The Kitchen Table..

[fairsheet]

I've been making my case for awhile now, that Obamacare is a "kitchen table" issue. In other words, "the people" will be less moved by what the Fox/GOP is shouting at them and more cognizant of their own personal healthcare realities.

In his column of this morning, Michael Gerson* hints at another example of a "kitchen table" issue.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/02/07/3033116/coke-ad-reaction-reflects-difficulties.html

He makes the essential point that people figure out for THEMSELVES whether or not they're being welcomed. I'll add to that and suggest that all this Fox/GOPian crap about how the Democrats are the REAL racists and whatever blah-blah-blah pronouncements the Fox/GOP might make, are ONLY useful to their dupistry.

*Please, save the Gerson-hate for a thread of your own.

 

[as seen on tv]

the irony is on you, fairsheet.

the GOP actually ran a series of TV ads a couple of years ago, featuring a husband and wife at a kitchen table, debating obamacare, and the voiceover was something to the effect that this was a "family issue" and not to be left to politicians to force a one size fits all solution on the population at large.

please tell me that you didn't completely miss that entire debate?

it hardly matters - congress voted at midnight on a sunday to pass a 2,000 page bill they never read - and have been trying to distance themselves from the agony ever since.

 

[fairsheet]

the irony is on you, fairsheet.

the GOP actually ran a series of TV ads a couple of years ago, featuring a husband and wife at a kitchen table, debating obamacare, and the voiceover was something to the effect that this was a "family issue" and not to be left to politicians to force a one size fits all solution on the population at large.

please tell me that you didn't completely miss that entire debate?

it hardly matters - congress voted at midnight on a sunday to pass a 2,000 page bill they never read - and have been trying to distance themselves from the agony ever since.

Something tells me you haven't a clue as to the meaning of the word "irony". But don't feel bad, it's a tough one for most all of us lacking in English degrees.

 

[NightSwimmer]

It's tough, being a Republican these days...

 

[Cerulean Mutt]

I've been making my case for awhile now, that Obamacare is a "kitchen table" issue. In other words, "the people" will be less moved by what the Fox/GOP is shouting at them and more cognizant of their own personal healthcare realities.

In his column of this morning, Michael Gerson* hints at another example of a "kitchen table" issue.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2014/02/07/3033116/coke-ad-reaction-reflects-difficulties.html

He makes the essential point that people figure out for THEMSELVES whether or not they're being welcomed. I'll add to that and suggest that all this Fox/GOPian crap about how the Democrats are the REAL racists and whatever blah-blah-blah pronouncements the Fox/GOP might make, are ONLY useful to their dupistry.

*Please, save the Gerson-hate for a thread of your own.

Which is why I doubt any immigration reform that is able to get through the nativists in the House of Representatives will be viewed favorably by the Hispanic community. I just don't see them suddenly changing their minds about who they support politically based on a single half hearted attempt to gain their favor, especially with all the rhetoric being spewed by reform opponents.

 

[Corruptbuddha]

Which is why I doubt any immigration reform that is able to get through the nativists in the House of Representatives will be viewed favorably by the Hispanic community. I just don't see them suddenly changing their minds about who they support politically based on a single half hearted attempt to gain their favor, especially with all the rhetoric being spewed by reform opponents.

Exactly.

Does no one in the GOP remember the incredible clusterfuck that was Reagan's Amnesty?

And a GOP hopeful hasn't garnered more than 40% of the Hispanic vote SINCE.

 

[bdtex]

the irony is on you, fairsheet.

the GOP actually ran a series of TV ads a couple of years ago, featuring a husband and wife at a kitchen table, debating obamacare, and the voiceover was something to the effect that this was a "family issue" and not to be left to politicians to force a one size fits all solution on the population at large.

please tell me that you didn't completely miss that entire debate?

it hardly matters - congress voted at midnight on a sunday to pass a 2,000 page bill they never read - and have been trying to distance themselves from the agony ever since.

"please tell me that you didn't completely miss that entire debate?"

On 11/6/2012,the electorate decided who won that debate.

 

[bdtex]

Exactly.

Does no one in the GOP remember the incredible clusterfuck that was Reagan's Amnesty?

And a GOP hopeful hasn't garnered more than 40% of the Hispanic vote SINCE.

The one that did garner 40% of the Hispanic vote was the only Republican to get more than 50% of the popular vote since 1988.

 

[NightSwimmer]

The one that did garner 40% of the Hispanic vote was the only Republican to get more than 50% of the popular vote since 1988.

And he didn't even do that well in 2000.

 

[NightSwimmer]

Exactly.

Does no one in the GOP remember the incredible clusterfuck that was Reagan's Amnesty?

And a GOP hopeful hasn't garnered more than 40% of the Hispanic vote SINCE.

I agree that simply passing an IR bill won't suddenly swing the Hispanic vote to the Republicans. Still, their refusal to pass IR certainly won't improve their standing among Hispanics. How does the GOP plan to win elections in the future if they can't gain a foothold with the single fastest growing demographic among our population?

 

[fairsheet]

Which is why I doubt any immigration reform that is able to get through the nativists in the House of Representatives will be viewed favorably by the Hispanic community. I just don't see them suddenly changing their minds about who they support politically based on a single half hearted attempt to gain their favor, especially with all the rhetoric being spewed by reform opponents.

In order for this issue to be a positive for the GOP, the GOP would've needed to politic immigration reform that sounded MORE positive to the Hispanic bloc than what the Democrats were politicking.

Instead...the GOP is percieved as the "wet blanket". IF significant immigration reform is passed, it'll have to be with some GOPian votes. But, the GOP will still be perceived as the bad guys and the Democrats, the good ones.

 

[NightSwimmer]

"Stand your ground" may be good advice in many circumstances.

Not so much, when you find yourself standing on an island that is sinking.

 

[fairsheet]

I agree that simply passing an IR bill won't suddenly swing the Hispanic vote to the Republicans. Still, their refusal to pass IR certainly won't improve their standing among Hispanics. How does the GOP plan to win elections in the future if they can't gain a foothold with the single fastest growing demographic among our population?

35-years ago - as odious as it was - "The Southern Strategy" actually made arithmetic sense for the Republicans. ANY attempt they might made in terms of reaching out to African-Americans would've cost them considerably more white votes than they would've gained from those African-Americans. And, since the percentage of the American whole made up of African-Americans has and is expected to remain constant, they didn't have to worry about the future.

Now though, it appears that they're trying the same "strategery" as re the Hispanic vote - appeal to the cracker vote at the expense of the Hispanic vote. Alas...the math ain't the same as it once was and it's only going to get worse for them.

 

[NightSwimmer]

I don't really see a way out for the Republicans. The core leadership and funders of the party are only interested in "business friendly" (AKA anti-labor/working class) economic policies.

They could rake in the blue collar racists with their Bible thumping and empty promises of overturning racial integration without having to worry about them figuring out that they were voting against their own best economic self-interests.

I don't see an emotional wedge issue that they can throw at the Hispanic population. They were hoping that the old standby issues such as abortion and gay marriage would work to woo the Hispanics because they tend to be religious and, more specifically, Catholic. And yet, they've pretty much lost on those issues beyond any hope, even among the Catholics of European descent.

If they were to actually change their policy platform to lure centrists, then they'd basically just become another Democratic Party.