Vicious smears -- for one of their own

If these mud-slinging ads from the Republican primaries are any indication, mild-mannered Mitt will likely conduct one of the most vicious and smear-filled campaigns in living memory against President Obama. Keep in mind. These half-true smears are directed at someone who agrees with most of Romney's policies and solutions. Just imagine how low this campaign will stoop when there are substantive issues at stake.






Surprisingly, the Gingrich ads have not attacked Romney in such a personal way. Instead, Newt has relied on his theatrical skills to skewer Romney in the debates. Outclassed in person, Romney has taken the rich man's path and hired clever people to do the dirty work for him. As Mitt himself says following his blistering attacks: "I approve this message."

Raul Ramos y Sanchez

Live on public radio: The divisive immigration debate

LIVE RADIO CALL-IN SHOW

What are the future consequences of today's divisive immigration debate?

Join the conversation. Tune in online to a one-hour public radio call-in show about the novels AMERICA LIBRE and HOUSE DIVIDED by Raul Ramos y Sanchez and the social themes they examine.

Time: 
Tuesday January 24 at 1PM Eastern - 11AM Pacific


Place: 
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WORT 89.9FM Madison, WI


Call in Toll Free: 866-899-9678


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English only? Not when GOP needs Latino votes.

Leading GOP contenders Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich support English Only laws -- but not when they're on the stump for Latino votes. 

(Correct spelling in English is apparently optional.)

“I think campaigning, historically, you’ve always been willing to go to people on their terms in their culture,” Gingrich was quoted in the Los Angeles Times. But, he said, “as a country, we have to unify ourselves in a future where there may be three or 400 languages” spoken.

This double talk is hardly surprising. The Republican party's core constituency strongly supports English Only laws. But with the GOP Florida primary on the horizon, Romney and Gingrich are pandering hard for what they perceive as a key bastion of Republican support in the Sunshine State: South Florida's Cuban-American community. 

First-generation Cuban exiles are hard line conservatives on almost every issue except one: They proudly cling to their native Spanish. So it's not surprising that the Romney campaign has already produced a Spanish-language TV ad titled "Nosotros" featuring two South Florida congressional Republicans Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. 

It will be interesting to see how Gingrich and Romney will try to squirm out of this ideological inconsistency once the Florida primary is in the rear view mirror. 

One thing is certain. As a party perceived to be serving the exclusive interests of Non-Hispanic Whites, the Republican party in a demographic death spiral. 

Even among the once-solidly Republican Cuban-American vote, the younger and more recent Cuban exiles are weary of the 50 year old failed embargo that is a staple issue of the old guard exiles. This growing schism could could create fertile ground for Democrats. As one Cuban exile who arrived in the last five years put it: "What has the embargo done to hurt Castro? Nothing. What has it done to hurt my family in Cuba? A lot." 

Desperate and fighting for survival, we can expect GOP politics to become increasingly divisive. As I noted in a previous post, the GOP strategy will likely be to neutralize Latino support for Obama by trying to drive a wedge between Blacks and Hispanics. 

Raul Ramos y Sanchez

Newt’s immigration solution: A permanent underclass

Gingrich is not interested in immigration reform. Instead, Newt would prefer the status quo: Keep undocumented workers scared, docile and willing to work for low wages. 

Newt Gingrich knows full well the winner of November’s presidential election must gain significant support among Black and Latino voters. Gingrich’s concession of the Black vote to Barack Obama was made abundantly clear in the first of the South Carolina GOP debates. To a standing ovation, Gingrich defended his comments linking African-Americans with welfare dependency and his reference to Barack Obama as the “food stamp president.” A burning cross would have been only slightly less subtle. But Newt believes he has an ace up his sleeve with Latinos.

Gingrich is the only GOP candidate to have offered a whiff of moderation in a debate on immigration reform in which the other Republican hopefuls vied over who would build the biggest border fence. Now, flush with a victory won by race baiting in South Carolina, Gingrich hopes to take his softer stand on immigration reform into Florida and make gains among Latino voters.

