Dueling Democrats Ignore, Ignite the Angry Brown Voter

As he watched tonight's broadcast of the Democratic Debate at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Antonio Gonzalez didn't much like what he saw and heard. "I'm pissed off at all of them" he said. "I'm mad."

Like the growing number of Latinos disgusted with increasing discrimination that a majority (54%) say they experience mostly because of anti-immigrant racism, Gonzalez is dismayed at, how, for example, the top candidates responded to the 'Yes or No' question about drivers licenses for immigrants: Clinton "No", Edwards "No" and Obama "Yes, but..."

"They're all retreating from positions of principle on immigration" he said.

That such dismay exists so early among some Latino voters even in places like the Latino-heavy Democratic citadel of Los Angeles, should concern the candidates and their party. But coming from Gonzalez, whose organization, the Southwest Voter Registration and Education Project, has launched an unprecedented $10 million, 400 city drive to register and mobilize 500,000 new Latino voters by next year's election, such dismay should inspire fear of a new voting block: the Angry Brown Voter.

Like the Pentagon, the Democrats need Latinos desperately. And like many a returning Iraq war veteran, Latino veterans of the immigration wars grow impatient with both parties.

If you listened closely tonight, you could hear echoes of the voter bloc that will, in the long term, counterbalance the weakening pull of the angry white voter. The only Nevadan of Latino extraction who got to ask a question, UNLV student, George Ambriz, used his opportunity to finger debate CNN's Lou Dobbs for "insinuating" a "linkage" between terrorism and security and immigration. "No terrorist threat has come from our southern border" he said before asking, "Are they (terrorism and immigration) "intrinsically related issues"?

Combined with the Democrats' rightward turn on immigration, such questioning from an Angry Brown Voter bodes ill for a Democratic party that touted its decision to bring the debate -and a much-anticipated early primary- to Nevada as part of its efforts to be more inclusive of Latinos.

And recent developments beyond the UNLV campus also signal the coming of the still very young (the average Latino is 26) Angry Brown Voter. From Washington to local Congressional districts, the candidates and their party are starting to hear loudly and more frequently from a group the Democrats seem to take for granted.

In response to what they perceive as DCCC Chair Rahm Emanuel's cowardice on immigration, local groups in his district have taken out English, Spanish and Korean language ads in local media. The ads ask, "Why is Congressman Emanuel Betraying our Friends and Families?". Last Thursday, Members of the usually pretty loyal (and quiet) Hispanic Caucus held up debate on an important tax bill and engaged in an angry confrontation with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, D-Md. The Latino legislators were incensed at the support among some 36 of their fellow Democrats for a Republican motion many Hispanic Caucus members found very offensive. Venerated Chicano scholar and activist, Rudy Acuna, has even started circulating email messages across the country in which he asks whether Latinos should consider joining a third party. "They are pandering to Lou Dobbs. Why should we support a party that has sold out our interests?" asks Acuna.

How Latinos answer Acuna's question has relevance in the age of the slim electoral victory. Latino-heavy swing states like Nevada, Florida, Colorado and others may well determine next year's election. Not listening to the Angry Brown Voter may mean another Republican Red Congress - and Presidency.

Originally published here

Comments

[1will]

Well at least this author is consistant. He constantly refers to illegal aliens as immigrants and switches back and forth between Latino Citizens and illegal aliens as if they are the same . Throw in a dash of racism and you have the perfect Lovato column.

[iswearington]

isn't being white great? you board ships leave your country...travel 30 thousand miles across the ocean...disembark in someone elses country...claim it for yourselves...and declare all of its inhabitants illegal (the ones you don't murder or infect with measles, smallpox, TB and STD s)aliens.sick! sick! sick!downright evil. hopefully the mothership will land and the niberuians will order all of you deported back to woadyland ( britain).they will make you wear little red white and blue stars and tattoo numbers on your arms to identify you.

[clr2]

So the "angry brown voter" has family and friends who are ILLEGAL aliens? I'm angry too. I'm angry about using BILLIONS to educate and provide health care for ILLEGALS. All votes no matter what color they are should be angry about that too. We should be using those BILLIONS on our own citizens. Why should we give anything to ILLEGALS? We need to deport all ILLEGAL aliens no matter which country they come from, we need to heavily fine those who hire ILLEGALS, and we need to return to the original intent of the 14th amendment and do away with anchor babies.

