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Immigration marches put charge in Hispanic power
Reuters ^ | 4/11/6 | Jeff Franks

Posted on 04/11/2006 10:22:19 AM PDT by Crackingham

Massive street marches to protest a proposed crackdown on illegal immigration have energized U.S. Hispanics and may signal a new day of Hispanic political involvement. The demonstrations, which attracted both legal and illegal residents across the country, mean politicians may face an angry Hispanic electorate in which Republicans would be the biggest losers, activists said on Monday.

Half a million people marched in Los Angeles two weeks ago, and another half a million protested in Dallas on Sunday. On Monday, there were smaller marches in more than 60 cities, all to express displeasure with proposed legislation in Washington aimed at clamping down on illegal immigration. As happened in Los Angeles, the Dallas march stunned the organizers, who expected only 20,000 people in politically conservative Texas.

"Never in our wildest dreams did we imagine half a million people marching in a city that has 1.2 million people," said Lydia Gonzalez Welch, a board member with the League of United Latin American Citizens, or LULAC, which promoted the so-called Mega March.

"The feeling of celebration and amazement yesterday was powerful and we will make sure that power continues to be demonstrated and the local leaders will feel it," she said.

"This is the first real social movement, bottom-up, grass-roots movement of the 21st century," longtime Hispanic activist and university professor Jose Angel Gutierrez told the Dallas Morning News.

.......

Democrats stand to gain most from new Hispanic involvement because political analysts say that, typically, two-thirds of Hispanics vote for their party. Despite exuberance among activists, greater Hispanic political activism is not assured because the Hispanic population is not a political monolith, experts say. While U.S.-born Hispanics are largely sympathetic to illegal immigrants, a Pew Hispanic Center survey found that a third of them feel illegal immigrants drive wages down.

Republicans have made gains in attracting Hispanics, but could lose ground by pushing a harder line against illegal immigrants, said Southern Methodist University political scientist Cal Jillson in Dallas.

They "should take a deep breath here, and ask themselves what a failure to deal with the concerns of immigrants both legal and illegal will mean for the Republican Party," he said.

Republican political consultant Bill Miller in Austin agreed the party is in a difficult position.

"It's a real high risk situation for Republicans, and it's almost all down side," he said. "There is no more sacred issue to Hispanics."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aliens; border; bordersecurity; democrats; gop; illegalaliens; illegals; immigration; lulac; republicans
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To: Crackingham

I hate to say it, but mass demonstrations work. Just look at what happened in France, and our politicians are every bit as spineless as theirs I fear. Oh sure, some Republicans still may be talking tough, but the demonstrations will wear them down. They will say "just give them what they want so they stop carrying signs calling us racists."


21 posted on 04/11/2006 10:38:40 AM PDT by Altair333 (Please no more 'Bush's fault' posts- the joke is incredibly old)
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To: Crackingham
Massive street marches to protest a proposed crackdown on illegal immigration have energized U.S. Hispanics...and further divided US citizens and legal immigrants who actually thought the law meant something.

Scrap any new legislation and enforce the laws we already have! Prosecute and/or deport lawbreakers.
22 posted on 04/11/2006 10:38:50 AM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life)
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To: concerned about politics
"Massive street marches to protest a proposed crackdown on illegal immigration have energized U.S. Hispanics and may signal a new day of Hispanic political involvement."

We are reaping what we sowed for neglecting the border situation. NOW, it's going to bite us in the butt...THANK YOU VERY MUCH to our spineless congress! We kept screaming at the top of our lungs about the illegal situation to no avail...now look, Pandora's box has been open and their ain't no going back...ugh!

23 posted on 04/11/2006 10:40:19 AM PDT by RoseofTexas
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To: Altair333

Why isn't anyone organizing a mass boycott of businesses that hire illegals. Don't know how valid this is, but I found this that will help identify these businesses:

http://www.wehirealiens.com/browse.asp


24 posted on 04/11/2006 10:40:34 AM PDT by Ptaz (Take Personal Responsibility--it's not fun, but it's the right thing to do.)
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To: mlc9852

The real problem is that the MSM will never use the term illegal immigration and will instead put an emphasis on how those wascally Pubs, conservatives, Christians, just do not like IMMIGRANTS. That that is a lie is true but the media has figured out that people will never see the difference. Yet the Dems , via the priest, the media will allow illegal felons to vote, hold property, and naturally vote Democratic until the cows come home!!


25 posted on 04/11/2006 10:41:32 AM PDT by phillyfanatic
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To: Paradox

Me too!


26 posted on 04/11/2006 10:41:39 AM PDT by RoseofTexas
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To: VeritatisSplendor
"Who is funding and organizing these marches?"

