Thread: Analysis: What's wrong with pandering to Latino voters?

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Analysis: What's wrong with pandering to Latino voters?Story Highlights
Candidates talk about immigration reform at Latino events

Hispanics care about a lot of other issues, says Juan Carlos Lopez

Latinos: The largest and fastest growing minority in the nation

Candidates' so-called pandering to Latinos shows the power of the Hispanic vote

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By Juan Carlos Lopez
CNN en Español Senior Correspondent

(CNN) -- "Pandering." According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, to pander is to: "provide gratification for others' desires." So is that what John McCain and Barack Obama are doing with Hispanic voters?


Sen. John McCain has said the issue of immigration would be a top priority for him as president.

1 of 2 If you follow coverage of their speeches at three Latino events -- the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, the League of United Latin American Citizens and The National Council of La Raza -- the answer would be yes.

Why? Because the two candidates are talking about making immigration reform a priority if they reach the White House, and to make it there, they know the Hispanic vote can have a great impact.

More than 9 million Hispanics are expected to vote on November 4th. They traditionally favor Democrats, but many have supported Republicans in key races. In 2004, for example, 40 percent of the Latino vote went to President Bush -- so going after them makes political sense.

Do Hispanics care about immigration reform? Yes, they do. But it's not the only issue that concerns them. See where the candidates stand on immigration

They, too, pay more than $4 for a gallon of gas, and are worried about the economy, foreclosures, the war in Iraq and access to health care and education. But the debate on immigration has motivated many to apply for citizenship and many others to register to vote.

Hispanics aren't a monolithic group as many seem to believe. Some families go back six or seven generations. Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens by birth. Cubans can stay if they make it to U.S soil. Latinos from all over Latin America come by plane.

Surprisingly, a majority of Latino voters show a deep interest in immigration reform, even though it wouldn't benefit them directly because they are U.S. citizens.

They believe reform would help in a community that shares a common language, even though it has many differences. They aren't naïve and won't be swayed with tall tales.

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But to pander has a negative connotation and the concept seems highlighted when it refers to Hispanics, the largest- and fastest-growing minority in the nation.

This electorate is familiar with politicians making promises they don't always keep -- and surely will see that McCain favors border security before immigration reform, a reform he put his name on at great cost.

They are aware of the need to learn English in order to succeed, and not necessarily for every child to learn Spanish as Obama suggested. That could fuel fears about Hispanic influence, and spur some to use that fear to score political points.

In this case, the approach goes in two directions. It can be seen as pandering to a specific group for political gain, but it can also be portrayed as a challenge to Hispanics.

With greater clout comes higher responsibility; it means not only registering to vote, but actually doing it on Election Day, making those numbers count, showing that Latinos are more than a group with great potential.

Is pandering to Hispanics any different from pandering to other groups? Why isn't there a similar outcry when candidates address the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on the future of Israel? Or the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People? Isn't that pandering?

Hispanics are coming of political age, and probably face a dilemma. But which is better -- being pandered to, or ignored? And no, it's not a trick question.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/07/16/ ... cnn_latest

Because we are sick of the pandering, we are sick of amnesty over and over again, we are sick of being bullied and called names for wanting our immigration laws enforced and sick because we know you are recruiting illegals to vote in OUR elections thereby usurping the American citizens vote in OUR own country.

Ultimately what some "latinos" want is Spanish language civil rights, they want to force Spanish as another national language and not just, as is already being done by corporations for example, but full-fledge Spanish language on the floor of Congress, legislating in Spanish!

What's wrong with pandering to Latino voters? The answer is...'EVERYTHING"!

Latinos are the only 'immigrants' who, for the most part, have not assimilated. Many of them do not think "American"...they think "Hispanic". They have NOT dropped their nationalism...they demand to be treated as a seperate entity. For those hispanics who have assimilated...they are insulted by the subversive activities of LaRaza, et al. They want to be Americans, first and foremost...not hyphenated Americans!

McShame and Obamination are perpetrating 'racism' among hispanics in the same manner as Jesse Jackson has perpetrated racism among blacks. They are separatists and racial divide will dominate this election. I don't think I can stomach the next 4 to 8 years...

I'm just waiting for them to pander to white people.

I'm just waiting for them to pander to white people.

Exactly. Outside of shoving Spanish down our throats and amnesty....I haven't heard any concerns from the "hispanic community" that are any different than the REST of the human race who are citizens in this country. If they want to pander.....pander to the "boomers". Pander to the young college crowd. No race or ethnic seperation there. It's an all inclusive group having to do with different issues that an age group has. They had an article about nursing homes and different ethnic foods and different levels of care in nursing homes. It isn't foreign to young people and they will get interested in it when it comes to their grandparents and parents.....but when you want to know specific things....go to the source.

College kids are more concerned about what's going on in college and future prospects than I am.....even though I have college kids. Their opinion matters more than mine.

Young parents with school aged kids have more direct knowledge to problems with the public school system, day care etc. than Grandma and grandpa do....

New immigrants (legal) and new citizens are probably more knowledgable about "immigration reform" than just illegal hispanics. Hispanics don't speak for all immigrants and immigration isn't just about hispanics....and Amnesty for illegals isn't addressing any other problems with immigration. Problems assimilating? Ask a new legal immigrant what would be helpful. Not JUST the hispanics.

Problems with the border.....talk to those who are working it and on the front line.

There might be groups with specific problems but pandering to "hispanics" or "blacks" or even "whites" does no good. I'm sick of "better health care for hispanics"......what about everyone else? Ours isn't any different. Jobs for hispanics. Woo-hoo.....we all need jobs. Higher pay for hispanic workers! Hey...we've been asking for living wages for EVERYONE for a long time here!

When it's just for hispanics it sounds like it is with the assumption it's different for everyone else and they already have it.......when it's not the case.

Wanna talk poverty....fine. Not just black poverty or hispanic poverty because poverty knows no race. Poverty effects every race of people and I don't think it's any more "special" or more difficult for one race than it is for another. There might be differences between rural and urban poverty as to access to help. Maybe different issues concerning climate. Different issues between single people vs family, young vs elderly. But "black poverty" isn't any different than "white poverty".

Not to mention hearing these problems doesn't mean the world has to change to adapt to that specific issue. Some, the government can help with and some is things we have to attend to on our own to find a solution.

Retirement issues concern me. But I'm not so ignorant to think we have to forget children and young people and education and concentrate totally on the "aging population" at the expense of everyone else. Redesign the stores to accomodate the elderly. Lower the shelves for walker and wheelchair use. There will be handicapped parking and the next set of parking spots are reserved for 65 and older. No more child proof tops, they're too hard to open when you have arthritis. Big print only because it's too hard to read small print. No screaming kids allowed, they get on your nerves, get in the way and could make an elderly person fall and injure themselves. There must be intensive elder education to educate all employees about physical problems with aging. You know like the pregnancy belt where men could empathize with their pregnant wife....well....now it's vaseline on your glasses and whatever other apparatice they can design to mimick osteoarthritis, gout, arthritis, breathing problems, on down the line. (Toyota or Honda has a device they require their design employees to wear to make their vehicles more elderly friendly...you should see it....it's quite a thing....but it addresses seat height, difficulty opening doors, turning keys, print on the dash, added handles for extra support and all sorts of things) There's a heck of alot more old people on the planet than ever before and they've been ignored too long! All aging people.....not just "white ones". LOL

Their hispanic issues seem geared towards Latinizing America, right down to the language to please just hispanic people at the expense of all others.

You said it all........ Thank you