Posted on 01/13/2011 8:47:59 PM PST by moonshinner_09
MIAMI — Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush told a Republican gathering Thursday evening that the time is now to connect better with Latino voters, not two months before the general election.
Bush is co-chairing a conference Friday of the new Hispanic Action Network, part of the GOP's latest efforts to forge ties with the growing number of Latino voters. The conference will focus on trade, immigration, media outreach and education.
"Typically what happens in politics is you're working hard and you say, 'Oh gosh, we better start working at campaigning in the Hispanic community,' and it's like Sept. 15," he told the crowd at the elegant Biltmore Hotel in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables. "This is not about politics. This is about the conservative cause. If you look over the horizon over the next 10 or 20 years...without an active involvement of Hispanics, we will not be the governing philosophy."
The Hispanic Action Network is backed by former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, whose American Action Network funneled more than $30 million in campaign funds to Republicans in about 30 congressional races last year.
With the Latino population growing in swing states such as Nevada, Colorado and Florida, Republicans need to chip away at Hispanics' overall 2-1 preference for Democrats to have any hope of capturing the presidency.
Democrats are confident their party's efforts on health care, education and the economy will continue to appeal to Hispanic voters, whom they believe have been turned off by Republican campaign attacks on illegal immigrants.
But Bush and other Republicans have long maintained their party is a natural fit for Hispanics, particularly recent immigrants. They cite the party's social conservatism, anti-abortion stance and support for private school vouchers and lower taxes. Voters last year elected several Latino Republicans to prominent posts, including U.S.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
Jeb is right. Without the Latino vote, the GOP is finished. Look at the state of the GOP in California. Look at the rising number of Latinos in Texas.
I have never said that we have to vote for amnesty or the DREAM act. I never wrote that we have to do what they want
Lol, yeah, quite a jump to conclusions on your part. I never mentioned amnesty or the Dream Act. I don't think there should be any Republican special appeal to Hispanics or any other group. The closest thing to a special appeal should be politicians campaigning in areas where Hispanics live, and delivering the same message they have for all other Americans, and maybe emphasizing how the same ideas also would also benefit them.
That's the bottom line, and anyone who does not support comprehensive amnesty for illegal aliens will be demonized and slurred no matter what their 'tone' is on this issue. All the talk of 'reaching out' and appealing to Hispanics is just blather, which avoids what is really the only thing the advocates like Jeb Bush and others will consider a sufficient outreach to Hispanics: Amnesty for all illegals.
Anyone who thinks that something short of that will be considered sufficient is just kidding themselves.
“Please don’t lose the point: In order to win elections, especially here in CA, we have to have some appeal with the Latinos”
Here’s a point for you: Loretta Sanchez first ran as a Republican. If she hadn’t changed parties we’d have a whole load of GOP toadies pushing her for VP, seeing as they would be bedazzled by her latina magic.
If you think it’s a good idea to elect latinos on account of their race and ethnicity, then don’t complain when you get Mexico’s corrupt culture firmly entrenched in the United States.
“During the presidential election I frequented a couple of haunts in the area, “
Whoopee. I’ve “frequented haunts” every day at work for decades. Glad you finally managed to meet a latino once during election season. Sounds about right for a GOP toadie with lots of advice for the rest of us.
“It’s a political reality that has been brought about by their lack of border enforcement.”
‘their lack of border enforcement’ You mean what Dubya did? Or in your world does only Democrat treachery garner a spotlight?
You missed my point by a mile....sorry I expected more of you.
I understand your point entirely. I have no use for it.
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