Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus recently released a report produced by a hand-picked group that was supposed to analyze the recent presidential defeat and come up with ways to reach out to demographic groups the GOP has not had much success reaching in the past.
This was the initial prod that started the Great GOP Immigration Stampede that I’ve written about
here,
here, and
here.
Other parts of the report that came in for criticism essentially urged the party to run candidates on a platform of "Democrat Lite," as if voters would be more likely to choose the imitation party that was just faking it during the election, rather than the real thing that’s all giveaways, all the time.
But there was another part of the recommendations that did not receive as much coverage and really shows how adrift some of the national Republican leadership is. Priebus announced that in the future the GOP “will talk regularly and openly with groups with which we’ve had minimal contact in the past: LULAC, the Urban League, the NAACP, NALEO, La Raza.”
The reason Republicans have had minimal contact with these groups in the past is because the organizations are essentially owned lock, stock, and barrel by the Democrats. It makes sense for Christians to enter citadels of unbelief and attempt to spread the word for two reasons: It’s part of the Great Commission and they are working on a longer time horizon.
Instead of beating the party’s collective head against the wall at a LULAC convention, why not ask the GOP’s two Hispanic governors — Susana Martinez of New Mexico and Brian Sandoval of Nevada — how they won and then showcase them for the entire country?
By the same token, it doesn’t make sense for a bunch of white political operatives to do missionary work and attempt to sell watered-down Republicanism to the Urban League or the NAACP.
Instead, the national GOP would have a better chance of winning converts if the party showcased minority leaders that have become Republicans on their own and because they believe in what the party has stood for from the beginning.
People like Louisiana State Senator Elbert Guillory. Sen. Guillory has an eloquent YouTube video you can find
here.
His reasons for leaving the Democrat party and becoming a Republican aren’t focus-group tested or poll tested. His reasons are from the heart and the reasoning will bring tears to your eyes. Guillory talks about independence and freedom and individual liberty in a way that few other elected leaders black or white can begin to approach.
Watch his video and you’ll no doubt have the same response I did: Why was a man like this ever a Democrat?