Collapse of the GOP

After a shaky 2008. The GOP finally collapses. Even though their problems have been similar to the trends of the ebb and flow of the two major parties throughout history, they were not able to pull it together. Their main problems that could not get them to unite again where that they did not have a distinct form of leadership or idea of who will lead and unite the party, they did not have a strong control in the House or Senate, and they had no clear platform that really appealed to voters, especially after the past 8 years of office. With this said, the Democratic party seemed to be the only party left standing and would grow stronger and stronger.

However, not everyone would be okay with this situation and activists who choose to become involved in politics more try to form a way to bring back a new party because they are not comfortable with this one party system. These activists would start to lead the new party with the help of leaders who were not necessarily in the forefront of the GOP but swayed more on the moderate or independent side. By having a few moderate voices the new party could relate to the old supporters of the GOP but also have an opportunity to reach out to the middle voters and the middlemen in government. This would follow the idea of the spatial model that says that whoever the median voter follows, wins. The new party should try to incorporate the southern states and try to grab hold of what the GOP had in control, but they should also try to adjust their platform to at least relate to the more urban areas within these states as to win by a larger percentage. States within the Midwest that also have started to become more and more in the Democrats favor like Ohio and Wisconsin would also be seen as opportunities for the new party.

When thinking about the platform for the new party the leaders will have to think about two things. First off, that party identification is strong. Party identification is something that most Americans start to adapt and latch on to at a very young age. So with this it may be best to continue some of the GOP's ideas in order to keep this group who strongly identified with them at their side. However they should also consider that the population within the U.S. is changing and what the GOP was having a hard time recognizing was that the party needs to change as well. "Scholars more typically emphasize that the two major parties are collections of many diverse people and therefore encompass very broad rangers of opinion. As a result, clear and distinctive policy stances are unlikely" (Aldrich 169). With this in mind, the new party would take a stance that socially they could branch out more and be a bit more moderate than the former Republican party was. If their stances on social issues are not as far to the right of the issues of the Democratic party, it may leave more doors open for diversity within the party. In order to not lose a core group over becoming more moderate socially, they will continue to be strict when it comes to the economy and fiscal ideas. When it comes to the economy the GOP had always seemed to have a strong hold on the situation and by having a strong hold on economic issues and showing that they are more conservative and open to letting individuals take charge then the new party will have a chance to really connect with the party loyalists of the old GOP but also bring younger and more diverse voters over socially.

The results of this party may take some time to get off the ground. It is not so far stretched that it could not work, and the need for a two party system in America seems to be great. People would become very uncertain and uncomfortable with the fact that one party was leading the country completely, and with this may be more susceptible to engage the new party that came about form the former GOP. As long as the new party could brand themselves and place them at an important group and an important alternative to the single reigning party they would have a chance to get involved, maybe not win in 2012, but possible in the following elections.