What's hurting the GOP more? Immigration or Limbaugh?

Rush Limbaugh and others of his kind in the media may be about the worst enemies Republicans have these days apart from themselves.

... Comments from Boehner and other Republicans suggesting movement on immigration reform reflect broad fears within the party that it is cutting itself off from the fast-growing constituency.

Warning signs for Republicans in terms of its future with Hispanic voters could be found not only in the election’s results but in exit polls that found Romney tied Obama even among Cuban Americans in Florida, who have traditionally been a strong GOP constituency.

But comments from rank-and-file Republicans and Rush Limbaugh — the only conservative talker with more listeners than Hannity —reflected the continued deep divisions in the GOP over how to handle immigration...

... Limbaugh played “Feliz Navidad” on his show Friday and argued Hispanics are moving to Democrats not because of immigration but because of the party’s positions on taxes and welfare. Allowing those in the United States illegally to stay wouldn’t help the party, he argued.

“You can't beat Santa Claus with amnesty,” tweeted Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), referencing Limbaugh’s description of Obama as Santa Claus and Democrats as the “party of free stuff.”

The fight within the party is likely to play out further next week when lawmakers return to Washington for the lame-duck session....The Hill

In general, I think it's worth keeping an eye on the most extreme Republicans -- in government and in the media.  That's where the action is going to be as the GOP goes through a major internal battle which, if the country is in luck, will be long and painful and sufficiently disabling to keep them out of power until we rescue our economy, the Supreme Court, and the House from their depredations.

Comments

[John Donne]

Amen.