Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
The question of the hour: How can the GOP rebrand itself as the “Party of Cool”…or at the very least as a party that’s less uncool now than it has been for the past 25 years?
Never having excelled at being cool myself — and having recently scored a mere 36 on Pew’s “How Millennial Are You?” quiz (Millennials should score between 73 and 100) — I feel like a fraud proffering up any advice on the subject.
But for starters, I’ll second everything Glenn Reynolds counsels in his column today in the New York Post. His first item of advice: lower the drinking age!
Introduced by Republicans (it was spearheaded by Elizabeth Dole) in the 1980s, it was always a lousy idea. The result has been more, not less, alcohol abuse on campus, as student drinkers have moved from public venues, where there was supervision, to dorm rooms and frat houses, where there’s less.
And it’s fundamentally unfair. At 18, people can sign contracts, get married and sign up for student loans that will haunt them for decades. They can join the military and go off to die in foreign lands. But federal law presumes they’re too immature to have a beer.
Professor Reynolds goes on to recommend that Republicans ought to become advocates for revising the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) so that such things as unlocking one’s cellphone no longer land someone looking to switch mobile carriers in prison; and that the GOP should champion policies that offer solutions to the problem of skyrocketing tuition. Realistically, I think these latter suggestions are small potato issues.
The two major obstacles standing in the way of Republicans ever winning over young voters in a meaningful way are same sex marriage and marijuana. And though some liberty movement Republicans —folks like Rand Paul and Justin Amash and Tom McClintock — might individually support SSM and the legalization of marijuana, there is no way on God’s green earth that the GOP will ever embrace these things en masse. At least no time soon.
But that doesn’t mean that the Republican Party can’t pivot at all on these issues. On the matter of marijuana, why not support a decriminalization of possession so that law enforcement resources are freed up to attend to more serious crimes? And on the matter of same sex marriage, I commend Rod Dreher’s thinking to your attention. Dreher's argument boils down to this: SSM opponents would do well to abandon the fight against SSM, and instead focus on the threat SSM poses to religious liberty.
These are concessions, to be sure. But they are concessions consistent with an overall theme of liberty. Before the Republican Party writes off young voters forever, my sense is that we ought to give the robust message of liberty a fighting chance.
Image of hipsters from Shutterstock.
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Comments:
Oct '12
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
I do worry about the 'conservative' brand. It's taken a lot of beatings. Romney or Palin or Todd Akin definitely don't help us look cool.
But don't forget about re-phrasing the argument. If you say the government is there to work for you -- being "un-cool" can be a feature, not a bug.
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
jetstream
Barkha Herman
BrentB67
Don't feel bad, I was wondering as well. · 2 minutes ago
They are both clearly transgender individuals. · 0 minutes ago
Will you guys just stop, I looked at the picture and snap decided the one on the left was a girl and the boy was on the right ... then you guys start in with this who's on firststuff and now I'm not sure which is which ... sometimes, I really miss the old days when the world was divided between football players and cheerleaders ... · 5 minutes ago
Edited 4 minutes ago
Growing up I don't ever remember meeting someone and not being able to immediately tell boy or girl.
Or maybe I only thought I knew...?
The world has passed me by. That much I'm sure of.
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
dash: It just so happens that my Grandmother's Republican Party was the party of Calvin Coolidge*, so I'd rather prefer that this one emulate that one.
*We have a photo of her as a flapper, which just blew my mind as a kid. · 14 minutes ago
Maybe the title of the post should have been "Not MY Grandma's Republican Party" then. Eisenhower was a good and honorable man, but geez louise, those tax rates were insane!
May '12
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
Barkha Herman
Jim - is the sandwich gluten free?
No, the only real sandwiches are those with extra gluten.
And cheese. And extra meat. A philly cheesesteak sounds really good right now...
Edited on February 26, 2013 at 1:10amMay '12
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
EJHill
Don't bet on it. Federalism doesn't work on marriage. My wife and I were married in the state of Michigan and we are just as married in the other 49 states. You can't be married in New York, move to Ohio and find out you're not married.
And federal law alwaystrumps state law. You can't argue the legality of Arizona's immigration law on one hand and give in on drug laws. Either it has supremacy or it doesn't. · 33 minutes ago
EJ the Defense of Marriage Act specifically addressed this issue, unfortunately it also tried to address what is a marriage.
Given the supremacy of federal law if there is a law that frees one state from the obligation to recognize SSM that should be the supreme law.
It was tested in Texas when gay partners that were married back east (I think MA) moved to Texas and tried to divorce. Texas told them sorry, you can't be married here so we can't grant a divorce. Case was closed.
Sep '10
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
Great to see a post from you, Diane! Hope your marriage is developing fabulously well!
Dec '11
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
Diane Ellis
dash: It just so happens that my Grandmother's Republican Party was the party of Calvin Coolidge*, so I'd rather prefer that this one emulate that one.
*We have a photo of her as a flapper, which just blew my mind as a kid. · 14 minutes ago
Maybe the title of the post should have been "Not MY Grandma's Republican Party" then. Eisenhower was a good and honorable man, but geez louise, those tax rates were insane!
It's a wondrous fact indeed that a Kennedy was actually responsible for spearheading the fight to eliminate the 90% income tax bracket!
May '11
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
I am apparently not a Millennial, either. hmm... A few of those questions were pretty silly.
Mar '11
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
I don't want a "cool" party. I want the party of mean old men that will protect my property and keep the government from taking my money and keep crime and scum off the streets as much as possible. And isn't things like forcing the unlocking of cellphones a case of government coming between two parties making a contract? I thought the whole point of libertarianism in the marketplace was Laissez Faire? Is that a bit hypocritical It sounds like liberalism in reverse: government activism forcing private companies to do something the right wants instead of the left. So much for principled libertarianism. That's called "pandering".
