Regards, Ivan
Posted on 10/14/2004 12:56:06 AM PDT by MadIvan
For a nation born of a revolt against monarchy, America has an odd weakness for crown princes.
From the republic's earliest days, Americans have been fixated by young men seemingly born to rule - smart, dashing men with weighty names, such as Adams, Kennedy or Roosevelt.
America's latest heir-apparent carries a greater weight than most. He is George P Bush, 28-year-old son of Florida's governor, Jeb Bush, and nephew of President George W Bush.
It would be burden enough that George P has been praised by the first President Bush as the most politically aware of his grandchildren.
Though he graduated from law school only in May, his occasional appearances on the campaign trail draw more crowds than many members of the cabinet or Congress.
His dark, matinee-idol looks once made him one of People magazine's 100 most eligible bachelors.
But his bloodlines offer more than fame. Through his mother, Columba, he is half-Mexican. That has plunged him into the heart of the Republican Party's most ambitious project in decades: the wooing of the exploding Latino population.
Last year, the US Census Bureau said Latinos had overtaken blacks to become the largest ethnic minority, with 14 per cent of the population. By mid-century, demographers estimate, one in four Americans will be Latino.
At one event George P attended during last month's Republican convention in New York, activists began chanting "Bush 2020", predicting the year of his run for the White House.
He flew to New Mexico, the most heavily Latino state, this week to help launch a drive for Hispanic votes, entitled "Nos conocemos", or "We know each other".
Al Gore won New Mexico by 366 votes four years ago, closer even than Florida. The state looks tied again this year. Nationally, Republicans aim to win 40 per cent of the Hispanic vote, up from 35 per cent in 2000.
New Mexico's Democratic governor, Bill Richardson, himself Hispanic, warned his party that conceding Republicans 40 per cent of Latino voters would cost them the presidential election. To some of Mr Bush's closest aides, the stakes are even higher than a single election.
Making a campaign stop with George P in Las Cruces, a scrubby desert town near the Texan border, Alberto Gonzalez, the White House legal chief said the Republicans' future was in the balance.
"I don't think the Republican party can continue to grow unless it does a better job of attracting Hispanic support," said Mr Gonzalez, arguably the most powerful Hispanic in America.
For years, Hispanics were loyal Democrats, as the party of the civil rights movement and better conditions for migrant workers.
Now Republicans think new generations of Hispanics are ripe for the picking, as they start businesses, buy houses, and leave memories of welfare cheques behind.
Speaking in near-fluent Spanish to Republicans at a local factory, George P urged them: "Let people know my uncle knows our values: faith in God, faith in the family, faith in the community."
An open-necked shirt, blue blazer and playboy's stubble made George P look like European royalty, somehow transported into the gathering of New Mexico politicians, with their brown suits, name badges and sweating brows.
In an interview afterwards, he said that in the past, Republicans had done little to win Hispanic votes.
Today, he argued, "the entitlement programmes of the past are out the window, and our message is more in tune with the community.
"The civil rights era is, I believe, over. The new civil rights for Hispanics are education and economic empowerment. Not to mention the fact that Hispanics are very Catholic, so family values, whether you're talking about abortion or the social questions of our day, tend to be more conservative."
Until recently, politicians campaigning among Hispanics did little more than insert mangled Spanish greetings into their standard speeches.
George P dismissed such pandering as "mariachi politics", referring to Mexican bands hired for celebrations.
"Sprinkling a few phrases in Spanish, those kind of tactics were for the last century."
Asked about his own political ambitions, George P murmured that he had "no definite plans at all. I'm just starting my legal practice, and my priority is getting my uncle elected".
He admitted that his Hispanic lineage was a prized political asset in the new America. "But so," he said with a level gaze, "is being a Bush."
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
If he sells us out to Mexico like his uncle does, I want no parts of him. At the rate we're going, the Bush family will personally be responsible for the Mexicanization of America. BTW, I support GW, except for his refusal to close the borders and protect us from the invasion from South of the Rio Grande.
Shouldn't there be a George P pic rule for us ladies?
Through archaeology and history it has been proved that the Native American Indian tribes were pushed into Mexico, as far down as Mexico City, as the white man took over their lands. I think President Bush is just trying to give these true Americans what the white man took from them: The right to live in The United States -- "the land of their ancestors."
People in the media are saying that these immigrant law breakers should not be rewarded by President Bush, but…
Did you know that it is against the law to receive stolen goods, according to any court in this country? Why then did the United States government buy Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, California, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming from the Mexican government? The United States government knew that the Mexican government had stolen this land from the Native American Indians and had no right to sell it. Now, let me ask you, "Who broke the law first?"
After U.S. Army Col. Ronald MacKenzie and about 400 of his troops crossed the Rio Grande River into Mexican territory in the state of Coahuila in 1873 and killed many Kickapoo and Lipan Apaches (Texas Indian Tribes), the tribal elders told their sons and daughters to forget their past lives as Apaches and Kickapoos and to assimilate into the Mexican population. They were now Mexicans, should they want to live. So, I'll say it again...
Through archaeology and history it has been proved that the Southern Native American Indian tribes were pushed into Mexico, as far down as Mexico City, as the white man took over their lands. I think President Bush is just trying to give these true Americans what the white man took from them: The right to live in The United States -- "the land of their ancestors."
