Loving the Latino Voter

This was supposed to be it.

This was going to be the presidential election in which Latinos said, "See ya" (or if you prefer, "Vaya con Dios") to the Democratic Party and ran into the warm embrace of the Republicans. And then everybody would dance to meringue while discussing the role of limited government. How happy they would all be together.

But it hasn't quite worked out that way. The latest Gallup poll (for June) shows that Barack Obama has more than a two-to-one advantage over John McCain among Hispanic voters. Obama's popularity cuts across gender, age, region, education level, and every other way a pollster can slice and dice a demographic into its subatomic parts.

The results are so disturbing for conservatives that many of them are too depressed to plaster "English only" signs on their property.

Republicans seem shocked that Latinos, after being demonized for the economic woes afflicting the country, aren't clamoring to turn their respective states red. So conservatives have put aside their blueprints for that wall along the Mexican border long enough to ask, "Hey Hispanics, why don't you love us?"

It's a fair question. After all, we heard how President Bush won about forty percent of the Hispanic vote in the last election. And we also heard how the Republican platform appeals to all those hyper-religious, family-obsessed Latinos. Finally, we discovered that Obama was so despised among Hispanics that, on Election Day, they would bash him in like a piñata at a ten-year-old's birthday party ... OK, that's an overused simile, but the point is that Latinos, according to most storylines, are supposed to have big issues with the guy.

In truth, Hispanics have far less of a problem with Obama than white female Baby Boomers do. And the Democratic platform of emphasizing education and health-care reform resonates more than do Republican affirmations that their party really, really likes God.

There is also the tiny matter that many Latinos -- not just naturalized citizens but born-and-bred, flat-accented Midwestern types -- resent the stench of racial superiority that much of conservatism gives off.

Bear in mind that I'm not saying Republicans are racist. I'm saying it's a perception issue that they would be wise to address. You would think that an organization that can successfully market an unnecessary war could fix their image problems.

And by the way, having Alberto Gonzalez as the most prominent Latino in their party doesn't exactly help.

Of course, trying to pinpoint the exact reasons why a huge segment of the population votes a certain way is doomed to failure. This is especially true of the fabled Hispanic swing voter, who can be anybody from a conservative Cuban immigrant to a liberal second-generation El Salvadoran to a moderate Chicano to a left-handed naturalized Bolivian native with a thing for horticulture (I'm sure he's out there). There is more cultural variety among Hispanics than there is among most demographics, which in truth, are arbitrary and convenient constructs anyway.

But if we must look at Hispanics as a whole, it's clear that they remain solidly Democratic. And short of Obama setting the Puerto Rican flag on fire during a rally, that's not changing this year.

Comments

[rawbdawwgg]

Yes Sir, Mr. Cubias! Great post!! There was never any question that Barack would have latino's in his corner....­.I know they loved Hillary for all the reasons of the past (interesting that so many Latino males were willing to vote for her with all this "machismo" nonsense we always hear about Latino men). Now that Barack is the presumptive nominee, it seems reasonable that a multi-racial man born into a single parent household and later taken care of by his grandparents just smacks of the stories of so many of us in comparison to a career military opportunist who left his first wife after she had a debilitating car accident and married an heiress to finance his campaigns. How come there was any doubt? Because it makes a great story for the MSM!

[recruitgal]

That was very interesting.

I've always been a bit confused by the notion of a Hispanic voting block. It's such a diverse community that a one-size-fits-all approach seems crazy. It's like saying there is a Left-Handed voting block or a Contact Lense Wearers poltical alliance.

[WasteNJ]

Every Hispanic person's origin is that of mixed race, European colonists/African Slaves/Indigenous South American peoples mixed and what now exists as Hispanic is a culture, not a race. Many people forget this, especially GOP politicians and pollsters. Funny how white people are never assumed to be all one party or the other, but every other group is.

It's also not hard to see that Republican local governments (like in my town) are often openly hostile to brown people and tend to treat them as second-class. Nobody forgets being treated without dignity. No surprise here.

[JohnnyBoyyy]

Like most bad US policies, they DO come home to roost. AND the coop is Hella Full this time!

Only an intelligent, thoughtful, well organized President not borned with a sliver spoon in his mouth can change the wrongs of the past 7 (I wanna say 15!) years.

Obama is the ONLY candidate that can make the efforts and overcome the self serving, greedy, influence peddling Washington tide to Make A Change We Can Believe In!

[joebiz]

Good post.

The Republican Administration and their policies towards Latin America from Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan, and the Bushes (Democrats won't get a free pass, however they had a bit more compassion for political institutions and human rights) have been based on either the extraction of capital from LA (labor and or natural resources; United Fruit, Bracero Program come to mind) or they have been remade through free market policies of the University of Chicago, and the Milton Friedman-esque liberalization of the economies. These policies made them relatively weak and accessible to powerful American and International market forces. These programs lead to austerity measures (IMF and World Bank) with the backing of corrupt military juntas (Brazil, Argentina, Chile) and or one-party systems (Mexico, Cuba). Ultimately, many of these policies lead to increased poverty and general discontent/malaise in the region.

The migration and transmission of these policies through and among the US Latino population are evident and well known today. They don't forget, and they will not deliver for the Repugnantes this November.

As for Bush II gaining 40% of the Latino vote, it was largely due to his brother in Florida, the Texas factor, the relative strength of the economy, and the aloofness of John Kerry campaign.

[Puddin]

YES WE CAN!



Obama 08&12

[Danigirl65]

From your mouth to God's ear.