In PA there is something going on that is good to see – an African American democrat politician has decided to become a republican. Ed Morrissey posted on an article in the Washington Times regarding efforts by Ken Melhman (GOP Chairman) to reach out to the African American community, and his success in convincing a well known, very popular local politician into switching to the GOP. Morrissey wisely points out the differences between Mehlman’s tireless efforts and DNC Chair Howard Dean’s wasted sniping

This could quite easily be painted as two party chairs going in different directions, on several levels. Howard Dean this weekend wound up getting ripped by Barney Franks, hardly a Blue Dog Democrat, for his startling rhetoric that Tom DeLay should go back to Houston to start serving a jail sentence — when DeLay hasn’t even been alleged to have committed a crime. Dean has done little to appeal to anyone outside of his lunatic-fringe Leftist base of International ANSWER and MoveOn fanatics, ignoring calls from Democrat politicos like John Kerry and Hillary Clinton that the party needs to address the center.

Meanwhile, Mehlman wisely moves towards engagement with the most lock-step of the Democratic factions, the African-American community.

The story was also addressed by Donald Lambro in the WashTimes, who pointed out why this could be an indicator of enormous problems coming for the democrats.

…this event was an unusual case that sent new fears rippling through Democratic ranks.

The candidate is Otto Banks, a 33-year-old African-American and the biggest vote-getter in Harrisburg, a predominantly black and overwhelmingly Democratic city where a Republican hasn’t been elected to the city council in nearly 20 years. Like everyone else on the all-black city council, Mr. Banks was a Democrat — that is, until this March when he announced he had become disenchanted and was joining the Republicans. But there was much more going on here than just another local official making a party switch. Mr. Banks, an articulate Pennsylvania State University graduate, is a political star whose desertion was supported by some other city council Democrats.

Bush made some inroads with the African American community in 2004, but huge gains in the Latino electorate. His efforts in working with religous leaders in the African American community has been well received (in my humble opinion). We saw Andrew Young and others come across the political isles to support Condi Rice’s nomination as Secretary of State. All in all there as been study progress, which means the continued effort is paying off.

If republicans can reach into the African Community to garner 20+% of their vote, the democrats would today only be experiencing the very beginning of serious minority status. And minorities have a lot to gain with going with the repubolicans who would naturally go to great lengths to assist this new, critical voting block. Which is much more than the liberals have to offer, which is more of the same victim-status, low self esteem, failed policies they have seen for decades.

The bigotry of low expectations, deeply ingrained in the left, is the final straw that will break the binds of the democrat party.