GOP: A Party Searching For A Strategy

President Obama's approval ratings are sagging.  Most Americans believe the economy stinks. Consumer confidence is flagging.  The stock of Republicans should be rising, right?  Instead the GOP brand has lost some of its sheen because of a void of ideas and leadership.

The party's lowpoint may have been the Republican National Committee's chief squawking about plans by two networks to air fawning series on presumptive Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Who cares about a Hillary tube love fest?  Further proof the party has lost its way. 

The most critical issue facing Republicans is a leadership vacuum. House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell are mealy-mouthed, boring and bereft of bold ideas. While colleagues may hold them in high esteem, the duo has been the perfect antidote for voters' insomnia.

A few well-meaning Republicans have tiptoed into the chasm, including Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.  But they speak for themselves, not for the entire party.  And that has been the problem because voters are getting mixed signals from a chorus of Republican voices.

During the current Congressional recess, Republicans need to reassess their strategy, create a cogent message and reshape their agenda to address a few key issues that resonate with voters. They must silence the cacophony of competing messages and unify behind themes that ignite voter enthusiasm. Right now the GOP is chasing issues like a Kardashian panting after a wealthy bachelor.

Based on past performance, a new direction may be too much to expect of this crop of Republicans. The blame lies entirely with Boehner and McConnell. Republicans must start by designating someone else in the House and Senate to speak for the party. Egos will be shattered, but victory often demands sacrifices.

Once the titular leaders are in place, the party must reclaim the higher ground by focusing its message and actions on three issues:

• OBAMA CARE:   The new health law is overwhelmingly unpopular with voters.  Rasmussen pollsters found 54 percent of likely voters view the healthcare reform unfavorably. However, defunding Obama Care is a dumb idea because Democrats hold the advantage by virture of their control of the Senate and of the White House. Instead, the GOP should force Democrats to defend a law that has been poorly implemented, ineffectively communicated and grossly more expensive than original estimates. The more voters experience the law, the more they will dislike the quality of care.  The GOP needs to hammer Democrats on healthcare while offering an alternative plan that is simple, cost-effective and patient-friendly to replace the flawed reform.  Voters want answers not just objections to current law.
• ECONOMY:  A stunning 54 percent of Americans believe the U.S. economy remains in a recession, according to a Marist Poll.  Only 29 percent think they will be better off next year. Yet Republicans have quit talking about the economy, although it remains the top issue with voters according to the Gallup Poll. The GOP needs to develop an economic plan that creates incentives for businesses to invest and rewards small firms that create jobs.  Nothing more complicated.  
• NATIONAL DEBT: Congressional battles over government funding leave most Americans confused and angry.  However, there is universal sentiment that the country's debt has grown too big at $16.9 trillion and mounting.  That's why the deficit matters.  Talk of a government shutdown only strengthens Obama's hand because the president has the opportunity to cherry pick the programs slated for the budget axe.  What's needed is a coherent plan to reduce the deficit. Fortunately, one already exists.  It is called the One Percent Spending Reduction Act, a bill to shave one penny out of every dollar of federal government expenditures.  It can be easily explained and understood by voters.

If Republicans slither back into the cesspool of Washington politics with the same disjointed messages, the same worn-out ideas and the same tired leadership faces, then the party deserves to be soundly rejected by voters. Without change, they will fumble a golden opportunity to recapture the upper hand now enjoyed by President Obama. 

Brash ideas not parsed language are needed.  Dynamic leadership not weak-kneed posturing is required.  Unity not mutiny is necessary. Wake up Republicans before the dinosaur replaces the elephant as the party symbol.  Time to be relevant again.