The Republican party’s much-discussed self “autopsy,” a supposed look at why the GOP lost so incredibly horribly in the 2012 elections, titled, “Growth & Opportunity Project,” (Get it? “GOP,”) reveals the Republican Party is incapable of actual change — and has little to no desire to change, at least from the top down. When even the name of their supposed introspective self-analysis is “GOP,” you really cannot expect anything ground-breaking. And in fact, the first page make their intent crystal-clear:
As requested by Chairman Priebus, we made recommendations in the following areas:
1. Messaging
2. Demographic Partners
3. Campaign Mechanics
4. Friends and Allies (Third Party Groups)
5. Fundraising
6. Campaign Finance
7. Primary Process
The very first concern is not policy, not even constituency, but “messaging.”
Again, no need to change actual policy.
“If we believe our policies are the best ones to improve the lives of the American people, all the American people, our candidates and office holders need to do a better job talking in normal, people-oriented terms and we need to go to communities where Republicans do not normally go to listen and make our case,” the report states. “We need to campaign among Hispanic, black, Asian, and gay Americans and demonstrate we care about them, too. We must recruit more candidates who come from minority communities. But it is not just tone that counts. Policy always matters.” (Pages 6, 7, and 75. Yes, this exact paragraph is repeated three different times in the report.)
Read that again. “Policy always matters,” and, “our policies are the best ones to improve the lives of the American people.”
And again: We don’t need to change our policies, and we shouldn’t, but we should “make sure young people do not see the Party as totally intolerant of alternative points of view”:
For the GOP to appeal to younger voters, we do not have to agree on every issue, but we do need to make sure young people do not see the Party as totally intolerant of alternative points of view. Already, there is a generational difference within the conservative movement about issues involving the treatment and the rights of gays — and for many younger voters, these issues are a gateway into whether the Party is a place they want to be.
If our Party is not welcoming and inclusive, young people and increasingly other voters will continue to tune us out. The Party should be proud of its conservative principles, but just because someone disagrees with us on 20 percent of the issues, that does not mean we cannot come together on the rest of the issues where we do agree.
The 2012 RNC platform, approved by RNC Chair Reince Priebus, and adopted in late August of 2012, states:
We condemn the hate campaigns, threats of violence, and vandalism by proponents of same-sex marriage against advocates of traditional marriage and call for a federal investigation into attempts to deny religious believers their civil rights.
And this:
Preserving and Protecting Traditional Marriage
The institution of marriage is the foundation of civil society. Its success as an institution will determine our success as a nation. It has been proven by both experience and endless social science studies that traditional marriage is best for children. Children raised in intact married families are more likely to attend college, are physically and emotionally healthier, are less likely to use drugs or alcohol, engage in crime, or get pregnant outside of marriage. The success of marriage directly impacts the economic well-being of individuals. Furthermore, the future of marriage affects freedom. The lack of family formation not only leads to more government costs, but also to more government control over the lives of its citizens in all aspects. We recognize and honor the courageous efforts of those who bear the many burdens of parenting alone, even as we believe that marriage, the union of one man and one woman must be upheld as the national standard, a goal to stand for, encourage, and promote through laws governing marriage. We embrace the principle that all Americans should be treated with respect and dignity.
Defending Marriage Against An Activist Judiciary
A serious threat to our country’s constitutional order, perhaps even more dangerous than presiden- tial malfeasance, is an activist judiciary, in which some judges usurp the powers reserved to other branches of government. A blatant example has been the court-ordered redefinition of marriage in several States. This is more than a matter of warring legal concepts and ideals. It is an assault on the founda- tions of our society, challenging the institution which, for thousands of years in virtually every civilization, has been entrusted with the rearing of children and the transmission of cultural values.
That is why Congressional Republicans took the lead in enacting the Defense of Marriage Act, affirm- ing the right of States and the federal government not to recognize same-sex relationships licensed in other jurisdictions. The current Administration’s open de- fiance of this constitutional principle—in its handling of immigration cases, in federal personnel benefits, in allowing a same-sex marriage at a military base, and in refusing to defend DOMA in the courts— makes a mockery of the President’s inaugural oath. We commend the United States House of Represen- tatives and State Attorneys General who have de- fended these laws when they have been attacked in the courts. We reaffirm our support for a Constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. We applaud the citizens of the majority of States which have enshrined in their constitutions the traditional concept of marriage, and we support the campaigns underway in several other States to do so.
At Think Progress, Josh Israel notes, “rather than welcoming LGBT people, [the Growth Opportunity Project report] endorses inclusion of young conservative people who disagree with the party’s anti-LGBT beliefs but might have conservative views on other issues.”