I've been saying this for years.
It's a fact of life, and THE MAIN REASON why stopping illegal immigration on the Mexican-U.S. border is political suicide.
Posted on 02/22/2003 9:25:04 PM PST by spintreebob
If Republicans are to win future presidential elections, they must add Latino voters to their midst. In this respect, bad news and good news comes from a recent Pew Hispanic Center study. The bad news is that these voters are most likely to identify with Democrats; the good news is that their party loyalty is shallow and their political viewpoints defy easy categorization. And a question mark should be given the GOP--to ask whether its conservative base is willing to accept changes that would build Latino acceptance. The study was conducted on 4,213 adults 18 and older.
The study notes that among registered Latinos, about half call themselves Democrats, one-fifth call themselves Republicans and another fifth call themselves independents. Yet, their ambivalence is noteworthy. In a poll of registered Latinos, 45 percent say the Democratic Party is more sympathetic to their needs than the Republican Party (10 percent) but four in 10 feel there is no difference between the parties. The poll, published last October, showed respondents had more confidence in the Democrats' handling of the economy (53 percent). When President Bush was added to the equation, the Democratic margin all but evaporated, with 42 percent having more confidence in Bush and 45 percent favoring the Democrats.
Compared with bloc-voting African Americans, Latinos unquestionably are more likely to build a Republican majority.
''More than half of Latino voters think that abortion should be illegal in most (31 percent) or all (24 percent) cases,'' the study reports.
That's a conservative cultural bedrock that helps Republican presidential candidates. The intriguing point is that this is a view shared by African Americans, but black voters are so latched to the Democratic Party that the nuances of their opinions don't count for much because of their one-party solidarity. (White voters are the heaviest abortion supporters, but even here the margin is slight, with 53 percent saying it should be legal in all cases).
The cultural conservatism of Latinos on most issues makes them an easier fit for Republicans. Forty-six percent of registered, foreign-born Latinos hold that having a child without being married is unacceptable, compared with 33 percent native- born.
''At a time when the rest of the nation is almost evenly split along partisan lines, Latino voters appear to straddle some of the sharpest divides in American politics today,'' the study finds. ''Though most Latinos identify with the Democratic Party, this party affiliation comes with notable ambivalence, and on some social issues they express a conservatism that sets them apart from their white counterparts.''
Of 35 million Hispanics, who make up nearly 13 percent of the population, a far smaller number are registered to vote: about 5.9 million in the presidential election of 2000. A big job for the Republican Party would be activating those Latinos who are U.S. citizens. All told, 57 percent were registered in November 2000--the second-lowest reported registration rate of major racial-ethnic groups. But the political reward for Republicans is great.
The study shows that Latinos believe in big government and are willing to pay higher taxes to support it.
''Registered Latinos voice strong support for various immigration proposals,'' the study says.
Commenting on the study, the Washington Times finds that it shows Latinos ''overwhelmingly frown on loose morals of American popular culture and express ambivalence that their children will not share the same values as they.''
Hispanics hold a markedly optimistic view of America. Upwards of 90 percent believe that the ''opportunity to get ahead'' is greater here than in their home countries--which is tailor-made to the Republican vision of entrepreneurship. This is where the GOP should concentrate its work if it is to remain a vital force in U.S. politics. If the old stand-pat vision continues, the GOP will be a party of whites and no one else. Fortunately, George W. Bush, with a vested interest in 2004, won't let that happen.
I read statements like that and my blood boils. I can't wait to retire and start slurping at the public trough like all piglets I've been supporting all these years with my hard labor.
I've re-read the article, what changes is this author advocating? Free-for-all illegal immigration? I had the possibly mistaken impression that Latinos who migrated to this country legally (or were born here) resented those who skipped over the hurdles they had to jump over. Or, are most Latinos here because of illegal immigration, and have no desire to see any tightening of the enforcement standards?
A more accurate statement might be they are willing to have us pay higher taxes to support it.
Example: I brought up the name of Linda Chavez favorably at a conservative Republican meeting. She was attacked and my conservativism was questioned.
Example: In filling a State Rep vacancy in a heavily Hispanic district clearly the most qualified person was a Hispanic and should have been appointed based solely on qualifications. But only people inside the country club's tight little clique were considered. New people not wlecome.
A. Hispanics outnumber blacks
B. The last Preisdential election was a tie.
My point is, they can be educated, if the right person does the educating.
I've been saying this for years.
It's a fact of life, and THE MAIN REASON why stopping illegal immigration on the Mexican-U.S. border is political suicide.
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