Paving the Way for a New GOP By: Mason Dettloff John Brademas Center for the Study of Congress

In Andy Thomas’s painting, A Grand Ol’ Gang,1 we are transported to a sentimental scene featuring the better-known Republican presidents all intermingling and having a good ol’ time: Theodore Roosevelt laughing with Richard

Nixon, George W. Bush leaning over Ronald Reagan while listening to an engaging story by Abraham Lincoln. For a young conservative this scene is pure political bliss, something that could only exist in dreams. Looking at the esteemed figures that are illuminated on the canvas, I yearn for another Reagan, Roosevelt or Lincoln to lead the Republican Party to its former glory.

I harken back to the year of 1854 when a group of individuals, widely outraged by anti-slavery supporters, met together in the Little White Schoolhouse in

Ripon, Wisconsin to oppose the Kansas Nebraska Act. Alvan Earl Bovay “urged the formation of a new party with the idea of bringing together the anti-slavery element of all parties”. Mr. Bovay, inspired by the Thomas Jefferson quote, “These people will at once decide that the Republican party is the one for them… we shall bring in thousands of Democrats just by the name if we call it ‘Republican,” felt that the new party’s name would be crucial because it would indicate what the party wishes to symbolize. 2 From these humble beginnings that started with the collective will of those with the same ideals, to an unparalleled history featuring the presidencies of

1 Andy Thomas, A Grand Ol’ Gang, Historical Art Collection by Andy Thomas. 2 Prof. A. F. Gilman, Ph. D. The Origin of the Republican Party. Ripon Historical Society. Ripon: 1914. Wisconsin History. Ripon College. 24 August 2011 http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/tp&CISOPTR=46379&CISOSHOW=4 6363 Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan to the abolishment of slavery, growth in foreign policy, and the modernization of the country. However, the Grand

Old Party is now facing a sort of image crisis. Elephants have quite a good memory, but the ones in control now are forgetting what their Republican ancestors worked so hard to establish. Since the end of the Reagan administration the Republican

Party ‘s appeal has been lackluster. In order to revitalize the party, the Republican establishment must figure out what exactly happened since the golden age of conservatism and place new emphasis on attracting youth voters as well as restoring its image.

The Grumpy Old-White-Man’s Party

Are all of us Republicans grumpy old W.A.S.P.’s? There is no doubt that the

Republican Party for quite some time has had an image problem, especially amongst the youth cohort. Since the end of the Reagan administration, the party has been in a steady decline in its rapport with the American public. Throughout the 1980’s, there existed boundless enthusiasm not only to be a American but to be an Republican as well. Fast-forward thirty years and the Grand Old Party has nearly four out of every ten of its own members having an unfavorable image of their own party.3 Compare this to only 7% of Democrats having an unfavorable opinion of their own party.

What can possibly be the origin of this political low self-esteem? Could it be the mistakes of the Bush administration left a bad taste in the public’s mouth for

Republicans? Or is it that the public conception sees the party as one that favors big corporations over small business. and one that wishes to spends to excessively.

3 Frank Newport. “Republicans Down on Their Own Party”. Gallup. Date: 11 June 2009 Whatever the case, what the party needs to change and examine is not so much policy and ideological standpoints, rather, it needs to reexamine stance on issues to curb public favor, but to adapt and market the ideology and the party itself to the youth.

“It’s Morning Again in America”

In the presidential campaign of 1984, President Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign came out with a television ad featuring hard working Americans going to work in a peaceful world.4 The “it’s morning again in America” phrase coined in this ad resonated with people and gave a sense of American pride. Idolizing Reagan for stepping above typical demeaning political ads, young voters were attracted to the

Republican Party. Where did all these young people? During the Reagan administration along with the election of his Vice-President George H.W. Bush, the

Republican Party was being hailed for amassing youth supporters that it had lost since the beginning of the New Deal era. A New York Times/ CBS News Poll conducted in the years of 1980, 1984, and 1988 showed that young voters had shifted to a Republican allegiance. Surprisingly, however, the Democratic Party had commanded for years the allegiance of voters under the age of 30.5 However, with a historic record of 81% of Americans dissatisfied with the federal government, it is no longer morning again and America is in for a long, long night.6

President Reagan, How we miss thee

4 1984 Ronald Reagan Presidential Campaign. Morning in America. 1984 5 E. J. Dionne Jr. “G.O.P Makes Reagan Lure of Young a Long-Term Asset”. The New York Times. 31 October 1988. 6 Lydia Saad. “Americans Express Historic Negativity Toward U.S. Government”. Gallup. 26 September 2011. With historic lows of approval of the government, along with the House being

Republican controlled, the GOP has a lot of work to do to restore American prosperity. Let there be no confusion, I greatly admire President George W. Bush and agreed with many of his policies. However, decisions under his administration, along with other factors, have put the Republican Party in an unfavorable light. The presidential election of 2008 was the American people saying they were tired of

Republican government. The youth demographic of voters vanished from the

Republican Party faster than a Houdini act. Since the election of 2000, the margin between youth support for Democrats and Republicans has slowly grown wider.

The 2000 election was the last year when the numbers were so close, with

Democrats commanding 48% and Republicans 46%. The following election cycle, the margin increased even more with a 9% gap in the same cohort.7

During most of the 1980’s under both Reagan and Bush Sr. administrations, more than half of the American public approved of the government. Over the last ten years, however, these historically low approval ratings have been building up. Not until the era of the George W. Bush administration has the approval rating numbers dipped.8 What made Reagan so great and almost blame-free? Many historians and analysts say it was Reagan’s mastery of connecting with the American people, which earned him the name, “Great Communicator”. He knew how to tell the people what

7 The New York Times. (2008). National Exit Poll Data 1972-2008. Retrieved from http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/national-exit-polls.html 8 Frank Newport. “Americans Give GOP Edge in Handling Nation’s Problems”. Gallup. 30 September 2011. they wanted to hear and deliver it with the utmost sincerity. 9 Yet, its time that

Republicans let go of the days of the Reagan era and realize its time to move on.

