The Root of the GOP’s Problem

We often hear from Republicans that they need to improve their message in order to better connect with minorities and women, and the GOP is struggling to figure out this new message. Texas senator, Ted Cruz suggested recently that Republicans just need to “stand up and win the argument”, as if they haven’t already tried that. But is changing their message enough to turn the party around? I don't think so. There are many issues with the Republican Party’s positions, but there is no need to mention any of them because their positions are only a result of the party’s real problem.

In Carl Sagan’s book “The Demon-Haunted World” he wrote, “Those who have something to sell, those who wish to influence public opinion, those in power, a skeptic might suggest, have a vested interest in discouraging skepticism.”

The GOP may claim to be skeptical, but they have confused skepticism for denialism. Denying reality and creating conspiracy theories is not skepticism despite what they may think. Skepticism is the approach that requires all information to be well supported by evidence - creating theories based on no evidence and demanding others to prove it wrong is not skepticism, yet this is what Republicans continue to do.

Science is a way of gaining knowledge through observation, experimentation and carefully examining evidence - it is absolutely mind blowing that we have leaders who are against this way of thinking. This is the root of the GOP's problem - they discourage critical thinking and are anti-science.

The GOP is against critical thinking because they prefer their own traditional beliefs over reality - in order to hold these beliefs, they must deny any facts that would undermine their beliefs. Many Republican politicians believe God is on their side and if information disputes the Bible then it must be wrong. The religious right believes evidence and reason is “Satan’s” way of testing their faith, and they aren't interested in considering that they might be wrong.

Republicans wouldn't be struggling if it weren't for the growth of critical thinking and atheism in the US; it’s difficult to manipulate voters through their religion when more people are questioning religious claims. This puts the GOP and especially Republicans who haven’t completely denied science and critical thinking in a tough position. If they speak up against the party’s irrational views - they won’t get elected. If they pander to irrational beliefs – moderate and semi-rational Republicans won’t vote for them.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has even said, “We've got to stop being the stupid party.” But he doesn't understand that as long as the Republican Party sticks to their current positions – the party will be dependent on ignorant voters.

Republicans can continue to talk about how they need to improve their message, but the problem is that they don’t really want to change their message. They like who they are and even if they do change their message they won’t mean it. Engaged voters are smart enough to know that changing their message is only an attempt to manipulate them for their vote. Because let’s be honest, when we hear Republicans say, “we need to improve our message” they are really saying, "we need to do a better job manipulating the public by telling them what they want to hear even though we don’t really believe it." If they believed it, they wouldn't need to change their message - because it would have been their message from the start.

If Republicans aren't going to embrace critical thinking, their only hope is that the public doesn't either.