Most of the funding and organizing is coming from the unions and the mexican groups like MeCHA and MALDEF etc. The unions have been losing peoples dues and power for years.
What happens when these "illegals" are made "legal" and join the unions and start demanding higher wages and benefits? What group will then break our laws and replace those who "are doing the jobs Americans won't do"? The cycle will start all over again.
We are witnessing the beginning of the end of America as we know it. Can you say "Balkanization"?
27 posted on 04/11/2006 10:42:17 AM PDT by hophead ("Enjoy Every Sandwich")
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To: bella1

I will oppose this amnesty bill with every breath in me. But IF the Democrats manage to pass this thing, I will enjoy some moments of schadenfreude when I see this continued wave of illegal aliens reduce the wages and take away jobs from the Democratic base.

It is well known that illegal immigration's economic effect is to transfer capital from uneducated workers to business owners, professionals, etc. In other words, from the democratic base to Republicans.

The result of mass amnesties will be the POLITICAL ascendancy of the Democratic party, but the ECONOMIC decline of the Democratic base. Excuse me if I permit myself a chuckle or two at the latter phenomenon.


28 posted on 04/11/2006 10:43:45 AM PDT by Altair333 (Please no more 'Bush's fault' posts- the joke is incredibly old)
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To: hophead

We still have plenty of Haitians dying to come over.


29 posted on 04/11/2006 10:46:42 AM PDT by mlc9852
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To: bella1

no. I think the losers are people who are legal citizens who believe in the rule of law,national sovereighnty,national security, and American exceptionalism.


30 posted on 04/11/2006 10:46:55 AM PDT by Rakkasan1 (they love you in Mexico until you pay in pesos.)
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To: hophead
Most of the funding and organizing is coming from the unions and the mexican groups like MeCHA and MALDEF etc. The unions have been losing peoples dues and power for years.

ANSWER is pretty much running the show. They're behind the organizing.
The unions have joined in, but it's to recruit the illegals into their unions. Once they're unionized, there will be no more cheap labor. The unions will demand higher wages.

31 posted on 04/11/2006 10:48:20 AM PDT by concerned about politics ("Get thee behind me, Liberal.")
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To: Altair333
But IF the Democrats manage to pass this thing, I will enjoy some moments of schadenfreude when I see this continued wave of illegal aliens reduce the wages and take away jobs from the Democratic base.

I doubt it. The Dims have done the math, and they know they will have gained tens of millions of loyal new voters almost over night. For this they'll throw their traditional base in the trash without a second thought.

32 posted on 04/11/2006 10:48:48 AM PDT by skeeter (eat mo' pie)
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To: Ptaz

in the interim you could go to said business that hires them pay them in pesos at the register.


33 posted on 04/11/2006 10:49:17 AM PDT by Rakkasan1 (they love you in Mexico until you pay in pesos.)
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To: Ptaz
We would have to boycott every major business here in Texas.

We would do better boycotting all politicians that support or contribute to this mess. This should include the ones who have turned a blind eye to the problem for years.

34 posted on 04/11/2006 10:51:37 AM PDT by Jarhead1957 (Semper Fi)
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To: Mike Darancette

"The RATS are busily building a shark filled tank to jump."

The "RATS" are busy using lax motor voter laws to register illegals to vote, and use the illegal vote to take control of Congress in November.


35 posted on 04/11/2006 10:55:16 AM PDT by Vicomte13 (Et alors?)
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To: Paradox

Me Too!!!!!


36 posted on 04/11/2006 10:59:30 AM PDT by Jarhead1957 (Semper Fi)
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To: CondorFlight

Why would the repubs be out signing up illegal alien voters???
susie


37 posted on 04/11/2006 11:01:49 AM PDT by brytlea (amnesty--an act of clemency by an authority by which pardon is granted esp. to a group of individual)
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To: Crackingham


Oh woop dee doo - so conservatives won't carry LA, San Francisco, New York, Washington DC - we don't carry those places anyway!

Interesting that our officials should worry about the 12 million illegals (who aren't supposed to vote anyway) and not worry about the OUTRAGED 250 million who are pissed off about illegal immigration...


38 posted on 04/11/2006 11:04:12 AM PDT by Tzimisce (How Would Mohammed Vote? Hillary for President! www.dndorks.com)
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To: Ptaz

I'm going to stop eating lettuce...
susie


39 posted on 04/11/2006 11:04:39 AM PDT by brytlea (amnesty--an act of clemency by an authority by which pardon is granted esp. to a group of individual)
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To: Crackingham

We defeated the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, Japan in wars. Now, we will be defeated from within by illegal immigration.


40 posted on 04/11/2006 11:07:00 AM PDT by RetiredArmy (I'll support abortion if it is applied only to all socialist democrats!)
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