Posted on 11/07/2012 4:10:27 PM PST by neverdem
The call for Republicans to discard their opposition to immigration amnesty will grow deafening in the wake of President Obama’s victory. Hispanics supported Obama by a margin of nearly 75 percent to 25 percent, and may have provided important margins in some swing states. If only Republicans relented on their Neanderthal views regarding the immigration rule of law, the message will run, they would release the inner Republican waiting to emerge in the Hispanic population.
If Republicans want to change their stance on immigration, they should do so on the merits, not out of a belief that only immigration policy stands between them and a Republican Hispanic majority. It is not immigration policy that creates the strong bond between Hispanics and the Democratic party, but the core Democratic principles of a more generous safety net, strong government intervention in the economy, and progressive taxation. Hispanics will prove to be even more decisive in the victory of Governor Jerry Brown’s Proposition 30, which raised upper-income taxes and the sales tax, than in the Obama election.
And California is the wave of the future. A March 2011 poll by Moore Information found that Republican economic policies were a stronger turn-off for Hispanic voters in California than Republican positions on illegal immigration. Twenty-nine percent of Hispanic voters were suspicious of the Republican party on class-warfare grounds — “it favors only the rich”; “Republicans are selfish and out for themselves”; “Republicans don’t represent the average person”– compared with 7 percent who objected to Republican immigration stances.
I spoke last year with John Echeveste, founder of the oldest Latino marketing firm in southern California, about Hispanic politics. “What Republicans mean by ‘family values’ and what Hispanics mean are two completely different things,” he said. “We are a very compassionate people, we care about other people and understand that government has a role to play in helping people.”
And a strong reason for that support for big government is that so many Hispanics use government programs. U.S.-born Hispanic households in California use welfare programs at twice the rate of native-born non-Hispanic households. And that is because nearly one-quarter of all Hispanics are poor in California, compared to a little over one-tenth of non-Hispanics. Nearly seven in ten poor children in the state are Hispanic, and one in three Hispanic children is poor, compared to less than one in six non-Hispanic children. One can see that disparity in classrooms across the state, which are chock full of social workers and teachers’ aides trying to boost Hispanic educational performance.
The idea of the “social issues” Hispanic voter is also a mirage. A majority of Hispanics now support gay marriage, a Pew Research Center poll from last month found. The Hispanic out-of-wedlock birth rate is 53 percent, about twice that of whites.
The demographic changes set into motion by official and de facto immigration policy favoring low-skilled over high-skilled immigrants mean that a Republican party that purports to stand for small government and free markets faces an uncertain future.
Sorry, anyone who writes about “Latinos” and “Hispanics” does not have the slightest understanding of prfound differences among Spanish-speakers in this country. They are not an undifferentiated mass.
That’s true of nearly every 3rd world country. The problem is on our side. Multiculturalism, diversity, et al. have created a school system that degrades Western culture and creates an environment where you don’t have to assimilate.
We should have killed the welfare state in its infancy and made English our official language back in the sixties.
Amen, friend. The problem isn’t just the rate of immigration, but liberals saying there is no need to assimilate - after all, America is “evil”.
you are not correct in what you write - the Cuban exile community is not made up of descendants from a static event three generations ago - there have been successive waves of Cuban refugees - the first one from 1959-1962 (who had almost no eperience living under communism); the influx from the early 1970s; the arrivals from the Mariel boatlift in 1980; a new wave from 1990-1993; and a constant stream since 2000. Each of these waves had entire families with people of all ages - you could find an 80 year old who came in 1960, and another 80 year old who came here last month. There are teenagers who don’t even speak Spanish, and other teenagers who are recent arrivals who don’t speak English - and everything in between.
newsflash: Mexico is part of Latin America.
Here in Illinois our Treasurer, Dan Rutherford, is a Republican and he got more votes as Treasurer than our Mark Kirk our Republican Senator. What he did is his own private outreach in Chicago to minority groups. He did what Democrats do - showed up to their events, told them they’re terrific, smiled, shook hands and left.
