21% of people identify themselves as Republicans. How much lower

[old mark]

does that number have to sink before the GOP is totally irrelevant? 15%?
12%? Below 10%?
Of all the Republican "stars",potential Presidential candidates, I can think of not one who could win, not one who might helplift the GOP's image out of the toilet (where it surely belongs).

I have thought for months that they would destroy themselves, split into several parties and become ineffective, but I didn't expect it to happen so rapidly.

When will they effectively be dead?

mark

[Uben]

1. 21% is pretty good

....when your party is associated with torture, scandal, lying, treason, and war crimes. Maybe they could add rape, incest, and pedophilia and nudge that number a little lower, but the ones still identifying themselves as republicans these days probably don't mind being associated with those terms as long as they are told it's alright.

[tekisui]

2. We will know in 2010.

Housing numbers are on the up again. Employment lags behind in recovery. I expect the economic numbers will be improving this time next year. Democrats will own that recovery, they will be rewarded by the voters.

2010will usher in a larger majority in both Houses. The repukes will be in a very deep hole, which will take several election cycles to even get to an even split. And, there is no guarantee that it will happen in the next 10 years.

Since their 'thumpings' in '06 and '08 they had a choice, move to the center or to the right. They took a hard right. They will cut off and bleed support as long as they stay there.

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. At 21% they should be celebrating.

1 out of 5 is still way too high.

[rocktivity]

4. 21% is the new 30%.

No wonder Arlen Spector switched parties. Nonetheless, PA should keep a nice progressive candidates in the wings, if only to keep him honest.

:headbang:
rocktivity

[ecstatic]

5. It's funny. "Republican" is now a dirty word, and we didn't even

need a hate-radio machine to do it! Karma's a bitch!

[harun]

11. Great point.

[ginnyinWI]

6. Everyone assumes that they will be back one day...

but I do think it is possible for a party to become so damaged that it dies. We might be seeing the death throes of the GOP. I don't want to be premature, but it's possible.

What will we on the left do without a nemesis? I suppose another party will rise to take their place. We have such a long-standing habit of focusing on them and their activities. Time to realize that they really aren't much of a credible threat. Watch them cautiously for any signs of life, but otherwise move on.

We have other challenges: global warming, poverty, ignorance, the need for health care and other improvements to our nation. Maybe our energy would be better spend thinking about those things.

[RandomKoolzip]

8. Just because the Republican party is on the wane (temporarily) doesn't mean conservatism

isn't a problem anymore. Remember Goldwater's defeat in 1964? The GOP retreated then, too; but they redoubled their efforts at patiently building the party back up, intensifying their conservatism, working locally, until a gigantic machine was constructed. Our star is shining brightly right now....don't expect it to continue to shine this brightly forever. They'll come back, as evil as before, even if they won't self-identify as Republicans. Now, more than ever, we need to remain vigilant against the threats of conservatism and conservatives, especially now that they're infiltrating our party.

[nancyr]

7. They won't go away...

as long as there is stupidity, bigotry and hatred.

[olegramps]

10. That is true, but increasingly becoming identified as those held by ignoramuses such as Palin.

[ieoeja]

9. I look forward to joining Republican Underground.

At this point the Republican Party's best chance for recovery is to go Socialist and attack the Democratic Party for being too Conservative.

Lincoln was a fan of Marx after all. And Teddy Roosevelt was a progressive. So the two most famous Republican presidents were the opposite of today's Republicans.

[Laelth]

12. That, in fact, is what happened to the Whigs.

After several crippling defeats, the party split. The Southern branch kept the name and the ideological purity that was destroying the Party. That branch died. The Northern branch became the Republican Party and adopted a platform that was ideologically impure and wildly liberal (for its day).

This may happen again, in much the same way.

:dem:

-Laelth

[Doctor_J]

13. Strange. When I try to watch Cable "News" I would swear it's more like 90%

:eyes:

[msallied]

14. I remember when America: The Book came out several years ago...

And there was a picture of "the future" and in the picture was a grave marker with the Democratic Party written on it.

My how times have changed...

On the same token, I wonder if or when the pendulum will swing back again, and what it will swing to.

[cwcwmack]

15. the majority of the GOP

now considers themselves "Conservatives" because the party is so disgusting.

[csziggy]

16. Chris Matthews' take on that was that more US citizens believe in UFOs and ghosts than

will identify themselves as Republican. :rofl:

[JVS]

17. Yeah, but how many asshat "fiscal conservative" libertarians are out there?

[JimWis]

18. I was watching Washington Journal this morning, listening to

callers. At least 3 calls were from folks who identified themselves as Republicans and who thought Obama was doing a great job, and were not real happy with their party right now. This was within the hour or so that I had it on. Interesting. Haven't seen that happen before.

[TheKentuckian]

19. Zero

seems like a good target to shoot for.

[obiwan]

20. 21%. A small world for small minds.

As Walt Disney would say...

"It's a small world, after all."

[sampsonblk]

21. They are on life support as we speak

They can hang on by a thread if we let them. But they are powerless on their own.

They will be affectively dead when we start acting like they are. A good starting point is to being the public post-mortem. That would be akin to pulling the plug.

[zulchzulu]

22. 21% is about where evangelical right wing numbers are nationally...

Last I checked, there are perhaps a few more percentage points up for all ERWers... only a few actually live and understand the teachings of Jesus... the rest use religion to hate others and think if they pray enough, they get a new SUV.

[lunatica]

23. 21%? How many of them were holding their nose when they voted?

[leftofthedial]

24. That's also the percentage of Americans who suffer from low self esteem

according to a recent poll...


Hmmm.

[Geek_Girl]

25. They call themselves independents or libertarians now

but they still vote republican. They just don't want to admit it publicly. Don't be fooled

[TimesSquareCowboy]

26. I get the sense that party identity is as fluid as any other self-identifier these days, so it could

flip back easily.