The GOP Is Dying Off. Literally.

[babylonsister]

The GOP Is Dying Off. Literally.

By DANIEL J. MCGRAW

May 17, 2015


It turns out that one of the Grand Old Party’s biggest—and least discussed—challenges going into 2016 is lying in plain sight, written right into the party’s own nickname. The Republican Party voter is old—and getting older, and as the adage goes, there are two certainties in life: Death and taxes. Right now, both are enemies of the GOP and they might want to worry more about the former than the latter.

There’s been much written about how millennials are becoming a reliable voting bloc for Democrats, but there’s been much less attention paid to one of the biggest get-out-the-vote challenges for the Republican Party heading into the next presidential election: Hundreds of thousands of their traditional core supporters won’t be able to turn out to vote at all.

The party’s core is dying off by the day.

Since the average Republican is significantly older than the average Democrat, far more Republicans than Democrats have died since the 2012 elections. To make matters worse, the GOP is attracting fewer first-time voters. Unless the party is able to make inroads with new voters, or discover a fountain of youth, the GOP’s slow demographic slide will continue election to election. Actuarial tables make that part clear, but just how much of a problem for the GOP is this?

Since it appears that no political data geek keeps track of voters who die between elections, I took it upon myself to do some basic math. And that quick back-of-the-napkin math shows that the trend could have a real effect in certain states, and make a battleground states like Florida and Ohio even harder for the Republican Party to capture.

more...

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/05/the-gop-is-dying-off-literally-118035.html#.VVnILUa4r79

[99Forever]

1. And the Democratic Party is commiting suicide. n/t

[babylonsister]

3. How? We

definitely appeal to many more people than the gop; they're not even trying. Seems like they're going out of their way to piss people of all genders and races off. We are not doing that.

[99Forever]

4. TPP

'Nuf said.

[babylonsister]

9. Baloney. That's not the answer for or to everything.

I will wager the majority of people in this country don't even know what that is. I trust you can do better than that?

[99Forever]

11. They will know when their kids can't find a job, ever.

Or at best, flipping burgers at minimum wage. Better than what? Crushing the middle class and poor into life-long wage-slavery? Are you fucking kidding?

[YOHABLO]

84. Why must everyone degrade those who work in fast food restaurants. It's a fucking job OK?

We can't all be big shot CEOs .. there is dignity in all types of work.

[99Forever]

85. Hey, if that's all you aspire to, more power to ya. Flip them patties and toast those buns.

But the last time I checked, there were a few rungs on that ladder between chief fryer technician and CEO.

But if you can survive on the pittance fast food restaurants pay, go for it on your "fucking job" it's no sweat off my brow. ('specially since it's all dignified and stuff.)

[lovemydog]

90. ^ That's one of the rudest and most condescending posts I've ever seen here.

And that's really saying something.

By the way, even if the TPP is defeated, we're still going to have a problem with providing good jobs.

What do you suggest, apart from insulting people who work minimum wage jobs?

[99Forever]

92. Suggest?

I suggest some people should stop shopping for excuses to be offended.

[FrodosPet]

96. Why do you hate working people?

I am an underpaid cab driver. So how low are we? How bad do we disgust you?

[99Forever]

101. ^^See above^^

Have a nice day.

[FrodosPet]

97. Thank you!

+10⁶

[BeyondGeography]

30. Oh yes it is

There has never been a better Obamasux chew toy.

[Skittles]

80. here is a chew toy article

http://www.salon.com/2015/05/18/barack_obamas_shocking_tpp_paradox_why_the_gargantuan_trade_deal_undermines_everything_he_says_he_cares_about/

[BeyondGeography]

82. Saw that

Gargantuan! As if we were all lollygagging in the happy capitalist sandbox until TPP came along.

I see more losers than winners because I see global capitalism and that's what it does. As an Obama supporter, I am sorry to see him isolated with Republicans on this, but that's his fault. His explanations and defenses have been tardy and high-handed, so he gets pummeled.

But I also think the gaming out of worst-case scenarios has been hyperbolic, and I'd rather he seal this deal than any of his potential successors. TPP has been in the works since 2002, depending how you look at it, so it is/was going to happen sooner or later. There is no stopping the machine.

