By Lina Bryce
The term Republican was adopted in 1792 by supporters of Thomas Jefferson, who preferred a decentralized government with limited powers. Even though Jefferson’s political philosophy is more in line with the modern version of the Republican Party, his faction would become known as the Democratic-Republican Party, ironically evolving in the 1830s into what we now know as the Democratic Party.
Although the Republican party has also evolved throughout history, many question if the party has evolved enough. While the Republicans continue to rely on winning elections on the perpetual “War on Terrorism” alone, here are six more ways the “Grand Old Party” is missing the mark with good old regular Americans.
#1. The War On Drugs
Ending marijuana prohibition would break apart the drug trafficking cartels and keep non-violent criminals out of prison. All the lessons we’ve learned from alcohol prohibition have proven to result in similar unintended consequences.
Although one Pew research poll shows that only a slim majority of Americans think marijuana should be legalized, overall opinions have changed drastically since 1969, when Gallup first asked the question, and found that just 12% favored legalizing marijuana use. The research also revealed that 69% of Americans believe that alcohol is more hazardous to a person’s health than marijuana.
With four states having already legalized marijuana use and 24 states (nearly half of U.S. states) allow only for medicinal use, all arrows point to the inevitable demise to Prohibition. The Republican Party is behind the eight ball once again.
#2. Spying on Citizens
Mitch McConnell and other Republicans vowed to not let the Patriot Act expire, however, with the diligence of a handful of civil rights advocates and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), it failed to be renewed.
In its wake, “The Freedom Act” or H.R. 2048 U.S.A Freedom Act of 2015 is to replace the now failed Patriot Act, but will not not include the ability to collect bulk data on citizens without due process.
RELATED: Patriot Act dies; FREEDOM Act in limbo
In a poll conducted in December 2013 by the Washington Post, 66% of Americans were concerned “about the collection and use of [their] personal information by the National Security Agency.” Additionally, a Pew poll, again, found that a majority of Americans oppose the government’s collection of phone and Internet data as a part of anti-terrorism efforts.
Yet, H.R. 2048 U.S.A Freedom Act of 2015 is still on the table after the Patriot Act renewal failed and many Republicans, who once defended the rights of individuals and limited government, feel it necessary to support yet another bill that would infringe on the privacy of Americans. It should be noted, however, that Sen. Rand Paul’s stand with opposing party members on this issue will not go unnoticed by Independent and Democratic voters, as 8 Republicans 45 Democrats and One Independent, Angus King stood in alliance with Paul.
#3. Criminal Justice Reform
A survey taken May 7, 2015 show that 49 percent—of Americans say they think the killings of black men by police are part of a pattern, while 39 percent think they’re isolated.
The same study showed that nearly two-thirds (65%) of Republicans believe recent killings of black men by police are isolated incidents and not part of a broader problem, indicating a large disconnect with what nearly half of Americans believe.
As minorities are not interested in a party that clearly isn’t interested in them, and recent events that caught the mainstream media’s attention as well as the President’s, the pressure weighs on the Republicans to get take this issue very seriously. Some party members already have . Criminal Justice Reform may be a party platform issue that could win over many independent voters, like Newt Gingrich, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) who has said that the court system “disproportionately punishes the black community” and insists on repealing mandatory minimum sentences for drug crimes.
This could be the one issue to gain favor of those who have been neglected by the party. According to Roper Center’s Public Opinion Archives , a longer look at how Republican presidential candidates have fared with black voters dictate “the erosion in support began long before Barack Obama ever considered running for president”.
#4. Marriage Equality
Sixty percent of Americans now support same-sex marriage, up from 55% last year and is the highest Gallup has found on the question since it was first asked in 1996, yet Republicans are playing this hand as if it’s 1986.
In general, Democrats are more likely to say that it should be legal, and Republicans have been the least supportive. While Independents typically fall in between, they are more likely to side with Democrats than Republicans, indicating that Republicans are on the wrong side of the issue.
The debate has been framed incorrectly, and has caused misunderstanding from the more libertarian leaning faction of the Republican party-that is to say- that the federal government has no authority over marriage in the first place, regardless of your religious belief. If Republicans can find common ground with this more individual rights approach over the current theologic position that is clearly another government overreach, they may actually win.
#5. Religion And The State
There is an implied separation of church and state asserted in the U.S. Constitution, stating that Congress make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. When approaching this as a “cultural preference”, it is important to note that although recent polls show that most Americans identify themselves as Christian, it is fortunate that we do not have a true democracy where a majority will rule. We have a republic form of government, a constitutionally limited government with limited voting through elected representatives. In that way we check the power of any fickle tyrannical majority.
However, Republicans are losing an active voting base of those who identify with the founder’s intention of a constitutional, limited government and have no religious affiliation. Researcher David Kinnaman refers to this group as “the unchurched, the never-churched and the skeptics”.
Since the decade of Pat Robertson’s Christian Coalition and its infiltration into the GOP, times have since changed and more people have grown weary of the blurred lines between the state and religion-particularly as secularism swells to a near 38% of the population, according to Kinnaman’s research.
#6. Ignoring “Millennial Independent” Voters
A Gallup study indicates fewer registered Republicans at 26% claim party affiliation, with a growing percentage of those who identify as “Independent” voters at 41% in May, 2015. Although the number of Republicans increases to 42% when including those who claim to “lean Republican”, many of them have been lost to third-party candidates or moderate Democrats who have been able to tap into the wants and needs of the American people, costing Republicans the last two Presidential Elections.
With “Millennial Independent Voters” more likely to vote Democrat, the Democrats feel they are virtually entitled to their votes, however if the Republicans wise up this next election cycle, they may be afford themselves an opportunity to connect with younger voters on the right issues, while still maintaining less government involvement.