Consider these facts for 'conservatives' [a large brand with many variants] and the future is not that grim:

-In 2012 there were 13 million less voters than in 2008.

-Across the country, on a county by county basis, the Republicans picked up support in 2012 vs. 2008, as a share of the vote. In other words the 'Red' market-share did go up vs. 2008.

[see this link for instance on 2012 voting patterns vs. 2008 and 2004].

-However, Romney won 2.2 million fewer votes than McCain. If he had kept McCain's vote tally he would not be President.

-Bush 2004 total number of votes: 62 million

-McCain 2008 total number of votes: 59.9 million

-Romney 2012 total number of votes: 57.6 million

The question Republicans need to answer is this: where did 3 to 13 million votes go ? Why did they stay home or perhaps vote for the unDemocratic party ? How is it possible that Romney did not get out the same vote, as McCain ?

There are 3 obvious answers to this question:

1. Romney's 'get out the vote' operation was inferior to that of the unDemocratic party [entirely true]. Ground operations will determine much in an election.

    

2. Romney did not sway enough independents and convince enough potential voters in key states to vote along the same patterns as McCain and Bush were able to do in 2008 and 2004 [Bush won Ohio and Florida for instance]. This is due to a number of factors, including mixed messaging, a late start on advertising and a campaign that frankly was not very good.

    

3. Future Republican efforts need to get out the vote; and at least peel off a few points from the Hispanic, Black and Single White Female votes. If they can do this, and get out the Bush-McCain base they once had, they should win the Presidency quite handily.

So all is not doom and gloom for conservatives or for America.

In winning his second-term Obama won a few more votes than McCain did in a losing effort in 2008. He won 8 million fewer than in 2008. So while the media and blogosphere will be atwitter with immature claims of the death of conservatism, and the elevation of socialism as the new American dream; the facts say otherwise. The US is still largely a center-right country. In that vein, you need a more conservative and dynamic figure than a McCain or Romney to fire up the base. You also need to do a lot more outreach work in getting support with Hispanics, Blacks and Single Female voters. Longer term projects need to also include more youth involvement and enticing Gays and Jews with specific programs targeting their concerns.

The conservative program has great appeal. It is broad-based and has much to commend it in all areas of life. The key is to educate the general voter about the program, and have a responsible party to implement it. Right now the current Republican party is only marginally conservative, and only fractionally better than the un-Democratic party. This is likely why 3 million votes disappeared in 2012 for Romney. Not only is his party disorganized, but it effectively mirrors the big-government designs of the un-Democratic party.

In appealing to Hispanics and Blacks, there are myriad problems which should be recognized. The Republicans have staffs of self-proclaimed geniuses and pundits who can surely find a way through the morass. A good article on the Hispanic community is below. It would apply in large part to the Black population as well.

Hispanics are not in-toto, what the media portrays them to be en-masse:

“A March 2011 poll by Moore Information found that Republican economic policies were a stronger turn-off for Hispanic voters in California than Republican positions on illegal immigration. Twenty-nine percent of Hispanic voters were suspicious of the Republican party on class-warfare grounds — “it favors only the rich”; “Republicans are selfish and out for themselves”; “Republicans don’t represent the average person”– compared with 7 percent who objected to Republican immigration stances. 

And a strong reason for that support for big government is that so many Hispanics use government programs. U.S.-born Hispanic households in California use welfare programs at twice the rate of native-born non-Hispanic households. And that is because nearly one-quarter of all Hispanics are poor in California, compared to a little over one-tenth of non-Hispanics. Nearly seven in ten poor children in the state are Hispanic, and one in three Hispanic children is poor, compared to less than one in six non-Hispanic children. One can see that disparity in classrooms across the state, which are chock full of social workers and teachers’ aides trying to boost Hispanic educational performance. 

The idea of the “social issues” Hispanic voter is also a mirage. A majority of Hispanics now support gay marriage, a Pew Research Center poll from last month found. The Hispanic out-of-wedlock birth rate is 53 percent, about twice that of whites.”

So much for the myth of the earnest church-going, family oriented, small-government loving Hispanic voter. A lot of energy and time, not to mention re-education to use the socialist's verbiage, will be needed to turn that cultural self-immolation, and reliance on the state, into something truly progressive and American. But it can be done.