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DeeDee Garcia Blase

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No New Latino GOP Votes Until Immigration Reform

Posted: 08/23/11 08:42 AM ET

Here in Arizona Alice Cooper says, "I wanna love you but I better not touch."

Much commotion has been made concerning a recent Republican effort to win over Latino voting support. While it might be admirable for the GOP to make an attempt to reach out to Latinos during a Presidential election year, I am afraid that their efforts will be fruitless until they reverse the actions of their dismal record regarding last December's 2010 DREAM Act vote. We are now seeing former Senator Norm Coleman attempting to win over Latino voters via his Hispanic Leadership Network program, even though he told me in March of this year that the GOP cannot support legal immigration reform because it is simply not their priority. Fair enough, but given that, Latinos should not prioritize voting for the GOP.

The Republican Party can no longer claim to be pro-family, when over one million families have been forced apart or detained through their "attrition through enforcement" policies. It can no longer pride itself on pro-life views, since they attacked American-born baby rights via the 14th Amendment. It can no longer pride itself on jobs and the economy, because they are hurting the economy through their protectionism. Daniel Griswold from the CATO Institute told me that one low-skilled undocumented farm worker produces 3.1 middle income jobs to native born Americans via packaging, transportation and marketing. Since the passage of Georgia's harsh anti-immigrant law, Georgia farmers have become desperate in their need to replace 11,000 farm workers who fled in mass exodus.

What was Coleman thinking and why would his advisors believe it would be a good strategy to use Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval to reach out to Latinos, when Sandoval supported Arizona's SB 1070? Latinos in New Mexico are becoming increasingly upset with Governor Susana Martinez' initiative to take driver's licenses away from the undocumented, so why is the GOP using her for Latino outreach? Latino grassroots leaders in Nevada and New Mexico tell me that Hispanics voted for Sandoval and Martinez because the Hispanic surname was misleading to many who believed they would take immigrant-friendly positions in the Southwest. Latino voters will not make that mistake again in 2012 as an immigration scorecard is being developed and will be released to multiple Latino media outlets.

Extreme rhetoric must be moderated from the top, and this is important because without this key component, there will be no bottom-up grassroots. Trust and rapport begins from the bottom-up, not vice versa. The Republican National Committee (RNC) leadership is eerily silent with the anti-immigrant Tea Party crowd. They need to step in and moderate the rhetoric.

SOMOS Republicans became the largest Hispanic Republican group in the nation as it grew out of crisis, because it was the only Latino GOP group that stood up for immigrant rights and stood against fellow Republicans (as well as Democrats) who supported anti-immigrant laws. The other Latino GOP groups seemed to be afraid to fight for the Latino community on the immigration front, and most simply toed the party line, equated most immigrants to drug mules, supported Arizona's harsh anti-immigrant law, or did not support the DREAM Act.

What happened to the Republican Party? Republicans who used to champion the DREAM Act and Immigration Reform under George W. Bush, are now nowhere to be found. When did the "Big Tent Party" become the "isolationist Tea Party"?

Since the failure of the DREAM Act, SOMOS Republicans saw a significant drop in new Latino Republican membership, members told us they were switching back to the Independent or Democratic Party, Internet traffic significantly diminished, and 15 of the organization's 20 top national leaders were considering changing their voting registration to Independent. How were these top Latino Republican leaders going to answer to the Latino community after the DREAM Act vote was aired live by UNIVISION?

So what will it take for the GOP to save itself from losing an entire generation of Latino voters? Toning down the rhetoric alone will not do it anymore - not in this Information Age. The only way the GOP can make up for past DREAM Act sins and reverse a complete political shift in the Southwest is for Senate Republicans to display leadership for comprehensive legal immigration, since most State legislators believe the federal government is not carrying out its federal responsibility to fix the broken immigration system. I hear New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez is seeking GOP sponsors and is open to ideas that will fix the problem.

