They Still Don't Get It

The report issued by the Republican Party analyzing the reasons it lost the 2012 Presidential election as well as Senate seats emphasizes messaging over policy according to Sarah Wheaton in The New York Times.

“There’s no one reason we lost” in 2012, Mr. (Reince) Priebus (RNC Chair) said. “Our message was weak. Our ground game was insufficient. We weren’t inclusive. We’re — we were behind in both data and digital. And our primary and debate process needed improvement.”
       

The prescription from the national party largely avoids policy, instead focusing on messaging.

 

“The way we communicate our principles isn’t resonating widely enough,” Mr. Priebus said. “Focus groups described our party as narrow-minded, out of touch and, quote, stuffy old men.”

 

Republicans are perceived as "narrow-minded, out of touch, stuffy old men" because their policies marginalize the groups they say they want to appeal to.  How would you "message" zenophobic immigration policy in order to appeal to Hispanic voters?  How would you "message" voter ID laws (allegedly designed to eliminate voter fraud for which there is no evidence) when such laws disproportionately affect minority and younger voters?  How can you "message" mandatory vaginal ultrasounds as taking women's rights seriously? How can you "message" your party as committed to fiscal responsibility when it advocates unaffordable tax cuts for the wealthy as well as further expansion of an already bloated Pentagon budget?