How do we move up the Latino vote?
We move up the Latino and every other vote by actually expressing a message of independence and opportunity. Most Latin Americans came here because they thought they’d have a shot at developing a business and a life, and many of them have. That’s true of any group that was not brought here on welfare.
Africans (such as the Somalis or even Obama’s auntie Zeitunga) are usually brought here on some kind of welfare program, and these programs need to stop right now, although Obama has expanded them enormously at the cost of the Latin American quota.
So get rid of the special welfare immigration programs (which benefit mostly people from Muslim countries) and just start preaching economic opportunity and personal freedom to everybody, not just Latinos.
Also, stop thinking that anybody with a Spanish last name is a wetback. Many people with Spanish last names in the Southwest and California have been here for centuries, long before the Anglos arrived in their areas. These places were traded back and forth between Spain, Mexico and the US for many years as the geopolitical situation of these countries changed.
So another big thing the GOP could do is actually stop focusing on Latinos on a last name basis and just think that a Lopez could be as long-term (or more) an American as a Smith.
By giving their families and friends a genuine chance at participating in this country's economy.
And no, I don't mean "amnesty". Rewarding people that have already been in this country illegally is the worst incentive.
I'd replace it with a guest worker program, that gives them a chance to do what they really want: earn some money and send it back home. There's nothing wrong with that.
But, for citizenship, they have to go through the same process as everyone else: apply for permanent residency and 7 years later, they can apply for citizenship. No preferential treatment for permanent residency.
Assess a flat income tax on the guest workers, but don't call it Social Security -- because they won't be entitled to any benefits. And, the federal government rescinds all benefits for guest workers: no free health care, no free education, no welfare, etc. They are welcome to work here, but not to become a ward of the federal government. If a state government wishes to provide benefits, that's their choice -- but without federal money.
We will still have the problem with "anchor babies", and that can't be solved without a Constitutional amendment. Yes, I know that some people think it can, but the precedent has already been set and that's impossible to unwind.
Try to avoid saying stupid things like “self-deportation.” That’s code for the Mexican illegals. Romney dug himself a hole right then and there and probably lost the election trying to get to the right of Perry.
This whole issue is so easily handled if we just had a guest worker program where people could come and go as necessary. These are the people work the produce fields, restaurants, yard work and all the crap work Americans won’t do.