"The Republican Party has had its success over the years, because it's supposed to stand for something, whether or not it ever does. The reason the Democratic Party never stays in power is because it stands for everything." If I asked you what the idealized Republican Party stands for, you'd probably say something to the effect of small government, low taxes, strong defense, right? If I asked you what the idealized Democratic Party stands for, I'd get a thousand different answers. That's a huge marketing problem. If you don't believe me, let's try it.