That’s not how Republicans do it. For us it is about ideas and if you’re different you’re out, but voters vote for people they like and not necessarily people with whom they agree on every issue. Government scares them and they know it is a menace, a necessary menace.
That said, they want a friend who can help them out when or if they need it. Red tape they understand from their own country.
He pulled some 22% of the minority vote in Chicago, IIRC.
The GOP outreach just needs to show up to the annual events, smile and shake hands. Let’s drop the us v. them and capture those votes.
guess what, they do do it at home - if there is one common aspect across the board in all Latin America, it is transvestism. It’s huge,from Mexico to Argentina - with Rio de Janeiro as the capitol of drag queen /sex change prostitution. I can’t begin to explain it, but it might have something to do with the idea that the men there believe that if they penetrate the transvestite, the transvetite is gay, but the penetrator is not. Sitto for getting fallatio from the transvetite.
guess what, they do do it at home - if there is one common aspect across the board in all Latin America, it is transvestism. It’s huge,from Mexico to Argentina - with Rio de Janeiro as the capitol of drag queen /sex change prostitution. I can’t begin to explain it, but it might have something to do with the idea that the men there believe that if they penetrate the transvestite, the transvetite is gay, but the penetrator is not. Sitto for getting fallatio from the transvetite.
guess what, they do do it at home - if there is one common aspect across the board in all Latin America, it is transvestism. It’s huge,from Mexico to Argentina - with Rio de Janeiro as the capitol of drag queen /sex change prostitution. I can’t begin to explain it, but it might have something to do with the idea that the men there believe that if they penetrate the transvestite, the transvetite is gay, but the penetrator is not. Sitto for getting fallatio from the transvetite.
I commend your friend and wish with all my heart that there were more like him. Sadly, most people from Latin America respond tribally.
By ignorant I meant using the term “Hispanics” and/or “latinos” as if they were an ethnic or racical or national group, when in fact they are not - there are blonde South Americans, Black South Americans, assorted Indian South Americans, and combinations of all of the above. There are rich and poor and middle class. The Peruvian has little in common with the Puerto Rican. The Mexicans dislike the Cubans. etc. In her article MacDOnald was actually talking about Mexicans - to call them “Latinos” is a misnomer similar to talking about “European” immigration when you mean Irish.
The Democrats created the artificial category of “Hispanics” in the 1970s as a way to create another class of victims, which they could imbue with special rights and privileges, including affirmative action and minority business set asides. The result is another minority group that votes Democrat. It doesn’t matter that, according to the Census Bureau, 54 percent of Hispanics self-identify themselves as white. The Census Bureau has even created the phony category of “non-Hispanic whites,” which are now 66 percent of the population and will be 50 percent in 2042. The reality is that “whites” will still be more than 70 percent of the population in 2042.
Republicans are deluded if they believe that altering their views on immigration and amnesty will win them more Hispanic votes. Ronald Reagan signed a “one-time” amnesty in 1986, but that did not change the fact that the majority of Hispanics still vote Democrat. The reality is that historically the majority of immigrants, not only Hispanics, vote Democrat. Unless the Republican Party can slow down the immigration numbers, it will be the permanent minority party or become just another wing of the Democrat Party.
he Democrats want to be known as the party of minorities. They cultivate that image. But it can be a two-edged sword given the changing demographics in this country. With our first black President and the fact that by 2019, just 7 years from now, half of the children 18 and under will be classified as minorities, it will become harder and harder to defend affirmative action and minority business set asides, especially among young, non-Hispanic white Democrats. The absurdity of these programs will become readily apparent.
For example, the Virginia Department of Minority Business defines a minority individual as “an individual who is a citizen of the United States or a non-citizen who is in full compliance with United States immigration law and who satisfies one or more of the following definitions:”
1. “African American” means a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Africa and who is regarded as such by the community of which this person claims to be a part.
