Monday, August 27, 2007

Immigration Oliver Willis: "If it's one thing I've learned about the right in the last sixteen years of watching politics it is this: they must be outraged about something. Conservatism thrives on outrage, mad howling upset people enraged at some injustice or indignity. Contrary to the propaganda pushing people like Ronald Reagan as "sunny optimists", Republicans must use blind, seething outrage to get the conservative base out to the polls. More from Mr. Willis: At the formation of the modern conservative movement in the mid-1960s, it was sufficient to whip up a frenzy against blacks. Those voters who saw the decay of society in equal rights for blacks found a home in the Republican party as a barrier between their white middle-class America and the supposed hordes of poor inner-city blacks - especially the men who were coming for their daughters. As time marched on, the Republicans regularly used this issue to outrage their base, from Nixon talking about law and order to Reagan's welfare moms and of course George H. W. Bush and Willie Horton. In that time conservatives have also used to varying degrees the spectre of a nation under assault by gays, Jews, and blacks to spook their base into voting Republican. To many of their voters Republican leadership preserves leadership that looks like them and their families. But things have changed. It's not okay anymore in America for that sort of blatant prejudice to be a part of acceptable discourse. The Republican strategy of bashing blacks, gays, and Jews has had to move underground and while still a part of the conservative movement, it is used sparingly so as not to attract attention. It isn't dead, but close to it. So what to do? Who is left to demonize? Soon after the 2004 election the decision was made to transform "immigration" as a major campaign issue. Clearly many conservative Republican leaders realized that the close concentration of gay marriage referendums that helped get the vote out in 2004 would not happen again, and even so Americans are increasingly libertarian on the issue of same sex unions. The "Christian" far right somewhat realizes that there's no way to get an amendment banning gay marriage through the government. So immigration is probably the last gasp of the conservative Republican strategy to divide America by race and get white voters out for Republicans. Category: 2008 Presidential Election 6:57:39 AM

© Copyright 2007 John Orr. Last update: 9/2/07; 9:11:35 AM.