Where Americans are (and the political parties aren't)

I think this is the more accurate depiction...

Young, Latino, African-American, Asian-American, and women are generally center-left.

The Republican Party with a far-right Tea Party platform appeals to older, white males.

Young, Latino, African-American, Asian-American, and women are GROWING in numbers.  Older, white males are SHRINKING in numbers.

The Republicans need to rethink what their "base" is and rewrite their platform to appeal to the growing demographic numbers or face extinction.  They will.  The loss is a wakeup call.  They will adjust, take their fiscally center-right philosophy and apply it to the appeal of the growing demographics.  They have to.

Tony, haven't you left the country?

I don't think it is nerarly that cut and dried. How do you "jettison the TEA party". It isn't a party to begin with. It was a movement that started for fiscal responsibility, and then it was assimilated by the GOP. The TEA party now is the far right social conservatives that were always there. ditch the name all you want, the people go no where.

And no... moving "closer to the center" does not get it. There are plenty of "conservatives" out there that believe in hard work and do not want a free ride from the government. There are plenty of people to attract by simply being reasonable and stop trying to exclude everyone and basic fear mongering.

There will never be a third party. Us against them is ingrained in every one. You could disband the parties today and they would reform in no time. I think this country being "conservative" will take much less than most think. No major over haul, just some tweaking.... because at the end of the day, people understand you can't have everything for free, nor do they want Mommy and Daddy telling them what they can and can't do for the rest of their lives.

I'm a former Republican now Independent.  Although I'm quite conservative, Karl Rove / Bachman etc just give me the creeps.  Agree completely with what you posted, nice job.

Wow... that is an interesting take on reality. Is the sky still blue there?

The TEA party had zero social issues when they formed. Now, well Bachman... I rest my case.

That is 100% incorrect.  In fact the original Tea party is upset that the GOP has commandeered their name.  The original Tea Party had only fiscal, not social platforms.

And you almost had me in with the both sides are our enemy talk (alright, Aces is meeting us in the middle!)  Then you bashed the right only. Sigh... you do see what you did there right?

This. R's and D's aren't stupid, they know the current set up allows them to retain complete control always. They will never allow a true 3rd party to arise. 

It's all ready in motion.  Just the other day, Sean Hannity pulled a 180 and now favors immigration reform.  I fully expect the GOP to reverse course on immigration.  Losing 71% of the Hispanic vote was a HUGE wake-up call.

The GOP's forbidden words for the 2014 and 2016 campaigns:  Rape.  Self-deportation.

Immigration reform is just a red herring and not the issue.  I agree that it should be done on a bipartisan fashion, but the republican's could give 100% amnesty and it wouldn't buy them any votes.  Ronald Reagan gave 100% amnesty to 3 Million illegals and when Bush Senior ran he got 7% less votes from Hispanics than Reagan did prior to amnesty.  Amnesty is not the issue.  I personally think it's just that proportionately immigrants are more reliant on social services so that is why they gravitate to the democratic party. 

Yeah, that ship has sailed.  

 Sean Hannity doesn't have a vote in congress.....

I don't think it's that simple Tony.  In 2004, George W Bush (who favored immigration reform much to the consternation of folks in his own party) only lost Hispanics 53-44.  He lost by 9 % points.  The numbers I've seen for 2012 had President Obama carry 71% of the Hispanic vote.  That is a gigantic change.  You don't think lobbing around the word "deportation" is political poison?  I really do.  It comes off as very insensitive.

I must be WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY off the charts statistically then if you think I fit in THAT political area.

I do agree that Romney's description of "self deportation" was not a winner by any means. 

Tony, how would you explain George W. Bush's relative success with Hispanics in '04?  Do you think his plans for immigration reform had any affect on the Hispanic electorate?