Posted on 03/04/2005 3:57:19 PM PST by LouAvul
GOP Assembly members take language classes in effort to reach out to Latinos
...snip...
Thursday's hourlong session in a Capitol hearing room was part of an eight-lesson program meant to help GOP lawmakers communicate with Latino voters who speak no English.
Assembly Republican leader Kevin McCarthy - labeled "jefe," or chief - took a good-natured stab after class at the Spanish phrase for a state budget deficit projected at $8 billion when the year began.
"Ocho biliano?" he guessed.
Not quite, but close.
"Ocho billón."
The middle-aged class of GOP "asambleistas" - Assembly members - focused on the simplest of Spanish phrases, but their message was politically sophisticated and reinforced by inviting the media.
One word at a time - from "hola" to "buenos días" - Republicans hope to convey that they care about the Latino community and are willing to do whatever is necessary to serve it.
In a state where nearly one of every three residents is Latino, language lessons could lead to more airtime on Spanish-language TV and help to boost Republican ranks statewide, GOP lawmakers say.
"A lot of Hispanics and Latinos have conservative values," said Assemblyman Russ Bogh, R-Cherry Valley. "They share our values. They don't necessarily share the values of Democrats. So we're trying to reach out to them."
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Sadly, the only places in NY where you can still find pizza made by Italians is in the outer boroughs and suburbia (the places in Manhattan are owned by Greeks, Albanians and Arabs, but staffed with Mexicans).
Oldest Pizzeria in America is Lombardi's on Spring Street in Manhattan. The places on Wooster street in New Haven are still pretty good, though.
After 10 to 15 years in the United States, some 75 percent of all Hispanic immigrants are speaking English regularly, and virtually all their children will speak English. ( http://www.ericdigests.org/pre-9221/spanish.htm )
Therefore the majority of those who do speak Spanish, 10s of millions in the US then are for the most part 75% Mexican nationals visitors and not US citizens who would have the right to vote anyhow!
The money would be better spent on having these politicians learn how to communicate with their won constituency !
For example all the leading candidates for Los Angels mayor race endorse drivers licences for illegal immigrants and the use of Mexican ID, even though a new pol out to day suggest that the majority of people in California reject handing out state issued IDs, and paying taxes for services to the citizens of foreign countries such as Mexico.
I'd rather the phrase, "DON'T VOTE" was translated into Spanish.
They post the same stories, often. The state news page is generally identical. Owned by the same people?
My sentiments exactly.
But unfortunately, these days, we are being made to assimilate to other cultures, other than they to ours.
My daughter is a teacher in an urban high school, and she had to sit through a MANDATORY lecture about being sensitive to Muslim students, and their culture (given by a women so covered up she couldn't even see her face). No kidding!
Needless to say, this is her last year in the teaching profession.
"The leading candidates for the Los Angeles mayoral election probably understand that the majority of people in California do not have a vote in the Los Angeles mayoral election."
well yes ; they want to let every citizen in Mexico vote in the city elections so their numbers would dwarf the majority of Californians, even if we let the whole state vote!
"BTW: Pizza was invented in Naples. The original pizza, however, was tomatoes, basil, and garlic. Cheese was added a few years later."
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