[eddieinc97]

The Jethro mentality that wants to "Send them back where they came", is not only cruel but but un-American. We invaded this country from the Native Americans. I'm sure they want us the hell out. Look. Build a huge wall. Kill anyone else who crosses from now on. Whatever you think Jesus would do. But those that are here should be allowed to stay. And we move on by making it much harder to exist in this country without legal residence.

[BushSunkOurShip]

Lets put this on the table as it is. We are talking about "ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION" (over 34 million, over 3 million since january of 2007) into our country, and I think any person breaking the law, should not be tolerated.
This is a serious problem for our nation in multiple ways.
The total number of illegal immigrants in this country is 3 times the population of Cuba-----30 times the population of Hawii-----1 1/8 times the populaion of Iraq,(before the U.S. invasion which has illiminated "millions" of citizens)-----
5 times that of Saudi Arabia as of 1990 estimate---
Roughly 10 percent of Mexico's population of about 107 million is now living in the United States, estimates show. About 15 percent of Mexico's labor force is working in the United States. One in every 7 Mexican workers migrates to the United States. This report was from the early part of 2006 and does not include immigrations from other countries.
America had "controlled" immigration since it was founded and there is nothing wrong with legal "IMMIGRATION".
But illegal immigration is just what it says "ILLEGAL" and should have been stopped along time ago.
You will not see other countries tolerate this type of action and the numbers in which it is happening.
Our wages and all social programs have been effected by this action. Who is to say that Bin Laden himself could not walk across the border if over 34 million have in and some both ways for the last 10 plus years.
Why doesn't the GOVERNMENT OF MEXICO and other countries take care of their citizens, instead of sending them into another country to steal their jobs and health care.
Illegal immigrations has a direct link to corporations, in their quest for a cheap labor force to drive down wages and benefits and gain control of America's work force.
Where does the illegal immigrant get off telling Americans that we own them this and to h... with their not liking it.

[ritamary]

Advocating drivers licenses for illegals is a big loser as an issue in the upcoming elections. Opposition to giving licenses to illegals does not make a person a racist. Does anyone believe that Bush wants to give illegals permanent residency because he loves them so much? Get a clue. Bush represents rich people like himself and his family. He has said so himself that the rich are his base. Rich people want cheap labor.
It is just common sense that government should control who enters the country. That is the way things work all over the world. People are not allowed to just walk across international borders whenever they feel like it.
What do Mexicans do to Central and South Americans who enter Mexico illegally? They exploit them as much as possible and then deport them. Do some research. Ask any Central American how Mexicans treated them when they passed through Mexico illegally.
Why is the United States the only country in the world that is expected to have open borders, and then is supposed to feed, educate, and provide work for whoever shows up?

[ChristinDemocrat]

James Carville will loose the election for us. He talks about athiestism and evelution sit his ass down. Let him back in 2010 when Hilary has us on the road to success.

Put the monkey man in a cage because every time he opens his mouth he makes southerns Republicans. Sit you ass down mr shiney head and let someone who is awake take care of business.

Get him off the air till 2010.

[Beaux510]

For the record, I am brown, a mix of Native American/S­yrian(mom) and Irish (Dad). I'm also originally from the Los Angeles area (Dogtown baby!)

Lovato quoted the one Hispanic question:

"No terrorist threat has come from our southern border" he said before asking, "Are they (terrorism and immigration) "intrinsically related issues"?

And he knows this how?

If I may quote: Stephen Dinan and Jerry Seper from The Washington Times, dated June 27, 2007.

FAKE PAPERS PLEDGED IN WIRETAP

"Julio Leija-Sanchez, who ran a $3 million-a-year forgery operation before he was arrested in April, was expecting Congress to pass a legalization program, which he called "amnesty," and said he could forge documents to fool the U.S. government into believing illegal aliens were in the country in time to qualify for amnesty, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent said in the affidavit."

"Mr. Leija-Sanchez also used his forgery ring to help smuggle illegal aliens into the country on the understanding they would work for his criminal enterprise. He was arrested on charges of forgery and conspiracy to commit murder."

