How the Republican Party could go extinct

[DonViejo]

The party has a golden chance to make inroads with Latinos and gays with one immigration move. And it's blowing it

BY KERRY ELEVELD

From a pure political perspective, supporting inclusion of same-sex couples in the immigration reform bill should be a slam dunk for both Democrats and Republicans. Scuttling the package over this provision would alienate the growing Latino constituency by blocking a pathway to citizenship — and denying rights to LGBT Americans would be ignoring the direction of the country on civil rights.

And yet, according to a flurry of news stories from the past couple of weeks, the dye is apparently cast on the matter: Allowing some 30,000 same-sex couples the same access to green cards that opposite-sex couples enjoy will halt the bill for 11 million immigrants. Even before the provision has been debated or a vote count begun, Republicans are holding firm to a position that’s literally killing their party. Meanwhile, Democrats run scared, to the detriment of the overall bill.

In plain English: The Republicans need this bill because their party doesn’t have a future if they can’t appeal to Latino voters. On the flip side, Democrats shouldn’t be sacrificing any progressive priorities before the horse-trading even begins because the more they start with, the more they will be able to keep in the end.

Now it may not seem like news that the GOP’s most reliable antigay senator, Lindsey Graham, is threatening to kill the 844-page bill he helped craft over the issue, but it is mind boggling that his three Republican counterparts in the gang of eight (Sens. Flake, McCain, and Rubio) have doubled down on the position that the LGBT provision will sink the bill. Think of it this way, the GOP – the party that has lost the popular vote in five out of the last six presidential elections – has the chance at this very moment to begin transitioning from the party of yesteryear to the party of tomorrow. From the party of declining margins to the party of expansion. And instead of opting for life, they are angling for extinction by threatening to walk away from the bill.

full article
http://www.salon.com/2013/05/12/republicans_flirting_with_extinction_on_immigration/

[Left Coast2020]

1. Why can't someone set it up to where they are the.....

...party of non-existant? I want to see them implode!! Starting with Boner and Bland-Paul.

Just thinking out loud here.