Bottom line, I'm a conservative first, and a Republican because they're supposed to be the conservative party. Lots of these things being floated are in no way conservative and never will be.... never CAN be. If the GOP does them, my small vote won't make a difference, but it'll never be cast for the GOP again. Being Democrats-lite will never work, and neither will being "as Libertarian as possible". But some people are going to have to learn that the hard way.
May '10
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
I got a 75 and I am 43. Do I not watch enough TV or read papers?
Where were the questions like:
Dec '10
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
You know what this sounds like to me? If only Republicans were more like Democrats, they'd finally be cool.
Ain't gonna happen. The culture is lost. We can't out-cool Juan and Evita at the Oscars.
Conservatism, like math, is hard. It takes thought and emotional self-restraint. Sometimes it requires honest self-assessment and contrition. It's a call to personal and communal virtue.
All of which makes it a hard sell when the Obama ice cream truck turns down your street playing the obnoxious, dishonest, but seemingly irresistible Pied Piper's tune. "Get your ice cream here! Only a nickle! We'll get the other 89.995 billion from the rich guy down the block! And doesn't everyone have a right to ice cream? Well, they should! Clearly the Constitution is flawed."
P.S. Lovely to have you back on Ricochet, Diane.
Jul '12
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
I scored 49, and I'm 24 years old. Ugh, I'm such a traitor.
Oct '10
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
Here's a contrary view: do we need the young? Conversations on appealing to young people always make me sick; what, we're going to buy them off with free beer, legalized marijuana, and more subsidies for the four-year party fest known as college?
Why not wait until Millennials are a bit older, and wiser?
May '10
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
I don't think we'll ever appeal to millenials and (gag!) hipsters. Please, no. Conservatives have their issues, but I'll pass on the spoiled, self-referential, ironic and whiny hipsters. It's not like they came out to vote in 2012. In a few years, if not happening already, their parents will cut them off or die and these millenials will have to start supporting themselves. Then this liberal utopia they dreamt of will start looking like a nightmare. We are basically discussing how to make one of the most self-absorbed generations to start thinking sensibly. They have no compass. We have to be better at talking about a sustainable future in every respect. Put the CONSERVE back in conservative. We have to own up to the fact that our words haven't met our actions, and work toward doing better. Enough of the pandering. Just be who we say we are.
Mar '11
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
Nothing is going to "get us back in" with black voters because black voters are, on the whole, opposed to most things conservatism stands for. To black voters, limited government = Klan rallies and lynchings. Limited government means no national guard to escort students into Little Rock High School. Limited government means "tossing grandma on the street" from her Section 8 housing. Limited government means "starving their children" when EBT cards go away. They LIKE big government, and see it as their guarantee against being chained in the fields again. Though they wouldn't put it like this, socialism is effectively the desired end result of most black voters in America. This is largely true for other minority voters as well, even the Asians to an extent (they're pro-commerce, but have no problem with commerce being tied to the hip with big government. That's the way it is in most Asian countries).The Alan Wests and John Yoos of the country are very much a minority in their own neighborhoods. Remember how bitterly welfare reform was opposed in those neighborhoods?
Oct '10
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
Oh come on. We Millennials are much less self-absorbed than the Boomers. We're certainly not organizing ourselves to get ever-higher government benefits and ever-lower taxes.
Jul '12
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
I'm with Joseph on this. My generation is essentially a case study in delayed adolescence.
Joseph Eagar: Here's a contrary view: do weneed the young? Conversations on appealing to young people always make me sick; what, we're going to buy them off with free beer, legalized marijuana, and more subsidies for the four-year party fest known as college?
Why not wait until Millennials are a bit older, and wiser? · 2 minutes ago
Mar '11
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
Merina Smith: Sorry to pop your bubble, Diane, but Dreher doesn't know what he is talking about. You will not be able to save religious freedom if you give up on marriage. It will not happen. These people will not rest until they ground religious freedom to a powder. The lefties want power unobstructed by the power of religion. Aaron is right. Marriage is the hill. I don't think we're going to die on it, but it is the hill.
The party also needs to be aware that if they gain mils in that way, they LOSE grandma.
No, we need to convince millennials on economic grounds. THAT is where they are, and should be, seriously aggrieved. · 1 hour ago
Edited 1 hour ago
Precisely. Dreher's position is essentially one of surrender and negotiating from a position of weakness. Like Christian's laying down their arms against Muslim invaders at the gates of Europe and saying "OK, now we'll discuss how much that Jizzya thing is".
Oct '10
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
De_Maistre: I'm with Joseph on this. My generation is essentially a case study in delayed adolescence.
6 minutes ago
I finally felt like an adult. . .when I turned 26 last week. Delayed adolescence fits us perfectly.
Jul '12
Re: Not Your Grandma's Republican Party
Western Chauvinist: You know what this sounds like to me? If only Republicans were more like Democrats, they'dfinally be cool.
Ain't gonna happen. The culture is lost. We can't out-cool Juan and Evita at the Oscars.
Conservatism, like math, is hard. It takes thought and emotional self-restraint. Sometimes it requires honest self-assessment and contrition. It's a call to personal and communal virtue.
All of which makes it a hard sell when the Obama ice cream truck turns down your street playing the obnoxious, dishonest, but seemingly irresistible Pied Piper's tune. "Get your ice cream here! Only a nickle! We'll get the other 89.995 billion from the rich guy down the block! And doesn't everyone have arightto ice cream? Well, they should! Clearly the Constitution is flawed."
P.S. Lovely to have you back on Ricochet, Diane. · 14 minutes ago
Bravo!!!