The cunning GOP

I must confess, I don't quite get the liberal media's apoplexy about Republican candidates using the term “anchor baby.” Is it really that big of a BFD?

I'm from Central California. I know a Hispanic racial slur when I see one. But I'm sorry, I just don't see what is offensive here. Isn't “anchor baby” simply an easy label to use when talking about a certain group of Latino children who are Americans specifically because their parents employed a strategy made available by a Constitutional amendment? I certainly don't blame the parents for taking advantage of the opportunity. For most, it's very likely a ticket to a better life. If you're living in a crap country like Honduras, and you could become a citizen of the USA by having your baby in Nogales or San Diego, OK, I get it. I can't condemn you for taking advantage of such a dangling carrot of a loophole.

But I just don't have that much of a problem with a rather benign label being employed to describe the participants in this phenomenon. And it's obvious that there's a bit of a phenomenon that's taken place, as thousands and thousands of kids have birthed here in fulfillment of this “betterment of life” strategy. The term “anchor baby” seems as good as any in fulfilling this labelling function.

So, sorry, talking heads of CNN and MSLSD, but no matter how you bray about this and wag your fingers in disgust, you're not going to convince me to cringe in PC horror every time a Republican flops out this “vile” phrase.

In the Big Pic, though, the anchor baby kerfuffle is a trifle. The real story is that on the issue of immigration, the GOP continues to step on its trunk, to the point now where the poor thing is a mangled, bloody stump and the 2016 election appears to be already wrapped up for the Dems. Seriously. Remember how the Repubs were screaming from their gated community rooftops after Obama's re-election in '12 that they had to do better with the now critical Hispanic vote? Well, here it is, three years later, and you have Republican presidential candidates talking about rounding up anchor babies and their families and—deporting them? Excuse me? Say, that's one nifty “let's charm the Hispanics” plan you got there, GOP! Who's concocting your campaign strategies these days? The firm of Clinton, Pelosi and Reid? Call me crazy, but I can't help but be a tad skeptical about this quasi-gestapish approach to wooing those Latino votes.

I'm also curious about this Republican strategy to make amends for its costly 2012 War on Women—by going totally batshit bazoomy on Planned Parenthood, a vital organization that provides desperately needed information and services and is loved by millions of women is obviously—a target?! Attack! Another bold approach for gaining support in a key demo, Repubs, undoubtedly another crafty move from the offices of C. P. & R!