The Economist writes,
Sadly for Republicans, their party also has long-term problems, exposed by this election with alarming clarity. One is that party footsoldiers often pay lip service to the idea of a changing America, but few seem ready actually to see their party change: the proposed, but still-born, immigration reforms of Mr Rubio are anathema to the grassroots, for example. Many seem genuinely uncomfortable with the new America. Republican gatherings are strikingly white-skinned and grey-haired. Many in attendance voice nostalgia for a time when American workers lacked global competition from places like China, when traditional American (meaning their) values were unchallenged and—to cite their most frequent complaint—the poor either worked or went hungry.
Perhaps we've seen the beginning of this revelation in the Republican establishment, with Sean Hannity's definitely-not-politically-motivated
"evolution" that he now supports a pathway to citizenship. What a surprise! Of course, the rest of FOX hasn't seemed to have such epiphanies as of yet. Rove and Morris still seem to think conservatism isn't the flaw, the Democrats just managed to repress the Republican vote and turn out more minorities.
The Economist continues,
Put simply, it is hard for a party to win national elections in a country that it seems to dislike. Mr Romney’s campaign slogan was “Believe in America”. But too many on his side believe in a version of America from which displeasing facts or arguments are ruthlessly excluded. Todd Akin did not implode as a Senate candidate because of his stern opposition to abortion even in cases of rape or incest: many Republicans in Congress share those views.
And they conclude, brutally,
It was a telling moment of denial, much like the comforting myth that there is no such thing as climate change or, if there is, that humans are not involved. Ensconced in a parallel world of conservative news sources and conservative arguments, all manner of comforting alternative visions of reality surfaced during the 2012 election...It became a nostrum among rank-and-file Republicans that mainstream opinion polls are biased and should be ignored, for instance, and that voter fraud is rampant and explains much of the Democrats’ inner-city support.
When you combine these fundamental flaws with the insurmountable demographic issues the GOP faces, it could be a very long time before Republicans win another national race.