Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Latinos' influence in primaries more important than ever

Like never before, Latino voters will make a significant difference in 2008, especially in Texas.

Latinos total one quarter of the Texas electorate and are about 3.6 million strong.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is thought to have a strong edge in the March 4 Primary, although younger Latinos seem to be giving Mr. Obama a serious look.

Mr. Obama has asked many long time voters for their support, many who seem unshakeable in their loyalty to Mrs. Clinton.

United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta has urged Latinos to vote for Senator Clinton. Dolores is held in high esteem by many Latinos and viewed as a heroine of Civil and Human Rights.

My predictions, based on local news, grocery store chatter and ear to the ground feedback:

Hillary Clinton will win the popular vote in Texas by +5%.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dee you are 100% correct

Latinos have a huge influence on the primaries.

And most latinos who became citizens in the last amnesty (1986) vote for whatever candidate promises the highest levels of immigration from mexico.

The logic is, if a candidate promises high levels of immigration from mexico, the latinos who were amnestied in 1986 can more easily bring their families and friends from mexico to the usa legally

i don't blame latinos for voting for candidates that vow to let them bring in their friends and family - it is a natural human impulse.

however, this voting pattern just needs to be fully understood by all sides, pro and anti.

if the 20 million illegals now in the usa are made in to citizens, then they will vote for candidates that dramatically increase future immigration from mexico

if the 20 million illegals now in the us voluntarily deport, then they won't be here to vote for increased future immigration from mexico

it is a package deal - citizenship for the 20 million means plenty more coming to the usa in the future

deportation of the 20 million means plenty less coming to the usa in the future.

all sides should simply talk to the illegals in the usa. listen carefully to their concerns, their hopes their aspirations their goals. They are open honest people - just listen to them and hear what they want and then decide whether what they want is good for america or not

no need for raised tempers or insults, just a need to carefully listen to good people

Dee said...

Anon,
What is your point?
All 3 candidates, McCain, Hillary and Barack support Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

ultima said...

Here some things Sen. Obama has overlooked but should have denounced: (Recall the tirade when
Don Imus crossed the line in referring to the Rutgers Womens' Basketball team?)

Referring to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice:

Radio host John Sylvester called her "Aunt Jemima" and a "balck trophy" of the Bush Administration.

Cartoons by Pat Oliphant portrayed her as President Bush's thick-lipped parrot.

Nationally-syndicated commentator Ted Rall referred to Secretary Rice as President Bush's "House Nigga."

And Gary Trudeau showed President Bush calling her "Brown Sugar" in his comic strip, "Doonesbury".

If anyone is in touch with Obama, please pass this on. If we were outraged by Imus's miscue, should we be demanding that these folks be fired like Imus was?

ultima said...

There is a difference between the positions of the candidates. McCain wants certified secure borders before anything else is done. He says nothing about chain immigrations. Hill and Obama will open the flood gates as anon has indicated. Take your choice and be prepared for the consequences.

The population will grow without bounds and will become increasingly heterogeneous making it impossible to reach agreement on a vision for the America's environment and future. The polarization will be along many axes: rich vs poor, old timers vs newcomers, those clinging to a traditional lifestyle, quality of life, language and culture vs those who unwittingly welcome the destruction of our way of life, the pro-growth vs the sustainable growth, and the myopic vs the long term visionaries.

If the new president goes for the old, tired CIR ideas, no matter who he is or she is, he will not be able to bring America together.

Anonymous said...

Latinos are still way the minority most everywhere in this country. I don't think their vote makes a major difference in any election.

I do believe that Obama will win Texas. That is my prediction. I of course could be wrong. I would actually rather see Hillary win it.

Dee said...

Ulty,
Are you saying you are for McCain?

Anonymous said...

I hope you're right in your prediction, Dee.

ultima said...

I believe McCain is the lesser of three evils so I probably will support him. If Obama had a more enlightened long term view of immigration, border security and illegal aliens, he would get my vote mainly because he is a newbie and may have some fresh ideas. But I must put the long term best interest of America first and therefore picking the lesser of three evils, I must support John McCain.

ultima said...

I just finished talking with the Republican National Committee. It was, of course, seeking donation. I told them if John McCain would change his position on immigration, he would get more donations. We have generously supported individual candidates for the congress where their views on immigration, etc. were more congruent with ours.

Anonymous said...

I won't vote for McCain because he banded together with Kennedy to shove an amnesty down our throats. I look at him as a cheating wife. Most conservative Republicans like myself will not vote for McCain.

I actually believe that Hillary will turncoat on the pro-amnestias if she becomes president. Obama I don't trust at all.

But keep in mind that no matter who goes to the White House that the president has limited powers and it is congress who votes on issues like immigration. I think congress knows where the majority of Americans stand on that issue by the defeat of CIR last year.

Anonymous said...

Well, Hillary pulled it off.

The blue collar won it for her in Ohio and in Texas maybe it was the Hispanics, but I want to point out one group that lost in both places and that is those uber liberal Kos Kids and I just love seeing that. In my opinion these spoiled brats of the blogosphere and their ilk could care less about the family WORKING to put food on the table and pay their bills.

Anonymous said...

Well I was wrong, Hillary did pull it off but not by much. As I said before though I would rather it had been her than Obama anyway.

Dee said...

I voted and participated in the caucuses last evening.
It was so exciting. I am going to write my next blog on what happened!

Dianne, you are right about Kos and MSNBC and all the Hillary Bashers. They get so angry! They are the losers!

Anonymous said...

I am sure that there are Obama and McCain bashers out there too. By the way, anger is a natural and human emotion. We have all felt it at one time or another in our lives. If we didn't we wouldn't be human.

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