Democrats are playing the race card yet again this election cycle, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is leading the way with his most recent slap in the face to Republican minorities. While speaking to a crowd of Hispanic supporters on the subject of illegal immigration Tuesday, Reid despicably insulted both Hispanics and Republicans, stating, “I don’t know how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican. Ok, do I need to say more?”

A statement released by Reid’s campaign Wednesday morning not only defended the senator’s comment, but continued the attack, claiming that Republicans like his opponent Sharron Angle are “part of the problem, not part of the solution,” because of their opposition to amnesty and increased funding for government programs.

Nevadans continue to be dissatisfied with Reid’s performance, with his approval ratings dropping to 37% entering the month of August. The incumbent Democrat’s reckless decision to attack Hispanic Republicans illustrates his desperation, as a recent Rasmussen poll places him in a statistical tie with Tea Party candidate Angle. From Reid’s delusional perspective, Democrats continue to be the party of “working class” and minority Americans. Why then, would an American of Hispanic heritage want to be a Republican?

Let me explain.

My father came to the United States for two reasons: freedom and opportunity. Hispanic families, like mine, appreciate the value of hard work and the importance of self-reliance. Raising me to believe that I could achieve anything, my father taught me that responsibility, diligence, and wise decisions would yield no limit to my success. Only in the United States does this opportunity exist, where a person’s success is determined by their efforts alone – not those of the government.

While Republicans fight to preserve free-enterprise, lower taxes, and individual liberty, Democrats continue to recklessly tax and spend, impose stifling regulations on business, and expand government control over the daily lives of Americans. The Community Reinvestment Act of 1996 provides a perfect example of the ridiculous Democratic policies that tell Hispanics and other minorities, “You can’t do it on your own.” By forcing banks to approve mortgages for scores of less than creditworthy minority borrowers, the act inevitably led to the recent crash of the housing market. In turn, many of these same minorities declared bankruptcy, were foreclosed on, or both.

So the real question, Harry, is why would any American of Hispanic heritage want to be a Democrat?

Maybe Harry Reid agrees with retired CBS correspondent Mike Wallace, and thinks that blacks and Hispanics are “too busy eating watermelon and tacos” to learn how to read and write – and to recognize a blatant snob when they see one. Fortunately, when Hispanics go to the polls in November, Harry Reid will read their writing on the wall: Enough. Democrats continue to fail the American people. It’s time we take back America.

Chris Garcia is a Bill Gates Scholar studying Economics at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA. He is the President Emeritus of the Pepperdine University College Republicans, and has been recognized as one of the top conservative activists in the nation.