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Just how seriously should the GOP take the birther movement?

This is, at once, a fringe movement and something greater.  It’s fringe because no important Republicans believe it, and most are offended by it. It’s greater because some fairly prominent local lawmakers are beginning to sign birther petitions.

At least nine members of Congress have cosponsored a birther bill that would require prospective presidents to affirm their U.S. citizenship. What we don’t know is how widespread the belief is among Republicans — and even if the belief is confined to a narrow minority, whether the belief will spread as Republicans begin to pay closer attention to electoral politics in 2010 and 2012.

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Republicans have to be extra careful. If they give credence to the birthers, they’re (not only advancing ignorance but also) betraying the narrowness of their base. If they dismiss this growing movement, they might drive birthers to find more extreme candidates, which will fragment a Republican political coalition.

Republicans are in a dilemma of sorts as spelled out in that last paragraph.  It is a problem which all political parties face to some degree.  What to do with the fringe elements of one’s party?  Ignore or appease?  For most parties, ignoring is the way to go and there is little if any collateral damage in doing so as long as the mainstream press is on your side…which is the case in most instances.  Most people have no problem taking a well-deserved poke at the kooks.

Republicans don’t have it so easy.

The fringe element of the party, while not a majority, does form a substantial part of the Republican base.  Aside from birthers, they have gun crazies, religious fanatics, Moral Majority types bent on shoving their brand of morality down everyone’s throat, militia advocates ready to storm the Bastille and more.  This is a party which elects a Michelle ‘Screw The Census’ Bachmann to Congress!  The crazies are plentiful (and vocal) within the ranks of the Republican party therefore making it more difficult to just ignore them.

The second reason Republicans don’t have it easy has to do with the power and long reach of the tin foil hat crowd within the conservative media.  When a Rush Limbaugh (with an influence which extends beyond his 20 million listeners) starts demanding that the President show his birth certificate, it becomes that much more difficult for GOP leaders to simply dismiss birthers.  No GOP leader is willing to tangle with El Rushbo.

Liberals and Democrats should rejoice every time a birther demands that the President prove his citizenship or a Bachmann type talks about arming the masses in preparation for whatever.  It makes it that much more difficult for independents to cast their vote for the Republican party when the time comes.

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