Florida Republican Blames His Party's Woes on "Puerto Rican Influx"

[onehandle]

Last edited Tue Apr 8, 2014, 08:57 PM - Edit history (3)

Source: Gawker



The Republican leader of one of Florida's most populous urban centers was asked this week why his party was faring so poorly among voters in the area. His answer was that government-loving "semi-socialist" Puerto Ricans are moving in and changing things for the worse.

The Orlando Sentinel noted yesterday that voter registrations in Orange County, which includes Orlando, had changed significantly since the last election cycle in 2012: Democrats picked up a few thousand new voters, while the GOP actually lost 247 voters. In fact, registered Republicans are now the number three demographic in the region, trailing Dems and voters who registered as "independent" or "no party affiliation"—the fastest-growing segment.

The Sentinel gave both parties' county chairmen a chance to comment on the new numbers, and the Democratic head offered some banal boilerplate about Republican corruption. But Lew Oliver, the chairman of the Orange County GOP—pictured above with embattled Florida Gov. Rick Scott—went in another direction altogether, blaming his party's performance on new "demographics or national trends"—to wit, self-interested Hispanics with a poor work ethic:

The great grand irony of it all is that the massive predominantly Puerto Rican influx that has accounted for nearly all of this is the result of Puerto Ricans almost without exception fleeing Puerto Rico and other states whose economic opportunities have diminished. What do all those places have in common? Puerto Rico, Chicago, Illinois, New York? Democrat governments. You would think at least of few of them would figure that out. If you like a semi-socialist government where the highest aspiration is a nice secure government job, Puerto Rico is heaven on earth, PLUS nice weather!

Read more: http://gawker.com/florida-republican-blames-his-partys-woes-on-puerto-r-1560560593

[SoapBox]

1. Wow...

Open mouth...insert shit!

Billboards! Bumper stickers!

Then say...buh-bye.

[lark]

2. Caption for this picture

Stupid meets Evil. Sheesh. Hope this got a lot of attention down there, it would definitely motivate Hispanics to come out and vote - Democratic!

[bemildred]

3. KnR.

They just can't help it.

[louis-t]

4. You all know what's next....

Find a way to stop them Godless, commie Puerto Ricans from voting!!1!!1!

[KamaAina]

6. But how could they tell them from the Cubans?

Then again, younger Cuban Americans are starting to trend Dem.

[Judi Lynn]

21. Good for them! Thanks for the news. n/t

[KamaAina]

5. Earth to Oliver. Come in, please.

There have been Puerto Ricans in Florida for a long time. Miami had a Puerto Rican mayor quite a few years ago.

Also, while Puerto Ricans on the mainland trend Dem, the island itself is quite purplish, with the popular pro-statehood party allied with the repukes.

[Submariner]

7. This must be part of the new GOP "Reach Out" to minority voters

based on their autopsy of prior mistakes circa 2008 & 2012. Damn fine job. If they keep this up maybe we can gain seats in the Senate this year.

[iandhr]

8. It's almost like they are trying to loose.

[csziggy]

13. They are definitely loosening their grip on reality!

[Enrique]

9. this is how they justify disenfranchising minority groups

"it's ok to keep them from voting, because they're voting wrong. (i.e. not voting for us)"

[geretogo]

17. Exactly

[jmowreader]

10. "His face was in front of my fist"

Standard bullying tactic: Lay blame on the victim. "Principal Victoria, I only beat him into a coma to keep him from turning gay. Can't you see I was just trying to help?"

[rocktivity]

11. And I'm sure Florida's Cuban influxers appreciate the repreive

rocktivity

[jtuck004]

12. Oh, what a great billboard. With something about "government-loving "semi-socialist" Puerto Ricans".

He would be famous. Like Amos, but for evil and hate instead of cookies. And his buddies would thank him for bringing it to everyone's attention.

[albino65]

14. If Moveon.org wants to put up some meaningful billboards

Simply put up their pictures, quote the idiots, and put them up everywhere. It has gotten attention in Louisiana. Every state has their idiot republirat running. For Christ's sake Kasich called a state trooper an idiot shortly after he was elected because he was stopped for speeding. Our problem is that to go along with fifteen minutes of fame, we have a 15 minute memory. We need to never forget and not let anyone else forget.

[geretogo]

15. Every time you think these Sociopaths have hit bottom , they create a new bottom .

[BadGimp]

16. Please.. do continue Mr Oliver..

[jmondine]

18. Yes, Lew! Go with that!

With Hispanic American communities becoming a larger and larger part of the voting bloc, keep trying to "appeal" to them by saying shit like this. Keep up the outreach, GOP!

[bpj62]

19. Dark Lord photo op

I didn't know that Lord Voldermort posed for pictures with Muggles.

[geomon666]

20. Fuck you!

[giftedgirl77]

26. In SC none the less...

Where everyone is Mexican or black according to the locals

Another proud Boricua here

[tarheelsunc]

22. Are these people just stupid or too lazy to add one syllable to "Democrat" to make "Democratic"?

Judging from the rest of his rant, he has the stupid part nailed down for sure.

[rickyhall]

23. That's what the rw have always called our party

I call them republiCONS cause only rubes believe them.

[IronLionZion]

29. they like to emphasize the "RAT" part nt

[Paladin]

24. Mr. Oliver, do you dress yourself? Or does Rand Paul help you out? (nt)

[yardwork]

25. That statement will help him win elections in Florida. Not.

[Liberal_in_LA]

27. edit that thread title

[weissmam]

28. well if they ever wanted the hispanic vote that suck it, what a idiot