Rebranding failure

The Republican National Committee has issued a 100 page report on how to rebrand their image (which would result in too much teeth gnashing if I read it, so I won't, though you can read it here). In particular, it is about how to attract the young, Hispanics, blacks, and gays to the party. The report has a lot about why it is necessary and how to do it -- such as talking in "normal, people-oriented terms."

Very few people are convinced that such a rebranding will be successful. That's because it is all talk about changing the GOP image and nothing about changing GOP policies. One commenter put it this way:

Note that none of it is "Our policies are wrong, and the country needs us to reevaluate and update our policies and actually include more people and more diversity in what we believe."

It's "People aren't buying our BS any more, and we have to figure out how to sell it to a wider audience."

Notice that it isn't "We need to include "Hispanic, black, Asian, and gay Americans" and give them a voice in the Republican Party."

It's more of "We have to convince these people to trust the white men who we've decided belong in charge of them."

"WE need to convince THEM that we care about them" is NOT a statement of inclusion.

Rachel Maddow isn't convinced of the rebranding either. She contrasts the craziness of CPAC with the rebranding announcement. and does a bit of analysis. The GOP doesn't want to be defined as anti-abortion and anti-gay. But the current crop of GOP lawmakers, especially in state legislatures, are doing all they can to enact anti-abortion and anti-gay policies. Can't have it both ways. The two videos together are about 12 minutes.

While the GOP as a whole (or the extreme right most of them pander to) won't be successful with rebranding, there are a growing number of individual GOP members who are declaring for marriage equality.

Jim Burroway of Box Turtle Bulletin looks at the latest poll of approval for marriage equality. It is now 58% in favor and 36% opposed. This is for all Americans, not just GOP lawmakers. Burroway notes that the approval side has a gain of 5 points and the disapproval side lost 6 points -- in seven months.

Rob Tisinai has one explanation why that might be.

These GOP members now see marriage equality is inevitable, it might come as soon as the end of June when the Supremes rule. This might be their last chance to credibly be on the right side of history -- I was for gay marriage before I had to be.

We'll take all the allies we can get, but Tisinai doesn't have a lot of respect for those who change "deeply held beliefs" because of a shift in the political wind.