Thread: Hispanic Groups Gear Up To Push Agenda At Conventions

Hispanic Groups Gear Up To Push Agenda At Conventions
Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008




Hispanic leaders today unveiled a national agenda of domestic policy proposals to be promoted during the upcoming Democratic and Republican conventions that they said would help the nation's Latinos.

At a news conference, representatives of 26 Hispanic organizations said they will stress to delegates and hopefully the presumptive presidential nominees, Sens. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and John McCain, R-Ariz., the importance of the Latino vote in the November general election.

"The Latino vote will be more important than ever," said John Trasvina, chairman of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda. It was estimated that eight percent of registered voters are Hispanics and the leadership group expected Latinos to show up at the polls in record numbers.

Whichever party supports the broad agenda outlined today could win the election, Trasvina said. "The Latino vote will be decisive," he said, joined by dozens of representatives from other groups.

Both McCain and Obama back an employer verification system that would prevent the exploitation of undocumented workers in the workplace. And both support virtually the same plan for a track to citizenship for undocumented immigrants - paying a fine, learning English and going to the back of the line so they are not becoming citizens before those who applied legally.

In an interview with La Opinión Wednesday, Obama said the Latino community "can trust" him to implement comprehensive immigration reform during his first year as president. He said that his administration would be "more inclusive and compassionate" than McCain's.

The agenda set forth in a 33-page document will be distributed to delegates and activists in Denver, Colo., where Democrats will meet next week, and St. Paul, Minn., where Republicans will gather Sept. 1. It focuses on education, civil rights, immigration, economic empowerment, health, and government accountability.

It recommends an immigration policy that would enable the 12 million undocumented immigrants "to come forward, attain legal status, learn English and assume the rights and responsibilities of citizenship while creating smart and secure borders that enhance national security." The policy document also includes a call for a crackdown on unscrupulous employers and improving laws to reunite families.

At a rally in Las Cruces, N.M., McCain, said secure borders and a guest worker program was key to sound immigration policy.

"So it's clear that we have to get our borders secured, have a temporary-worker program that's truly temporary, and address the issue of the 10 million to 12 million people who are already in this country illegally," McCain said during a town hall meeting Wednesday.

Janet Murguia, president and CEO of National Council of La Raza, predicted there will be a big push for comprehensive immigration reform in the next Congress no matter who wins the election.

On other issues, the agenda calls for economic empowerment and more Hispanics in federal jobs, a crackdown on hate crimes and employment discrimination against Hispanics, expanded Head Start education programs and improvement in health care programs.

Trasvina testified at one of the many public hearings Democrats held on proposals for the Democratic national platform that will be adopted at the convention Tuesday.

"We had input in the Democratic platform," he said and counted 15 or 20 items Democrats put into their platform.

He noted Republicans have no public hearings but he expected to promote the agenda with that party. The Republican platform committee starts meeting to draft a platform in St. Paul Tuesday at the same time Democrats meet in Denver.

"We continue to dialogue with both parties," Trasvina said.

by Michael Posner



http://www.nationaljournal.com/congress ... 1_8569.php

We are still the majority and “we the peopleâ€

On other issues, the agenda calls for economic empowerment and more Hispanics in federal jobs, a crackdown on hate crimes and employment discrimination against Hispanics, expanded Head Start education programs and improvement in health care programs.



We already have hispanics in federal jobs. She want ALL the jobs to go to just hispanics?

Obama said the Latino community "can trust" him to implement comprehensive immigration reform during his first year as president. He said that his administration would be "more inclusive and compassionate" than McCain's.

Ya blanket amnesty for one and all.....criminals, rapists, gang members, drug cartel members......just like old home week.

Unless there is MASSIVE fraud and illegal aliens are voting in huge numbers, THERE IS NO WAY THAT HISPANCS COULD POSSIBLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS ELECTION.

26 Hispanic organizations!

Is that really necessary?

Never in my life have I seen so many groups advocating this and that during a presidential election. What happened to the days of just talking to the American citizens?

Get Ready ICE, there's some easy deportation coming up.
Use the convention buses to drop them off in Mexico.

In an interview with La Opinión Wednesday, Obama said the Latino community "can trust" him to implement comprehensive immigration reform during his first year as president. He said that his administration would be "more inclusive and compassionate" than McCain's.

What a blowhard! He's "promising" something that he has no hope of delivering, or is he just going to abolish Congress and become America's first dictator?

8 percent has NEVER ever decided any election, 92% trumps it every time.

Originally Posted by butterbean

Unless there is MASSIVE fraud and illegal aliens are voting in huge numbers, THERE IS NO WAY THAT HISPANCS COULD POSSIBLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS ELECTION.

There is, plus the voting machines are rigged ...

"Janet Murguia, president and CEO of National Council of La Raza, predicted there will be a big push for comprehensive immigration reform in the next Congress no matter who wins the election."

So we need to be prepared!