GOP wants urban voters

GOP wants urban voters - PittsburghLIVE.com

Republican leaders on Thursday used Pittsburgh -- a city controlled by Democratic elected officials for seven decades -- as an example of where the GOP hopes to expand its membership with minorities and inner-city voters who traditionally align more with Democrats.

Despite what Jo Ann Davidson says, the GOP gave up on the urban center. It might like to troll for votes from time to time -- to perk up the hopes of the likes of Rick Santorum. However, the GOP does not want to do anything with candidates, backing, support, insights, teamwork nor real interactions among citizens.

'We believe there are many people that populate these urban cities that are Republican-leaning,' said Republican National Committee Co-Chairwoman Jo Ann Davidson. 'We're not giving up on the urban centers.'

Theme was: "Give Us A Chance, We'll Give You A Choice: Strengthening Lincoln's Legacy."

Should be: Get out of our way, otherwise, we'll take our toys and turn our backs: Strengthening the Top Down Attitudes of History.

The GOP is doing "outreach." Great concept. But, GOP outreach is not about locking arms. The GOP need is less to do with a broad GOP party base and more about getting a broad vision of the GOP's party leadership. The GOP needs more urban leaders. Today's GOP wants urban voters for suburban GOP candidates.

The best way for the GOP to attract more Blacks, Hispanics, Asians and other groups is to recruit and support candidates for local office races from those populations. Associate with the grassroots players. Support them in running for local office.

Another way to grow the party is to have some standards of principle. Don't pimp yesterday's Democrats as the next great hope for leading Republicans. The Harrisburg City Councilman Otto Banks, a former Democrat who switched to the Republican Party early this year. Banks, who is seeking re-election in November as a Republican, said he spoke in the session about how he became attracted to the GOP because the party offers blacks "a choice to become captains of our own ship, so to speak."

WRONG. The Diven story comes to life again. I talked to many Republicans who were not impressed with the new Republicans who left the Dem ranks in name only.

The best example of Republican outreach as talked about in the article is a poor pitty.

Urban voters and urban citizens and urban leaders who want a real alternative to the Democrats should come be a part of the Libertarian party. I tried for a number of years as an Urban Republican. I walked miles in those GOP shoes -- and the fit wasn't there for me.