For some time now, the Republican Party has had to answer to criticism that it is out of touch with the American public. Michelle Bachmann's latest comments Thursday have done nothing to help the situation.
News sources all over the internet today have been buzzing with the latest in a string of questionable remarks by Michelle Bachmann. Speaking to the House yesterday, she did not mince her words about her feelings towards the healthcare law known as Obamacare:
"Repeal this failure before it literally kills women, kills children, kills senior citizens. Let's not do that! Let's love people, let's care about people. Let's repeal it now while we can."
Questionable rhetoric and equally provocative political stances have been a staple of the Republican Party in recent years. It was especially prevalent during the latest election, where "binders full of women" and the redefining of the word 'rape' did little to win over voters.
All of this points to a problematic trend for Republicans, who are increasingly being viewed as "out of touch" with the needs and concerns of the American public. With Democrats now controlling both the White House and the Senate, it's clear that voters are starting to grow weary of such polarizing views.
Voter statistics from the latest election help to bolster this point. Republican nominee Mitt Romney garnered 3 million more conservative votes than President Bush did in 2004, and yet did not even come close to winning the election. It is clear the issue was not about getting conservative voters to the polls.
What may have lost Romney the election was the moderate vote. In 2004 Bush lost moderate voters by nine percent. In 2012? Romney lost the moderate vote by 15 percent, indicating a clearly polarized voter base.
While Bush may have been viewed as an aloof good 'ole boy from Texas, he also displayed the gregariousness few Republicans have possessed these past few elections. He was careful to not polarize too many people with overly dramatic or insensitive language, and this no doubt played a large part in his ability to win both presidential elections.
It is becoming clear that if the Republican Party wishes to have any semblance of power in Congress, they are going to have to consider a new approach. They will always have a loyal base, but a loyal base is not what wins elections. If the Republican Party does not start displaying the sort of reserve that has helped Democrats lately, chances are high they will be digging their own grave in the coming years.
Read More: Why Republicans Dislike ObamaCare, Bachmann Says It "Literally Kills"
Read More: Bachmann Strikes Again: Obamacare 'Kills Women, Kills Children, Kills Senior Citizens'
