Why is Sarah Palin saying she might leave the GOP?
Sarah Palin is no fan of immigration reform 鈥� at least, not since supporting it as a member of John McCain's presidential ticket in 2008. But the chances of her actually quitting the party over it? Remote.
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (r. in red) signs a poster held by her husband, Todd Palin (l.), on behalf of a supporter during the Faith and Freedom Coalition Road to Majority 2013 conference in Washington last month. Ms. Palin, the conference's final speaker, rejected calls for an immigration overhaul that includes a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally.
Carolyn Kaster/AP/File
WASHINGTON
Is Sarah Palin thinking about bolting the GOP to help found a new conservative US political party? That鈥檚 sure what it sounded like on Saturday when the subject arose in the course of a Fox News interview. Via Twitter, a viewer asked her if she鈥檇 consider creating a 鈥淔reedom Party鈥� with right-leaning radio host Mark Levin. Her reply was that, yes indeed, maybe it鈥檚 time for a revolt.
If Republican leaders continue to 鈥渂ack away from the planks in our platform鈥� and the principles on which the party of Lincoln and Reagan was founded, then rank-and-file Republicans with a 鈥渓ibertarian streak鈥� might strike out on their own, Ms. Palin said.
鈥淚 love the name of that party, the 鈥楩reedom Party,鈥� 鈥� said the ex-Alaska governor.
Palin has long had problems with mainstream D.C. Republicans 鈥� her complaints about 鈥渃rony capitalism鈥� seem directed at both parties 鈥� but the particular item that鈥檚 now got her going is the immigration reform bill, and the support of some Republicans, such as Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, for same.
, Palin lamented Senate passage of the immigration 鈥渁mnesty鈥� measure and worried that the House might follow suit. She called it a 鈥渟ad betrayal of working class Americans of every ethnicity who will see their wages lowered."
Republicans are rushing to appear more Hispanic-friendly, but it wasn鈥檛 lack of Hispanic supporters that kept Mitt Romney out of the White House, wrote Palin.
鈥淚t was the loss of working class voters in swing states that cost us the 2012 election, not the Hispanic vote,鈥� she posted.
If the immigration reform bill becomes law, then both parties will have shown they are out-of-touch, arrogant, and dysfunctional, according to the former VP candidate. And if that鈥檚 the case, maybe it鈥檚 time to found a new party, she implied.
鈥淔olks like me are barely hanging on to our enlistment papers in any political party,鈥� Palin wrote.
Well, we鈥檝e got a couple of thoughts here, unsurprisingly. The first is that, in this instance, it is way too easy to resort to a cheap 鈥淕oing rogue?鈥� segue or subhead. We won鈥檛 do it and anybody who does should be ashamed of themselves. Nor will we suggest as a new party name. That鈥檚 already taken.
The second is that we doubt Palin will actually leave the GOP. She鈥檚 clearly more of a speechifier than an administrator, and she鈥檒l get more Fox airtime with 鈥淕OP鈥� as part of her tag line. Talking about dropping out is good, though 鈥� it brings attention.
Third is that she鈥檚 got a point there with the election analysis. An interesting recent shows that the current conventional wisdom about the 2012 result, which emphasizes President Obama鈥檚 gains from black and Hispanic voters, is somewhat incorrect. The biggest reason Romney lost was a decline in white voters from 2008 to 2012, according to Mr. Trende鈥檚 analysis. And the missing white voters were generally downscale, rural Northern whites.
Supporting the passage of an immigration bill might help Republicans at the polls, or it might be good on its merits, but it isn鈥檛 a GOP must-do, Trende writes.
鈥淚t simply isn鈥檛 necessary for them to do so and remain a viable political force,鈥� according to Trende.
Finally, yes, Sarah Palin was for immigration reform before she was against it. as part of Sen. John McCain鈥檚 2008 ticket.
But didn鈥檛 Mr. Obama used to oppose gay marriage? One person鈥檚 evolving position: It鈥檚 another person鈥檚 flip-flop.