On Monday, the Republican Party put into writing what many of its top leaders have been saying since last year's election losses: "The GOP is too old, too white, and too insular to win national contests." In a 100 page report, the Republican National Committee acknowledged its messaging problems, as well as their structural setbacks to the primary calendar. However, the most important thing they addressed was how to traget specific demographic groups that voted overwhelmingly for the Democratic party in 2012. In the 2012 election, Romney only won 27% of the Latino vote, which was most likely due to his "self-deportation" immigration policy. In the report, they agreed that that policy should be done away with, and that it was a huge turnoff for Latino voters to vote for the Republican Party. Instead, the report adivises Republicans to "embrace and cherish" comprehensive immigration reform. Also, in an attempt to appeal to younger voters, the report recommended "changing their tone." "In every session with young voters, social issues were at the forefront of the
discussion; many see them as the civil rights issues of our time. We must be a party that is welcoming and inclusive for all voters," it states, adding later that it's imperative that young people not regard the GOP as "totally intolerant of alternative points of view." The report also recommends cutting the number of Republican candidate debates in half, and that the parties national convention should be moved to earlier in the summer, so that the party's presidential candidate can start using Republican National Convention money earlier. The report also stressed a more robust digital effort, which included creating a chief technology and digital office. 
    In my opinion, this is a step in the right direction for the GOP. They definitely were lacking in the minority vote in the 2012 presidential election, and without adjusting some of their policies and views, then they will most likely continue to struggle gaining support from minority demographics. 
 http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/18/republicans-want-to-end-perception-as-stuffy-old-men/

Last week, the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) announced that pocket knives and other previously banned items will be allowed in airline cabins starting this April. Despite these new rules with possibly threaten the safety of passengers, the screening conducted by airport security will not get any easier; therefore, passengers will still have to take of their shoes and go through all of the screening methods they previously had to. According to these new rules, knives with blades that are 2.36 inches (6 centimeters) or shorter and less than a half inch wide will be allowed on planes as long as the blade is not fixed or locks in place. However, razor blades and box cutters are still prohibited. These new rules also allow passengers to carry up to two golf clubs, toy bats, and sports sticks. Many are opposed to these new rules, including Senator Charles Schumer who said "These items are dangerous, and have not become less so in the years since they were banned from planes."  However, despite strong scrutiny from others, TSA chief John Pistole said that "the changes will bring the United States into alignment with international rules and are in keeping with a 'risk-based security' approach that will allow screeners to focus on items such as liquid explosives and improvised bombs that pose a greater threat to aircraft." Representative Michael McCaul, R-Texas, who is the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said that he supports these new rules, and that the "TSA must continue to improve its risk-based screening and one of its highest priorities must be securing commercial aviation from the type of threats and weapons that could bring down an aircraft. Any modifications to our security system must enhance our ability to detect such threats. As I have stated, my priority is to make TSA more passenger-friendly and threat-focused." Supporters of these new rules argue that the search for these types of knives interferes with the search for objects that can truly threaten aircrafts.
    In my opinion, I do not like these new rules. I don't understand how any good could come out of allowing knives on planes. Ever since 9/11, and the subsequent increases in airport security, we haven't had any major tragedies. So why would you fix something that