Latinos, CPAC, and the GOP

By Dr. Henry Flores, NewsTaco

Last week a great drama played itself out in Washington, D.C.  Congress is luchando con el Presidente over funding for the Department of Homeland Security which is a cover for the fifty right-wing Republican congresspersons who are using this tactic to attack President Obama’s immigration initiative.  At the same time CPAC (The Conservative Political Action Conference) was meeting literally down the street from Congress.  Part of the conference, besides creating a public relations venue for their extremism, has those Republican presidential aspirants doing a “runway” walk.  You have all of those who wish to be crowned king parading across the CPAC stage propounding a position on various issues.  Some positions sound rational; some sound irrational; and some just down right crazy.  All of the positions, however, reveal something about the psychosis the extreme-right suffers from.  Most, importantly, it reveals the devious role Republicans have for Latinos in the 2016 elections.

Some of the “Crazy” Stuff 

I’m not going to discuss the congressional drama because that has been beaten to death by most journalists.  It suffices to say that the Republican caucus in the House of Representatives is in chaos due to the machinations of the “GOP50,” the fifty extremist Republican congresspersons that appear to be “pulling the speakers chain” and not letting him run the chamber in a manner where any work can get done.  Frankly, Speaker Boehner appears to not have the cojones to face down the GOP50 because he needs their votes on other issues down the road in order to have any leverage with the White House.

No, the crazy stuff I want to focus on is the peculiar “beauty pageant” that played itself out at the CPAC meetings.  The craziest performances, so far, have been acted out by Governors Rick “Good Hair” Perry and Scott “Braveheart” Walker (you remember Braveheart played by that great Australian actor).  Governor Braveheart compared ISIS to unions stating that if he could handle the Wisconsin public employee unions he could certainly handle ISIS.  Comparing apples to oranges is not normally a good way of trying to make a point but underlying his statement is something darker.  He was placing labor unions, working people, into the same category as ISIS which is quickly becoming the most hated international villain.  Governor Braveheart wants to go to war against working folks!?  What do you think he will do when immigrants start asking for protection or, valgame dios, their legal rights?  Will he categorize immigrants with unions and ISIS?  Is this the kind of person we want for president, someone who automatically defines those he disagrees with as evil and worthy of being made war on?

How about Governor Good Hair?  Gosh, we are going to miss him down here in Texas.  He has done so much for this state, ruined the environment, destroyed public education, and enriched his friends and cronies.  Governor Good Hair has made Texas into a model for the entire nation.  At least, that is what the Koch Brothers think (there I go again).  Anyway, Governor Good Hair’s performance at CPAC was, well, completely irrational.  He pointed and gesticulated, screamed and hollered, grimaced and frowned.  I wasn’t sure what he was trying to say but his performance looked like a screen test for a movie about very disturbed humans.  I’m not sure we want this type of person in the White House either.  You have to stop and wonder about someone who keeps running for president and has nothing to offer.

What does this have to do with Latinos? 

The relationship between the craziness of the GOP and Latinos is simple.  The GOP is making overtures to Latino voters yet they fail to change their position on issues held dearly by the Latino community because they don’t really want to incorporate Latinos as part of their constituency.  Certainly there is a lack of compatibility between Latinos generally and Tea Partiers.  Latinos have to remain aware of what is going on in venues such as CPAC because that is where the heart of the GOP belief structure is openly displayed.  Any attempts to appeal to Latino voters are not signals that the GOP is changing rather that the GOP only needs a certain percentage of Latino votes in order to capture the White House.  The GOP is still counting on only white voters for victory; they need only to increase their foothold among Latino voters.  Then there will be crazies in charge of the entire government.  Then we will all be sorry.

Henry Flores, PhD, is the Distinguished University Research Professor, Institute of Public Administration and Public Service; Director, Masters in Public Administration (MPA); Professor of International Relations and Political Science at St. Mary’s University.