President Obama leads new bid for Latino votes

[cal04]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/119119-obama-leads-new-bid-for-latino-votes


Democrats on both sides of Pennsylvania Avenue are poised to launch an eleventh-hour effort to pass an immigration reform bill this year.

While it’s unlikely the measure will attract the necessary 60 votes in the Senate, having the debate could help Democrats fire up their deflated base with the elections fewer than 50 days away.

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Reps. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) and Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) are scheduled to meet with President Obama at the White House on Thursday afternoon to discuss the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act.

The three lawmakers have been key proponents of immigration reform. Velázquez is chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Gutierrez is chairman of the CHC’s Immigration Task Force. Menendez, the only Hispanic member of the Senate, heads the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

[Cha]

1. Thank you, cal..

[cal04]

4. you're very welcome Cha

:hi:

[ClarkUSA]

2. Any immigration reform bill will drive teabaggers even crazier, if that's possible.

President Obama is really driving the knife in between the ribs of Mitch McConnell before the midterms, so certain Democratic base demographics aka. Hispanics can see reasons why they need to vote.

[customerserviceguy]

6. It will also serve to motivate their voters

Right now, in red state America, illegal immigration is a hot button issue. This is a very risky strategy.

[ClarkUSA]

7. So what? They're already motivated. It's time to motivate Dem Hispanic voters. nt

[customerserviceguy]

8. Nothing short of full legalization will do that

And it's politically impossible. While a feint in that direction might impress a few, it will take more to motivate the rest.

[ClarkUSA]

9. History disagrees with you. Remember what happened during the Bush immigration bill debate?

Remember the millions of Hispanics across the nation who peacefully protested the jingoistic bigotry of Republican rhetoric? Polls show that GOP approval ratings dropped during this time among Hispanics and have never recovered. That translated into votes in 2008.

Any further unmasking of the ignorant racist bigotry of the teabagging Republican base and their puppets in Washington will drive Hispanics even further into the Democratic fold. Just wait until 2012. :)

[customerserviceguy]

11. Remember who was for that immigration bill?

It was John McCain. And he paid for it by losing both independent and conservative support. Those voters really don't want amnesty.

For every Hispanic voter that this piques the interest of, it will turn ten other non-Hispanic voters off.

[ClarkUSA]

12. "For every Hispanic voter... it will turn ten other non-Hispanic voters off."

Are you arguing the Republican side of this argument? John McCain is a Republican. He lost those votes because the GOP base is made up of raving lunatic racists who hated him for his stance (which he has now flip-flopped on during his recent primary).

I'll bet if Mexico were full of blond, blue-eyed, white-skinned Swede, there'd be a 1000 mile long welcome mat out instead of a electrified fence. Those "ten other non-Hispanic voters" (I dispute those numbers, by the way but for the sake of argument, I'll give you a qualified pass on your totally unsubstantiated rhetoric) you speak of are most likely ignorant racist bigoted birther teabagger Republicans who never would vote for President Obama anyway, so who gives a shit about them? Why do you care about them?

[customerserviceguy]

13. I'm arguing the reality side of this argument

The Arizona law is quite popular in the red, and even the purple areas of this country. We will see a scramble to watch other states enact it. That's just the reality of the way that many Americans feel about illegal immigration in the midst of a recession/depression. They're willing to mow their own lawns.

Yes, the 1 to 10 ratio was pulled out of the air, but my central contention is that only results will motivate our side, while intent will motivate the other side to use illegal immigration to demonize Democratic candidates.

Many of the people you pooh-pooh are the ones who decided to give Barack Obama a chance. At this point, they've abandoned his message, and are susceptible to the Rethug drumbeat. Why do I give a shit about them? They're the mushy middle where elections are won and lost.

[boppers]

17. The Arizona law was found unconstitutional.

A great many red and purple states supported Jim Crow laws, too.

That didn't make those laws any less immoral, or racist.

[customerserviceguy]

18. It hasn't gone to the SCOTUS yet, and you know that

The Jim Crow laws existed for decades, and the Arizona laws might, too. The current composition of the Supreme Court might just insure that.

[lunamagica]

15. I remember Senator Kennedy was for it. Did you forget that? nt

[customerserviceguy]

19. Yes, he was

but he was running for office in a blue state. And he never did get on a national Presidential ballot like McLame did, did he? I've seen a lot of Kennedy hatred out there in flyover country that many here just don't know anything about.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

14. Yeah. I do think that Hispanics know first hand just how vile the Teabaggers are.

They should be highly motivated against Teabagger candidates and pukes in general.

[backscatter712]

3. Even if it doesn't pass, it might cause the Tea Klux Klan to freak out and show their true colors.

Get the Tom Tancredos and Joe Arpaios to go on nativist rants, see how that flies with the public...

[jenmito]

5. K&R!

[struggle4progress]

10. DREAM Act seems like a really good idea: there are plenty of people

who are undocumented in the US through no fault of their own

There's no reason to throw away good people who are smart and love this country just because somebody else brought them here as a child

[Rosa Luxemburg]

16. Actually Latinos and Latinas thank us for giving them the chance to work here1

With Latinos we are sunk!

What needs to happen is that Latinos and Latinas register to work at our local libraries - simple!