GOP: This Is Your Future Calling (and Sorry, It's Brown)

Yesterday the GOP launched a trendy, new website at www.GOP.com.

Only one problem: the GOP, according to the Politico’s Ben Smith, completely forgot about its future. Smith reports:

This is, a youngish Republican points out to me this morning, a bit of an unfortunate place for an empty page on the Republican National Committee's nifty new website

That would be the "Future Leaders" page.

Liberal bloggers had a field day with the news — so much so that the page was updated that same day to include an interactive, “Who are the future leaders of the Republican Party?” section.

So, who/what is the future of the GOP — a great question as we brace ourselves for the crucial next leg of a national immigration reform debate?  Coincidentally, that debate started in earnest yesterday, too, with a rally at the U.S. Capitol where Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) laid out the principles for real reform.

As we’ve argued consistently at America’s Voice, Republican politicians have been guilty of using immigrants as a wedge issue for so long that they are in real danger of sacrificing their future with Latino, minority, and swing voters. With Representative Gutierrez and Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) laying the groundwork to move forward on real immigration reform in the weeks and months ahead, the question takes on renewed importance.

GOP leaders have flogged the “ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT” bogeyman in an attempt to derail progress on a number of critical issues, from health care, to the flu pandemic, to economic recovery, but they've mainly succeeded in further marginalizing themselves among Latino voters and other swing demographics who want policymakers to solve tough problems — not pander with cheap scare tactics.

Florida’s Republican Senator Mel Martinez, who retired in August, consistently argued that the GOP must change course if it cares at all about the future:

“Republicans risk their political future since Hispanics are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the US.”

As George W. Bush's former speechwriter, Michael Gerson, pointed out in  “Suicidal Policy:”

Now hearings are beginning on another immigration reform bill, with a legislative debate likely to ripen in 2010. For Democrats — pledged to comprehensive reform but weighing union opposition to a temporary worker program — the debate will be difficult. For Republicans, it may be an invitation to political suicide.

Some conservatives dismiss electoral considerations as soiled and cynical. They will make their case, even if that means sacrificing Florida, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and . . . Indiana. Yes, Indiana, which had supported Republican presidential candidates for 40 years before Obama captured it on the strength of Hispanic votes. This is a good definition of extremism — the assumption that irrelevance is evidence of integrity. In fact, it is a moral achievement of democracy that it eventually forces political parties to appeal to minorities and outsiders instead of demonizing them. The scramble for votes, in the long run, requires inclusion.

The political cost of losing Latino and minority support in exchange for short-sighted, dog-whistle rhetoric could mean a very, very empty “future leaders” section for decades — and elections — to come.  Over the next few months, we'll see which path they choose.

Cross-Posted at America's Voice.

Follow Frank Sharry on Twitter: www.twitter.com/americasvoice

Comments

[gs-425]

"I urge Republicans not to make any attempts to block the nomination of Judge Sotomayor or risk alienating the hispanic community" (paraphase­d)....Chuc­k Shumer.

Like that?

[S1m0n]

The party will recover, but it's going to require flushing almost all of the generation that has been in charge for the past decade. There's going to be some pi$$ing and moaning, but it'll happen. The US needs an opposition party, and the more comfortable the democrats get in power, the greater that need will be. As always, governments will defeat themselves. In a decade the aging xenophobes will be an even more marginal force, and new blood will bring new ideas.

[gs-425]

You're forgetting that the 'aging xenophobes' are the largest growing demographic in the country. They now outnumber for the first time ever, and will for years to come, the younger generations that you mention.

[beapancake]

the democrats are the new republicans and there will emerge a more progressive greener group~the GOP as we know it are D.E.A.D no room in this day and age for that kind of politician, Sorry!

[RTIII]

We already know which way they are going to go; rhetoric. Their choice will be as it always is, to talk talk talk and do nothing. They'll talk about inclusiveness and put up a token or two - like Steele - but won't act in any way to construct a big-tent party. The reason is very simple: ignorance based xenophobia.

The problem this presents for the Dems is that a lot of the Rs are already abandoning their ship and trying to join the Ds - and they bring with them a fascist attitude we see all too often in both parties. We have to keep them out by watching what we do in our primaries...
.

[realpolitic]

The GOP is always at war with "the other." Often they are blacks whom the GOP attacks over issues of criminality, etc., at other times "the other" is the Muslim community, and very often it is brown people including Latinos. The GOP anti-illegal immigration rhetoric often sounds very racial in nature, many of the far-right want English-only laws. The GOP villified Justice Sotomayer after her incredible rise from the public housing projects in New York to highest grades at elite Ivy League schools as an "affirmative action people." The GOP and its white southern base are just often antithetical to people who do not resemble them, and more and more of the country does not resemble them.

[logan9]

. . . don't forget the "demonization" of drug users and welfare recipients! The GOP is darn good at that!!!!!!!!!

[1izzard]

You are describing tribal politics. Ironic that the 20% who claim to love America so much are the ones that hate 80% of America. Why do conservative hate America?

[LMPE]

Just get the Hispanic vote out enough and Arizona and Texas will probably go blue.

[tigerakabj]

Which path they will choose?

I'll tell you which path -- the August town hall, gun-toting path. The crazies will once again show their rumps and will push the last of the Latino vote from the GOP. If we have learned anything since Nov. 4, 2008, the crazies have taken the microphone­/attention in the GOP and they aren't letting go. You see Lindsey Graham's townhall? He had a look on his face, "What have we done?"

The GOP's vote against Ms. Sotomayor already pushed more Latinos from their party, and the immigration debate will cement that. Mr. Sharry, see you in 2010. I've got my popcorn ready.

[winnie47]

The Rethugs are powerless to turn this hatefest around. Their base is a bunch of knuckle-dragging xenophobes. They are forced to whip them into a rage to get them to the voting booth every cycle, and unfortunately, minorities are their scapegoat of choice. If you doubt that, just think back to the 2008 McCain/Palin presidential campaign. The GOP has painted itself into a corner. They will continue pandering to these wackos till the their party goes the way of the dinosaur. I, for one, couldn't be happier to see them go.

[DallasMike]

I wonder if Miguel Estrada shares your views of the Republicans after all it was GW Bush that nominated him for the Federal appeals court in 2003 and it was the Dems who repeatedly blocked his nomination by a Senate filibuster. But I did not see the Dems worrying about alienating Hispanics. If someone wants to be the best they can be and have the freedom to make as much money they want, and want a smaller Gov't and less taxes then I say welcome to the Republican party, but if getting the Hispanic vote means giving them a free ride and allowing those who are here illegally to have access to our entitlements then I say stay with the Dems since they are the experts at keeping minorities slaves to the Federal Gov't for generations and see what it has done for the black community in the inner cities.

[Wayne1ea]

The GOP has very successfully alienated minorities, especially Hispanics, from their party. They may still be able to take a seat or two from Conservadems, or win a Governors race, but I think it will be a long time, if ever, that they will be in the Majority again. A third party is probably going to do well, if not better than the GOP in 2012, if of course they can get someone to run on a third party ticket that a majority of voters can get behind.

The GOP has no talent in their ranks right now. If they put Sara Palin or Tim Pawlenty on the ticket, they are going to get seriously spanked in 2012. On the upside, it will make for great TV, the GOP are so entertaining to watch with all their antics and such.