[...] How to save the Republican “brand” A lot will be written about what happened to the Republican party once they took power in the 1990’s and how they fell from their position of power… [...]

[...] How to save the Republican “brand” What about the Iraq war and the botched response to hurricane Katrina? What about their defense of President George W. Bush? [...]

[...] How to save the Republican ???brand??? A lot will be written about what happened to the Republican party once they took power in the 1990???s and how they fell from their position of power… [...]

IMHO the only way the GOP will reemerge out of the rubble of the last 2 elections will be to revive the Party Ronald Reagan built.

Ron Paul had some great ideas, unfortunately, they were far too “right of center” for even the most Conservative Republican. The older I get, the more I “get” the Ron Paul philosophy, especially when we (as a Nation) are faced with Socialism as the Party philosophy of the incoming President.

i do think this is an accurate account of what as happened to the republican party.
One Always must remember that the Undecided Voter is the one who wins the election.Many people wondered why George W Bush won a second term after he was hated in his first term,The answer is Simple,John Kerry was disliked even more,Hence Bush realy didnt win in 2004,Kerry LOST in 2004 putting in Bush by default.
This Time the democrats wised up.they chose someone a slight bit closer to center than Kerry,The Center Area is the Safe Area for the undecideds.Ever Wonder why some people with no term limits keep getting elected? They are close to center or moderate.Arlen Spector in Pennsylvania is one.Its all in who each party nominates.You Can nominate someone far left or far right,But they wont win right after the other side is in Office.If Obama does Well for 8 years,Then Kerry would stand a chance of winning because the Standard wouldnt have to be pushed that much further to the left.

Is it too late to suggest “Shoot ‘em all, and let God sort them out”… ;);););)

The various camps (McCain, Ron Paul, etc. - and later Palin)were too busy scrambling around - either stabbing each other in the back, or doing everything they could to distance themselves from Dubya (and trying to make their opponents - within the party - appear sympathetic)!

When the in-fighting is THAT bad - all the Democrats had to do was throw these EXACT arguments right back in the Republican’s faces. It couldn’t have been any easier if they were fish in a barrel ;);)

The Republican Party has truly gone astray by adopting to many traits of the Left. So we must get some morality back into the Party. President Bush has set a bad example in his last term. That hurt the Republicans, but if any Judge was to look at all the Video Newscasts, talk shows, Comedy, and Movies on TV for the last 6 years - it would be very clear that the Socialist left has been steering or brainwashing everyone. But it goes much deeper than that because most of our Colleges have Socialist Professors teaching our children against Capitalism. The Left had a much larger part in our Financial Problems - but will blame Bush anyway.

The Republican Party need to stop catering to the Neo-con radicals. The Neo-cons are stolid 20th Century thinkers, radicals within their party who care nothing of a balanced budget, nothing of compromise, closed minds, bunker mentality and a winner-take-all-damn-everyone -else (including other Republicans) mentality. Just think about VP Dick Cheney’s abysmal attitude toward the electorate. Dick Cheney’s expansive “experience” helped us nada. He is a direct descendant of Tricky Dick Nixon and enough said about that.

Well, that form of American fascism certainly turned off all but the far right base and most moderate Republicans, again, fled in fear of their party. This happened after Buchanan gave his now famous ‘culture war’ speech at the G.H. Bush convention when running against Clinton. Most political pundits agree this sunk G.H. Bush’s chances of party unity and winning the election.

Often the Republicans when losing a major election start to veer to the right. They need to go moderate. They are in no way out of the game. Temper. Temper.

I think that Urban Underbrink is not only semi-literate, but demonstrates all that is wrong with the USA and what passes for its national brain. If that’s the best the USA can do, no wonder it has failed so abysmally in just about every international arena , and for for all these years, despite what they brainwash themselves to think.

A vast improvement in the voting process woulld occur if the voter,from whatever party, would remove emotion from their decision and would think hard about why they made their decision! This thought process should include the realization of what level of influence this person can have on them, their children and their grandchildrens life - with todays technological power, we humans have, it is frightening the future impact that can be made by what seems like the most simple change.
For President you are voting for someone who can, and will, influence the whole world and it’s future generations. Your feelings as to his or her’s religious or moral differences should not be on the top of the list of your criteria - this person can cause changes to our world in a profound way.

Unfortunatly the quality of our education of the physical world makes it increassingly difficult to make these decisions in the way I suggest - but I feel this is the dirrection we should go.

P.S. - At 85 I do not think I”m such a hot speller!