Terms like “take your medicine” and “eat your vegetables” refer to doing something good or necessary for your health even though it is unpleasant. Greg Sargent discovered that, at best, this is how Republican strategists feel about passing some kind of immigration reform. Sargent talked to some strategists in order to run a theory by them. His theory was that the GOP would be better off passing immigration reform this year than next year because, if they wait until next year, the debate within the party about “amnesty” would spill into their primary battles, pull the contenders to the right on the issue, and do severe damage to their chances with the Latino community. Much better, the theory goes, to get that debate done and over with before the presidential race begins in earnest. Sargent’s theory received significant endorsement:
“You could see a scenario where some of the candidates want to do something solutions-oriented on immigration, but then one candidate somehow wins Iowa on a “no amnesty’ pledge,” Patrick Hynes, a New Hampshire-based political strategist who was an adviser on both the McCain and Romney campaigns, tells me. “Then the other canddiates would have to morphe their positions to the right, thereby buttonholing themselves when the inevitable debate comes up again in the next primary states.”
“As we saw in 2012, just by virtue of having this debate, we alienate the fastest growing portion of the electorate,” Hynes continued. “That could result in us starting the next general election on our heels.”
This question concerns the timing of when to act, not whether to act at all. Many Republicans say the party needs to do something on reform, to repair relations with Latinos – just not this year. But as Matt Lewis observes about the need for GOP action now: “There really is no good time to eat your vegetables.”
I don’t think these strategists are thinking clearly. As long as the GOP treats the interests of the Latino community as some “bitter pill” or vile vegetable, they aren’t going to have much appeal to that community. It shouldn’t be so unpleasant to do what’s right. Doing what’s right shouldn’t leave a bad taste in your mouth.
