Some Advice to the GOP

I am going to offer the Republicans some advice. I don't expect them to listen to me, and I don't even expect any to happen across my blog. As with voting, this is just one person feebly expressing his opinion, hoping what is right will prevail.

1. Drop the opposition to gay marriage. There is in fact a conservative argument for gay marriage. Conservatives favor strengthening social bonds. Allowing more people to get married will allow for the creation of more and stronger social bonds. And more than half the population believe gays should be able to marry -- and those numbers are growing.
2. Drop the anti-immigration rhetoric. George W. Bush did it, and he was elected twice. It may be too much to ask the GOP to adopt an open borders, free movement of people stance, but can we at least come up with a way to make it easier for people to come here and work?  I am talking about a work visa that can be attained on this side of the border, so people don't have to deal with the corrupt system at home just to get here to work. Do that, and the socially conservative Hispanic population will start to come your way.
3. Drop the pro-war rhetoric. There is nothing conservative about imposing change on others. There is nothing conservative about offensive wars. Our military should be defensive in nature. We can still use our navy to fight off pirates -- now, how many ships do we need off Somalia to accomplish that? Concerned that the world won't remain at peace without a strong American military presence? Well, if you are actually concerned with maintaining peaceful relations with other countries, history has shown over and over and over that the best way to do that is to . . .
4. Drop the trade war rhetoric. Drop trade barriers of all sorts. Promote nothing but free trade between America and every other country. When a Democratic candidate such as Obama complains about Americans having access to cheap Chinese tires, the answer should not be "I agree with my opponent." It should be, "Seriously? You oppose the American people being able to buy cheap tires so they can have that money to buy other things?"

If you just do these things, the GOP will start winning Presidential elections again. If you keep doing what you're doing, if you keep nominating the same exact guy each and every time, you won't.