[Katashi_itto]

29. +1

[certainot]

36. liberals underestimate the alternate reality the right has

established with 25 years of unchallenged rw radio repetition.

that reality permeates our politics and media to the extent that the GOP's completely unqualified loons and pirates are actually be considered acceptable in congress and the white house. and many will win, merely because the left continues to ignore all those rw radio stations.

until the left stops giving those stations a free speech free ride that alternative reality will continue to dominate large areas of the country with few people and many senators.

[certainot]

39. PS that crap is going to hang over the country for years.

in that sense anyway, the dem party, by ignoring rw radio, has been committing suicide.

and consider the last congressional disaster caused in large part just because those radio stations were allowed to blast the country with bullshit ebola and isis buzz. most of it, especially ebola dropped off dramatically right after the elections.

their base might be getting older but we're at least shooting ourselves in the foot instead of taking advantage of the advantage.

[bbgrunt]

53. the dems failure to deal with these kinds of

issues only serves to validate the bigger realization that politics is just one big kabuki theatre to distract us while the oligarchs grab all the goodies.

[certainot]

69. can't generalize like that without pushing the old vote suppressing meme

that "both parties are the same"

it's a game/show because democracy isn't working and one of the main reasons is that the left allows the right to dominate messaging and short circuit democratic feedback with their giant talk radio PSYOPS.

it's all fixable with a real democracy- talk radio is the single biggest opportunity for the left to fix things, specifically by getting our universities to stop endorsing rw radio.

[bbgrunt]

86. so WHY haven't they (the dem leaders) done any thing about it?

[certainot]

89. they're no different than 99% of dems and liberals- they have no clue

that rw radio has been and still is kicking their ass. i know from talking to some and to their supporters and staff

one reason that is is that it hurts their heads to listen to it and there is no place to read what they're saying or surveys of what's been repeated and yelled from all those stations. it's invisible, and will remain so until activists start protesting those radio stations and the unis that support them, and recording and transcribing what they say- on national and maybe even more importantly, on the local level.

[Renew Deal]

6. You wish

[Scuba]

12. +1

[Eleanors38]

56. LOL! Another discussion about the political theory of mass extinction...

Why, if we just wait 'em out, we'll take over without working up a sweat!

(And we know cultural/racial minorities will follow the Yellow Brick Road ri-i-i-ight to our voting booth so they can vote in our platform of, you know, like Wow! our... stuff and things....)

[yallerdawg]

2. Demographics don't lie.

As the rural Republican districts have fewer living residents, the Republicans will have to tap urban Democratic centers to get their gerrymandered districts to the representative population number. The districts will become more competitive as the older Republicans die, the younger lean Democratic, and more Democrats are added to the district voter rolls!

It literally is the death of the GOP!

[Kablooie]

5. Nonsense.

Last edited Mon May 18, 2015, 08:21 AM - Edit history (1)

Perhaps the Tea Party is dying off but Republicans will never die off.
Sure they don't attract first time voters, they never did.
Look at the baby boomers. They were the most liberal demographic ever when they were young in the 60s but once they moved into the business world a large proportion switched to Republican and form the foundation of the party today.
Hell, Reagan himself was a liberal Democrat when he was young.
It will always be that way. When you're young you want to change the world but as you settle down all you want is more for yourself and let others fend for themselves.

They will remain a strong, healthy force that will never fade away.

[stillwaiting]

15. As long as things continue to get worse economically when Democrats hold power in this country...

... the Republican Party will never be dead. Way too many tuned out and apathetic Americans will reflexively vote against the Democrats when this happens, and there's only one place to go (and it's a very bad place).

Note: I'm not saying things don't get worse when Republicans have power. They most certainly do. But, Democrats don't right the wrongs that the Republicans perpetrate on behalf of the 1% and sometimes they not only hold the line from where the Republicans took us, but they help contribute to the ever-increasing wealth and income inequality in this country (thank you Wall Street Dems).

[yeoman6987]

37. I agree. How often do we hear about Reagan screwing up

Our economy 35 years ago. Well we've had 16 years of democratic presidents since then and it's still reagans policies? Maybe he was a god after all if in 8 years he screwed everything up and we keep it 35 years later.

[uponit7771]

51. Middle class fair better under democrats than republicans, it's a conservative meme to spout the

...opposite

[stillwaiting]

52. The middle class, working class, and poor have been losing ground for decades.

That's not a meme, it's a fact.

I'm talking about financial security, disposable income, retirement security, real wage increases, etc.