Wasting no time, Gingrich has already attacked Romney as being anti-immigrant and followed that by dredging up a Romney gaffe from 2008 when in a Florida speech Mitt used the phrase “patria o muerte, venceremos” made famous by Castro.

But Gingrich's solution to our broken immigration system is nothing more than the status quo. Gingrich does not support immigration reform, a guest worker program nor the DREAM Act. [Update: In a more recent Univision interview while on the stump in Florida, Gingrich reversed all of these positions.] Under his presidency, undocumented workers would remain exactly what they are today: a cheap and docile workforce (which can be used to depress the wages of mainstream workers) – and the political scapegoats for candidates pandering for votes among the fearful, bigoted and ignorant.

How will Romney react? Most likely Mitt will play to the GOP base and accuse Newt of being soft on immigration, sparking an ugly media game in which Latinos will be the political football being kicked back and forth across the field.

In a previous article I noted that the GOP’s only hope to win the White House will be in taking a divide-and-conquer strategy among minorities. The events unfolding in the Republican primary are only the beginning of the divisive politics to come.

Raul Ramos y Sanchez

Newt plays the hate card

My previous post on the racially-divisive politics of a desperate GOP was barely a day old when Newt Gingrich stepped up to validate my theory. In this instance, Mr. Gingrich is working the other side of the street: race baiting in the Old South. And the ugly, shopworn stereotypes Gingrich invoked are an indication of how far some Republicans may go to pander votes from many in the Non-Hispanic White electorate who are terrified of a future when they will become a minority.

This exchange from the Republican Presidential Debate in South Carolina exposes the thinly-veiled bigotry that lurks below the surface of many GOP supporters.

Juan Williams:  Speaker Gingrich, you recently said black Americans should demand jobs, not food stamps. You also say poor kids lack a strong work ethic and proposed having them work as janitors in their schools. Can’t you see that this is viewed as at a minimum as insulting to all Americans but particularly to black Americans? 

Newt Gingrich: No, I don’t see that (applause).

Gingrich's comments (and the thunderous applause they received from the South Carolina audience) reek of willful ignorance and exploitation. 

First, there are more Non-Hispanic Whites on welfare than all other minorities combined. Second, Mr. Gingrich supports putting a janitor out of work who very likely supports a family and replacing that person with low paid child labor. It's the GOP trifecta: union busting, cheaper labor and docile minorities. 

Is Gingrich really this much of a bigot or is he simply pandering to an audience in South Carolina where his message clearly resonated? It doesn't really matter. Regardless of what Gingrich really thinks, the fact remains that the GOP's demographic death spiral will lead the party into the sordid depths of racial politics.  Unfortunately, this paroxysm of hate will not be the last. The Republican contenders  haven't even touched immigration yet in South Carolina. 

Raul Ramos y Sanchez

The GOP may try to divide minorities in the November election

The Republican party is in a fix. Right wing orthodoxy demands a GOP presidential nominee vehemently oppose immigration reform of any kind, a position that will alienate many Latino voters according to recent surveys. At the same time, Republicans are convinced they have no hope of winning the Black vote from President Obama. However, GOP strategists are also keenly aware that their presidential candidate will almost certainly lose the November election without significant support among Black and Latino voters. So what will the Republicans do about this dilemma?

My prediction: Their most likely solution will be a tried-and-true method used by colonial powers … divide and conquer. How that strategy will be implemented may take many forms. One way I think GOP leaders may try to drive a wedge between Blacks and Latinos would be to have Herman Cain and other prominent Black Republicans publicly attack immigration reform. By the simplistic reasoning of most Republican strategists toward minorities, when Black public figures attack immigration reform, Latinos will become hostile toward Blacks and vent their wrath on President Obama.

