Obama’s Checkmate moment.

When Martin Luther King Jr. was first imprisoned, many black Americans wondered who stood with him.  They had always supported the Republican Party in the past, the party of Lincoln.  The party that had fought for and granted their freedom.  But as the Civil Rights Movement grew to a crescendo, it became increasing obvious that Republican Richard Nixon cared nothing for their plight.    

If there was to be a seminal moment when black voters began, en masse, migrating to the Democrat party, it would be when blacks received word that presidential candidate John F. Kennedy had personally called Mrs. King to express his concern and support for the plight of Mr. King.  This was the electoral turning point.  Democrats won support of black voters and the demographic has been loyal ever since.    

This election could be the last chance Republicans will be given to make a play for Hispanic voters as a demographic. 

Last week, Obama through down the gauntlet in support of Hispanics.  While republicans refuse to discuss anything except self-deportation and opposition to the DREAM Act, Democrats have acted like they actually are vying for the votes of the country’s fastest growing and largest minority.  In dire straights against a weak candidate, Obama’s team woke up last week in a big way.

Obama is going all out, he is bending the law to get the support of the largest minority in America.  And it is working.  Obama’s team showed why they wiped the floor with McCain last time and how they are planning on doing it again.

Obama announced that he was instructing Department Heads, that illegal immigrants who entered the United States prior to age 16, but who remain younger than 30, and pose no security threat and finish their education will receive a window of time in which they will not be allowed to be deported.  During this time, they may legally apply for work permits.

Check. Mate.

It is no secret that the editor of this site believes the immigration issue is one in which republicans are getting it wrong on every level.

We are conservatives because we believe in low taxes, small government, responsible spending and the protection of human life, not because we want to deport illegals.  Actually, if we would grant these people amnesty, they would be our electoral partners in electing candidates who protect life and believe in marriage, low taxes and smaller government.  It is in our own interest to bring these voters on board and it doesn’t require the sacrifice of any conservative ideals in the process. 

Bringing Hispanics, legal or illegal into our tent would put us on the path to a permanent republican majority for twenty years nationally and fifty years in the South.  It would give us the majorities necessary to achieve our agenda.   

This was Obama’s Kennedy Moment.  With a minor act, Obama, for the first time, demonstrated something tangible to the Hispanic-American electorate.  He demonstrated that he stood with them.

This is a big, huge, monumental win for team Obama.  Romney was considering choosing Cuban-American Marco Rubio as his VP candidate in the hopes of picking up a majority of Hispanic voters.  But Romney can forget about that now.  Obama has check-mated us on Hispanics.  

If there was anyone left who didn’t think Arizona was in play, think again.  Texas is three POTUS elections from being in play. 

We, as republicans, are facing a political crisis, if we don’t stop opposing Amnesty.  So the people that are here illegally are given legal status.  What does it matter? 

Within fifteen years, Mexican-Americans are going to be the difference between winning and losing.  Bush won because he won Hispanics overwhelmingly.  Obama won with Hispanics overwhelmingly.  He is poised to do it again and 64% of legal Americans support him.  90% of Hispanics support this move.    

As for the elephants in the room, if we don’t want to become extinct, we need to get on board with full citizenship for all young Hispanics who are staying out of trouble and working hard.

Neither presidential candidate can win this election without winning over at least 35% of Hispanics in swing states.  This is our last chance to change course.