Way back when, during his first debate appearance, Gov. Rick Perry said something to the effect that you would have to be heartless to discriminate against a kid who was applying to enter the Texas university system just because their parents brought them into the country illegally. This created an instant “not-hating-Latinos-for-Jesus-enough” problem for Perry, and his poll numbers dropped like a stone. So far, aided by actual debate gaffes, his numbers have not recovered. So, how about a bold move that says fuck-you to the Latino community louder than anything else could?
Three weeks ago, the Justice Department released the results of its three-year investigation into Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s office, finding rampant lawbreaking and massive civil rights violations against Latinos. In addition, it was recently revealed that the Arizona sheriff failed to investigate over 400 sex crimes during his tenure, including multiple instances of child molestation, leading Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to say he was “outraged” by Arpaio’s negligence. Apparently untroubled by the allegations, Rick Perry today announced that Arpaio will serve as his presidential campaign’s Arizona state chairman.
Rick Perry’s campaign will have probably folded its tents before he ever gets to Arizona, so this is more of a signal to the voters of South Carolina and Florida. It’s becoming clear that most of the Republican candidates believe that they will benefit by saying and doing racially insensitive things. I don’t remember this really being the case in recent presidential elections. And even when I have noticed racial language being used inappropriately, it’s been surrogates doing the talking. Suffice to say that Rick Perry has obliterated one of the two things he’s done during this campaign that made me like him. The other was his defense of inoculating girls against HPV.
In the modern GOP, decency isn’t tolerated. If you accidentally show some decency, you have to go racing as fast as you can in the other direction to prove that you have no decency whatsoever.
What does that tell you?
In the modern GOP, decency isn’t tolerated. If you accidentally show some decency, you have to go racing as fast as you can in the other direction to prove that you have no decency whatsoever.
What does that tell you?
That contrary to the protestations of those within the GOP, and especially within the Tea Party wing, bigotry and racism still plays a significant role in Republican politics. But, of course, they don’t see it as bigotry and racism. It is carefully masked in the double talk and innuendo that the closet bigots have had to develop over the years in order to discuss their views in a manner that doesn’t get them called our for what they really are.
It just took the catalyst of a black man in the White House to make it acceptable to merge their attitudes into the mainstream.
It is sad to watch Rick Perry spiral into that world. I think he is probably a reasonably decent guy in many ways. But even that part of him has to be sacrificed to the demons of far-right purity.
FWIW, Arpaio was Romney’s honorary Arizona state chairman in ’07-’08.
I can’t help mentioning the inside-baseball theory that Perry was talked into staying in the race by the Romney camp in order to keep the evangelical vote split in SC. If that were the case, it would make sense that he make anti-Latino noises at this juncture. It gives the Santorum-leaners something to chew on as they head to the polls. Or perhaps more accurately, as they n***head to the polls. SC GOP voters certainly don’t have qualms about showing their racist asses, as the record tends to show. (I was going to say, in hindsight)
the renewed bigotry is an answer to a prayer.
Arpaio should be in jail, for any number of reasons. (Poetic justice would have him in a pink outfit on a chain gang, preferably in very hot weather.) The DoJ really should be prosecuting him. The fact that he’s a hero to so many on the right says oceans about how naked GOP racism has become under Obama. Perry’s just trying to catch a wave, any wave.
Perry just made Arpaio his campaign head for Az.
Arpaio is a Birther as well.
It tells me our country would be much better off if instead of restricting immigration we actively pursued policies of deporting Tea Party activists and replacing them with hard working Mexican immigrants who have wanted to become Americans so badly they were willing to break a few laws to do it — real patriots in other words. Or something like that.
The way I understand this — you don’t have to be any smarter than Rick Perry to know that Latino voters (overwhelmingly of Mexican origin or descent) are an major force in Texas elections, less so in Arizona. In Texas (2009 figures) 20%, in Arizona 13%. At present they (by themselves) cannot swing a national election in any state, but they can swing a state election. But younger whites are also trending Democratic, so even on the national level they are of some importance.
However, because the median Hispanic population of Texas is much younger than the white population, it is estimated that in 10 years, Hispanics will be 30% of the vote.
http://andrewgelman.com/2009/05/where_does_the/
In other words, TX is trending Democratic by inexorable demographics. And Perry is the governor of Texas, so he is well aware of this. The same thing is happening in AZ, but they are farther behind than TX and Perry is not the governor of Arizona.
“It’s becoming clear that most of the Republican candidates believe that they will benefit by saying and doing racially insensitive things. I don’t remember this really being the case in recent presidential elections.
What does that tell you?”
It tells me that the default attitude of black folks, toward white liberals is “meh whatever. Better than teabaggers, but not by a whole lot.”, is the CORRECT attitude for them (and any other rational people) to have.
it’s hilarious to see Perry flame out