And, pretending that things have gotten so much better for 90% of us when they have not will only decrease voter interest and voter turnout (which only helps the conservative agenda ultimately).

[uponit7771]

54. Strawman, the middle class fair better under democrats than republicans PERIOD... no adding subtract

...subtracting or sideways shit.

They parties aren't even close

The conservatives have been feeding the left the "DNC isn't better on middle class economy" bullshit since 2000... it's bunk

Can the DNC do better fuck yes, by far...

Does the middle class fair the same under both parties?

FUCK NO!

Not even close, no credibility claiming they are...

The litmus isn't "so much better" either, that's another strawman the right throws up to the left to claim the parties are the same...

Give me a dem congress and white house any day for the middle class...

no doubt

[stillwaiting]

55. What is your definition of middle class?

http://www.alternet.org/economy/joseph-stiglitz-why-rich-are-getting-richer-and-why-it-could-get-much-worse

http://robertreich.org/post/98668011635

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/opinion/krugman-rich-mans-recovery.html

The above are 3 individuals who are NOT conservative. The recovery has benefitted a very tiny portion of America for the most part. I'm not saying things couldn't be worse if Republicans had power. Of course they could.

I am much more interested in the working class and poor. This absurd devotion to "middle class" politics has not been good for the average American in my opinion.

[uponit7771]

58. 12+ earners, which the Dems support MORE than the Cons... Ride the horse that gets you closest to

... your goals rather than killing both at the same time.

I wish life would throw the clear choices 100% of the time... it doesn't...

There's no doubt the GOP and the DNC don't come close to being the same when it comes to the poor, working poor and middle class jobs in America...

[stillwaiting]

61. I COMPLETELY agree with your last sentence.

But, it's all about how fast the poor, working poor, working class, and middle class lose ground (the upper middle class is still gaining somewhat and the upper class of course).

The GOP will TEAR UP the poor, working poor, etc., and they must not get power. BUT, we do have a problem within the Democratic Party as well, and if that is never addressed then the economic situation for many Americans will never really improve dramatically (it might not get horribly worse though!). The solution is through progressive policies and to get them implemented we have a lot of work to do within the Democratic Party.

I'm not saying (and never have said) not to vote for Democrats. But I am completely realistic as to what that brings currently.

[jtuck004]

72. Explain that to the 10 million who dropped into poverty in the past 6 years, or the 90 million who

joined them in moving closer to poverty, or the 4 million FAMILIES who were foreclosed on and thrown in the street,while bank$ter/donors have been made wealthier, by policy (explained in Timothy "Killer" Geithner's book "Stress Test&quot during this administration. They join the people who are no longer working the manufacturing jobs that were in the 60,000 mfg plants closed since Reagan lied and old everyone they could live on debt.

Life is significantly more perilous for about 100 million more people just since 2008. One can argue about who inherited what, but we inherited the second 4 years of doing not enough. Do 10 million more have insurance than did before. Yes. Hope that helps, while their kids have over a trillion dollars in student debt as part of the bargains, and 16 million kids don't even have enough food every day.

Which is, perhaps, why people who vote Republican have increased among those in poverty in the past decade. Not registered, so they can be easily counted. But voted nevertheless.

It's not a meme, it's documented fact, but calling it that might serve the purpose of providing an excuse for inaction. Propaganda, really.

[uponit7771]

94. Yeap, all caused by the democrats hunh?!!? What does the Republican Great Depression have to

... do with who's better for the poor to middle class?!

regards

[jtuck004]

95. When you grab a dog that has been hit by a car to help it, she may simply slash your hand off.

Not because you hit her, but because she is hurting and you are wanting her to do something. It doesn't matter who caused it. It's similar to how this country acts, from invading Iraq to building up the terrorist networks so we will have something to fight against, to teaching children to be as broken as all the fucking adults around them.

So voters are gonna run to the polls and think yeah, it was someone 10-20 years ago that caused my pain so I am gonna vote the same way I voted last time?

You take care...

[brush]

25. I don't know about that

The 60s generation was always split down the middle.

For every demonstrator in the streets in the 60s there was conservative who thought the demonstrators were unpatriotic.

For every campus activist/leftist there were young republicans wearing sweater vests and bow ties.

There was always that dichotomy and it still there — some switched to repug as they got older but some of those traditional wingers switched to vote dem as they lost jobs because of repug policies. I think those switches worked out to be a wash.

