The problem for Matthew Jarzen’s worldview is that he hasn’t examined and understood what “conservative” actually means. There’s a fundamental difference between those who want progress (progressives) and those who want to conserve things the way they are (or were). Jarzen alternatively thinks that conservatives are losing the hearts and minds of racial minorities because they have old, white, crusty guys delivering the message or because they’ve given up on delivering any message at all.
But that’s not the problem. A key part of the Republican’s base is made up of white people who are concerned, anxious, or just plain angry about the demographic changes occurring in this country. You could call it the ‘browning of America,’ and Jarzen is well aware of it.
Consider this: By the year 2040, the population of the United States will be a majority of historically minority groups — black, Hispanic and Asian — that consistently vote for Democrats. So in another 30 years, will there even be a Republican Party?
That is why you see Rep. Steve King behaving like this:
QUESTION: I keep reading that Obama keeps bringing small quantities of Muslims into this country. Why can’t Congress stop that?
KING: You know, I don’t know what the basis is of that. I wouldn’t be surprised that that is the real factual basis. I know that the immigration that we have going on, there are a number of different ways that people come into the country. Family reunification is one of them. … I appreciate you making the point. I will try to watch it.
Many immigrants come to this country with socially conservative views about abortion, the family, premarital sex, homosexuality, and religion’s role in government. But they’re aren’t welcomed by conservatives because they aren’t white and, in many cases, they aren’t Christian. They might be attracted to an individual Republican who reflects their values, but not if they get the distinct impression that the Republican Party wants them deported and would have no problem seeing them treated as an enemy combatant and imprisoned for years on end without access to a trial.
It actually is a good question to ask whether the Republican Party will even exist in 2040. I think they probably will, but they will have given up on racism as an electoral strategy.
Right now, we’re in a transitional phase where the GOP can still hope to bang out good election results based in large part on racial anxiety. But it won’t work for long. In each successive election cycle, more states and districts will drift away from them. So, Jarzen’s right:
Republicans need to go to these groups and make it clear that what’s good for all Americans is good for black Americans. What’s good for all Americans is good for Hispanic and Asian Americans. What’s good for all Americans is good for gay Americans. What’s good for all Americans is good for young Americans.
Republicans can do this without compromising any of the principles of conservatism. We don’t need to pander like Democrats, as our message is one for all Americans.
Republicans have a message — we just need the messengers. The Republican Party must be open to these messengers from the very communities that they’re trying to reach out to. Without these groups and their messengers, there won’t be a Republican Party to speak of in years to come.
Eventually, the Republicans are going to have to do that. But they aren’t going to do it now because the current Republican Party hates blacks, Latinos, and Asians, and they really hate gays and Muslims. So, it ain’t happening anytime soon.
If you don’t think it’s the hate that’s killing the Republicans, ask yourself why Muslims overwhelmingly supported Obama despite agreeing much more with the Republicans on pretty much every social issue under the Sun.
