The Power Of The Irish Voting Bloc

When the Irish came to America, they were freed from the restrictions that British placed on Catholics in their colony.

One of the first things the Irish did was to dive into politics, with an exuberance that reflected a pent-up desire to control one's destiny via the ballot.

The Irish voting bloc became powerful and politicians wishing to be elected had to cater to Irish needs and demands. Before long, cities like Boston, New York and Chicago had so many Irishmen in office that some Anglo-Saxon Protestants felt that they were losing their country to a foreign invasion that would forever change the nation.

More than a century later, you would expect that the Irish voting bloc would have dispersed by now, melted into American society and no longer of great importance.

Apparently not.

In a recent campaign advertisement, President Obama blasted his rival for investing in "tax haven" countries like Bermuda (lovely climate), Switzerland (impressive scenery) and....Ireland.

Excuse me? Enda Kenny was there.

If you happen to run across the advert, you'll find that Ireland is no longer a tax haven, but a "low-tax country".

The Irish Embassy leveled a complaint, but if Ireland were of no importance to the election, why would the Obama campaign have bothered to alter their copy? Are they concerned with insulting the Irish diaspora that's spread all over the fifty states?

And this coming right before Mr. Mitt Romney meets with An Taoiseach Enda Kenny to discuss all things economic. Many photos will be taken, and used in campaign literature targeting the Irish-American voting bloc that still carries a love of the auld sod in its heart.

Such a small country, but still very special.