[nxylas]

27. Yes, people were talking about the demographic death of the GOP then too

It's something that has been predicted since Nixon was president. Then the boomers all voted for Reagan.

[raouldukelives]

28. Yep. When I was young I used to think that after Reagan and his ilk passed we'd be golden.

That the well informed yuppies I knew could finally be in charge.
"I can change it from within!" they would say.
But as I look into the eyes of them now, all I see is the abyss staring back at me.

[CanonRay]

35. The GOP died after Goldwater lost, too

Remember that? Obituaries for the party all over the place. Time will tell. As long as there is a deep reservoir of racism and hatred in this country, the GOP will have a base.

[Romeo.lima333]

38. it's not just race and hatred but taxes as well

a friend of mine was a dem until he started his business then ne supported mcain/palin then romney he switched b/c he believed the gop would keep his taxes low

[CanonRay]

40. Sounds like my brother-in-law

All he does is bitch about taxes and he writes everything off, and never pays any taxes (except property) and still he moans and groans about taxes. WTF. He's happy to use the sidewalks and streets and sewers and schools for his kids. He's crazily pro military.

[NewJeffCT]

63. They also died during the Great Depression

heck - the GOP of the 20s and 30s caused the Great Depression and supported Hitler and Mussolini, and they were still able to rebound from that.

(And, yes, I know some Democrats supported Hitler & Mussolini, too, but Republicans/Conservatives were far more numerous and vocal in their support until the late 30s)

[MillennialDem]

74. True, but it took them 20 years.

[NewJeffCT]

76. Would be nice if it took the modern GOP

20 years to recover from Bush. Of course, they have a lot more of the media in their pockets now than back then.

[MillennialDem]

73. Millennials are the most liberal generation ever. They are more liberal at age 20 than

boomers were at age 20. They are more liberal at age 30 than boomers were at 30.

Millennials are actually getting more liberal with time.

[rufus dog]

88. Finally

You are correct and knocked down two bs memes.

1. People do NOT change party affiliations in large numbers
2. 18 to 25 year olds registering as Dems hit a higher percentage than the same age group registering as Reps in the early 80s.

[progree]

98. Exactly. We've been hearing about old Republicans dying off for many decades

and yet now they've got control of more state governments than at any time in history (or pretty close to it, or the most in 50 years or something like that, I forget the exact figure but its way up there).

[Renew Deal]

7. Crazy question. Is there any reason to believe that people become "conservative" when they get older

Is this something that will hold off the trend?

[Gamecock Lefty]

16. Older = More Liberal!

It has been said that if you don’t vote Dem when you’re young then you have no heart and if you don’t vote Repub when you’re older then you have no brain. According to that philosophy I am heartless and brainless (a possibility!).

When I was younger I tended to vote Republican (thankfully only a couple of times) – mostly, I think, that was due to my parent’s influence. But I am convinced to this day that growing up in the 60s affected my politics (even though I was a young teenager then). How could it not? The assassinations of Kennedy, Kennedy and King, Woodstock, women’s rights, gay rights, Vietnam and the greatest era of music ever – no doubt that all had a lasting influence on me as a young lad.

Now it seems the older I get (I’m 59 now) the more liberal I become! I know it’s been said to never say never, but let me state for the record – I will never never never vote Republican again. Ever.

[raccoon]

20. So did I. I hope God, the universe, whatever, will forgive me.

"When I was younger I tended to vote Republican (thankfully only a couple of times) "

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

49. This transgression of both of you has been duly noted and recorded ...

... and will be self-righteously hurled at you in a future ad-hominem attack in a completely unrelated thread.

Bwahahahaha!

Other than that, have a great day!

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

34. It is natural.

The older we get, the more set in our ways we tend to get, which is pretty much the definition of 'conservative' - resistant to change. Where it falls apart, though, is that I don't think that automatically means older people will tend to switch parties, especially when the Republicans have been diving ever farther to the right. I think it more likely that we'll see the rise of a true 'centrist' party to take over from Republicans. That party will grab off all of the people who are more socially liberal but economically conservative, taking back most of the people who switched to the Dem party because the Repubs had become too embarrassing to be with. That party, the successor of Republicans, will be divided within itself on abortion and gays marrying, but still solidly behind policies that largely benefit the wealthy while tossing crumbs to the poor. And that will drive Dems back to the left, as their 'centrist' wing abandons them for the new party.

