I would think what the Democrats should be doing--as soon as they've made the current down payment on health care reform and made another assault on unemployment, is trying to cement the burgeoning Hispanic population in their column--by passing a law leading to a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.

Believe it or not, this is yet another reason to shy away from same-sex marriage, since many Hispanics are rather conservative on social issues.   It is possible that this very element made the difference in 2004.   A few more points of Hispanic vote in a few states would have put Kerry over the top. But Bush made a conscious push for patriotic, socially conservative Hispanics. And it worked.



So the Democrats may lose Rig's vote. They may never have had it in the first place.