The Republican Party in the United States of America has made several mistakes and achieved considerable success. However, success for the party might not necessarily be in the best interest of the country. Some success for the Republicans has led to long-term problems, which would, in many ways, render what they did a mistake, even if it initially worked out for the party.
In this article, we’ll be discussing the biggest mistakes the Republicans have made over the last two decades. We will address some fairly obvious mistakes that still impact us today, as well as many that most might not remember or know much about.
Before we begin, we want to make sure we are fair when discussing these topics. That is why we have also written a companion article on the 10 mistakes the Democratic Party has made. Be sure to check that out after reading this one.
That said, let’s get started!
10. Climate Change Denial
Many people do not realize that the Republican Party was actually the first to discuss climate change. They alerted us to the issue back in the late 1990s and very early 2000s. The eventual President George W. Bush, along with other Republican candidates for President, even discussed climate change during the primaries leading up to the 2000 Presidential Election.
However, since Republicans were first, they were also the party to see massive oil money. Many received massive donations to sway their opinion, and it worked. By the mid-2000s, the Republican Party denied the existence of climate change. That is one major reason (among others we’ll discuss later) why Democrats gained a foothold in Congress during Bush’s second term.
Republicans lost a significant number of younger voters due to this, as well as many moderates. Rather than championing market-based solutions (private business) that Republicans tend to love, they took the oil money. It led to years of being considered the anti-science party ever since. Once Barack Obama took office in early 2009, one of the first things the Democratic President did was heavily expand the Environmental Protection Agency, sealing this as a win for Democrats.
9. The Alienation of Hispanic Voters
While the Republican Party has done a great job trying to win back the Hispanic vote, they probably only managed to do it for one Presidential campaign cycle. Before Donald Trump won many over in the 2024 Presidential Campaign, Hispanics hated Trump and the Republican Party overall. The Hispanic vote has been solidly in favor of Democrats for several decades as a result.
Harsh language in the mid-2000s and mid-2010s did not help. Mitt Romney’s 2012 “self-deportation” comment alienated many. George W. Bush warned the Republicans that they were risking becoming a minority party without better, more inclusive policies. He has largely been right, as the one who wins the Hispanic vote tends to win more major elections.
Hispanics are the fastest-growing demographic in the country. This does not even account for undocumented immigrants. Even when you remove them, the Hispanic population is still growing fast. This means that immigration policies and how people are treated will help win them over. The current Trump Administration has clearly done a terrible job with this, which means the GOP has likely lost them for another twenty years.
8. Response To National Disasters (Katrina)
One of the most significant blemishes on the Bush administration was the mishandling of what took place after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. It took FEMA several days to arrive, which significantly impacted the people of New Orleans. Republicans were seen, especially by black Americans, as uncaring and incompetent.
Many felt that Bush and Republicans lacked compassion for human lives, but especially minorities, considering they were affected the most. Black communities were more vulnerable to the hurricane thanks to racial segregation, housing discrimination, and lower socioeconomic status. This led to their long-standing communities being located in areas that the hurricanes would impact more severely.
Over $100 billion in property damage and more than 1,000 people died thanks to the hurricane. Several were also displaced as a result. Not everyone was killed due to the storm itself, but rather, its aftermath. While some took their own lives, others died due to heart attacks, a lack of medical supplies, and even carbon monoxide poisoning, among other things. Most of which FEMA could have helped to prevent.
7. Three Major Government Shutdowns
A government shutdown has been more commonplace over the last decade, seemingly. The reasoning is primarily due to the parties being more divided today than they have ever been. Republicans are responsible for at least three major shutdowns over the last 20 years: 2013, 2018, & 2019. The Republican Party in 2013 was mad about the Affordable Care Act and border wall funding, so they shut the government down to discuss it.
This particular shutdown was widely regarded as incredibly unpopular, as it shut down numerous government services. The others were due to spending as well. The 2018 shutdown was primarily about the spending bill that Republicans wanted to pass. In 2019, the government shutdown lasted 35 days, the longest in U.S. History. It was mainly due to Democrats not wanting to include $5.7 billion for Trump’s border wall.
Most of the GOP’s shutdowns tend to be symbolic rather than effective most of the time. They usually occur when one party knows they will not win the argument. Therefore, the idea is to cause one and then negotiate more favorable terms for both sides in a private setting at some point. Often, the majority and minority leaders discuss terms to reach an agreement.
6. Horrific Federal Spending
The Republican Party often cites itself as the most fiscally responsible party. Not only is this not true, but we have clear proof that it’s nonsense based on government spending by Republicans over the past twenty years. Most of the time, they claim “fiscal issues” when it comes to funding things they dislike. However, if they wanted to do it, no price would be too high.
The Republicans have ballooned the United States’ deficit and have been almost entirely responsible for the debt the country is in today. First, the Bush Administration hiked up spending thanks to the War(s) in the Middle East after September 11th. This added several trillions to the debt alone. The 2008 market crash also had a significant impact. From there, Donald Trump’s first term alone added nearly $6 trillion to the debt.
While the COVID Pandemic is partially responsible for the 2020 spending of around $3 trillion, it was still going to surpass $1.5 trillion based on Trump’s original plans. Now back in the White House, Trump’s first year of his second term has started, and he’s already on course to add trillions more to the debt before his second term concludes. By contrast, both Barack Obama and Joe Biden actually reduced debts and turned the American economy around.