2. “Asian American” means a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian subcontinent, or the Pacific Islands, including but not limited to Japan, China, Vietnam, Samoa, Laos, Cambodia, Taiwan, Northern Mariana, the Philippines, a U.S. territory of the Pacific, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, or Sri Lanka and who is regarded as such by the community of which this person claims to be a part.
3. “Hispanic American” means a person having origins in any of the Spanish-speaking peoples of Mexico, South or Central America, or the Caribbean Islands or other Spanish or Portuguese cultures and who is regarded as such by the community of which this person claims to be a part.
The Republicans need to expose the Democrats as the real racists and bigots who provide people, including newly arrived immigrants, with special rights and privileges based on race, ethnicity, and gender. The definitions of Hispanic and Asian under Virginia law are ludicrous. They make no sense. What do Japanese, Chinese, Indians, and Filipinos have in common except being from the same geographic region of the globe? Similarly, “Hispanics” encompass all of Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, i.e., the former colonialists. These types of classifications are reminiscent of those under apartheid in South Africa, which had four main groups with a number of sub-groups and even “honorary whites.” Republicans should take the lead in abolishing these discriminatory programs in post-racial America and use immigration as an example of the unfairness of these laws.
There are other significant demographic changes that transcend race and ethnicity. The Republican Party should focus on those changes rather than its quixotic outreach programs. By 2030 one in every 5 residents of this country will be 65 and over—twice what it is now. The vast majority of these people will be on fixed incomes with Social Security being the sole or a major portion of their retirement income. As a result, taxes will become more and more of a concern among older voters. State and local taxes will have to fund much of the education and social welfare costs for immigrants and their children as the U.S. population continues to increase. Since the federal government only funds about 13 percent of the education costs with state and local governments funding the rest through mainly property taxes, an aging population on fixed incomes will balk at increased rates of taxation. And senior citizens vote at a higher percentage than younger voters. Even immigrants grow old and will vote their pocketbook.
And then there are younger voters who must bear the brunt of the out of control federal spending that will balloon the current debt servicing costs, which consume $300 billion annually of the federal budget. With entitlement programs increasing to more than half of the federal budget, it will leave declining amounts of money for discretionary items, including defense. In 1950, there were 16 workers for every retiree, today it is 3.3, and by 2030 it will be 2 workers for every retiree. As a result, the young will also become increasingly concerned about taxes and the costs of mass immigration that will require huge amounts of money for increased infrastructure requirements, higher energy needs, schools, hospitals, water treatment and sewage plants, etc. that will be needed for a nation approaching half a billion people and is the world’s biggest debtor nation. The Republican message of limited government and lower taxes will resonate with the young and old alike.
You are correct. I know a married couple whose idea of a fun date is going to see a cross-dressing show. The show itself is in Spanish and the place is packed with nominally heterosexual Latino couples.
For the purposes of the chart, which is based on geography, Mexico is part of North America. Latin America is really not a geographic location.
They played ads, heavily, in latino markets.
Yes, I messed up on the Heather article. I’m sorry.
Keep thinking like that, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I don't understand why legal Hispanics would want illegal immigration.....they played by the rules, I would think they more than anyone would be against amnesty.
I have met her and attended one of her presentations. She is very bright and articulate. I have enormous respect for her knowledge of immigration and crime issues. She works for the City Journal a publication of the Manhattan Institute.
Yes, I know she’s a good one. I just had a total brain fart. Sorry about that. :)
The Mexicans claim to care about people, but does their
own government care about mexican citizens? has the Mexican government stopped the slaughter of it’s own citizens by
the drug cartels? Has the mexican government done anything abou the rampent coruption of the mexican police and even the mexican army! I always thought that mexican-americans
were conservative and strongly religious; why would they
favor socialist radical democrats?
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