Sarah Palin Set to Speak at the National White People Party Convention

Sarah Palin makes headlines again by rejecting an offer to speak at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, and instead has agreed to terms to speak at the first ever National White People Party Convention, otherwise known as the National Tea Party Convention. Political pundits are calling the move a shot across the bow of the Republican leadership in Washington, DC., and a sign that Palin is attempting to establish her political base with the ultra-conservative (ultra-white) wing of the party.

This should come as no surprise, but I do not follow the logic behind Palin's strategy. In the near term, by locking down votes of the far Right she will effectively destroy any chance of a Republican beating President Obama in 2012. It's a Ross Perot-maneuver all over again. Obama can only hope that Palin runs for office.

But more problematic is the long term failure of the move. In 2008, President Obama won by appealing to moderates across a wide range of races and ethnicities. His voters reflected the rich diversity of the American landscape, count me as one of them. After Obama's win and the gains by many Democrats in the House and Senate, the Republican Party went into self-reflection mode to figure out how it must adapt its message to reach out to people not white. As the Bush-era recession worsened in early 2009, far Right radicals were able to incite a following consisting of... a lot of white people. What does the Tea Party represent? I can respect the political positions of reasonable taxation and limited government, but as far as I can tell from every picture and video I have seen of Tea Party protests, these political messages are completely lost in a sea of whiteness. The Republican Party was already suffering from white people flu, but the Tea Party takes it to a whole other level. Until the Tea Party, and for that matter, the Republican Party, can prove that its message connects with a diverse range of races and ethnicities, it will continue to be marginalized in the public square and at the polls.

This is the trend of the American population...

Blacks, Latinos and other non-white races currently make up over one-third of the U.S. population, which overwhelmingly vote Democrat. Moreover, 45% of children under the age of 5 belong to 'minority' groups. This means that 'minority' groups will continue to outpace the growth rate of their white counterparts. This also means, that until the Conservative message adapts, it will find it increasingly difficult to win the Presidency and regain a majority of Congress.

My guess is that after a series of continued defeats and many lessons learned, including Palin's latest gaffe, the Republican leadership will finally find a voice that can connect with the rich diversity that is and always will be America.

“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” - Maya Angelou

Peace

JMac