Immigration reform won't deliver a Latino voter 'bonanza' to Democrats

The Guardian ^ | 04/24/2013 | Harry J Enten

[SeekAndFind]

I have been quite skeptical about the ability of the Republican party to win over Latino voters. As others and I have noted, Latinos don't vote Democratic just because of immigration policy. They vote Democratic because they are more ideologically "in sync" with the Democratic party. That's why I've felt that going along with immigration reform was unlikely to net Republicans many Latino voters.

That said, I can't agree either with the math in a Politico article titled "Immigration reform could be a bonanza for Democrats". The article starts off promisingly enough with the premise that if immigration reform passed and undocumented immigrants became citizens, Latinos would start voting Democratic in even larger numbers. The main reason anyone votes for or against a political party is for its economic platform, and 81% of first generation Latino immigrants say they want a "bigger government with more services", compared to only 48% of Americans overall.

Politico then uses the commonly quoted figure of 11 million undocumented immigrants and claims that there would, therefore, be "up to" 11 million undocumented immigrants up for grabs if they all became citizens. If these 11 million then voted along the lines of the Latinos who cast a ballot in 2012, Obama would have won the national vote by 7pt instead of 4pt. He could have carried Arizona and even Texas, which were each won comfortably by Republican Mitt Romney.

The problem I have, though, is why would anyone use the 11 million figure for reference.

First off, 1 million undocumented immigrants are under the age of 18. I don't care what your immigration status is, you can't vote in United States presidential elections if you are under the age of 18.

Second, of the 10 million adults, 19% aren't actually Latino; 11% are Asian.

[gibsonguy]

The Guardian is England’s New York Times. Just as far left and just as just as willing to spin or if needed willing to invent news content if it will “help the cause”. It is amazing how the left are united even across borders. Look how quickly Obama congratulates any leftist who gets into power yet could send no-one to Lady Thatcher’s funeral.

[dfwgator]

[wardaddy]

We can’t base immigration on exceptions

Majority of all immigrants since 1980 vote left

This is suicide for us with very few exceptions

Serbs and Afrikaners vote right

The very immigrants our culture most hates...lol

[Buckeye McFrog]

Nope, once they’re registered the Dems will have to buy their votes, just like everybody else’s.

[JeepersFreepers]

According to a Pew Research Poll, when Hispanics were asked the question "Would you rather have small government providing fewer services or a bigger government providing more services" only 19% of Hispanics wanted smaller government compared to 48% of the general population. (Source) This explains the reason why the majority of Hispanics vote Democrat.

[Magic Fingers]

“These new voters will support whichever party offers them the most money.”

Exactly. That’s the part they’re “in sync” with.

[Vide]

Twenty years ago Asian immigrants were Vietnamese refugees from Communism, who, not surprisingly, voted like Cubans. Now they’re mainland Chinese - very different animals.

Second generation ABCs (American Born Chinese) are pretty much a lost cause. They all went to college and they all drank the koolaid.

[GOPJ]

I don’t want the votes of people who came to this country illegally. They broke the law to get here - and they won’t respect our other laws either. They need to go home.

I don’t want the votes of killers, rapists and gangbangers either.

Dems control that landscape.... they can have it.

If decent Hispanics want to be Republican, they’re welcome... but to ask us to fight for people who came here illegally - their first criminal act in this country being entry - is stupid.

[LibLieSlayer]

communism and islam... they know no borders and they spread like the disease that they both are.

LLS

[Kozak]

In other news, the Popes not Catholic, and Bears don’t sh#t in the woods....

[AuntB]

“I smell BS”

Yes. One thing he didn’t mention is there are approximately 350,000 anchor babies born every year. And every year that many turn 18 and are eligible to vote. And they vote democrat.