Moving Beyond Proposition 187
Posted by: Hector M. Barajas | 06/09/2008 12:07 PM
In the past three presidential elections political pundits and reporters questioned whether or not this year the Republican Party can finally move past the negative labels placed upon them during the Proposition 187 debates.
While immigration reform will be an important issue in this election, Democrats will need to move beyond their comfort zone of demonizing Republicans, because McCain offers Latinos a different type of candidate.
As a westerner and a border state Senator, McCain understands that Latinos are not a monolithic group. Latino voters are motivated by issues other than immigration, consistently ranking issues such as the economy, education, and health care among their top concerns. And it is these issues areas where Obama will continue to falter.
John McCain will showcase his character, experience, and judgment to lead our country in this dangerous world; his 22 years of military service, including his 5 1/2 years as a prisoner of war; his 20 years in the Senate; his willingness to tackle the tough issues facing our nation, including his strong leadership on immigration issues.
The journey and the struggles that so many of our immigrants have made in an effort to achieve the American Dream will be a topic discussed by both candidates, not one conceded from the onset.
While the majority of Latinos continue to identify themselves with the Democratic Party, the 2004 presidential election and the 2006 gubernatorial election in California proved that Latinos are not necessarily aligned with Democrats- in 2008 the Latino vote remains up for grabs and we can be sure John McCain will be campaigning for every vote.
While immigration reform will be an important issue in this election, Democrats will need to move beyond their comfort zone of demonizing Republicans, because McCain offers Latinos a different type of candidate.
As a westerner and a border state Senator, McCain understands that Latinos are not a monolithic group. Latino voters are motivated by issues other than immigration, consistently ranking issues such as the economy, education, and health care among their top concerns. And it is these issues areas where Obama will continue to falter.
John McCain will showcase his character, experience, and judgment to lead our country in this dangerous world; his 22 years of military service, including his 5 1/2 years as a prisoner of war; his 20 years in the Senate; his willingness to tackle the tough issues facing our nation, including his strong leadership on immigration issues.
The journey and the struggles that so many of our immigrants have made in an effort to achieve the American Dream will be a topic discussed by both candidates, not one conceded from the onset.
While the majority of Latinos continue to identify themselves with the Democratic Party, the 2004 presidential election and the 2006 gubernatorial election in California proved that Latinos are not necessarily aligned with Democrats- in 2008 the Latino vote remains up for grabs and we can be sure John McCain will be campaigning for every vote.