Conservative pundits were quick with their efforts to create self-fulfilling prophecies by giving the false perception that Latinos are not going to vote in large numbers during the 2012 Presidential elections. This only shows how out of touch they are with the Latino community, and their falsehoods created the spark necessary for the National Tequila Party Movement. The Tequila Party quickly received strong support from Democrats, Independents, and Republicans who viewed the anti-immigrant Tea Party as kryptonite. The Tequila Party soon became a strong movement comprised of Democrats, Independents and Republicans who unified ourselves in supporting a strong Latino GOTV, organizing rallies as we push for legal immigration reform. We became the Latino counter-movement, as the Tea Party was making clear to all Americans their refusal to work in a bipartisan fashion, which was evident in the debt crisis discussions no matter the global financial cost.

In order for the GOP to acquire new Latino voters for 2012, they must support legal comprehensive immigration reform to make up for their dismal DREAM Act vote in 2010. There is no way around this. Republican lawmakers across the nation have spoken loud and clear and have said the immigration system is broken. I agree, so let's fix it.

 
 
 
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02:57 PM on 08/25/2011
Thought warped and poisoned by one's ethnocentrism creates a worldview like that of a horse fitted with blinders.
10:09 AM on 08/24/2011
The only immigration reform we need is to reform the current LACK OF attitude from the Obama administration and enforce the laws we already have. Since the Feds don't want to do their job, let the States do it. If the Mexicans don't like it, they can go back to Mexico! PERIOD! They are disrespecting every other race that is here trying to do things the legal way! GET IN LINE! Mexicans are NOT entitled to the USA! GET OVER IT!
10:00 PM on 08/23/2011
Congrats DeeDee! Mrs. Josephs has said wonderful things about you and your great work!! Lets keep up the great work!! -Ben Gaspar.
08:40 PM on 08/23/2011
IMMIGRATION REFORM!!!!!!!!
05:23 PM on 08/23/2011
Why do Hispanics like Ms. Blase advocate on behalf of foreign nationals who broke our immigration laws to get here and continue to violate those laws each and every day they are trespassing on US soil? Does Ms. Blase have no memory of what a cesspool of corruption, incompetence and environmental squalor much of Central America has become? Does she really want to bring America down to that level of bestial conditions by erasing our borders and dishonoring our own citizenry?

Why is it that illegal aliens think they are above the law? And more importantly, why is that so many (though hardly a majority) Hispanic Americans embrace this culture of lawlessness when it only breeds resentment and hostility towards them? If Ms. Blase wants to immerse herself in the filth and violence of her ancestral roots she should move back to Mexico immediately. But please, stop trying to drag America down!
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arecibo48
Clinton in 2016
12:27 AM on 08/24/2011
You will never help the discussion on the issue of immigration with your uncalled for statement that "If Ms. Blase wants to immerse herself in the filth and violence of her ancestral roots she should move back to Mexico immediatel­y." Besides, Ms. Blaise is entitled to give her opinion the same as you gave yours. The difference between you and her is that she did not take the low road.
10:07 AM on 08/24/2011
I agree completely! Nice post!
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04:54 PM on 08/23/2011
I dunno? But I can't stop looking at her picture. Hispanics sure have some beautiful women. Guess that's why I fell in love with one and married her.
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arecibo48
Clinton in 2016
05:00 PM on 08/23/2011
You sure know what's good!
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12:05 AM on 08/24/2011
Hey everybody has their natural attractions. Mine.... Latinas with dark hair and pretty soft brown eyes and curvy hips. What's not to love?
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Mark Lindley
10:42 AM on 09/01/2011
Oh, well if you are married to a beautiful Hispanic woman then that's it! We must allow as many Hiispanics to violate our immigration as possible (insert rolling eyes here).
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arecibo48
Clinton in 2016
04:51 PM on 08/23/2011
I wish Ms. Garcia-Blaise nothing but success in her quest to get the Dream Act passed by Congress. However, working with an organization named "The Tequila Party" will cause some to wonder the seriousness of the organization.
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CrestedSparrow
06:07 PM on 08/23/2011
Especially since there are those of us who would like to put those tequila nights in the distant past!
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cmr86
Reality. Progressively-based.
08:42 PM on 08/23/2011
And there's seriousness in the tea party?
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arecibo48
Clinton in 2016
11:07 PM on 08/23/2011
I'm not saying the "Tequila Party" is no good; I said the name of the organization would be a disadvantage. I made it clear that I supported the goals of the organization. As for the "Tea Party," I have no use for them; they don't care what happens to our country as long as the rich are not taxed.
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Viper1st
multi quasi faceted
04:35 PM on 08/23/2011
May 26, 2011 ~ WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld an Arizona law that imposes harsh penalties on businesses that hire illegal immigrants.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/us/27scotus.html

