Republicans Remain Dumb

After George Allen's infamous "macaca" slur during the Virginia senate race against Jim Webb cost him the election, and Trent Lott lost his Senate leadership post after doing the equivalent of a secret racist handshake while honoring Strom Thurmond, himself a career segregationist, Republicans should have learned to dummy up and keep their African-American bias to themselves.

There were many racist examples during the 2008 presidential campaign at the local, county, and state campaign levels, from untoward posters, bumper stickers, jingles, and other demonstrations of 19th century attitude that partially explains the moral and cultural bankruptcy behind several years of election losses in the House and Senate, and now the White House will contain not just a Democrat, but one of them, just like old Strom and Jesse Helms feared.

So it comes as no surprise that one of the posers in the running for chairman of the RNC has gone and trotted out the dark side of the GOP again. Tennessee Republic Chip Saltsman sent a CD to committee members that included the parody song "Barack the Magic Negro", racist lyrics set to the tune "Puff the Magic Dragon".

The parody originally appeared on Rush Limbaugh's radio show in 2007, which should have been everyone's first clue that it would ruffle some feathers. Saltsman claims the song is obviously satire and meant as a joke, another in an endless litany of Republican "lighten up, Francis" excuses brought out whenever someone in their party shits the bed in public.

There were other equally offensively-titled tunes on the disc, including  "John Edwards' Poverty Tour," " "Ivory and Ebony" and "The Star Spanglish Banner," an obvious reference to the GOP's position on immigration reform that's been so well supported and revered that Hispanic-Americans voted for Barack Obama by overwhelming margins. 

As Obama counts down the days until he sits in the Oval Office, having put together an impressive leadership team in record time, there are still some who believe more in broadcasting worn stereotypes than they do fixing the massive problems their party created. To borrow one of the key phrases from the Bush 43 administration, why do they hate America?

If the GOP wants to continue bringing a spork to a gunfight, I'm ok with that. If they want to drive an obstructionist agenda when clearly the people have called for quick and effective action, that's fine. They will continue to seal their fate for a generation.

The rest of us are moving on to more important things, like humanity, compassion, competence, and results. 

The bus is leaving, ladies and gentleman. You're either on it, or you're not.