[South40]

but the black vote was thrown away when the Democrats led the nation into Civil Rights and the Voting Rights Act.

The Civil Rights Act passed because a majority of Republicans voted for it.

The original House version:

Democratic Party: 153-96 (61%-39%)
Republican Party: 138-34 (80%-20%)

The Senate version:

Democratic Party: 46-22 (68%-32%)
Republican Party: 27-6 (82%-18%)

The Senate version, voted on by the House:

Democratic Party: 153-91 (63%-37%)
Republican Party: 136-35 (80%-20%)

[berstbubble]

Just out of curiosity, what was the party affiliation of the president who twisted arms to get the necessary votes? And this was the same president who voted it into law?

Point is that this act and the affiliated party colored the voting behavior of minorities in this country.

Typically the immigrant population is very conservative but if the GOP seems hateful in its approach to immigration reform, the risk is the same.