for decades, the GOP & Dems have been based on splits that originated in the 1960's - a time that saw huge amounts of change, both culturally and economically.
for some, the change was inspiring - it was the dawning of the Age of Aquarius where new technologies and government policies promised a more prosperous and just world -- but for others, it was scary - it was a rising tide of sex, drugs, crime, and family breakdown. Many wanted to keep pushing forward with all the exciting new ideas - while others much preferred the older ways and wanted to undo everything.
The progressives sided with the liberals and Dems, and often got carried away in their dreamy enthusiasm - while the traditionalists sided with the conservatives and the GOP.
For a long time, the GOP succeeded by simply blaming all the nation's problems on those "liberals" who were responsible for all those scary changes - and warning about the horrors that could happen if those leftists weren't stopped.
but now, 40 years later, about half the population was born during or after the 1960's -- and even the older half has now had a lot of time to adjust. And over time, the crazier liberal ideas have been rolled back and-or abandoned, while other ideas have worked out rather well. As such, the liberals just aren't all that frightening anymore, even for many who oppose their ideas - the GOP can no longer get away with just scaring everyone -- when they try, they remind me of Lola the showgirl from the song Copacabana, struggling in a world where there's no longer a show.
the GOP needs to focus now on what it is FOR - it needs to find inspiring alternatives to what the Dems have proposed.