By Eliseo Medina, SEIU International Secretary-Treasurer, and Bill Burton, Senior Strategist, Priorities USA Action
Actions don't lie and neither does video. Those who doubt that should closely watch the facial expressions of those who feel insulted. Watch the faces of voters when they see and hear a politician only interested in helping the wealthy. Watch the faces of Latinos when they hear Mitt Romney speak in his own words and hear about how Romney actually made his millions. Then you will agree that pictures don't lie.
That's what we found when SEIU and Priorities USA Action set out to test voters' reactions to Mitt Romney as he talked about working people, immigrants, and the 99 percent less fortunate than him. They watched this GOP presidential candidate, a multi-millionaire who jokes about being unemployed. Romney, as has been well documented, made a fortune often driving companies to bankruptcy and laying off workers without the health and retirement benefits that they had earned to increase the profit margins for himself and his wealthy investors.
"He's making fun of us; of the people who don't have work. What he is saying is not fair," said one Hispanic voter in Denver. "I cannot vote for Romney."
A Nevada voter appeared equally insulted. "Our kids our suffering and he makes a joke.... I cannot imagine voting for him," she said.
"He doesn't think of us," added a Florida Hispanic voter.
Their voices and many others are being seen and heard in Colorado, Nevada and Florida as part of our campaign to show who Mitt Romney really is and how he condescendingly talks about working people and the poor -- and how this attitude will translate into policies that will be harmful to our communties if he is elected.
The new Spanish-language radio and television ads called "In His Own Words," reminds Hispanic voters that Romney simply doesn't get it and the stakes are too high to ignore.
It is not just a disconnect with real people. Romney's GOP primary campaign rhetoric on immigration, jobs and other key issues shows a real disrespect for Hispanics struggling to earn fair wages to support their families.
Lately, Romney has run paid media ads claiming he shares Latino's values, while trying to avoid talking about immigration, a "gut check" issue that helps Latino voters distinguish between the good guys and the bad. But Hispanics won't forget his record.
Romney embraces the most extreme policies in the history of the Republican Party, such as vowing to veto the DREAM Act, which allows young, talented Hispanics to earn citizenship if they pursue a college education or serve in the military. On immigration, he follows the advice of Kris Kobach, the architect of racial profiling laws like Arizona SB 1070 and Alabama HB 56, and believes that if life is made miserable for immigrants to survive and earn a living, they will "self-deport."
His lack of regard is exactly the opposite of President Obama's advocacy for comprehensive immigration reform, the DREAM Act, affordable health care, education, production of good jobs, and so many other issues that are important to Hispanics.
What Romney fails to comprehend is that people really understand what's going on and what a candidate is saying, regardless of the language spoken. When they look and hear his own words, they know what he means, and what he means is not going to be good for them or for their families. They realize that in Mitt Romney's world, only the rich get richer and the rest get left behind.
The truth is that Mitt Romney and the GOP are in denial over the rapid demographic changes occurring in this country. Their nativist policies are divisive and destructive.
The Latino community will not stand for insulting, hostile and unwelcoming attacks on working families. In the face of these attacks, Hispanics are realizing that they are not helpless and that they do have the power, through their vote, to reject politicians like Romney and vote for a man who watches their backs, President Obama.
That is why in November, Hispanic voters will reject Romney's words and actions and vote for the president's re-election.
Follow Eliseo Medina on Twitter: www.twitter.com/@SEIU_Eliseo
Charles Garcia: Marco Rubio's Deeds And Words Don't Match
 |
 |
|
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Electoral Votes (270 to win) |
332 | 206 |
| Obama | Romney | |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 65,899,660 | 60,932,152 |
| Percent | 51.1% | 47.2% |
| Democrats* | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Current Senate | 53 | 47 |
| Seats gained or lost | +2 | -2 |
| New Total | 55 | 45 |
| Democrats | Republicans | |
|---|---|---|
| Seats won | 201 | 234 |
How may criminal Hispanic illegals Obama's actions, deported? 1 every 79 seconds
Why would he alienate His people???
Illegal is illegal. No amnesty. NEVER again.
And the last bone I feel like picking at the moment is your "pushing for amnesty should be considered treason" comment. Speak of trying to ruin our country. That's what pushing the view that those with political opinions that differ from yours should be considered as having committed treason! How very un-American.
Anyone not in the 1% he has no clue about. This is a man who thinks making $250,000 a year just in speaking fees is "not much".
How can he feel anyone's pain when he doesn't have any idea how the other 99% lives? He defines "out of touch."
It's not just Hispanics. He also doesn't care about black, red, yellow, tan or even white people if they are not part of the Billionaire's Club. All he wants from any American (or anyone else who can manage to vote) is for them to vote for him. He wants the votes and it doesn't matter how much it costs. He has all the corporate backing he needs and he has a job to do to pay them back.
Most Latinos that come to this country all they want is an equal opportunity, and that is what they get in this country, there are thousands of Latinos that have come to this country penniless and through hardwork they have amassed small fortunes. Opportunity and hardwork take you places, no handouts and definitely no Democratic demagoguery.
So ya, even though I'm as white as the sky is blue, I'm not short-sighted enough to forget that (unless you're a native american) ALL of our families came here from someplace else. So I think I will take seriously the comments of a person who, as treasurer of the Service Employees International Union, is actively thinking about this issue and knows what he's talking about.
> Veto the severely flawed The DREAM Act for Illegals
> Voluntary "self-deportations" of illegals
What more about anti-illegal Immigration do you think Romney needs to address?
Romney is unopposed to the existing U.S. Immigration Policy of continued being 1 iimmigrant granted legal entry into the USA each & every 38 seconds, 24/7 since 2001
You say: "Most Latinos that come to this country all they want is an equal opportunity, and that is what they get in this country, there are thousands of Latinos that have come to this country penniless and through hardwork they have amassed small fortunes".
What an interesting take you have on things. However, the key word in your statement, for me, is "small". Hispanic citizens have an amazing work ethic and do not expect handouts. At the same time, they are smart enough to know that they are working in a system that is, at once, hostile and patronizingly condescending to them and their concerns. They can see, as do we all, that often they are the whipping boy for all that is wrong in our society. Meanwhile, the pampered and priviledged class prosper and amass phenomenal fortunes, with nary a fraction of the work ethic and sweat equity that success demands. This is not Democratic demagoguery...this is reality.