[MillennialDem]

75. The trend is held off.

But, there are a few numbers in the Pew data that should give Republicans pause if they assume millennials will get more conservative as they get older. Forty-eight per cent of millennials say their views have gotten more liberal as they’ve aged — “aged” being a relative term since we are talking about people under 30 — while 42 per cent say their views have grown more conservative. When it comes to social issues, nearly six in ten (57 per cent) of millennials say they have grown more liberal as they’ve gotten older.

http://www.dawn.com/news/1092398

[cali]

8. Not quickly enough to change much in the 2016 elections. It won't change

redistricting. Yes, these facts may well help in dems winning the WH, but the facts about the redistricting that took place in 2010, seriously hamper Dem efforts regarding the House.

WASHINGTON — Even if Democrats recruit great candidates, raise gobs of money and run smart campaigns, they face an uphill fight to retake control of the House in this year’s congressional elections, regardless of the political climate in November.

The reason? Republican strategists spent years developing a plan to take advantage of the 2010 census, first by winning state legislatures and then redrawing House districts to tilt the playing field in their favor. Their success was unprecedented.

In states like Ohio, Michigan and North Carolina, Republicans were able to shape congressional maps to pack as many Democratic voters as possible into the fewest House districts. The practice is called gerrymandering, and it left fertile ground elsewhere in each state to spread Republican voters among more districts, increasing the GOP’s chances of winning more seats.

<snip>

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/gop-gerrymandering-creates-uphill-fight-dems-house/

[babylonsister]

10. I'm hoping there's more action against gerrymandering

I see a few hopeful signs...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/court-throws-out-virginia-congressional-map/2014/10/07/97fb866a-4e56-11e4-8c24-487e92bc997b_story.html
Court declares Virginia’s congressional map unconstitutional


http://news.yahoo.com/us-supreme-court-rejects-alabama-racial-gerrymandering-plan-173441578.html;_ylt=AwrTcc5D1VlVIEoAN64nnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTByYnR1Zmd1BGNvbG8DZ3ExBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzcg--
US Supreme Court rejects Alabama racial 'gerrymandering' plan

http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20140710/ARTICLE/140719949
Judge rules Florida's congressional redistricting unconstitutional

[NewJeffCT]

64. funny how

most of the states that allow the state legislature to control the districting are run by the GOP. Many states run by Democrats are done in a non-partisan manner, which is really how it should be done.

(Couldn't California be re-districted to squeeze out a few GOPers if things don't change?)

[daleanime]

13. And they will take us with them.....

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

14. Can't happen fast enough.

[AlinPA]

17. I can't see that here. They seem to be taking over (US House, Senate, Supreme Court). And in PA,

they control the PA House and Senate as well as 13/18 US House seats.

[yallerdawg]

21. They "seem" to be.

Specific to PA included in link:

In Pennsylvania, one state in which the GOP drew the congressional districts in a brazenly partisan way, Democratic candidates collected 44 percent of the vote, yet Democratic candidates won only 5 House seats out of 18. In other words, Democrats secured only 27 percent of Pennsylvania’s congressional seats despite winning nearly half of the votes.

http://www.republicreport.org/2014/gerrymandering-rigged-the-2014-elections-for-republican-advantage/

[AlinPA]

68. My bad choice of words: They have taken over.

[Demeter]

18. The GOP lives on in Michigan

and raises more than enough little clones in the redder sections of the state.

[BlueJazz]

19. Is there any way I can speed the process up ?

[onehandle]

26. Deliver stacks of butter dipped, fried, bacon wrapped donuts to GOP town halls this election season.

Don't forget the 3x high fructose corn syrup laced iced tea.

[BlueJazz]

32. LOL!

[Eleanors38]

60. Ha! That's a good one.

[FlatBaroque]

22. A dead GOP will

still win many more elections that a centrist/New Democrat/Turd Way Democratic party.

[trusty elf]

23. .....

[img][/img]

[onehandle]

24. All the more reason to fight for the Democratic Party.

They are going to start losing big in 2016. 2020 is a census year and we need to hold all the cards.

Third party strategy could derail us again.