The assumption behind this callous tactic becomes more evident when we examine the mindset of many conservative Republicans toward minorities. Bereft of familiarity with minority cultures, GOP strategists take a monolithic approach to Black and Latino voters. For example, Rush Limbaugh once claimed Republican Colin Powell supported Barack Obama not because Powell agreed with Obama's political positions but simply because they were both Black. (Limbaugh neglects to explain why Herman Cain, Clarence Thomas and other Black conservatives fail his racial litmus test, proving once again that prejudice trumps reason.) 

Am I being overly cynical about GOP motives and tactics? One need look no farther than the Swift Boat attacks unleashed on John Kerry by the GOP to see that cunning political advisors will employ any means necessary to win an election. Let's not kid ourselves about below-the-belt politics, however. They are employed by both parties. But in the last several presidential elections, Republicans have become much more adept at these tactics – and now, they are truly desperate.

With the nation headed toward a future where Non-Hispanic Whites are projected to become a minority, the Republican party is in a demographic death spiral. As long as the GOP is perceived to be serving the exclusive interests of Non-Hispanic Whites, they are doomed. Yet, every attempt the GOP leadership makes to accommodate minority interests will alienate their base. This predicament can only lead to ever more divisive policies.

Could these divide and conquer tactics work? Unfortunately, they have in the past. What people of conscience of every ethnicity must do is be aware of the inevitable attempts to divide the us. Regardless of our origins, religion or race, we must stand together, recognizing our individual identities, yet celebrating our common humanity. There is much more than binds us as human beings than divides us as members of different groups. As we celebrate the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, we are reminded that our strength lies in unity and compassion – by all people, for all people. 

Raul Ramos y Sanchez

English only? Not when Romney panders for Latino votes.

Proposing English-Only legislation is a favorite pastime among those who fear the nation is being overrun by people who are something less than "real Americans." These self-appointed patriots think it's a virtue to speak only one language -- even in an economy where U.S. businesses will need to compete all over the world. But apparently the Romney campaign must think the English-Only movement has lost some of its momentum. What else would explain the Romney Spanish-language campaign ad below?



Not that Romney hasn't made a hard swing to the right during the GOP primaries.

After previously speaking favorably of the Kennedy/McCain immigration reform bill of 2007, Mr. Romney has boomeranged to the other end of the spectrum by embracing Kris Kobach, the xenophobic pit bull of FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform.) The incredible irony of it all is that Mitt Romney is the son of a Mexican immigrant who freely admitted the Romney family accepted federal aid shortly after their arrival in the United States.

What Romney will actually support regarding immigration if he gets the GOP nomination -- and what he would do as president -- remains anybody's guess. But it seems clear that Mr. Romney wants to have his pan dulce and eat it too.

Raul Ramos y Sanchez

New immigrants = New Jobs

Both ends of the political spectrum in the U.S. seem to agree on one thing at least: Small businesses are the real creators of new jobs. The Forbes article below reports that Latino-owned businesses are leading the recovery and growing at more than twice the national average, something that should stick in the craw of those who argue that Latino immigration is a detriment to the U.S. economy.

Latino-Owned Businesses: Leading the Recovery

While there can be debate about what it means, the unassailable fact is that Latino -owned businesses in the United States are growing at a blistering pace — in fact more than twice the national average. This trend has been sustained for at least the last decade and manifests itself both in the growing number and size of Latino- owned businesses. During the latest 5-year period for which information is available from the census bureau, Latino owned business’ revenue jumped by an astonishing 55% to nearly $350 billion. Some think that the census data underestimates the economic clout of Latino businesses, estimating the sales of such businesses in 2008 at $547 billion. Many are very substantial businesses with numerous employees: the number of Latino- owned businesses with more than $1 million in revenue grew to over 44,000 in 2007, up from just 29,000 five years earlier.


The experts expect that this trend will continue over the next decade. Latino-owned businesses are expected to increase their total revenue contribution to the economy by 8% annually over the 10 years from 2005 to 2015. This is more than three times the average growth for all businesses. What does this mean: Latinos will have more economic clout, employ a greater proportion of the population and purchase substantially more in goods and services than they do today. Already this trend has had a major impact in states with large Latino populations. For example, more than 20 % of all businesses in New Mexico, Florida and Texas are owned by Latinos, and even in the state with the largest economy, California, the figure is fast approaching 20%.