Arizona's "E-Verification" state legislation ~ Legal Arizona Workers Act of 2007 was upheld as being constitutional

When U.S. Employers stop hiring illegals ~ there will be no need for illegals to be in the USA

The end is near for illegals, residing / working illegally in the USA
05:02 PM on 08/23/2011
Hey, that's really great news! However, you and I both know, laws only work when their actually being enforced, right?
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ugly american
"I drank what?"- Last words of Socrates
04:32 PM on 08/23/2011
Why on Earth anyone who favors open borders and unfettered immigration would support Republicans is beyond me. They are totally opposed to relaxing the immigration laws, never mind reforming them.
Of our recent Republican administration, about the only one who supported these causes was G. W. Bush himself.
As for the DREAM Act, it's fatal flaw is that it does nothing for anyone except foreign nationals without permission to be here. It does not help Americans or even foreign students here with permission.
In a time when citizens are crying for help with jobs, education costs soaring and the economy going into the pipes, it is likely to fail and fail again as it has every time before Congress.
If it contained something for Americans, like special educational financing for citizens, it might stand a much better chance of passing.
But that is as likely to happen as Republicans supporting any sort of immigration reform.
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Viper1st
multi quasi faceted
05:45 PM on 08/23/2011
"They are totally opposed to relaxing the immigratio­n laws, never mind reforming them."

Relaxing U.S. Federal Immigration Laws ~ Why?

Since 2001 ~ USCIS has granted, each & every year, legal entry into the USA of 1.0 million foreign nationals seeking Naturalized U.S. Citizenship

Some ~ including myself ~ wonder why? At a time that the U.S. Economy can not sustain the existing U.S. Workforce. Evidenced, there are 14 million U.S. Citizens Our Of Work in the USA ~ why is USCIS granting 1 million foreign nationals annually into the U.S. Workforce?