[valerief]

31. Not. Fast. Enough. nt

[yortsed snacilbuper]

33. The grim reaper visiting a grand old republicon!

[mercuryblues]

41. The GOP Is Dying Off. Literally.

and they want to take as many of us to the grave with them. Literally. Mostly women, with their insane laws they are pushing....carrying a fetus to term even if it is a completely unviable fetus. Some lawmakers are trying to push that any late term abortions must be performed to save the fetus, not the woman.
Some are pushing to not allow snap recipients to get more than 25$ a day on their cards, increasing the fees paid, decreasing the already meager amount of money those in need actually receive.
medical care and coverage is only for the rich.
Listening to their supporters at times makes me ill, kill anyone who they perceive as breaking the law no matter how small the infraction is.

[BlindTiresias]

42. Lol

yeah, OK. Just gotta wait it out, no fight necessary! What a bunch of BS.

[d_legendary1]

43. The GOP isn't dead and it will not go away

- In red states voters suppresion laws have been enacted to make sure the GOP stays in office

-Gerrymandering is also an effective means to get back on the saddle

-SUPERPAC money is also a problem

-DLC Dems always run in these states (which nobody will vote for)

-Then there are those electronic voting machines...

[Arugula Latte]

44. Who needs a base, though, when you can buy or steal elections?

[niyad]

45. hurry it up, already!!

[n2doc]

46. Not in my neck of the woods

Georgia is full of RW idiots. Many of them middle aged. Some young too. No signs of any let-up in the supply.

The whole purpose of Fox 'news' is to keep the pipeline filled.

[Arugula Latte]

47. Serious question: Have there been many studies about people "aging in" to the Republican Party?

I'm wondering how many of today's middle-aged semi-sensible moderates will turn into tomorrow's rabid Fox News-parroting elderly nutjobs.

[Cali_Democrat]

48. Well isn't that a shame

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

50. Please don't believe this shit...

Here's I was raised.

Upfront.... I'm a D. always have been, always will be, leaning on the socialist side but whatever

You want to have a social awareness while young,
Get a job make your legacy.
Be liberal. It fosters changes.

Then.... When you have enough, invest. Get conservative.
Protect, invest, reap, etc.

I never bought into that theory, I just remained liberal, socialist, whatever you need to call it.
But most of my friends......bought that on thier credit cards.
They will vote R, only because,' only because it's thier time to reap the rewards of a lifetime of belief.

R's will live on. Not that's it's correct, but they will be here a long time.

Just don't get fooled by a headline.

[randys1]

78. Some truth in what you say but you are not describing the modern R party, you are describing

Goldwater R party.

Today's R party because of the teaparty and a Black man in the White House, has become completely insane and will die off slowly but surely unless they make severe corrections.

[rock]

57. The more legitimate support the GOP loses the more illicit support it creates (duh)

Gerrymandering, voter suppression, massive lying in the media (which repiggies own), computer-counted ballots*, and of course passing it to SCOTUS for an override.

*computer-counted ballots: You say you want a recount. Sure 'nuff! What did I get the first time? 10,000 to 9,000 votes? Just a sec. Let me press this reprint, er, recount button. Yep, 10,000 to 9,000 votes!

[PowerToThePeople]

59. It is almost time for the Democratic party to split.

After GOP literally dies, third way will take over the right wing part of the spectrum. Labor supporting Democratic members either need to expel third way or break off to form their own left wing party as a counterbalance to the new right wing third way party.

[Flying Squirrel]

65. This is what will eventually happen.

In the meantime, how long till the Republican Party starts pushing for a voting age increase to 21?

[joshcryer]

99. +1, the two party system encourages centrism.

So you can see the party splitting from fiscally capitalist and fiscally socialist types.

The Republican party will have a final blow out by around 2024 at minimum. It won't be able to keep up with every social policy that the Democrats will be pushing from now until then (immigration, lgbt rights, marijuana legalization, education, welfare, etc, etc).

[Tarheel_Dem]

79. "Labor supporting Democratic members"? How much of the party is that these days? I imagine....

most Democrats would say they support labor, even those "third way" Dems you scoff at. But, truth be told, Big Labor's decline doesn't have much to do with Democrats at all.

[Cali_Democrat]

87. So the conclusion you come to after reading this article...

is that the Democratic Party needs to commit suicide.

Okie dokie.

[hifiguy]

105. Not only plausible,

but probable, over then next 30-40 years.

[Gothmog]

62. The GOP base and the Fox New viewership are both dying off

[True Blue Door]

66. This was the reason behind Citizens United, and voter suppression.

If neither happened, they couldn't have had majorities in any election since 2008.