The reason why Reagan appealed to voters was because he knew what was important to them. For example, during his presidency America was at the height of the Cold War, international activity was very precarious at that time; therefore putting national defense at the forefront resonated with Americans. Yet, what is key to understand is that this worked during the era Reagan was President. One of the problems the GOP does not understand is that they are trying to search for a

Reagan-like candidate of the Reagan era. What we need is a Reagan candidate for this era. What worked for the establishment than certainly doesn’t work now, plain and simple. By no means is this an argument for modernism, just an argument for political survival.

In Search of a New Leader

To find a new leader we must not look to Reagan, but also look to Barack

Obama. There isn’t a doubt in anyone’s mind that Barack Obama did wonders in revitalizing political activism and amassing swarms of youth voters, along with those who have never voted before. In National Exit Poll data, Barack Obama commanded 66% of the 18-29 years old cohort of the electorate while Republicans only mustered 32%.10 Putting aside that Barack Obama was the first African-

American presidential nominee, he had an image that was highly appealing and

9 Patricia Schroeder. “Nothing stuck to ‘Teflon’ President”. USA Today. 6 June 2004. 10CNN. (2008). President National Exit Poll Data 2008. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#USP00p1 renewing to the face of American politics and attractive to the youth. He was full of energy that could command a crowd unlike anyone has seen for quite some time.

Across the aisle, John McCain, though a more experienced man who had made sacrifices for his country, didn’t really appeal to the American public. The sacrifices he made for our country will undoubtedly make me hold the highest regard for him, but when it came down to the election; the public didn’t see an experienced politician and a strong war hero, but a weathered elderly man in his seventies. Ronald Reagan was the oldest man to ever assume office, yet what was so different in his appeal to the people and especially the youth. Another reason why there will never be another Reagan. The last time the Republican Party commanded the youth vote was in 1984 and 1988 with over half of the 18-29 year old electorate.

The party that holds the youth is the party that holds the future. This is why the GOP needs find the conservative equivalent to a “Barack Obama candidate,” a young and vibrant candidate to revitalize American conservatism and rally youth voters to the conservative cause. The party cannot last on the foundation of middle aged and senior citizen voters: one day they will no longer be there to vote.

Where do the Elephants go now?

The first stage to solving any problem is acknowledging the problem and accepting it. So now what does the GOP need to do? The party is already making some of the right strides towards fixing its image problem. The 2010-midterm elections were a small comeback with the Republicans taking back control of the

House. The tides are turning. The Pew Research Center found that the 18% of the electorate, voters ages 18-29, that identify with Republicans has increased from 30 to 40 percent, while the percentage that identify with Democrats have decreased after the election of Barack Obama.

In addition to garnering the support of the American public, the Republican

Party has a growing number of younger politicians, with 22 of the 32 members of the House who are under 40 being Republican.11 The GOP needs to seize these advantages in order to assume the mantle. Put these young guns at the forefront of the party to help shift the old-boys image that is attached to the party. Show that the

Grand Old Party has vibrant energy and that it is morning again without being outlandish with controversial tactics. Although I admire the vigor and patriotism of prominent figures like Sarah Palin, Ron Paul and others, the party needs to strip the limelight from such polarizing and controversial figures. Instead, put up politicians like Representative Paul Ryan, who not only has a youth appeal, but is also courageous and willing to be at the forefront negotiating on controversial issues facing the American people.

The road towards prosperity for the Republican Party is a long one. The establishment knows the problems it faces and the solutions that are needed to make real change amongst the party. The Republican Party wasn’t built in one day and nor will it recover from its problems in a single day either. However, the

Republican Party is not any party but the Grand Old Party. If it continues to work towards restoring what made it great in these changing times, there is no doubt in my mind that the Republican Party will lead America towards prosperity once again.

11 Juan Williams. “How the GOP can capture the youth vote next year”. The Hill. 13 March 2011. Work Cited

1. Andy Thomas, A Grand Ol’ Gang, Historical Art Collection by Andy Thomas.

2. Prof. A. F. Gilman, Ph. D. The Origin of the Republican Party. Ripon Historical

Society. Ripon: 1914. Wisconsin History. Ripon College. 24 August 2011 http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/tp&CISOPT

R=46379&CISOSHOW=46363

3. Frank Newport. “Republicans Down on Their Own Party”. Gallup. Date: 11 June

2009

4.1984 Ronald Reagan Presidential Campaign. Morning in America. 1984

5. E. J. Dionne Jr. “G.O.P Makes Reagan Lure of Young a Long-Term Asset”. The New

York Times. 31 October 1988.

6. Lydia Saad. “Americans Express Historic Negativity Toward U.S. Government”.

Gallup. 26 September 2011.

7. The New York Times. (2008). National Exit Poll Data 1972-2008. Retrieved from http://elections.nytimes.com/2008/results/president/national-exit-polls.html

8. Frank Newport. “Americans Give GOP Edge in Handling Nation’s Problems”.

Gallup. 30 September 2011.

9. Patricia Schroeder. “Nothing stuck to ‘Teflon’ President”. USA Today. 6 June 2004.

10. CNN. (2008). President National Exit Poll Data 2008. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#USP00p1

11. Juan Williams. “How the GOP can capture the youth vote next year”. The Hill. 13

March 2011.