Is it not bad enough that 11.2 million illegals are living / SCABBING U.S. jobs in the USA, illegally?
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ugly american
"I drank what?"- Last words of Socrates
07:21 PM on 08/23/2011
I happen to agree with you. That's why I fanned you.
I lost most prospects for work in my own profession to "in-sourcing", people being brought in from India, Pakistan and other Asian countries by corporations. Since then I have seen less skilled jobs taken in restaurants, construction, factories and others taken over by unregistered foreigners. Retail jobs are mostly being taken over by refugees from Iraq and Afghanistan where I live.
I vehemently oppose any sort of amnesty or even unregistered foreigners being in the country at all. My feeling is that if you want to be an American, first be like an American and come here with permission. Otherwise stay on your own side of the border because fairness is a very American value and "cutting in line" angers us. No matter what your race be an American first.
But HP gave them this section. When I am here I do my best to be civil. I am a burning liberal on almost everything else, but this is my hot button. Stepping across the border does not entitle anyone to stay, work, bring their family OR protest a government they can't vote for or against. "Ethnic solidarity" is a lot of hogwash foreigners use to gain what they want against citizen's better judgement. They, like the "white people" they complain about, are using race and name calling to try to shame us into giving them special privileges.
04:13 PM on 08/23/2011
Remember how the argument use to be on the 14th amendment, childern born to an illegal in the U.S. became an automatic U.S. citizen? Notice how that issue has been quietly swept under the carpet and not much of a spoken issue anymore? In the minds of most hispanic activist, they feel they've won the 14th admendment argument, so now their next agenda/damand is to have automatic citizenship granted to childern brought to the U.S. by illegal parents. Next agenda/damand will be granting automatic citizenship to the childern's illegal parents and after that to all the rest of the family. When does it ever end? Every single time illegals protest, our government caves in to their demands. I'm sure a vast majority of the American Hispanic population is against amnesty and open borders, and they are just as frustrated with the U,S, government as any other American citizen is. The U.S. government (both Democrates and Rebuplicans) knows how to misrepresent their true intentions and manipulate the American people, that's including American Hispanic folks. You hear all the time from these Mexican activist on how their going to take back America! But, if you think about it, there is so many interracial marriages in the United States, I don't know how any one specific race is going to be the majority in America. Just A thought.
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PLDgyrl
We won Mitches!!!!!!!
03:54 PM on 08/23/2011
This whole subject never fails to baffle me. As far as I am concerned there is no discussion to be had. If you are not here legally you just don't belong here. I don't understand - there are no shades of grey!!!!!
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Viper1st
multi quasi faceted
04:03 PM on 08/23/2011
The whole illegal immigration problem ~ solved by one action

11.2 million illegals ~ become Naturalized U.S. Citizens ~ Like the other 10+ million foreign nationals have done in the last 10 years

The only thing broken in the U.S. Immigration Policy? Is its lack of enforcement.
03:46 AM on 08/24/2011
Sounds like amnesty to me. Bad idea.
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SuperMex
02:56 PM on 08/23/2011
DeeDee, I found your column very interesting. The way the Republican Party has treated the Mexican American community is downright deplorable. Of the five members in our family our son has flirted with the Republican Party. In his words: That backstabbing Senator John McCain made me come back to the Democratic Party. No member of our family wants the border to go unchecked. What we do want is immigration reform. The longer it takes to reform immigration the older the American born children of the immigrants get. Eventually these children will become voting age and will remember what the Republican Party did to their family. If they don't remember I will remind them.

Birth data shows that demographics are on our side.

To quote Congressperson, Maxine Waters. The Tea Party Can Go To Hell!

US Army
1965-1966
Vietnam
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CrestedSparrow
02:46 PM on 08/23/2011
Dee Dee, you are sharp and right on point. Thank you for your candor and straight talk. I'm with you on all points.
06:06 PM on 08/23/2011
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article/article?f=/c/a/2011/08/22/MNKT1KQCNH.DTL

explain that to this little boys parents
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CrestedSparrow
08:08 PM on 08/23/2011
This is a tragic story indeed, but should not be used to demonize people in the country illegally. Justice will be served for this child and the chid's family. You and I both know that too many people--citizens and noncitizens alike-- drive illegally on public roads and highways who have had the misfortune of a car accident which injured or killed another human being. It is, in my opinion, then for this reason that we close the gap of illegal status in this country especially for those who have lived here for decades or those in need of asylum. If immigration policy addressed the needs satisfactorily then people once illegal would become legal, assimilated, and accountable in every way.
02:35 PM on 08/23/2011
we wouldn't have any illegal immigration problems, if only the illegals would understand that they have to stand in line.....at the back of the line.....to become citizens of our great country. Since i don't speak yuor language....perhaps you could your people for me and millions of other U.S. Citizens. Muchos gracias....for nothing.
02:35 PM on 08/23/2011
Start with talking to Calderon and the Mexican Government.That's where the problem orginates. If you could make 10,12 bucks an hour in Mexico you would not sneak in here illegally for 8. As far as the Magnet, US companies cheating, tell la raza that e-verify is good. Finally, realize that we allow 1-2 million aliens into the US every year legally. The system is not broken!!! Just our laws!!!