The GOP suffered a humiliating and demoralizing defeat on Tuesday. Why? The answer is pretty simple to this "Millionaire Republican." I am proud to call myself a Jewish Libertarian Republican. And I think an old Holocaust story passed down by my Yiddish grandmother explains the problem we as Republicans encountered on election day. The story about the Holocaust goes like this: "First the Nazis came for the Jews. And no one spoke up. Then they came for the gays- and no one spoke up. Then they came for the gypsies- and no one spoke up. Then they came for the crippled- and no one spoke up. Finally they came for us- and there was no one left to speak up." That reminds me of the problem the GOP has created for our party. First the GOP alienated literally every moderate voter in America- the centrists, independents, blue dog Democrats- with the idiotic Karl Rove/Ken Mehlman strategy of pandering to the religious right and mobilizing the base- while ignoring everyone else. Then President Bush and the GOP finished the job by showcasing their extreme religious views on Terri Schiavo, stem cells, and teaching evolution in the classroom. Next the GOP alienated any moderate soccer moms that were still left with their outspoken desire to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Then the GOP alienated all gay voters with their intense desire to make gay marriage the most important issue in American politics. Then GOP politicians screamed from the highest rooftops about throwing all the illegal immigrants (and their children) out of the country- thereby alienating Hispanics (and most other immigrants as well). Then there was the brilliant Bush stand against funding of stem cell research- mixed in with a Rush Limbaugh tirade against one of Hollywood's biggest (and most sympathetic) stars Michael J. Fox. Whoops- out went the votes of anyone with a disease- or with a friend or parent or child or spouse with a disease (including Ronald Reagan's widow Nancy). Bush actually chose the only veto of his entire Presidency to stop federal funding of embryonic stem cell research. Yet he never thought it important enough to use a single veto to stop the greatest expansion of government spending and bureaucracy in modern history- thereby losing the votes of fiscal conservatives. Finally the straw that broke the GOP's back was their support of the bill to ban online gaming. What the brilliant GOP leaders didn't realize was that more than 20 million Americans love to play poker and gamble online (including me) and felt their freedoms and rights had been violated- thereby turning off Libertarians, small government advocates (conservatives), and those 20 million angry gamblers (mostly college educated, high income males who tend to vote Republican). So tell me ladies and gentleman- who is left to vote Republican?

There you have the simple problem for the Republicans: MATH. Someone at GOP

headquarters needs to learn about addition and subtraction! You cannot win elections with only devout Christians and a few Country Club golfers. That just doesn't add up to a majority of American voters! Pretty soon, we'll be a party of one: George W. Bush. Or perhaps a party of three: Bush, Rove and Mehlman (Which is good, because "W" will need someone to hold the door open for the last Republican and turn off the lights). With a strategy of exclusion (as opposed to inclusion) like that- the party is over…in this case the Republican Party. How sad. As I pointed out in my book "Millionaire Republican"- the GOP held every advantage possible to dominate American politics for many years to come. We have an uplifting, inclusive message that appeals to anyone and everyone looking to achieve the American Dream: lower taxes, smaller government, reduced spending, reduced bureaucracy, protecting the freedoms and rights of the individual. And more importantly, we have the demographics- millions of Americans with money, education, skill and ambition are migrating to red Republican states- thereby giving the GOP a huge electoral advantage for years to come. Yet we managed to blow the greatest political opportunity since FDR. All because some brain surgeon decided that we should pander to one group- the religious right- and ignore the rest of America. All because the ideas of the religious right often seem intolerant and encourage big government- thereby creating the "Nanny State" and making the GOP look like complete hypocrites supporting bigger government. Exit polls on election day proved that 59% of Americans want smaller government, but many of those same voters now see the GOP as the party of BIGGER government, bigger spending, and more tax burden for the middle class. Ronald Reagan must be rolling over in his grave. Reagan once said the 9 worst words in the English language are: "I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

Do you now understand why the GOP lost control of the House, Senate, and a majority of Governorships? The Bush, Rove, Mehlman strategy was a recipe for disaster. These GOP geniuses ruined the greatest opportunity the GOP has ever had, or will ever have, to dominate politics at all levels of government. Thanks guys. By the way, are you done? There must be some other group left somewhere for you to alienate? Who needs ‘em? Afterall we have the Christian right. Oh right, I forgot- the Mark Foley incident turned them off too. I guess that's what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket, huh?

Here's my final thoughts on winning the next big election in 2008: History ALWAYS repeats. All elections are won by the party that moves to the center. We are a center right country. Let's get back to basics. Let's choose a moderate candidate who appeals to a majority of Americans- including centrists, independents and Reagan Democrats. Let's keep our message simple- lower taxes, smaller government, cut spending and waste, protect Americans from terrorists. That's it. Stay out of people's bedrooms. Oh and one other thing- let's make sure our next Republican Presidential candidate supports stem cell research, understands global warming, opposes a ban on online gaming (or anything else), and believes in evolution. Do those simple things and the GOP will be back to dominating all levels of government by 2008.
Wayne Allyn Root is the author of the Amazon # 1 Best-Seller "Millionaire Republican." He is a Libertarian Republican- fiscally conservative, but progressive on social issues.
 
Published November 12 2006 - 7.30am EST - TheOnlineWire.com

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