Sunday, May 09, 2010
Supporting Arizona law helps Republicans “distinguish” themselves
by Larry Geller
According to Why Southern Republicans Are "Raising Arizona" (fivethirtyeight.com, 5/9/2010), there are several reasons, including:
I’d suggest there are four inter-related factors: (1) newly visible and culturally threatening Hispanic populations, that (2) aren’t large or engaged enough to represent a significant voting presence; (3) red-hot Republican primaries; and (4) the difficulty of finding ways for Republican candidates to distinguish themselves in an atmosphere of monolithic conservatism on most issues.
Trouble is, I submit that in “distinguishing themselves” by promoting bigotry, Republicans are fomenting tea-party like divisions in their party that they can’t control, since they are based on ignorance fed by misinformation (and, of course, Fox News). Any loud noise seems to please them. But the noisemakers are ungovernable, and even if they push some Republicans into office, they won’t be satisfied by anything those politicians can actually do.
The fires being fanned could burn everyone.
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