In today's New York Times (which you can read from this link, thanks to the demise of Times Select), Paul Krugman argues that the Republican Party has, by linking itself with the people formerly known as the segregationists, sown the seeds for its own demise.
The "big tent" that the Republicans used to talk about is now a pup-tent.
Blacks, Latinos and Asians are getting this message from the GOP: "Fuck off." Republicans have done everything they can think of to keep minorities away from the polls, other than the re-institution of literacy tests and poll taxes.
People remember, though, which may be one reason why Ken Blackwell, who was the Ohio Secretary of State who stole that state for George Bush in 2004, got shellacked when he ran for governor two years later.
Some Republicans get it. They know the risk their party is running. Arnold Schwartzenegger has spoken out on this. But the GOP presidential candidates are going to play to their base of rebel-flag-waving racists, for they think that is what they have to do to win the nomination. And they may be right.
The problem is that the days of "say X during the primary season and Y during the general campaign" are long past. Words don't go away anymore. You can't appeal to the racist vote in 2007 and expect that folks won't remember after the convention.
If the Republicans want to become the party of the segregationists, the loss is to our country.
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