Thread: Obama tells La Raza that immigration reform is a priority

Obama tells La Raza that immigration reform is a priority
By John Marelius and Leslie Berestein
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITERS

July 13, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama promised Sunday he would make immigration reform a top priority of his first year in office if he is elected president as he chided Republican John McCain for backing away from his own comprehensive immigration bill.

Obama addressed the four-day National Council of La Raza convention, which has attracted more than 20,000 people to the San Diego Convention Center. McCain, a senator from Arizona and the Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting, will address the convention Monday.

“I know Senator McCain used to buck his party on immigration in fighting for comprehensive reform and I admired him for it and joined him in it,â€

Obama woos Hispanics with vow of immigration reform

SAN DIEGO, California (AFP) — Democrat Barack Obama on Sunday promised Hispanic Americans, a key voting bloc, to press for immigration reform and improved access to health care in his first year if elected to the White House.

"The system isn't working when 12 million people live in hiding, and hundreds of thousands cross our borders illegally each year," Obama told the 40th annual National Council of La Raza convention, an influential Latino group.

"I fought with you in the Senate for comprehensive immigration reform, and I will make it a top priority in my first year as president," he said.

Obama laid out his stance on health care, status of illegal migrants and small businesses, and acknowledged that the Hispanic population in the United States, numbering some 44 million in all, will be key to his bid to defeat Republican John McCain.

"Make no mistake about it: the Latino community holds this election in your hands. Some of the closest contests this November will be in states like Florida, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, states with large Latino populations."

In his 30-minute speech, Obama vowed to "take on the drug and insurance companies, cut costs, guarantee health insurance for anyone who needs it and make it affordable for anyone who wants it."

He also said he has a plan to "help more employers provide health benefits for their workers," adding it was an "idea championed by my friend Hillary Clinton, who's been leading the way in our battle to insure every American."

"But I can't do this alone, so I'm here today to ask for your help," he told the crowd of 2,000.

"Just think how powerful you could be on November 4th if you translate your numbers into votes."

His rival, McCain, is set to address the convention on Monday.

A Gallup survey earlier this month showed Obama enjoys 59 percent support among Hispanic registered voters nationwide.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i5f ... HavYzuvrew

[quote]“The system isn't working . . . when communities are terrorized by (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) immigration raids, when nursing mothers are torn from their babies, when children come home from school to find their parents missing,â€

[quote]“The system isn't working . . . when communities are terrorized by (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) immigration raids, when nursing mothers are torn from their babies, when children come home from school to find their parents missing,â€

[color=red]“I think it's time for a president who won't walk away from something as important as comprehensive reform just because it becomes politically unpopular,â€

Obama said he supports stronger border enforcement, stiffer penalties against employers that knowingly hire people who are in the country illegally. He also favors a temporary guest worker program and an opportunity for the estimated 12 million current illegal residents to obtain citizenship as long as they pay a fine, learn English and wait in line behind legal residents.

Obama!! Hey!! Wake up, stupid! They're already at the front of the line because they are already here! And for your information they should be behind the other people who have applied to come here, not get behind legal residents with green cards. Sorry, fellow, but it's the American people who are at the back of the line with this government.

Obama laid out his stance on health care, status of illegal migrants and small businesses, and acknowledged that the Hispanic population in the United States, numbering some 44 million in all, will be key to his bid to defeat Republican John McCain.

44 million hispanics and we have no idea how many of those are illegal. I'll tell what. Obama and McCain had better be careful with what they are telling these people. Many of these illegals are not the most sophisticated and may construe what they are being told as a promise that he's going to give them amnesty. Little do many of these people know the President cannot unilaterally give them amnesty.

We are likely to have severe riots when one of these morons takes office and cannot deliver on the perceived promises of amnesty to illegals. These two may be putting this country in danger with their continued pandering to this volatile group of individuals, in more ways than one...

This is actually starting to strike me as humorous. Both candidates are falling all over themselves trying to get blood from a stone. (ie votes out of illegals ) When one of them gets elected one of two things will happen. They will either completely ignore them and say more important things need their attention or they will introduce some idiotic amnesty proposal that will backfire on the illegals EVEN WORSE than the last one did !!
Especially now because; its the economy, stupid.

The man has to be depending upon non-citizens voting because we know they are.
What this country needs is a strong leader, not pandering wish-washy types.

[quote="jean"]The man has to be depending upon non-citizens voting because we know they are.
What this country needs is a strong leader, not pandering wish-washy types.[/quote]

Jean, You sure have that right! Pandering to Mexico, Pandering to the La Raza types, Pandering to the illegal aliens.
What ever happened to appealing to the American public?
What ever happened to the American people choosing their President?

No one can make me believe the American people chose either of these two.