The GOP Civil War

If Ken Mehlman's ulcer isn't bleeding yet, it won't be long.

Despite an obvious attempt in the senate to cool the xenophobic passions driving the GOP's immigration legislation, true believers in the house want everyone to know just what today's Republican Party stands for.

Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), behind a pulpit adorned with a "Just Say No to Amnesty" sign, thundered: "Anybody that votes for an amnesty bill deserves to be branded with a scarlet letter, 'A' for amnesty, and they need to pay for it at the ballot box in November."

Stand down, Hester Prynne. Adultery is so 17th-century.

At the precise moment the House GOP was turning all puritanical, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), author of the Senate legislation, was in the television studio announcing that he would not wear the "A" for amnesty. "There is an effort far and wide to try to degrade the committee bill by the smear of amnesty, and it simply is not amnesty," he said -- repeating his denial four times in a minute.

So, it has come to this. Republicans are now arguing for the electoral defeat of brother & sister Republicans if they even consider allowing undocumented workers to begin the path to citizenship.

So, there goes the Hispanic vote. Good luck bringing more black folk into the party, Ken. Looks like you really will need us.