Jon Stewart’s very funny yet truthful encapsulation of the current Republicans’ utterances on immigration illustrates the impossible position the GOP is in. When each of their presidential candidates not only address undocumented immigrants, the ones that built their affordable homes, clean their homes affordably, mow their lawns affordably, and create and serve the meals they love economically, as less than, simply passing comprehensive immigration reform is not the answer. A Republican Congressman verbalizing “anything short of shooting them” when addressing the immigration issue presents a deeper issue than just immigration.
The following sequence is the most telling even though it was the least funny part of the funny monologue.
Why the sudden change Republicans? Perhaps you looked into your heart and realized that people who are willing to risk prison or worst just to do our least glamorous most dangerous work deserve at least a basic level of humanity?
McCain in his straight talk provides likely the biggest caricature.
I will give you a little straight talk. Look a thee last election. We are losing dramatically the Hispanic vote.
To which Stewart responds.
Craving political calculation to squeeze out enough votes to make Nevada competitive again…That’s OK too. I am not sure that is the reason you are suppose to say out loud. You’ve come a long way. Well a way. The arch of history is long but it bends towards shamelessness.
Sometimes the likely outcome from mostly false and degrading utterances comes from the strangest places. Republican Rep Lou Barletta in opposing any form of immigration reform said the following referencing the bipartisan framework.
“I hope politics is not at the root of why we’re rushing to pass a bill. Anyone who believes that they’re going to win over the Latino vote is grossly mistaken,” Barletta said, according to the Morning Call. “The majority that are here illegally are low-skilled or may not even have a high school diploma. The Republican Party is not going to compete over who can give more social programs out. They will become Democrats because of the social programs they’ll depend on.”
There is nothing the Republican Party in its current form can do to win over minority votes. There is nothing they can do to increase their share of the women’s vote. There is nothing they can do to win over the young vote. While many fail to see it immediately, the reason why that is, is that this sect is not much different in their absolutism and recessive-ness than the Taliban in a well-tailored suit, The American Taliban.
