The big accusation against blacks was that they supported Obama because he too was black. While this may be somewhat true, for some people, it ignores the rubric of black voting, where they support first, and always, the Democrats, followed by those people they feel are most open to "their" issues. Hence, you might be black, and Republican, but will not get a bit of support if you are merely black, but not with them on certain issues.
One hopes that we never get to the point where identity is the great motivator of voting behavior or legislative action. One would hope that whites will continue to vote for blacks, that blacks will vote for Asians, and Hispanics for blacks, and so on in the virtuous circle.
The chief problem for Republicans in the last election was a lack of solutions that addressed the real problems of the nation or the needs of individuals. They still are not hopping on the idea bandwagon. When things are bad, or headed downward, the guy you don't want in charge is the one who is still professing the merits of sailing into the iceburg, or glorying in how the last captain held great shipboard parties. Dismissing the black candidate as an empty suit, while simultaneously lacking any ideas is not the quick path to support.
Which makes events in the New York State legislature quite interesting. In an identity inspired Puerto Rican show of strength and power, and with the support of Republicans who normally are not supposed to be in favor of these things, two Hispanic legislators,Pedro Espada Jr. and Hiram Monserrate "joined Republicans on the Senate floor Monday to kick off their surprise takover of the chamber." (N.Y. Times)
"...almost every other Democratic senator in the room walked out in anger, shock or disgustBut as Mr. Espada stood to be sworn in as the new president of the Senate, several other Latino lawmakers, all members of the Assembly, filed into the room and stood behind him, beaming like proud parents."(N.Y. Times)
Putting ethnicity above principle is always the long road to disaster, and on can see this particular action as just the beginning of many such possibilities, especially as it relates to our open borders.
Having marginalized their Latino partners for so long, the call of power became too great for some, no matter the method to that power. Because blacks see themselves as the longer suffering and more authentic population, lacking alternative homes (like Puerto Rico or the Dominican Republic), but with the history inside the country, it bothers them that they should in fact take second place to Hispanics, which amounts to taking third, fourth or last place when all ethnicities are factored into the power totem pole.
Our current immigration policies will likely increase this trend.
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