Eye Recommend --- A Generation of Voters with No Use for the GOP

A GENERATION OF VOTERS WITH NO USE FOR THE GOP, by Steve Benen --http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/06/03/18725790-a-generation-of-voters-with-no-use-for-the-gop?lite

The College National Republican Committee has released a 95 page report on voters in the 18-29 age group.  It is based on in-depth research performed by the Winston Group, (a Republican survey, research and strategic communication firm based in Washington D.C.).  

 Mr. Benen's article points out that the news is not good when it comes to young people and the G.O.P.

"This is the sort of document that's likely to keep party leaders up at night.  'In the focus group research (millennial voters) were asked to say what words came to mind when they heard 'Republican Party.' The responses were brutal:  closed-minded, racist, rigid, old-fashioned.'

Also note, it's not just the party and its brand--younger voters are proving to be more progressive when it comes to public policy.  This is a segment of the population with no use for anti-abortion extremism and anti-gay rhetoric, but the GOP remains dominated by fierce culture warriors.

It is, the report argues, a 'dismal present situation.'...

In 2012, the Republican Party thought it would be wise to run on a platform that would have scrapped college aid for millions of younger Americans, curtailed contraception access, ended the federal law that allows young people to gain health care access through their family plans until they turn 26 and eliminated Planned Parenthood among other things."

The 2012 election showed that Mitt Romney lost to Barack Obama by 23 points among young voters.

"In 2013, Republicans still support all of those (2012) ideas but are also arguing against reduced student-loan interest rates, saying things like, 'I think, as Republicans, we've got to do a better job of explaining how our ideas apply to young people...But I think personal responsibility is pretty cool.'"

That is a direct quote from Luke Messer (R-Indiana) from an interview on MSNBC  few days ago.

Another article I came across described their answers when young voters were asked to identify Democratic leaders.  They named people like the Obamas and the Clintons.  When asked to identify Republican leaders, they named Bill O'Reilly, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck. 

When the youngest voters see you as close-minded, racist and rigid and the only party "leaders" they can name are political pundits, I don't see smooth times ahead for the Grand Old-fashioned Party.