Conservatism for Millennials

The Republican Party is alive and well. American elections all but ensure a two-party system; the power of money and tradition will surely keep Republicans competitive. But in hopes of avoiding an extended period as the minority party—recall how Democrats controlled the House for forty years after World War II—Republicans will need to change. And I’m confident they will.
As Millennials continually become a larger segment of the voting population, their interests need to be represented. Younger voters overwhelmingly lean liberal on social issues. This has been consistent through generations. In our parent’s day, college kids took the lead on civil rights and Women’s Liberation. Conservatives rallied against these in the 50’s and 60’s, but no modern Senator would be caught dead opposing either. This is democracy–our elected officials represent our interests and beliefs. When we change, they change or get voted out.
A generation from now Republicans will have altered their stances on multiculturalism, gay marriage, marijuana legalization, immigration, etc. Further bending on issues important to minorities and the working class (e.g., education) would further help their electoral hopes, but it’s unlikely such principles would be abandoned. Perhaps Democrats will always be these less privileged members of society, but Republicans can soften the losses. More moderate social policy or rhetoric seems an important first step.
For the time being, Republicans might have a problem; in the current economy, they should have dominated the 2012 elections. Simply, paleoconservative and post-Nixon neoconservative no longer connected with the American zeitgeist. Nonetheless, their future is not decided; with better candidates and better campaigning, 2014 should be a Republican year—presidents usually suffer big losses in their sixth year—and the 2016 elections competitive. Post-Election Day panic has some merit, but Republican changes will necessarily be more long-term than immediate.