Whither the GOP?

The times, they are a-changin' -- Bob Dylan

   Bob Dylan was right. The times are, indeed, changing. They did then, they are now, and they will again. 'Twas ever thus, and ever shall be.

   The pundits have weighed in, and many -- including Republican commentators -- point out that the white male bastion of the GOP base is becoming a minority. Some even claim that Obama's victory was due to a rush of strength in urban liberal areas, with their large populations of Hispanic and other minority voters. In their world, Romney won in the rest of the country. These few commentators, however, ignore the reality of GOP defeat in rural conservative regions, as well as a more active role among women.
   But then, they're good at ignoring reality. However, when reality reaches up and smacks you upside the head, you tend to listen up.
   We'll leave the number-crunching to the punditocracy and to the political junkies who wallow in the daily flood of cross-comments that fill air, time and space.
   Meanwhile, let's watch things change and hope for some good times. As we do that, here are some thoughts to consider.

   Whither the Christie Critter? Too early to tell, but New Jersey Governor Chris Christie certainly has an opportunity. He's been criticized in the past for aggressiveness that borders on bullying and sometimes he has crossed the line, but his behavior in the aftermath of storm damage, where he demanded that something be done NOW was the kind of aggressive leadership his state needed at the time.
   Near term outlook: Christie faces re-election next year in a state that has always favored moderates over radicals. As another New Jersey Republican Governor Christie (Whitman) put it, "It's my party, too." Others have noted that they didn't leave the Republican Party. The party left them.
   So the current Republican governor of New Jersey has at least two years to contemplate his next move, and consider the advantages of moderation.

   The other leading candidate at the moment to follow Obama is his one-time rival and current Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.
   She has the experience and background to move back to the White House, but she may not want to. Been there before, and may not be anxious to do it again, even to sit in the Big Chair.
   Meanwhile, Clinton has a couple of years to mull over options.