If I had a dollar for every pendejo I've spotted in the Republican Party, I'd have enough money to bail out the economically troubled Asian countries, buy a new football team and donate to our educational system so that state governments could build more schools.
For a party that wants to stay in control of both Houses and most state governorships, it has constantly failed at understanding the changing demographics of the country and could have possibly written its own death certificate when these changes set in.
A number of political pundits have warned Republicans that they are writing their own death certificates because they constantly exploit white fear and white backlash and are constantly endorsing legislation that effects many communities of color - some that stand to be the majority in the near future.
This is evident by their support for welfare reform, immigration restrictions, anti-Affirmative Action initiatives and school vouchers, which are the latest attempts at resegregating our schools.
But now Republicans want to make an about-face with one community of color. They are responding to Republican consultant Stuart Spencer, who told party members that the party risked "political suicide and ... permanent minority status in California" if it did not attempt to "mend fences" with Latino voters.
Spencer announced on Friday that it will begin to air radio broadcasts of Spanish responses to Clinton's weekly radio address.
Such a move was taken because Republicans seem to have finally seen the importance of several census reports that have predicted that Latinos will soon become the majority ethnic group in the United States, and possibly two-thirds of the population in California by 2050.
To some political scientists, this move by Republicans to reach out to Latino voters may seem like a smart move. After all, Latinos are capable of giving out political patronage when caressed the right way (something George W. Bush has found out). Yet, any belief that Latinos will begin voting Republican in high numbers is a farcical notion, especially the way Republicans have been acting in California.
For one, racist messages, though they be in Spanish, are still racist messages. Latinos are not as naïve as Republicans might think and will only laugh at "English Only" commercials in Spanish.
Political commercials attacking immigrants as a threat to the nation's sovereignty would be comical items when running on Spanish-language radio stations whose listeners are predominately immigrants. Plus, Republicans are unlikely to run Spanish commercials promising to fight for equal pay for farm workers, protection for union members or to secure immigration polices that aid families of "guest workers."
These are issues Latinos care about. In addition, the rugged individualism that Republicans preach will now seem clearer to Latinos whose cultural ties to family and community stand in contrast to hard-core selfish ideologies. Republicans are likely to continue their cultural imperialist ways though it be in another language. The party of Lincoln is not one to compromise; it is one that seeks to dominate.
If Republicans truly want to reform their image with Latino voters, or any other group of minority voters for that matter, they should change their messages, not their messengers. The conservatism they seem to be interested in gives little room for dissent (i.e., the battle over abortion), and Latinos will always remember this. A people cannot forget feelings of such negativity so easily, which is what many felt during the debates in California over Proposition 187, 209, and now 219 (the anti-bilingual education initiative up for vote this November).
An apology about the party's past history toward immigrant groups would do more than some Spanish commercial blasting Clinton for his sex life, but that is unlikely to occur. Instead, what is likely to occur are weekly Spanish responses to Clinton's radio addresses, but most Latinos will be unable to understand either one. Both messages are still in foreign languages.
Contreras is a graduate
history student.