Posted on 12/17/2014 10:34:33 AM PST by dignitasnews
In a new Washington Post poll released today, American Latinos have a more favorable view of the GOP, besting the Democratic Party among the nations fastest growing demographic group. In a survey conducted between December 11-14, 52 percent of Hispanic Americans view the Republican Party favorably, while 37 percent have an unfavorable view of the Party of Lincoln. In contrast, 40 percent of Latinos have an unfavorable view of the Democratic Party, while 48 percent rate them favorable.
The poll suggests that large numbers of Americans, of all demographic groups, are moving toward the right, as the GOP holds a seven point edge among registered voters over their Democratic Party counterparts. 49 percent of registered voters rated the Republicans favorable, against 42 percent unfavorable, while the support for the Democratic Party has dipped among this group to 42 percent, with a 53 percent majority holding an unfavorable view of Democrats.
Coming off its historic losses in the 2014 midterm elections, the poll is further indication of a Democratic Party out of touch with the American voters, as well as key constituencies they have counted on for future growth. Despite the post-election Executive Action on immigration made by President Obama, Hispanic support for the party continues to slide. Democrats counted on the move as a means to bring Latino voters back into the fold, having seen their support among this group slipping in recent years.
"As a Latino, I feel that Democrats don't really understand the needs of our community, and view us all as illegal immigrants, because that's all they ever talk about," stated Robert Guzman, a 29-year-old insurance professional from Los Angeles. "All we ever hear about is immigration, immigration, immigration. What our community needs is what all Americans need, better schools, better job opportunities and a better economy!" Guzman notes that he grew up in a Democratic Party household, considered himself a Democrat in college, but has since moved his allegiance to the Republican Party.
"Growing up I was taught that Democrats were the party for the 'working man,' but as I matured in my political thinking, I began to wonder exactly what they were doing for people. My father has owned a barber shop for 30 years, and each year it seems to get harder for him to earn his living, with one regulation and fee after another, coming from the same party I was always told had our backs," Guzman continued, "he used to hire young kids from the neighborhood to sweep up the hair and collect towels and whatnot, but now has the (individual) barbers do these tasks themselves because between minimum wage hikes and other payroll costs, he can't afford to pay someone almost $400 a week to do this."
Americans of Hispanic decent have increasingly felt distanced from a Democratic Party that has stressed amnesty and immigration reform as the sole concern of Latinos. While there is no doubt a large group of Latino immigrants, legal and illegal, or as the Democrats prefer "undocumented immigrants," the party seems to have forgotten that the majority of Hispanics here were born American, as were their parents and grandparents.
Democrats immigration strategy may suggest that they are fully aware of this fact, however. Noting that Ronald Reagan and George W Bush did quite well among Latinos, and further data that suggests English-speaking Hispanics are as likely to vote Republican as they are for Democrats, party insiders may be banking on a large influx of newly arrived, Spanish-speaking voters to bring them similar electoral loyalty that they enjoy from African-American voters. Large pluralities of Latino immigrants live in Democratic Party dominated inner-city districts, where local control enables the party to thwart upward mobility, assimilation and mastery of English, which enables Progressives to better control the political narrative and thus increase the chance that these individuals will become dependent on state aid and as such will vote Democrat.
For Republicans, this presents an opportunity to capitalize on the gains already made with voters across the country. As the unquestioned majority party in the nation, a message of increased educational choice, faith and family, as well as economic opportunity can be the key to bringing in millions of American Latinos into the party. While the Democratic Party had counted on Latino growth to provide its "demographic inevitability" for long-term political dominance over the GOP, the recent Washington Post poll suggests they need rethink their message to Hispanics. In addition to nationally known Florida Senator Marco Rubio, young Latino Republican leaders such as rising Congressional star Raul Labrador, Nevada Governor and New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, both of whom cruised to re-election this November, provide the GOP with the building blocks of a new power base from which to govern long into the future.
Commentary by Paul M Winters Managing Editor, Dignitas News Service
Sources:
Said the spider to the fly.
Push poll designed to give Jeb Bush “told ya so” credibility.
When Reagan was president, most of them were legal. Even the illegals among the bunch wanted mostly an opportunity to make it here. For those who remember the Reagan funeral, that is why field workers stopped what they were doing when the funeral procession passed and stood respectfully by the side of the road to pay their respects.
They have since been watered down by the "gimme free sh*t" crowd.
Oh c'mon, Jeb Bush controls Washington Post polls - that's just silly.
The poll shows that amnesty is not critically important to a large number of latinos.
How on earth would that help Jeb Bush who argues the exact opposite?
Of course, their intent is to keep very cheap, low-skilled labor in abundance...contrary to the best interests of every American, especially the Dem "base" of Blacks and Hispanics.
If this bears out over time, watch the Democrats suddenly become Immigration Hawks who demand a Border Fence.
I don't think so. But then again who would trust the Washington Post?
OTOH, I have always believed that Latinos are natural Republicans or, more properly, conservatives. I base this on two key facts: Latinos are solid Christians by belief and hard working by nature. Those are not typical features found on the left. As Latinos move into the middle class they will drift from Dem to GOP simply as a matter of self-interest.
As noted in the article, not all Latinos are interested in IMMIGRATION. Those that are here legally and vote want jobs and security. Immigration is not high on their list.
Didn't say he "controlled" them. I said that the poll was designed to give him credibility. Because liberals love the idea that a "moderate" will get the GOP nomination. If you're going to criticise, at least make it to the point, instead of a straw man drawn from your incorrect reading of what was actually said.
The poll shows that amnesty is not critically important to a large number of latinos.
How on earth would that help Jeb Bush who argues the exact opposite?
What? How on earth did you arrive at that conclusion? If you actually bothered to look into the internals (all there, just click a few buttons), you would have seen that while 52% of all adults support Obama's executive amnesty vs. 44% who oppose (which is obviously an outlier, and has more to do with the fact that it's an MSM push poll than anything else), Latinos support it by a margin of 72%-21%. Obviously your assertion is incorrect.
It doesn’t look like that. Look at the comment by Robert Guzman complaining that Dems only talk about immigration, immigration, immigration when other issues matter more to hispanics.
If anything it suggests that Bush’s emphasis on immigration is the wrong approach to winning over Hispanics.
Just because they support an issue, doesn’t mean that it’s the one, above all others, that drives Latino voting decisions.
I’d like to know what % of Latinos are single issue voters on immigration. My recollection from past elections is that it isn’t all that high, and they do tend to put economics first.
They don't have to be. Are you a single issue voter on guns? yet, would you support a candidate who was pro-gun control? Likewise, for many Latinos, immigration is not their most important issue - but they also feel that opposition to immigration is racism against Latinos personally. They may be wrong in that view, but that's what they think nevertheless.
Don't make the part-whole fallacy mistake of thinking that one guy interviewed for a newspaper article is representative of a whole group.
And the Washington Post doesn't want Jeb Bush as a candidate because in their circles, he's not unappealing enough for them to be sure of victory for Hillary.
Brown was to be the new black—aint so! Latinos think for themselves so it seems.
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