Friday, June 15, 2012

Republicans embarrass themselves with Latinos while Obama makes a bold move

The role of Latinos in the 2012 election is going to come into sharp focus over the next week as both President Obama and Mitt Romney speak at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials next Thursday in Orlando.

So lets remind ourselves where things stand right now based on a poll from Latino Decisions that I highlighted a few days ago.

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To set the stage for Mr. Romney on this one, the RNC put up a new website, RNClatinos.com. Only there was one problem. Here's the header they used for the site.

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Think Progress nailed them.
RNClatinos.com, the Republican National Committee’s new website aimed at Latino voter outreach, uses a stock photograph of Asian children as its banner picture.

The stock photo found on Shutterstock is listed with tags including “asia, asian, cheeks, children, cool… interracial, japanese… thailand, together, trendy.” But the words ‘hispanic’ or ‘latino’ are nowhere on the page.
No racism there, huh? After all, they don't "see" color. Its simply "us white folks" and all of "them."

But that's not the end of it. TPM also found this on the site.
The main page features a straw poll asking visitors whether they’re disappointed with President Obama, a talking point Republicans have been pushing as part of their outreach effort. As of Thursday evening, however, Obama was winning the unscientific survey 55 percent to 45 percent — highly unusual on a partisan website.
This is what happens when you want to pretend to care about something but don't really give a shit. It shows.

Meanwhile, today President Obama will make a big announcement in the White House Rose Garden.
The Obama administration will stop deporting and begin granting work permits to younger illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and have since led law-abiding lives. The election-year initiative addresses a top priority of an influential Latino electorate that has been vocal in its opposition to administration deportation policies.

The policy change, described to The Associated Press by two senior administration officials, will affect as many as 800,000 immigrants who have lived in fear of deportation. It also bypasses Congress and partially achieves the goals of the so-called DREAM Act, a long-sought but never enacted plan to establish a path toward citizenship for young people who came to the United States illegally but who have attended college or served in the military.
Yep, he's tired of waiting for the obstructionist Republicans in Congress to move. So once again he's going to do what he can on his own. These young people will still need the DREAM Act in order to gain citizenship. But at least they'll be able to let go of the fear of deportation.

Any further questions about the stark CHOICE in front of us for this election?

15 comments:

  1. I was told by obots that "executive or cabinet level action is CLEARLY impossible and that we elected a president and not a king, stupidhead."

    But then I was also told by firebaggers and the professional left that "Obama is a pussy and a coward and he gets off on deporting immigrants and Hispanics are SO DEPRESSED about the situation."

    So now I don't know who to believe...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Look at it as the different choices that were available before and after the 2010 election.

      Getting things done legislatively (ie repeal of DADT) is always preferable because it carries more weight in permanence.

      But when it becomes clear that is not possible...you do what you can without them.

      Delete
    2. As SP eloquently states, its about a clear choice this Nov, and your characterizations are very sophmoric.

      I would spend more time reading up on basic civics if I were you.

      ebogan63.

      Delete
    3. PS, no one ever said that executive decisions were "impossible." On some things they are possible, but legislation is preferable.

      On the other hand, granting citizenship to DREAMers is clearly NOT possible. But ending their deportation is - and has been employed now that its clear Congress won't act.

      Delete
    4. Of course citizenship is a matter for congress, but let's not pretend that those who asked the administration to use greater discretion on matters of deportation weren't shouted down by loudmouths online at every turn, right up until this very morning.

      The DREAM Act failed in the senate eighteen months ago. The congressional changeover happened eighteen months ago. I'm very glad that the administration is now utilizing its broad cabinet and executive level powers, and I hope very much they have a more amenable congress to work with next year, but let's not pretend that there isn't a metric ton of hypocrisy flying around online today in all directions.

      The people who trashed the President's DADT strategy were idiots. But not everybody who asks for a policy change is an unconstitutional fool or a sabotaging whiner. Sometimes they have a point.

      Delete
    5. Excuse me, but wouldn't that 'point' be better made to ask Congress to pass legislation,and hold them accountable instead of always asking for executive orders? This is why the left is more interested in winning arguments rather than winning elections. Again, the choice is pretty clear to me: Get PBO reelected and more importantly, a Congress he can work with, or the other guy, who is clearly not gonna do anything constructive about immigration.
      To me, that is the more important 'point' to be made.

      ebogan63.

      Delete
    6. @ Anonymous 12:35

      Yes, its been 18 months since the 2010 elections.

      What Obama did today is step #2. Perhaps you missed that he took step #1 almost a year ago.

      I know that not many people on the left noticed when that happened. But its no excuse for the kind of ignorance you display in that comment.

      Delete
    7. Nope, didn't miss that at all. I'm all in favor of the administration selectively enforcing the law on all sorts of matters. Screw Republican congresses.

      That's what this is. Selective enforcement for ideological purposes. So all those in favor...don't tell me next week that the "President has an obligation to uphold the law, even if he doesn't believe in it." Clearly not always the case.

      Don't go changing your story now.

      Delete
    8. Seriously, I'm not sure who you're talking to now.

      The previous Obama directive called for "prosecutorial discretion" so we've been dealing with "selective enforcement" for a long time on the immigration issue...not to mention pulling out of defending DOMA a while ago.

      But that's where we started this conversation a while ago. There are some things that are better done via legislation when that's possible but can be accomplished via executive directive if necessary, and there are some things that cannot be done by the executive alone.

      Name an issue and it can be examined as to possibilities. But there's no one-size-fits-all.

      Delete
  2. How much do you want to bet that his critics will call it amnesty?

    Vic78

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is huge for Latinos even if it seems like only one step toward immigation reform. Congress wants to keep playing that "alien" card to gin up the fear in their base. They would not act for our children which would have been the preferred way to implement DREAM for our Kiddos so our Prez has done what he could. We will not forget how PBO has stood for us & we DO VOTE!!!

    Aquagranny911

    ReplyDelete
  4. The GOP has just embarrassed themselves even more. There's was an idiot who works for the "Daily Caller" interrupt the President while he was giving his speech a few minutes ago.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ha! Condescending to illegals is the only way for your precious Messiah to get votes. The Dream Act is what you are doing if you think he will get a second term! LMAO!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sad. Just an FYI, "illegals" don't actually vote no matter what propaganda you may have imbibed about this issue. People without papers keep a very low profile & do not show up at your local polling station, nor do they sign up for food stamps or any other public services if they can possibly avoid it.

      None of these "children" that have been given a reprieve from fear of deportation will be registered to vote.

      Just saying.....

      Aquagranny911

      Delete
    2. Your guy dresses up like a state trooper in his off time. Your guy had a hard time beating these people...

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9bvreW08X0
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhm-22Q0PuM
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVvBG5qpsQM
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaJ0z3hx51s
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMHLyQYMAKk

      He and his SuperPac spent millions beating those guys. That money could've helped the homeless. He also spends too much time with this guy...
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWwS-WZFYHI
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9mnkC0pgXk
      The joke's on you.

      Vic78

      Delete

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