"The Republican Party could cease to be a national party": Repub & Bush Speechwriter Michael Gerson

[kpete]

Republican and former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson:

It would be absurd to deny that the Republican ideological coalition includes elements that are anti-immigrant -- those who believe that Hispanics, particularly Mexicans, are a threat to American culture and identity. When Arizona Republican Senate candidate J.D. Hayworth calls for a moratorium on legal immigration from Mexico, when then-Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) refers to Miami as a "Third World country," when state Rep. Russell Pearce (R), one of the authors of the Arizona immigration law, says Mexicans' and Central Americans' "way of doing business" is different, Latinos can reasonably assume that they are unwelcome in certain Republican circles.

. . . Republicans have now sent three clear signals to Hispanic voters:
(1) California's Proposition 187, . . .
(2) the immigration debate of 2006, dominated by strident Republican opponents of reform; and now
(3) the Arizona immigration law. <. . .> In a matter of months, Hispanic voters in Arizona have gone from being among the most pro-GOP in the nation to being among the most hostile.

. . . Whatever temporary gains Republicans might make feeding resentment of this demographic shift, the party identified with that resentment will eventually be voted into singularity. In a matter of decades, the Republican Party could cease to be a national party.

more:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/13/AR2010051303542.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

[cliffordu]

1. Is it insesitive for me to hope this comes true this year???

[rocktivity]

2. Cease to be a NATIONAL party? They've been a billionare boys club

almost from day one!

:eyes:
rocktivity

[Warpy]

3. Decades?

Consider that only half a decade ago, Karl Rove was on top, crowing that the party would have a permanent majority.

Then came Katrina and the Great Financial Unraveling and the latter is not over yet.

I think assuming the GOP will sustain a national presence for decades is optimistic.

[chillspike]

4. Imo, conservatism and its political representatives should be legally destroyed

We don't need them as a second option in this country. I would be very happy with a democratic party split between an extreme Left and a mild Left.

Conservatives just hate everyone.

[kentuck]

6. You make an interesting observation...

We have two legitimate Parties in this country already. And both of them are in the present Democratic Party. The liberal left and the moderate centrists. Republicans have nothing of value to offer. Their objective is to block and to obfuscate legislation. They serve no useful purpose.

[chillspike]

10. That's why I don't understand why some libs would vote repub as a protest vote

...when what they really want is their version of a democratic party not republicanism.

I mean I would say to them, jesus H christ, if you're not happy with the current democratic party fine but don't vote the republicans in!

[bluestateguy]

5. The white Southern and over 50 party

That's a one way ticket to minority party status for good.

[HereSince1628]

7. Would that lead to a split in the democratic party

along the fissure that exists between our right and the left? With our right joining former non-teabagging gopers to form a new conservative party?

Or do we expect the Libertarians to suddenly sprout?

just wondering.

[Marr]

8. I think it's about time our political parties were re-shuffled.

They've been allowed to run on the same political wedge issues for too long, and they're out of touch.

I'd love to see the entrenched GOP fall apart, and be replaced by an older, more reality-based version of Conservative politics. It might force the Democratic Party to move back onto the left side of the aisle.

[profile this]

9. angry and voting

I have never understood hispanic republicans, and now more than ever I think that they are complete idiots to side with a party that has essentially slapped us in the face. We are angry and we are voting.

[Lisa0825]

12. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[greencharlie]

11. I disagree... teh pub party is becoming

the catch-all party for all in opposition to change and reform.

For the first time in history the fundies, the bigots, the racists, the libertarians, the blue-blood Rockefeller's and the corporate greedy have found a party to get behind...

[Poiuyt]

13. Most Republicans vote against their own personal interest

Why should Hispanic Republicans be any different?