"In the affidavit, agent Medica said that although the forgery ring was mostly Mexican, its customers were "American, Polish, Indian, Algerian, Arab, Mexican, Nigerian, Canadian, Haitian, Pakistani and Asian." The agent said the organization never refused to sell documents to anyone who had money."

[CitizenE]

Amazing to follow this whole thread and not see one post that understands the drivers license/insurance issue. You get in an accident caused by someone without a license or insurance--sorry bub, it's on your dime.
For all that Obama supposedly stumbled last night, he was correct to protest the overly simple minded way in which the issue of immigration was being addressed.

[wm1066]

Alot of good comments on this issue. The auther of this article doesn't want to talk about the collateral damage done by illegals. And that is the big issue in talks about unwonted illegals.

[research]

Idea: if person caught without license, or proof o citizenship, the official prints them a temporary license, right there. Photo Fingerprint reported name address phone. Right in the squad car.

Then let them continue on their way.
Nobody need fear the INS or the police. You wont be kicked out of the country without due process, you wont be hauled away if you can't produce ID. The police will love it, I think, because they can then trace everybody in the country. I am not so keen on the finger print thing, But I already gave mine to CA just to get my license. So no worse then now.

Since the fingerprint can be looked up on the net, identity is proven. What they say or look like doesn't matter.

Employers will be required to get ID number assigned for that finger print before hiring. Thus taxes etc.. get paid.

oops if dup.

[Merg]

Mr. Lovato always refuses to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants in his writings on immigration. By not recognizing this difference, he seems to believe he can call those of us who have a problem with illegals racists and that somehow this will be a winning argument. He is certainly wrong
He is also very wrong in assuming that legal 'brown people' are as 'angry' about the illegal situation as he is because many,many of them also oppose illegal immigration.

[Lisette]

Things I Am Sick Of:

Bush & Co

The War

Racism

THE MEDIA

Hillary Clinton

[NABNYC]

I get so confused by the threat that if politicians don't support open borders, then Mexican-Americans will band together to what? Throw the politicians out of office? For not helping the corporations import an unlimited supply of labor to take American's jobs, drive down wages and benefits?

Guess what. The downward push on workers affect Hispanic-americans the same as the anglos. This is not a race issue, no matter how hard you and some on the right try to claim it is. It is an American worker issue. Either you stand up for the rights of American workers, or you don't.

If you want to support immigrant workers, I suggest you go get a job in any major U.S. business today that is importing workers under H-B1 visas. They actually have full-time staff whose only job is to find labor contractors (like coyotes but with better pay) to supply engineers from Pakistan and India, and nurses from the Philippines, who are brought in by the planeload and given jobs at 1/3 what an American (Hispanic-American or Anglo-American) would earn.

The drivers' license issue is a stupid issue. People who are not here legally should not be given licenses to drive. The main reason for the push was because U.S. businesses want to hire illegal immigrants to do all the trucking inside the U.S. for a fraction of what is paid to Hispanic or Anglo American truckers.

I bet the Republicans and the major businesses of this country would give you and your organization millions of dollars to keep up this fight, because ultimately you are singing their song.

[anghiari]

I find this column interesting. The Latino community only has to look back to the 60's to gain some understanding about what's going on politically at the moment. For blacks it was affirmative action and for Latinos it’s anti-immigration. It's probably disingenuous for the author to say that there is a rise in discrimination because of the anti-immigrant issue. The purported rise has only to do with the press coverage the issue is getting. People are seizing the moment to act out publicly their private beliefs. Sad to say--racism around brown people exists and is alive and well many places. Latinos have the right to be angry, but better not to get mad and to get busy getting even. The conundrum with any group on the receiving end of discriminatory behavior is how to leverage your political clout should you have any. This time around the Latino community has to ask itself do you really have enough Latino voters to make up for disaffected white voters who may vote for another candidate if the front runners tell Latinos exactly what they want to hear? Is it perhaps a smarter strategy for Latinos to look at the candidates' positions on other humanistic and civil rights issues as well as the anti-immigrant issue in order to find someone to support? Rather than issuing ultimatums that could blow up in your face... find an alternative workable position. The fact is the anti-immigrant issue can kill the possibility of a win for any number of candidates.