The Message Problem ....

Republicans continue to scratch their heads in trying to figure out what happened last November.  While the finger-pointing continued for several months ... they finally decided that they needed to look at themselves to figure out what went wrong.

Their conclusion?

It's a message problem.

Good, they finally realized ... wait - What?

Let me see if I get this straight.  They think that they lost track of how to convey their message to the American people.  They believed that Obama and the Democrats have a better reach, can articulate their message better and sold the American people on the Path we're on.  The Republicans look to themselves as failing to deliver the message to the American people that would've swayed them to their side.

But there's a problem with that analysis ...

... it's not a message problem.

... it's a belief problem.

If you took a long line and called it the spectrum of politics, the Republicans are in full retreat to their side of the spectrum.  Democrats have shifted more central and that's why a lot of libertarians and many progressive conservatives swung to the left this past election.

A message problem is: "you're confused with what I'm telling you, let me try to put it a different way."
A belief problem is: "you're not thinking along the same lines I am."

And Republicans are notoriously blind and deaf to that notion.

Take health care reform as your example.  The majority of Americans want it.  Majority - which means not just the Democrats or the left-leaners ... this also includes a lot of conservatives - the majority.  Republicans have battered the process - not because they LISTENED to what their constituency said ... it's because they LISTENED to those who are lining their coffers handsomely.

The Republicans have become the advocate for big corporations - and they don't blink an eye at that or try to deny it ... they KNOW that's who they are advocates for because the majority of Americans are signing on with the Democrats.  If you took campaign finance reform - and did away with rich corporate donations - I'm doubtful the Republicans could muster anything beyond a bake sale...

So how did this shift happen?  Reagan won in the 1980's because he continually reached to the center ... and that won him two terms.  It's the same basic formula that Obama has used ... and if the Democrats were smart (not saying they are - but if they were) - then they will keep working the formula they will inherit.

As for Republicans - my only advice is this: start listening to the American people and start paying less attention to those holding the bling at the end of the line.  Remember who you represent - and who the founding fathers told you to represent.  Corporations is not a word in the Constitution, nor is the word "business" or "capitalism."  You guys keep waiving the Constitution like it's a flag - but you fail to administer your own responsibilities to our fabled document.

I dream of a day when our representatives start representing the people that pull the levers every election cycle.  I realize it's a pipe dream - but you have to start somewhere, right?