Demos losing poor Hispanic voters who want effective border security

The Arizona Daily Star ^ | 09.25.2006 | John Kromko

[axes_of_weezles]

Opinion

Guest Opinion: John Kromko

Demos losing poor Hispanic voters who want effective border security

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 09.25.2006

In 2004, Arizona voters passed Proposition 200, which cut some social services for illegal aliens. While impacts of this proposition have been frequently debated, one profound aspect has been ignored: the poorer a voter was, the more they supported Prop. 200, regardless of ethnicity.

In heavily Hispanic precincts, about 40 percent to 45 percent of voters voted for Prop. 200, about the same percentage that voted for Bush.

If you're wealthy, an alien probably won't take your job or health-clinic seat. You may even be happy that aliens are paid lower wages at your business. But if you're poor and can't get a construction job or a seat at the clinic, you know why.

Democrats have driven a wedge through their own ranks by alienating poor and middle-class voters of all ethnicities who used to be solid Democrats. Many of these disenfranchised voters turned to the Republicans in the hope that they would enforce immigration laws.

Ironically, Republican politicians talk tough on immigration to pacify their constituents. But they'll never actually do anything because the plutocrats who finance Republican campaigns want Third World competition with American workers. What a joke to see Republican politicians touring the border after having been in power for years and doing nothing.

Even more of a joke is watching Democratic do-gooders unthinkingly working for those same plutocrats. Democrats who would never work to ship jobs to the Third World are doing much worse. Why are Democrats committing suicide with traditional Democratic voters for the sake of people who probably wouldn't vote strongly Democratic if they could vote?

At the core of the Democratic Party are people who really, really believe in fairness and justice for minorities, women, Native Americans and everyone. I agree with them. In 1962, I used my college summer vacation to go on a civil rights freedom ride. I have marched with farmworkers and was a leader in the struggle for the Equal Rights Amendment.

These experiences truly enriched me. But they later caused me to make the error of confusing situations where people were denied what was rightfully theirs and people who were denied what was not rightfully theirs. Many people have made the same mistake.

Two years ago, I needed a medical procedure that would cost $14,000. Desperately, I considered going to Canada and using their national health plan.

Why can people see that it's legally and morally wrong for me to cheat Canadian taxpayers but feel that it's perfectly fine for Mexicans to cheat American taxpayers? Neither Mexico nor Canada gives free service to illegal residents.

Will Democratic candidates seize this moment in history and stand up for the people they used to represent, plus millions of disenfranchised voters? Will Democrats have the courage to merely enforce existing law by saying, "We promise to secure our borders and to aggressively prosecute businesses that hire illegal aliens"? Republicans can't say that because their base won't allow it.

Or is our democracy truly a sham contest between Democratic corporate shills and Republican corporate shills?

Write John Kromko, a Democrat, at jkromko@dakotacom.net.

64 Comments on this story

[axes_of_weezles]

Pretty bad situation when the moonbats become self aware. Graf does have a chance in CD8.

[axes_of_weezles]

you missed this one.

[Vn_survivor_67-68]

the error of confusing situations where people were denied what was rightfully theirs and people who were denied what was not rightfully theirs.

there is the crux of the matter.

[JRandomFreeper]

In 1962, I used my college summer vacation

He inhaled.

/johnny

[aroostook war]

Sob, sob, sniffle, sniffle.

[claptrap]

The funniest part is no matter who you vote for
you are screwed the mexicans will continue to drive wages down and political donations from wealthy employers will continue to go up. Get used to mac & cheese.

[freekitty]

Who is this guy fooling?

[axes_of_weezles]

He's fooling himself if he thinks Democrats are saviours.

[SandRat]

No I didn't, I had to share posting, ping, BTTT, and reply privileges with others

[CBart95]

And thank the Lord for unintended consequences.

The invaders squabbling among themselves... a "Sambo" ending deja Vu?

There may have been a lesson there?

[TheLion]

I've posted many times around here that Republicans really missed out on the illegal alien issue. A bunch of gutless wonders.

[SuziQ]

In 1962, I used my college summer vacation to go on a civil rights freedom ride.

I keep reading this from Democrats of a certain age. Sounds like there were as many Freedom Riders as there were folks at Woodstock. Likely some of the same people!

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[Stayfree]

Both the Dems and the GOP think that kissing up to 12 million (more likely 40 million) illegals will get their vote once one of them figures out how to get it done without the American public knowing who was responsible. Well, both the Dems & the GOP just don't get it because if California is any example...these illegals will not be voting for any of those white guys in Washington...they will be voting only for the Mexican American politicians that have been working on them for years. The dems & the Gop are more stupid than they look!!

[Stayfree]

Noticed that the founder of the minutemen has been writing a book and in his research has discovered that the US Government has probably underestimated the number of illegals and that the real number is 3 times the 12 million mentioned in the press. And he says that the number of "anchor children" which is the number of kids born here after their illegal alien parents arrive here is huge. If my own observation here in Southern California is even close, the average number of illegal children is 3-4 in the age of newborn to 5 years old.

Which means that there are closer to 100 million of them...look around you, we are being overrun in almost every state that I have visited in the last year.

[hispanarepublicana]

The invaders squabbling among themselves

I hope you're not lumping "poor Hispanic voters" in their as part of that "squabble". My parents were poor, Hispanic, and Republican voters, but they were not "invaders". 6th Generation Texan/Americans, yes. Invaders? No.

[CPT Clay]

Won't see this in MSM!

[Hydroshock]

Or is our democracy truly a sham contest between Democratic corporate shills and Republican corporate shills?

I has been looking like that for years now.

[gubamyster]

ping

[CBart95]

Hope?
We got an estimated 20-30 million poor hispanics and other nationalities choking our systems of public services and ruining our country ( they have entered this country illegally) and YOU want to be sure that I am not offending your parents who came here legally years ago?
It's wonderful to see that you have your priorities all lined up.
Your parents must be proud to see that they have raised a mature adult American citizen.