They're going to get more violent and arrogant the more desperately they have to act to stay in power.

[glinda]

67. Now how to stop the cheating and manipulations they do at Election times.....

[Warpy]

70. The second cohort of Boomers plus much of Gen X

were largely suckers for Republicans, especially Reagan's horse shit. They're not all going to die off for quite a while.

The economy has soured enough that many of them have finally awakened to the fact that the GOP is not on their side. However, steeped in hatred of anything Democratic, they'll still vote for the bastards.

I have no idea about how to reach the dumb and spiteful. I wish I did, we could get rid of Republicans in office forever.

However, demographics are not all against them. Like cockroaches and the common cold, they will always be with us.

(and please don't howl that you're Gen X or a late Boomer and a Democrat. All statistical norms have outliers and we're glad you're there)

[pnwmom]

71. Doesn't matter. They're being reincarnated as Libertarians,

who don't believe in the safety net or government, but are pro-pot, pro-gay, and for abortion rights.

And some "progressives" are joining them.

[sadoldgirl]

77. That is just wishful thinking, imo.

Most of the more libertarian Teaparty groups are pretty
young and energetic voters.

Besides, we said the same thing in 2007, and we were
proven wrong.

On the other hand a lot of former Dems have become
independents, and lost any hope that politicians or the
government would represent them.

[Divernan]

81. What!?! No one's alerting on Politico as a source?

Try posting a link from Politico which includes negative facts about either Clinton or their foundation's finances and you'll be flamed from here to Sunday with scathing remarks about what a right wing rag Politico is.

If it's a good enough source for Babylon Sister, and for Earl G. to give it pride of place on the Home Page, then it's hypocritical to trash it as a source when you don't like the message. Disagree with the author of an article based on the content of the article, not the fact that he/she was published in Politico.

[Blue Owl]

83. Quickly now...

n/t

[davidn3600]

91. Problem is this won't necessarily lead to the liberal utopia you think it will

The politics in this country have realigned and been redrawn many, many times. Remember, it was actually the Republicans that favored abolition of slavery and the right for women to vote. The Democrats led a filibuster of the Civil Rights act.

You can't look at it so much as Democrats vs. Republicans. You have to look at the issues. Societies change, politics change. Neither party will be exactly the same 50 years from now.

If the GOP does start to fail off, the Democrats will be flooded with moderates and libertarians. And that will pull the platform to the center.

[raindaddy]

93. 25% of Americans still identify with the GOP...

They're a party that's on their way to becoming a fringe party.. It's the corporate MSM that continues to create the illusion they represent more than a quarter of US citizens..

[Jamaal510]

100. The GOP is like a person trapped in a corner these days.

A cornered person is in trouble, and has no choice but to fight back as hard as s/he can (however possible). That's how it is with the GOP. With them becoming less competitive in national elections and with their core gradually kicking the bucket, they'll do anything necessary to stay relevant and gain a political advantage whether it means making it inconvenient to vote, monopolizing the radio and TV to hatemonger about other Americans, or ratfucking. I'll never get over how sad it is that their policies stink so bad that they have to resort to those tactics to win. This country deserves better than being stuck with just 1 of the 2 major parties earnestly trying to govern and not having an agenda that exclusively favors rich straight Christian White males. I don't expect them to do a total 180 on their platform and be as progressive as Bernie Sanders, but this country would be in better shape if they'd at least be for something instead of against everything, and not treat compromise as a 4-letter word.

[SpartanDem]

102. Some have pointed boomers switching as counter to this, But remember boomers did well economically

and faced little in the way of economics challenges. Millennials have much more in common with their FDR/Truman generation grandparents, because they have faced some economic challenges . When you get fucked over having grown up with boomer parents who took for granted what the New Deal did for middle class. When you grow up understanding all you need is "hard work"and some company will take of you, not that job benefits,etc were something what were struggled over. That affects your politics and indeed when you look at millennials you see far more support for things like labor unions and for significant portions of them socialism isn't dirty word. I think it's likely millennials will be like the FDR generation, even if they fare better economically latter in life they'll remember what they went through.

[abakan]

103. Not fast enough...NT

[bigdarryl]

104. BUT!!! they are still winning elections go figure

[AlinPA]

106. but they control the US House, US Senate, Supreme Court, and most state's legislatures.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2014/11/05/republican-sweep-extends-to-state-level/