Survey: Bush, GOP Scoring With Latinos

Foxnews ^ | 09-02-02 | Kelley Beaucar Vlahos

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Mexico's problems would definitely be better addressed with conservatism. However, I don't want to fund Mexicans here with welfare, bilingual ed, translators, food stamps, section 8, free schooling, and I surely don't want to see their flags flying on our holidays or at any time. If people love Mexico they certainly can stay in Mexico.

[Jorge]

Dumya is worse than Hitler....

What a hysterical thing to say.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Nope, GOP candidate Orlando Sanchez(Cuban, IIRC) lost to Lee Brown(Black Clintonite) by 1% or so. Hispanic vote(and there is not a big Cuban community in Houston) went for Sanchez, but didn't turn out at the levels that Blacks did.

[Dan De Quille]

"W" will continue to pull the inclusive tent up!

It's Hispanic illegal immigration that is poisoning the whole question of Republicans of "reaching out" to the the hispanic vote. If the Republican leadership is serious about "inclusiveness" towards hispanics, they had better do something meaningful about shutting the border to illegals first. Otherwise its hard not to conclude that the whole thing is just cynical pandering for short term electoral gain.

[PhiKapMom]

If you want crystal pure principle, go find an ivory tower debate it to your minds content. This is politics baby, and it ain't for the feint of heart.

Very well stated!

[The South Texan]

bump for later reading

[I_Love_My_Husband]

That is encouraging to hear. However, what if both were Latinos? How do you think that would have come out?

[crystalk]

MIAMI, Dade County, Florida in General

[Jorge]

Better to stay "pure" in ever-shrinking numbers, or explain and recruit to conservatism? Why the dissappointment that Hispanics are open to the message of conservatism?

One word. Bigotry.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Those are all legitimate problems, but most are by no means limited to Hispanics, Latinos in general do have strong family values, a strong work ethic, and many are in the middle class and moving up the ladder. While there are problems such as gangs that are often found in most poor neighborhoods, I have found(here in Texas) that poor neighborhoods that turn Hispanic often stabalize in comparison to other similar low-income areas. While some may be offended that the transactions are often in Spanish, there are lots of small Latin businesses in these communities. The GOP is the party of small business and entreprenuers, so there is fertile ground there, too.

[KantianBurke]

"This is politics baby, and it ain't for the feint of heart."

Politics is one thing. Preserving the Constitution quite another. If by standing on principle in its defense causes you and others to consider me worthy of an "ivory tower" so be it. I'd rather have that they take part in destabilizing our way of life.

[KantianBurke]

I was waiting till someone started shreiking like Jesse Jackass about "they be racists!" One's opposition to pandering couldn't POSSIBLY be for any serious reason now could it? (sarcasm off) Take your insinuations and go back to playing Simcity or whatever it is the immature gamers play with these days.

[Diddle E. Squat]

The Dems would likely win, but not in as great a margin as a few years ago. The Dem advantage is shrinking, and their is no reason why an outreach effort can't continue that trend. Just check the demographics, like every other group, the average wages are increasing.

A lot of it(not all) has do with if one feels threatened. That's one reason we've lost so much of the Black vote, the Dem's have been able to carry on the myth that the GOP in general is hostile(not just indifferent) to Black interests. This has carried over even as middle and upper-class Blacks move to the suburbs. Yet that image has not yet been as deeply ingrained in the Hispanic community, and certain culture conflicts with the Dem stalwart positions have help to keep that from happening.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

You sound like you belong at DUh. You would be right at home with that comment.

racism

I'd like to remind you that people like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, et al, the first people who use that word are the real racists and that most of the people at free republic don't feel like you do, that Republicans who are anti-immigration are racist.

I will continue with my more reasonable, and enlightening conversation with Diddle E. Squat.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Diddle: yes, there are some great things about the Hispanic community, ie, family is extremely important, tradition, Catholicism.

The problem I see, from my view, is the welfare thing, the bilingual thing, the reliance on the left, the people who aren't working, the gangs, the amount of people in jail that are illegals.

Okay, I forgot one more fantastic thing about Latin community: the FOOD!

[Dubya]

[Southflanknorthpawsis]

If you want crystal pure principle, go find an ivory tower debate it to your minds content. This is politics baby, and it ain't for the feint of heart.

BRAVO !!!!!! Well said.......great post.

[wimpycat]

After living in the U.S. for 30 years, my in-laws (from Spain and Chile) were sworn in as American Citizens last week, and they are going to register to vote as Republicans this week.

¡VOTA REPUBLICANA!

[Savage Beast]

Oh. Well. If you're going to vote Republican, come right on in!

[Diddle E. Squat]

Agreed on the food!

Yes, everything you listed are serious problems, that need addressing. But I would argue that most of those are really low-income problems, rather than Hispanic-caused problems. Look at the crime in London and other parts of England(yes, there are minorities, but if they disappeared tomorrow crime would continue in a roughly proportional way.) Isn't Revere, MA a pretty rough and pretty white area? Is there much of a difference between crime in rural WV/KY(mostly white) and rural Carolina(mostly Black)? There are some differences between the west side of Cincinnati(poor whites) and Over the Rhine(poor Black), but that is somewhat explained by the acidic activists in that Black community. As to welfare, look to Europe, they wallowed in it long before the latest wave of immigrants. Bilingualism is different, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a second-generation Latino who doesn't speak English.

It seems like much of the anti-immigration zeal comes down to 3 issues: fear of losing culture, economic issues, and most importantly the fact that immigrants tend to vote heavily Democrat.

As to fear of culture, that's been a concern all through our history, yet the nature of American culture continues to absorb and change immigrants, rather than vice-versa. Even in a worst case scenario, its 250 million versus less than 50 million. Assimilation is taking place, its just that when we are worried, we remember the examples where it hasn't. Kinda like the psychology of need 10 compliments to overcome 1 criticism.

Economic is a biggie, but were fighting that more against class than race. The Dems will hand out to anyone they think may aid them. Look to Vermont and West Virginia, race doesn't seem to matter in willingness to mooch and feed on pork.

Voting pattern is the key factor, IMHO, in instilling fear. But that too, seems more tied to income. As long as Latino community leaders feel that immediate financial aid is more important than solid core principles of self-reliance, than they will opt for the Dems. We have the more difficult job of convincing those who are poor to forsake candy for meat and vegetables, so to speak. It can be done, but is easier to do when the person isn't as hungry. Which is why we will always be at a disadvantage with the newest immigrants, until they can get established. But there are so many Hispanics who are already here and working their way up the ladder that there is a good chance we can win over enough to counter the poorest ones. (Changes such as eliminating motor voter could also help in keeping illegals from voting, of course).

And bottom line, what is the choice? While I am all in favor of putting the military on the borders(but with increased LEGAL immigration), shutting down the loopholes, ending automatic citizenship for children's whose mom's hop across the border to give birth, eliminating bilingual education, picture id's for voting, eliminating motor voter, etc., the fact is Hispanics are here and will continue to arrive. People will always find a way to reunite their families. Controlled immigration has ALWAYS been an overall net plus for America. Given all that, we must recruit Hispanics to conservatism. And in the long-run, there is absolutely no reason why they won't eventually vote any less for the GOP than whites.