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Just an FYI to any campaign volunteers and coordinators lurking out there on DU-- IMHO one of the most critical factors in bringing us over the top in close races in November, is the degree to which we can mobilize turnout of Latinos. They're a sleeping giant for us out there-- overwhelmingly Democratic (especially in 2006, considering the anti-Latino race-baiting of the Republicans recently), but with disappointingly low levels of voter turnout in most elections. My experience in prior years is that close races have swung our way and often been decided based on the degree to which we've been able to mobilize turnout among Latinos.
This year, the Rethugs have given us a golden opportunity due to the visceral anti-Hispanic rhetoric they've been whipping up throughout the country, at an often very personal and quite ugly level. They've awakened Latinos to the danger they face from unchecked Republican majorities, and this is now our chance to capitalize. Some things that volunteers can do:
1. In Congressional and Senate elections, remind Latinos in detail of the anti-Hispanic rhetoric that the GOP has been peddling. This has been a particularly egregious year for it, with Republican attacks on Latino citizenship rights, on programs like Medicaid that provide basic health care for so many Latinos working their way up, on Latino economic efforts, heritage, language and even voting rights. GOP attacks on Medicaid and Food Stamps in particular and the Latino immigrant-baiting seem to have resonated powerfully-- a disproportionate number of Latino families really do depend on Medicaid assistance and food stamps for basic survival during rough patches, and they're already furious at the GOP as it is, especially since the Republicans are simultaneously providing billions in corporate welfare to their already-rich cronies. This is a very fundamental well of resentment and concern that we can tap into. Republican policies have thus presented a clear and present danger to the very health and livelihoods of Latino voters and their families.
2. Canvass heavily Latino neighborhoods, shops and trade unions with Latino workers and help recruit them to the polls. Remember, many Latinos here haven't yet developed a strong sense of how significant these elections are and how much they affect their very economic survival, and face-to-face communication of this basic fact is especially important especially in communities that haven't thus far participated heavily.
3. As far as mass media allocations, I feel like Spanish-language radio gives more bang-for-the-buck than Spanish TV stations like Univision, for which ads can be very expensive. Radio is not only cheaper but also has a disproportionate audience compared to the non-Latino community. Naturally, both media are critical avenues and need advertising efforts wherever we can muster them, but radio may be higher yield.
4. Volunteers with Spanish skills can obviously be a tremendous help both for drafting and issuing campaign literature and for face-to-face campaigning, even in multi-generation neighborhoods. (We got some of our most positive responses a few years ago to Spanish ads from fourth-generationers.) Spanish-fluent candidates themselves also have an edge. Remember, Spanish as a medium can be a boost, but the content is the crux in any language-- again, make sure to touch on the issues most fundamental to economic survival, especially the cuts to Medicaid and Food Stamps that the GOP have been pushing.
5. Finally, draw substantial attention to the fact that the Republicans in Congress have been vigorously cutting funds for veterans' programs and benefits, for body armor in Iraq, even for basic medical treatment. (The GOP is even trying to cut funding for a brain trauma center for Iraq vets, of all things). Latinos have been disproportionately serving in the military and getting severely wounded in Iraq (in the Marines), and veterans in general have been justifiably furious at the Congressional Republicans for their attacks on patriotic Americans who've given so much.
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