Also, why do so many people frown on Bush's decision to give temporary Visas to the Mexican people? How fast we forget our History and the grant from Mexico of land in Texas given to Moses Austin for purposes of colonization. At least Mexico has given the Americans a very valuable gift, land. Some of this land had oil. Let me ask you, "What have the other immigrants' countries done to compensate us for taking in their people? Nothing, just allowed us to take over the burden."
3 January 1823 -- Stephen F. Austin received a grant from the Mexican government. Authorized by Governor Antonio María Martínez to carry on the colonization enterprise under his father's grant, Stephen F. Austin came to an understanding about certain administrative procedures and was permitted by the governor to explore the coastal plain between the San Antonio and Brazos rivers for the purpose of selecting a site for the proposed colony. Among other details, he arranged with Martínez to offer land to settlers in quantities of 640 acres to the head of a family, 320 acres for his wife, 320 acres for each child, and 80 acres for each slave. For such quantity as a colonist desired, Austin might collect 12½ cents an acre in compensation for his services. Martínez warned Austin that the government was unprepared to extend administration over the colonists and that Austin must be responsible for their good conduct.
Bush is not selling out, read my last response.
MY 2 cents......I could care less what color/religion(cept islamanzis)or language background anyone has...the real point for conseratives is LEGAL or ILLEGAL.
The most fortunate and anxious future Mrs rrrod is a Latina born in the good ol USA. Her only draw back is a slight yankee accent.
Those were Spanish land grants --- to bring settlers into Spanish territory. After independence from Spain, Mexico proved itself incapable of self-rule --- the Mexican government --- very unstable and pretty much a basket case was only able to hang on to the northern territories for about 25 years.
As far as Indians moving into Mexico --- the Aztecs did that well before Europeans showed up --- their leader had a dream that told them to move on until they saw an eagle sitting on a cactus --- so they moved south until they found the eagle on the cactus in what is now Mexico City. One reason that the Spaniards invited American types to Spanish territories was because the Indians were giving the Spaniards a lot of trouble --- the Spaniards wanted whites to come in.
He is nothing but a race panderer ---- if Hispanics were so Conservative, the Republican values should have attracted them in the past --- they wouldn't need racial politics and hand-out programs to entice them. Interesting that Cuban-Americans were able to be solidly Republican in the past without race pandering and baiting --- but Mexicans are quite different.
A little hard to take this from a guy who hasn't had to work yet at age 28, who grew up in mansions and parties and travels with the jet-set. When he travels to Mexico you can bet it's not the simple people he stays with --- he hobnobs with the elites who are ruining that country.
This pencilneck brat went to Mexico and badmouthed the USA Border Patrol, in essence calling their tactics 'brownshirt'. Mind you, his uncle is their boss and we have laws in this nation.
After Nov. 2, I will never vote for a Bush again, I'd rather vote for that airheaded cow hillary clinton. The Bush family act is getting old. Betrayel exceeds treachery. IMO
What upsets me is the lack of respect many Mexicans have for America, and her institutions; barging into my home and treating the USA as an economic flophouse.
If they waited their turn, and followed the laws, and didn't boo the national anthem at soccer games HELD IN THE USA, maybe I'd think differently.
The best I can say is that at least they're better than Arab/Muslim-fascists. Europe is really screwed.
You're out of your f*cking mind.
Thanks, I was trying to remember what it was that he said and did.
I'm underwhelmed by George P. He's got a lot of nerve bashing the BP like that.
And of course he's more liberal. He's 28 for crying out loud! In 15 years, his father, uncle, and the silver fox will have worked on him.
George P. Bush has far more class and brains than some of the posters on this thread. Glad to see him out in the battleground states doing the work that some of the "old guard" won't do.
The term "Hispanic," like "Asian American," was invented out of whole cloth by Nixon's Census Bureau. It wouldn't surprise me if no one in Latin America uses it or thinks in those terms.
He learned his pandering techniques from his uncle the king.
I believe it was Franklin who wrote a scathing article about how vulgar, crass and loud the German immigrants were. It cracked me up because it was an apt description of many in the ghetto. My husband is Mexican, and I am concerned that too many (millions) second and third generation Mexicans are still living in the barrio never coming close to realizing the American dream. We need to attack this problem. Any suggesions?
Rent the movie "Stand and Deliver." There is and will continue to be great opportunities in this country for workers with an education and skills. Opportunities for workers without skills will continue to diminish. Dubya was right last night -- education, education, education. Kids get an education when their parents demand it from them and from their schools.
No doubt education is the answer. But we need to instill in many Latino parents a value of education. Most Latinos who immigrate here come from country pueblos where literally they're lucky to get a year or two of school under their belts. Many don't even speak Spanish, but rather Indian dialects. How do we engage these type of parents to instill a value of education in their kids when they don't value it themselves? These humble folks stay behind sometimes for generations and then land themselves in negative and criminal influences, whereas take a person with a High School education in Mexico (or anywhere for that matter), they can come here, learn English and progress in less than two years.
BTW, My husband graduated from Garfield HS in 1982, was a student of Jaime Escalante and his name can be found in the index of almost anything written about the "Mathletes" under Escalante's teaching. Escalante is a personal friend of ours, and we keep in touch with him in Sacramento.
He speaks Miami Spanish, the only espanol I know. :-)
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