Thread: Alberto Gonzales: What LATINOS Want from THEIR President

He's back.....!!! Barf bag, please!


What Latinos want from their president

Any candidate who wants to attract this crucial voting bloc must address racial equality.

By Alberto R. Gonzales
July 2, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign has reignited an examination of race relations in America. It has led some to question how deep the divide is between black and white Americans. From my perspective, the question ignores the reality of our diverse society. We must also consider the divide between the majority from another group, one that I happen to belong to: Latinos.

According to the Pew Research Center, Latinos are the nation's largest minority group, at 42 million people and 14% of the population. By 2050, that population will triple, to 128 million, which will be 29% of the American population.

Those numbers are already having a political impact. Just how strong it may be could become clear in November. In a close presidential election, the Latino vote could decide the outcome. For example, in the closely contested strategic states of New Mexico, Florida and Colorado, Latinos make up, respectively, 37%, 14% and 12% of eligible voters.

The conventional wisdom is that Latinos vote Democratic. But not necessarily. In 1999, according to a Pew Hispanic Center report published in 2007, Democrats enjoyed a 33% advantage over Republicans in partisan allegiance among Latino registered voters. However, in 2003, a sufficient number of Latinos voted for Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger (over a respected Latino Democrat) to make Schwarzenegger the governor of California. In 2004, President Bush won a historic percentage of the Latino vote (more than 40%). By 2006, again according to the Pew Hispanic Center, the Democrats' edge in partisan allegiance had dropped to 21%.

Pew's numbers now show that Latino voters are heading back into the Democratic fold, but the message in these voting patterns and in the demographic projections is that neither party can afford to take the Latino vote for granted.

The great diversity within the Latino population presents a challenge for both parties. Mexican Americans in Texas, Cuban Americans in Florida and Puerto Rican Americans in New York do not agree on every issue. But -- while I can't speak for all Latinos -- I believe there are issues that resonate for us all.

Among them, of course, is immigration. Latino support will swing to the political party that has the courage and fortitude to put forward a specific immigration solution that is effective and efficient in securing our borders, that supports the economic interests of the nation and that is compassionate in a way that is consistent with the character of a nation of immigrants.

Beyond immigration, both parties need to forge closer relationships with Latino voters. They need to connect with and make use of surrogates, as the Democrats have done with L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. They need to make more contact, an effort both parties launched last weekend, when they spoke to a conference of Latino elected and appointed officials in Washington. More important, they need to embrace policies from the Latino point of view.

What is that point of view? For starters, we may now wear suits on Wall Street or Main Street, but we know the experience -- personally or from our parents and grandparents -- of working in the fields, on the docks and in the kitchen. We want a job, not a handout. We value opportunity over more government. We are risk takers, willing to bet on ourselves and start a business. We want a society that recognizes and rewards us based on our hard work and ingenuity, not our skin color.

We are unabashedly proud of America, and we are prepared to enlist, fight and die for this country, sometimes even without the right to vote for its leaders. We believe an education represents freedom in America, and we are willing to work multiple jobs so our children can go to college.

Finally, although we know that America strives to be a fair country, the harsh reality is we are not one nation with liberty and justice for all. And yet equal opportunity -- to a job, to capital and to credit -- is a cornerstone of American success. The promise of equal opportunity is what drew our parents and grandparents and what still draws immigrants to the U.S., and it is what firmly knits them into the country once they are citizens.

As we move to the next phase of the presidential campaign, some people may try to discourage discussion about race relations in favor of issues they say are of greater importance: the war against Al Qaeda, the cost of energy, the sub-prime mortgage crisis. However, we need leaders who appreciate -- and who choose to confront -- the crucial elements of racial inequality within these so-called bigger issues. Those are the leaders who are likely to be successful in finding effective solutions to our most important challenges.

I have said often that Latinos share a common prayer: "Just give me a chance to succeed." I believe that the candidate who will win Latino votes is the one who understands that desire and who will engage the issue of racial equality for Americans of all colors. It's politically wise. More important, it is the right thing to do for our nation.

Alberto R. Gonzales is the former attorney general of the United States.


http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/com ... 9140.story

The great diversity within the Latino population presents a challenge for both parties. Mexican Americans in Texas, Cuban Americans in Florida and Puerto Rican Americans in New York do not agree on every issue. But -- while I can't speak for all Latinos -- I believe there are issues that resonate for us all.

Those that constantly promote diversity are promoting dis-unity. Diversity has come to be practiced in the U.S. as separating your race/culture from the American culture and supporting only your culture/race's narrow minded agenda that aids yourself at the expense of all others. Diversity is fine but its limit is where it crosses the line of infringing upon other cultures and national unity.

Among them, of course, is immigration. Latino support will swing to the political party that has the courage and fortitude to put forward a specific immigration solution that is effective and efficient in securing our borders, that supports the economic interests of the nation and that is compassionate in a way that is consistent with the character of a nation of immigrants

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Anytime these facilitators and advocates use the term 'compassion' in dealing with 'immigrants' (notice Gonzalez, the dipwad, doesn't even have the courage to use the word illegal), they are calling for blanket amnesty and all forgiveness of crimes committed.

Be glad this jerkwad was canned. He is a big reason as to why Ramos and Compeon were tried and convicted since they didn't show 'compassion' to an illegal alien cartel drug runner by shooting him in the ass.

This crap from a man who wouldn't even play the game of AG of the United States Fair !

I have said often that Latinos share a common prayer: "Just give me a chance to succeed."

WHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT? So this bozo has some special insight into all (he did imply this) Latinos have a common prayer, as stated above? Are you freeeeeeeeking kiddin me? Weeeeeeeeeell, let's just start refering to Alberto as Padre Gonzalez.

There is an inability or perhaps deliberate effort to misunderstand being more numerous than Blacks with being the larget ethnic group in America. Both Germans and Irish Americans outnumber Latinos. There are more than 44 million Irish and 60 million Latinos living in the United States. Then there is the offensive circular logic which says that as a result of wholesale violation of immigration law Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States. Because of that you had better let us come in, even if it by being illegal.

Originally Posted by zeezil

I have said often that Latinos share a common prayer: "Just give me a chance to succeed."

WHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT? So this bozo has some special insight into all (he did imply this) Latinos have a common prayer, as stated above? Are you freeeeeeeeking kiddin me? Weeeeeeeeeell, let's just start refering to Alberto as Padre Gonzalez.

"Just give me a chance to suceed" is the common prayer of all mankind. Why should it be exclusively for latinos?

Originally Posted by zeezil

I have said often that Latinos share a common prayer: "Just give me a chance to succeed."

WHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT? So this bozo has some special insight into all (he did imply this) Latinos have a common prayer, as stated above? Are you freeeeeeeeking kiddin me? Weeeeeeeeeell, let's just start refering to Alberto as Padre Gonzalez.

Why haven't they 'succeeded' in their OWN country!!!! We don't need millions of squatters and moochers...GO BACK TO MEXICO AND FIX YOUR OWN COUNTRY AND TAKE GONZALES WITH YOU!!!!!!!

This all depends on who their president is. Calderon?

He's just an anchor baby spewing more of his anchor baby crapola.

People like Anchor Baby Gonzalez act like nobody ever worked a field, cleaned a toilet or mowed a lawn until the "latinos" arrived to do it for us. Good riddance to the good for nothing anchor baby former AG.