Since in the United States, small business has always been the gateway to affluence, this means that a growing proportion of Latinos will find economic success. Inevitably this will lead to greater roles for Latino business owners in local chambers of commerce, local communities and government. Moreover, more Latino- owned businesses could mitigate the effects of the discrimination that Latinos still suffer in many communities, benefitting Latino employees with higher wages and more opportunities for advancement. Of course, the economic benefits from the dynamic growth of Latino businesses are not limited to the Latino community: one study in Los Angeles showed that growth of Latino owned businesses is a major factor in helping the city to recover from the devastating effects of the recession on its economy. The positive trends caused by Latino entrepreneurship can benefit the entire national economy and help the country to start growing again.


Not surprisingly, the political class has noticed these trends. In making its case for the passage of the American Jobs Act, the Obama administration has argued forcefully that it will benefit 2 million Latino- owned businesses across America. It has also touted the role of the Minority Business Development Agency inside the Commerce Department as a partner for Latino-owned businesses, and has said that Latino- owned businesses must plan a prominent role in increasing trade with the dynamic economies of South and Central America.


While much of the economic news we hear today is bleak, the dynamic growth of Latino-owned businesses is a bright spot that will likely transform the economic and political landscape in the United States in the years ahead.

Booze and bullets make a bad cocktail

Think the Constitution gives you the right to carry concealed weapons into a bar? Fine. Bring in your flintlock musket next time. 

As more states consider passing laws expanding the venues where people can carry concealed weapons, it's worthwhile examining the consequences of these laws. Will they reduce crime? Or will they create more gunshot victims?

Despite the that fact that many wild west towns had the good sense to require patrons to check their guns at the door before entering a saloon, gun rights advocates are now petitioning for the privilege of taking concealed weapons into places where liquor is served. Forget that driving while intoxicated is illegal. These folks think a drunk with an Uzi in a public place is perfectly okay. Why? Because it's in the Constitution, they argue.

However, it's amazing how far gun rights advocates will torture the English language in order to extract the answer they want. Here is the single sentence in the Second Amendment to the Constitution that references the right to carry weapons:

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

The first part of the sentence that refers to a "well regulated militia" is conveniently ignored by gun rights groups. Instead, they chose to take the second part of the sentence out of context and insist "the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed" gives them the authority to stockpile assault rifles.

Ironically, the gun rights folks consider themselves strict Constitutionalists. So in that spirit, I say: Okay. You think the Constitution gives you the right to carry concealed weapons into a bar? Fine. Bring in your flintlock musket next time.

Raul Ramos y Sanchez

Depart of Justice accuses Arpaio of racial profiling and unconstitutional policing

The U.S. Department of Justice today released a report accusing the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office led by Joe Arpaio with racial profiling of Latinos and a host of other unconstitutional practices.

“Based upon our extensive investigation, we find reasonable cause to believe that MCSO engages in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional policing," the report cites. In addition, the DOJ document states that Arpaio’s department engages in "racial profiling of Latinos; unlawfully stops, detains and arrests Latinos; and unlawfully retaliates against individuals who complain about or criticize MCSO' policies or practices.”

The charges against the self-proclaimed “America’s toughest sheriff” come on the heels of charges that his department “scarcely lifted a finger to investigate hundreds of sex-crime cases Valley-wide -- many of them perpetrated against children; many with easily identifiable suspects” according to the Arizona Republic.

The Depart of Justice report corroborates years of complaints filed by civil rights groups who have accused Arapio of media-circus busts of low-wage laborers while neglecting the enforcement of serious crimes.

Personally speaking, the timing of this report during the holiday season is a blemish on what should be a celebration of the spirit of compassion. All the same, this important news cannot be ignored.

Raul Ramos y Sanchez