ABC
Republican re-branding: The “happy” party?
“We want to build a massive party that’s exciting, that smiles, has a good message across America, and that’s what you’re going to see,” Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus told reporters at a news conference on Friday shortly after he was re-elected to another two year term.
Priebus may be following the advice of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich who told his fellow Republicans at the same gathering on Thursday to “learn to be a happy party” and to try to be “cheerful and persistent.” …
“It doesn’t matter where you live, who you are, what you look like, or what your last name is,” Priebus said on Friday, “because we will be a party for everyone, everywhere.”
Blowback
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How about being the party for individual liberty — without the kookiness of the Libertarian Party?
rbj on January 26, 2013 at 9:21 AM
Happy, gay, Gay Old Party?
lester on January 26, 2013 at 9:23 AM
These people don’t know how to be happy. They will continue to scowl and badger people in the party who question their theories. Why don’t you just figure out how to reduce the debt without bankrupting the country. Considering the crap we read in the newspaper on a daily basis of fraud and abuse and waste, you could at least start there.
Cindy Munford on January 26, 2013 at 9:25 AM
Is Priebus on something?? He sometimes seems that way.
Illinidiva on January 26, 2013 at 9:28 AM
I’d say have a bunch of “GOP Turkey Shoots” around the country.
But for targets, put up various bloated and unfunded mandates or whatever creative targets representing government bloat someone can come up with.
Heck, some places have a full auto available for people to rent by the magazine
Two things come out: GOP support for 2nd Amendment and support for forcing government back to sane spending levels.
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NB: When I was the CTO at a university, I would go down several times a week to the range during lunch hour and “sign” a copy of all the paperwork I had to review.
It was very motivating for me and kept me sane when I went back to handle some other stupid request for some off-brand PC because the department could get it for $50 less.
As a result, I can still “sign a form” at 10 yards pretty accurately.
ProfShadow on January 26, 2013 at 9:31 AM
Y’all worship at the feet of St. Ronnie, but you miss one of his key lessons — he was a happy, optimistic guy. But last year, all these Republicans ran around the country spouting gloom and doom. It was like the 1980 election was reversed.
urban elitist on January 26, 2013 at 9:36 AM
If they can learn how to not be manipulated in discussions and stay on the topic, offering facts to support the positions, that would help too.
If he means to happily laugh in the faces of opponents and interviewers when they act like teenagers, well, then I’m all for the happy approach.
Mimzey on January 26, 2013 at 9:56 AM
ZOMG.. I know. How dare the Republicans talk about the fact that we should be living with in our means and that we need to reform Social Security and Medicare? Frankly, ignoring reality isn’t optimism just as family members enabling a drug/ alcohol addict isn’t a “form of optimism.” It seems to me that acknowledging you have a problem and then saying that you are going to fix it is a form of optimism. Reagan warned about the huge problems facing America (the Soviet Union), but he was also optimistic that we could win. A lot different from Barry running around and not acknowledging the problem. That along with his ugly desire to demagogue and destroy his opponents is actually a very cynical and pessimistic form of politics. But what else should you expect from a thuggish Chicago politician.
Illinidiva on January 26, 2013 at 9:59 AM
Not enough imo. The destruction of the republic by a group of incompetent and delusional leftists should have turned a vague doom and gloom demeanor into a battle cry. They downplayed the seriousness of the situation and many people just thought it was another election cycle and sat it out.
I wonder if their eyes have opened yet to just what they have allowed to happen.
I doubt it.
Mimzey on January 26, 2013 at 10:02 AM
The Unserious Party.
Pork-Chop on January 26, 2013 at 10:11 AM
Romney was a privileged, soulless scold who thought he was entitled to the White House and knew not a thing beyond his social class and, while willing to acknowledge the challenges we faced proposed little more than solving them on the backs of the class of people he made his fortune laying off. He deserved everything he got.
urban elitist on January 26, 2013 at 10:22 AM
but ,sadly, you’re still the Magic Anti-Rape Vajayjay Party…
mittens on January 26, 2013 at 10:30 AM
And gives women cancer with his Mormon mind rays… sarc off.
Frankly, I think that the real version of Romney was that he is a moderate Republican and active community leader who gave quite a bit back to his community. He was a guy who felt that he had an obligation to help out with his business skills because he was able to make lots of money and raise a beautiful family. However, he was not really suited for the Oprahfication of politics.
And while I think that the Romney ads were incredibly out of bounds, I was talking about Barry’s interactions with Republicans in general. Heck his interactions with his opponents in general. Barry and friends are fine with playing the politics of personal destruction in elections; that’s how he won the Senate election. (He wouldn’t have even gotten out of the D primaries without divorce records being unsealed.)
And he has used that style throughout his Presidency. I keep hearing how evil and divisive Dubya was, but he worked on major legislation with Teddy Kennedy. Has Barry ever worked with any Republicans in good faith? Has he ever talked with Rubio about immigration reform? And he can barely say a civil word about Ryan. I think that the President sees his political opponents as enemies little better than Al Qaeda rather than the loyal opposition.
Illinidiva on January 26, 2013 at 10:58 AM
Has any Republican every tried to work with Obama in good faith? It was clear before the first inauguration that the Republican response to Obama was massive resistance, even when cooperation might be good for the country or bring about a compromise that was better than the extreme positions either party locked down.
I think Barry and Boehner probably get along OK, actually.
urban elitist on January 26, 2013 at 11:16 AM
Ummm.. Barry’s first term definition of compromise – I Won and you’ll go what I say. It wasn’t real compromise. His idea of bipartisanship is that the Republicans do exactly what he says. And he’ll trot out a Potemkin Republican, generally a careerist like the closeted Oompa Loompa or Krispy Kreme, and say.. see bipartisanship. There is nothing to suggest that he actually wants to compromise or even be civil to Republicans.
You really do need to get your glasses checked. Boehner refuses to negotiate one-on-one with Barry. He even refuses to attend social events at the White House. Yes, Boehner can bleat out pleasant small talk because he is a career politician. But there is nothing to suggest that the two have a positive working relationship.
Illinidiva on January 26, 2013 at 11:51 AM