Shooting Yourselves En El Pie

The post-2012 election GOP "Latino outreach" continues to be one of the most miserable political relations failures in history, and the latest component of this house of cards is the fact that a big chunk of the Latino electorate sees Obamacare as something that directly benefits the Latino community, something that the GOP wants to take away.

Latinos, who have the lowest rates of health coverage in the country, are among the strongest backers of President Obama's healthcare law. In a recent national poll, supporters outnumbered detractors by more than 2 to 1. Latinos also overwhelmingly see guaranteeing healthcare as a core government responsibility, surveys show.

Yet congressional Republicans continue to make repeal of the 2010 Affordable Care Act a top agenda item and have renewed calls for deep cuts in health programs such as Medicaid, which are very popular with Latinos.

"Obamacare is a colossal mistake for our country," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said recently in a speech on the Senate floor. "It needs to be pulled out by its roots."

Republican National Committee spokeswoman Alexandra Franceschi expressed confidence that Latinos would ultimately recognize that the law raises costs and burdens businesses. "We're going to do a better job explaining why this law is negatively affecting all Americans, including the Hispanic community," she said.

And I'm sure it will be successful.  Note the red states with the largest Latino populations are now quickly trying to embrace Obamacare's Medicaid expansion, states like Texas and Florida.   Latino voters don't think Obamacare is a "colossal mistake".

But they think Republicans are.

Good luck with that, GOP.  Meanwhile, keep on confusing Hugo Chavez with Cesar Chavez and using vulgar racist terms while vowing to block immigration reform yet again. (and that's just the last couple of days.)  Also, vow to repeal a law that two thirds of Latino voters approve of in Obamacare, and go ahead and block gun control legislation that 84% of Latinos support.

Then ask yourselves why Latinos vote Democratic.  I can't imagine why.