NDN Backgrounder: State of the Modern GOP and the Conservative Movement

NDN has been writing and talking about the state of the conservative movement and the deterioration of the Republican Party for many years. With the House's passage of the stimulus bill without a single GOP vote this week, and today's RNC Chair election that will decide the GOP's future path, we would like to highlight some of our writings on the state of the modern conservative movement and the end of the conservative ascendancy.

• The Utter Bankruptcy of Today’s Republican Party, Simon Rosenberg, 1/29/09
  The Republican Party is neither honest nor competent, and is running out of chances to play a constructive role in our government.

• The GOP and Magic Negroes, Simon Rosenberg, 12/30/08
  The song “Barack the Magic Negro,” promoted by RNC chair candidate Chip Saltsman, is indicative of the troubles the Republican party finds itself in today.

• The Long Road Back, Simon Rosenberg, 11/18/08
  Barring major mistakes by the Democrats in the coming few years, Republicans are likely looking at a very long road back to power. 

• On Obama, Race, and the End of the Southern Strategy, Simon Rosenberg, 1/4/08
  By looking to younger voters, minority voters, and Western voters, the Democratic Party can move beyond the southern strategy that, for so long, has been the only way Democrats knew how to win.

• Repudiating the Bush Era, Simon Rosenberg, 2/18/07
  Politics over the past several years has been driven by a widespread rejection of the disastrous Bush era.

• "The 50-year Strategy: A New Progressive Era," in Mother Jones, Simon Rosenberg, 11/1/07
  With a fresh argument and a strong, diverse coalition, the stage has been set for a lasting progressive majority. 

• The End of the Conservative Ascendancy, Simon Rosenberg, 11/12/06
  The forty-year era of conservative ascendancy is ending.

• A Day of Reckoning for the Conservative Movement, Simon Rosenberg, 11/7/06
  The 2006 elections marked the end of conservative ascendancy. These essays look at how this shift can be explained by historical trends, hard electoral data, and recent decisions made by leaders of both parties (more here and here).

Also, please check out this recent video about how "What Race Means in America Is Changing":