the Republicans say once again, “OK, let’s workthis out.  Let’s compromise.  It’s for the good of the people we represent.”  What are the chances? Until the Republicans discredit bigoted, shortsighted, peoplelike Mr. Kuhn (and the Tea Party), I’m afraid they’re not very good.
P.S.  I am a registered independent.