Why are so many Republicans who really don’t like or trust Mitt Romney supporting him? They don’t really believe or trust him on social issues, fiscal policy or respect his religion. It’s because, right now, Mitt Romney is their best chance of preserving a way of life, more like an era, that is going away after this sometime after this election: The 1950s.

It’s that “era of greatness” (blacks, Jews, and women might disagree) that makes older members of the G.O.P. remember. And it fuels their desire to claw and keep a hold of the levers of power.

But that effort to hold on to the past only makes the party a political Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman. A salesman good in his heyday, but over the decades, he failed to adapt to a world that changed around him. To Willy, it’s not that his idea isn’t working anymore. Other people just don’t get it. Willy’s older sales boss long retired and now replaced by a “kid” who can’t understand, much less respect Loman’s old way of doing business and is extremely annoyed by Willy’s resistance to adapt to the new way. Frustrated to the point the boss knows getting rid of him is inevitable.

But even if Republicans win this election, such a goal of keeping things the way they are is unsustainable if not pure fantasy. Those who admire the 1950s are passing on. While those who have attitudes post 1950s are coming into ascension. Youth, who may not vote, would vote heavily for President Obama simply because that have a post-1950 mentality in common. Others are voting for Ron Paul. Both groups are more tolerant on race, gay marriage. In less than a decade these children will become leaders and influencers.

Regardless, this quest for the 1950s has led conservative to go back, dig up and re-litigate settled issues like birth control. Voting rights. The Gold Standard. It’s a frustration that at least, some Republicans strategists clearly see.

“Next we’ll be trying to take away the vote from women,” says Republican Strategist Alex Castellanos. “How can we be the party of cool and make the generational leap forward when we have these recidivist ideas at the very core of our base?”

Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker, in her column, “What the *#@% Is Wrong With Republicans?!” quotes young conservative leader Margaret Hoover who said out of frustration, “What the (*#@%) is wrong? What has happened within the party infrastructure that has malfunctioned so desperately, so that this minority of representatives are in such positions of power that are so out of step with the majority of Republicans?”

It’s that regressive mentality that’s made Republican “big” tent is more like a small diner or private country club from the 1950. Yes, you can come in to our place but, if you not the right type, you can’t eat at the counter. That’s for real Americans. Women, sure, if take your place in kitchen. Dress nice and keep your mouth shut-especially about your vajayjay. Jose, you can’t eat here. Pssst, meet me around back and I’ll pay you $3/hour to wash the dishes.

Ah, the 1950s.

But again an illusion. No matter who wins. Next time around no party can even hope to win without capturing non-white and women voters. A point you can read in this article from Daily Intel: Team Romney White-Vote Push: ‘This Is the Last Time Anyone Will Try to Do This’