The election base for the Republicans will be so eroded to the point where regardless of how qualified a Republican running for the Presidency in 08 that candidate will have a disappointing turnout. This will be especially true if the Bush administration does not act in a clear and decisive manner to resolve the illegal immigrant issue.
Voters are a fickle bunch, I know, I am one. ;-)
Timing and intervening events play heavily in election outcome. I've given up any serious playing of the prediction game (and often figure it's rigged anyway), and reserve my support for individual candidates or advocacy groups. E.g., in the last election, I donated to the Swiftees, but not to the RNC.
The Bush administration will start to "study" the problem, and the hearings in Congress will start in a few months and drag on until after the next election...everyone will say they are working on it as fast as they can, but nothing will happen.
There is no intention to stop this problem by either party. If we cannot stop the illegals crossing our border, how can we stop the infiltration into Iraq from Iran and Syria? We can do all of it with the right resources, but we will not get them.
The true meaning of this whole "event" in history will be how we look back on this situation and react as a people, Democrat and Republican alike, to a totally non-responsive government, the leaders of which have decided to open our borders and send our jobs to Mexico.
But as we make a new continental economic sphere, watch how the environmental and labor laws from this country are not passed or enforced by the Mexican government...This is a deception by our leaders on the grandest scale...and the people are not in agreement. The US worker will suffer the most.
The questions is, "Why is this happening?" My biggest fear is that those who have nothing to this point, will come up with a solution that will advance the one continent economic spher, while paying lipservice to something unimportant but appealing to the masses.
What does one do when the leadership will not listen to the people that elected them?