I think you got offended and stayed offended, and it kept you from getting the most out of the dialog.

steeplebob

Thanks for your comments. All I’ll say is that I certainly don’t believe I “have all the answers” — but I do believe I have something to contribute to the discussion. Is it wrong that we wanted to establish a place specifically for the youngest Republicans to participate in the discussion?

The people in my generation, roughly speaking, are the first digital age voters, and started voting for president with both president Clinton, and the ‘94 house races. So they are rather used to voting for Democrat presidents, and have, but are at least also familiar with a political landscape where the GOP brand had more luster.

We are young enough to still be invited to “Young Republican” events in most areas, but old enough to have some experience and perspective. I know all about perspective, as I was a Libertarian before it was cool, and am now a local reformist GOP committeeman.

Finally, being well-immersed in new media, we understand how the GOP has lost control of the coversation with younger demographics.

So I would suggest you move up that ceiling by a decade or so. Of course, if you can find younger, talented contributors, more power to you. It will just be harder.

Leaders who won’t listen to anyone under 50 all over the country, making decisions that continually cause us to lose. But when a young person goes around them and doesn’t wait for their “approval” to engage voters and activists, they get all worked up.

I had same thing happen in NW Indiana locally, the “insiders” are so afraid of Ron Paul activists that they won’t even publish the names of precinct chairs and think all “bloggers” are crazies. I have my work cut out for me. Great work on your end

Ironically it is not an “old” way of thinking that has hurt the Republican party it is a mix of the popular perception, reinforced by a hostile media, and a complete lack of adhering to the core principles. After all Reagan was not exactly young when he took office, nor were his ideas new, in fact he had been publicly advocating them for over twenty years, and the conventional wisdom held his ideas were a throwback to a bygone era. However, they were principled, thoughtful, and communicated effectively – something that can not be said for most public image of the party since that era. Perhaps most importantly he actually believed in what he claimed which is something that the party and its leadership has been missing for a very long time.

However it is your site and you can make whatever rules you like so good luck developing solutions with individuals who at the outside have voted in two presidential elections, in which both times their choice was more the lesser of two evils (or evil of two lesser in some peoples mind). In addition, one might take a moment to consider why you would focus so much on an age range that represent one of the smallest demographic blocks of actual voters to the exclusion of the next block up (25-42) that represents the largest block of first and second time voters who are often the famous or infamous “swing voters” and the actual key to victory. However I guess that is one of those things one considers with actual experience. [Yeah that was a cheap shot - so good luck]