5. Wars In the Middle East
While most of the wars in the Middle East took place in Afghanistan & Iraq, the Americans were all over the Middle East. This war was actually the longest in United States history, and it cost us more money than any other. Additionally, it initially began as a quest for oil. President Bush initially told us that it was in response to the September 11th attacks.
“Weapons of Mass Destruction” were a significant concern for Americans. We wanted to ensure no one had nuclear weapons that we did not have some control over. At the same time, the assumption was that Osama Bin Laden and others who were responsible for 9/11 were there. However, much of this was merely a smokescreen to exploit the Middle East’s oil resources.
Both parties are partially responsible, but the Republican Party takes most of the blame for it. Firstly, because it happened under the Bush administration. Second, by the time President Obama entered office, there was now a need to remain, but they had no clear victory path. In total, in wars or conflicts across Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and other Middle Eastern areas by 2023, roughly 4.5 million Armed Forces members were killed in the line of duty. That is blood that never had to be spilled.
4. Attempted Removal of The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)
While it might seem shocking to some, many conservatives proved in the last election cycle that they did not know the Affordable Care Act & Obamacare were the same thing. For years, Fox News and other conservative media outlets referred to the ACA as Obamacare because they wanted to demonize it. For the longest time, the Republican Party tried to demonize Barack Obama. They succeeded in doing this with their core base.
Which meant if Obama’s name was connected to something, people on the right wouldn’t like it. The ACA was a program Republicans absolutely hated, hence why they gave it the Obamacare nickname. By the time Donald Trump won the 2016 Presidential Election, Republicans in Congress were happy knowing they could now remove the ACA. Despite having nearly a decade to come up with a new idea to replace it with, the party had nothing.
Thus, they wanted to vote to repeal it and replace it later, something that was deeply unpopular. It all came down to the heroic action of Republican Senator John McCain, one of the few people willing to work with Democrats. The man literally flew back to Washington, D.C., just to cast his (ultimately) deciding vote after brain surgery to ensure his party could not take healthcare away from millions of Americans. Since this point, the ACA has remained in place and is unlikely to be removed now, given the large number of people who are on it.
3. Neglecting Embracement Of Tech & Youth Outreach
The Republican Party has lived up to the “conservative” roots for a long time now. They have often failed to connect with young people or fully embrace technology as they should. Due to climate change denial, they often increase the use of fossil fuels and stop money from going to hydroelectric and nuclear plants. They even spread false rumors about solar and wind energy to muddy the waters. Major technology in these areas can be found throughout Europe, but the U.S. still refuses to adopt it.
They also were late to the party for social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter/X, & TikTok. This has hurt them heavily. In 2018, 2020, and 2022, Republicans actually lost the youth vote to Democrats. The Democrats realize that if they can connect with people while they are young, they will likely vote for them for years to come. Republicans have begun to understand this, but struggle to make a connection.
While they certainly enhanced their presence online, places like Twitter or X became impossible to use due to high rates of white supremacists. Conservatives have taken a significant step in the realm of podcasts, but this does not necessarily attract younger people to tune in. Instead, it connects them more with their already existing base. It is possible that this, combined with placing much older people in office, will harm them down the line.
2. Embracing Donald Trump
When Donald Trump first wanted to run for office, the Republican Party seemed excited. He was a notable businessman who was well-known. Then Trump began showing us who he really was, a narcissistic embarrassment of a human—a man who seems to care mostly about enhancing his wealth rather than helping the country.
The moment he began to attack large groups and communities of non-white people, it showed clear racism. Numerous resignations from his cabinet marked his first term in office, as many were unwilling to work for such a terrible man. After Joe Biden won the election in 2020, Trump’s connection to the January 6 Riot/Insurrection at the Capitol seemed clear.
Republicans then still maintained a connection to Trump. When he won in 2024, they had now done everything he had wanted. Several illegal actions later, and the Republican Party has proven that it wants to be in power. They have yet to realize how this singular Presidential term will hurt them in the long run. Many people who voted for Trump are now regretting it. Similar to his last term, we’re seeing repeated trade wars, high tariffs, and even a decline in job growth. Embracing Trump has been one of the key mistakes the Republicans have made in this century.
1. Culture Wars
Speaking of President Trump, it seems the Republican Party has never understood how culture wars have hurt them. It ultimately cost them the White House in 2020 and might likely result in Republicans losing control of Congress in the upcoming elections, as well as the White House again in 2028. There are numerous culture wars the Republicans have been on the wrong side of. They were against same sex marriage rights and have been demonizing transgender people for several years, too.
Women have also been impacted, as Roe v. Wade was overturned and many Republican states have made abortion much harder…even for those who need it for medical purposes. Republicans have also tried to push their form of Christian Nationalism heavily, resulting in trying to change how race, sex, and gender are taught in schools and even science. We’ve already covered how horrible the Republican Party has been to immigrants. However, we should note that the current Trump Administration has even made it harder to obtain legal status for those who want to enter or are already in the country. This shows they want to keep immigrants out, unless they are willing to pay a hefty price to get in.
Race in its entirety has been a problem for Republicans, especially in the Trump years. Upon his first term in office, the KKK started marching in various cities. Several other white supremacist groups have been given larger platforms, as well. We also saw a rise of toxic masculinity in the last decade, which Republicans have often embraced. Only leading to further problems, making one wonder why the Republicans continue to go in a direction that only leads to bad things and a lack of growth for them.