Brien W Tarkington
Professor Carol Singletary
Eng 104
20 July 15
Searching for the Republican Party's Fountain of Youth Republicans have been running the same political blueprint for winning elections since Nixon's campaign in 1968. According to a New Yorker interview with Pat Buchanan, who was a part of Nixon's staff in '68, the republican power brokers sought to, “create the impression that there were two Americas: the quiet, ordinary, patriotic, religious, law-abiding Many, and the noisy, élitist, amoral, disorderly, condescending Few” (“The Fall of Conservatism”). If this strategy sounds familiar, well the proof is in the political pudding. The blue collar “red states” have always held strong for the Republicans, upholding the party …show more content…
Many of these same writes have observed the failures of the Republican Party in attempting to reach Millennials, but there are also successes that should not be ignored. Just as the Tea Party and Christian Right are attempting to drive the GOP agenda, there is a Libertarian faction within the party that has done well connecting with Millennial voters. In the 2012 Republican primaries, an entrance poll found that 48 percent of voters under 30 supported Rand Paul, a predominantly Libertarian leaning Republican (Dixon 7). It also should be noted that the Democratic Party does not have a solid grip on the Millennial Generation. As stated by Kevin Williamson, “Millennials trust in President Obama dropped from 44 percent to 32 percent between February 2010 and April 2014” (Generation Vexed). From the popularity of the Paul family to the uncertainty with President Obama's progressive agenda, Millennials are open to Libertarian concepts and ideas. Millennials are individualists that admire the concepts of economic and personal freedom, which once was the Republican Party that Theodore Roosevelt championed. The Republican political strategy currently appeal to Baby Boomers, which is a short term success story. Republicans must return to their conservative roots and adjust their strategy to match the …show more content…
“The GOP's Lost Generation: Millennials decide who wins the future.” The American Conservative. 1 Feb. 2012. Web. 11 Jul. 2015.
Irvine, Martha. “Young Millennials_fiscal conservatives?” Associated Press. Chicago. AP Regional State Report-Illinois, 2012. Web. 12 Jul. 2015.
Li, Xinyi. American Foreign Policy and the Generation Gap: A Media Perspective. Georgetown University, 2014. Washington DC: Georgetown University, 2014. Web.
Packer, George. “The Fall of Conservatism.” The New Yorker. 26 May 2008. Web. 13 Jul. 2015. Pender, Alexandra L. The Future of Youth Vote in American Politics: A study of political attitudes of youth voters and their perception of immigration reform and the Republican Party. American University, 2014. Washington DC: American University, 2014. Web.
Williamson, Kevin. “Generation Vexed.” National Review. 17 Nov. 2014. Web. 10 Jul. 15.
Williamson, Vanessa. “The Tea Party and the Shift to Austerity by Gridlock in the United States.� APSA Annual Conference. August 29-September 1, 2013, Chicago. Boston: Harvard University, 2013.
Professor Carol Singletary
Eng 104
20 July 15
Searching for the Republican Party's Fountain of Youth Republicans have been running the same political blueprint for winning elections since Nixon's campaign in 1968. According to a New Yorker interview with Pat Buchanan, who was a part of Nixon's staff in '68, the republican power brokers sought to, “create the impression that there were two Americas: the quiet, ordinary, patriotic, religious, law-abiding Many, and the noisy, élitist, amoral, disorderly, condescending Few” (“The Fall of Conservatism”). If this strategy sounds familiar, well the proof is in the political pudding. The blue collar “red states” have always held strong for the Republicans, upholding the party …show more content…
Many of these same writes have observed the failures of the Republican Party in attempting to reach Millennials, but there are also successes that should not be ignored. Just as the Tea Party and Christian Right are attempting to drive the GOP agenda, there is a Libertarian faction within the party that has done well connecting with Millennial voters. In the 2012 Republican primaries, an entrance poll found that 48 percent of voters under 30 supported Rand Paul, a predominantly Libertarian leaning Republican (Dixon 7). It also should be noted that the Democratic Party does not have a solid grip on the Millennial Generation. As stated by Kevin Williamson, “Millennials trust in President Obama dropped from 44 percent to 32 percent between February 2010 and April 2014” (Generation Vexed). From the popularity of the Paul family to the uncertainty with President Obama's progressive agenda, Millennials are open to Libertarian concepts and ideas. Millennials are individualists that admire the concepts of economic and personal freedom, which once was the Republican Party that Theodore Roosevelt championed. The Republican political strategy currently appeal to Baby Boomers, which is a short term success story. Republicans must return to their conservative roots and adjust their strategy to match the …show more content…
“The GOP's Lost Generation: Millennials decide who wins the future.” The American Conservative. 1 Feb. 2012. Web. 11 Jul. 2015.
Irvine, Martha. “Young Millennials_fiscal conservatives?” Associated Press. Chicago. AP Regional State Report-Illinois, 2012. Web. 12 Jul. 2015.
Li, Xinyi. American Foreign Policy and the Generation Gap: A Media Perspective. Georgetown University, 2014. Washington DC: Georgetown University, 2014. Web.
Packer, George. “The Fall of Conservatism.” The New Yorker. 26 May 2008. Web. 13 Jul. 2015. Pender, Alexandra L. The Future of Youth Vote in American Politics: A study of political attitudes of youth voters and their perception of immigration reform and the Republican Party. American University, 2014. Washington DC: American University, 2014. Web.
Williamson, Kevin. “Generation Vexed.” National Review. 17 Nov. 2014. Web. 10 Jul. 15.
Williamson, Vanessa. “The Tea Party and the Shift to Austerity by Gridlock in the United States.� APSA Annual Conference. August 29-September 1, 2013, Chicago. Boston: Harvard University, 2013.