Was he ever in?
Obviously, I’m no fan of Rick Perry and his policies. He’s still bad for Texas and will return to continue his attempts at destroying Texas. It seems to me the only reason Rick Perry was still in the news–even after his poll numbers tanked and stayed tanked–was because of the Texas media’s weird crush on him. Otherwise, his campaign would have looked smaller than the fly-speck Paint Creek is on the Texas map.
To borrow a line from the guv, “Adios…”
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Posted in Chicano Politics, Houston Dems '12, Houston Politica, LatinoVote '12, TDP Convention 2012, Texas Dems 2012, Texas Lege
By now, you’ve heard of Joaquin Luna, an 18 year-old DREAMer who committed suicide because he feared his immigration status would continue to be a barrier to a better life–for himself and for his family.
To call Joaquin’s suicide tragic just is not enough. One might say that he was indeed a victim of bullying. Beyond a dormant Congress and a President who has not used any significant political capital to push for comprehensive immigration reform, instead stepping up enforcement efforts to the tune of over 1 million deportations, the series of Republican presidential debates has made a mockery of immigrants and immigration reform.
Some candidates have resorted to bullying, like Herman Cain who joked about electrifying the border fence. Rick Perry has exhibited a lack of a backbone by supporting the Texas DREAM Act without pushing for some sort of legalization, and now turning toward a more punitive approach on the issue–even consorting with Joe Arpaio. Mitt Romney has flipped himself about on the issue in order to appease the right-wing. The rest of the list has basically made themselves out to be members of their neighborhood militia on the issue.
If this rhetoric scares multi-generation American Latinos who fear merely being profiled without much consequence, can you imagine what it does to an innocent undocumented kid who is already living in fear?
I guess we don’t have to imagine it anymore.
From the beginnings of this effort for comprehensive immigration reform, there has been a debate among activists regarding the type of lobbying approach to take to convince politicians and people to side with “us”. Arguing from an economic standpoint, one can point out many positives. And from a human standpoint, one can argue about inhumane treatment of people on so many levels. But when something like this happens, one isn’t left with much to argue.
Obviously, this is not the time to give up; if anything, it is a time to re-commit to and re-engage on the issue.
Recently, the State Democratic Executive Committee voted to place a referendum on the 2012 Texas Democratic Primary ballot in support of the DREAM Act. This is an opportunity to send a message throughout the country that the DREAM Act would be good for Texas and America. And it is an opportunity to engage and re-engage Democratic Texans on the issue. And it is an opportunity to get involved in the Democratic Party to ensure the Party and its elected officials are held accountable on the issue.
Making a political statement based on such a tragic circumstance is a risk for me. But the reason for Joaquin’s demise is a very political circumstance fraught with policy and rhetoric based on political expediency and fear mongering. So, a statement must be made through the political process at every opportunity. In Texas, the Primary referendum on DREAM is the next opportunity.
To Joaquin’s family, my most sincere condolences, as well as my most sincere thanks for being as public as they have been about their tragedy and the reasons behind it.
You mean, the recruitment of underprepared high school graduates into our Texas colleges and universities didn’t automatically amount to increased graduation rates?
In Texas, only 20 of every 100 students who enroll at a public community college or university earn an associate’s or bachelor’s degree within twice the normal amount of time, the report found.
This isn’t news, although for some who work in the field it will probably be a source of increased frustration and stress. The State of Texas committed to “Closing the Gaps” in our universities and colleges by working more on recruitment; however, the State failed to “Close the Deal” by failing to adequately fund First Time In College and college retention efforts; not to mention decreasing the value of financial aid through tuition deregulation and cuts to scholarships and aid.
The failure to fully fund, and now, cut K-12 education will only add to the problem with few solutions that are well-funded being created. This “nontraditional” population in the report by Complete College Americais described as:
Graduation rates for this “new majority” are lower than for traditional students, particularly those who are part-time, older, poor, Hispanic or African American.
In other words, those who have been heavily recruited recently to “Close the Gaps”, as well as those hit by the economy.
Republican (and a few privileged, clueless Democratic) politicians, of course, will try to lay the blame on “liberal” professors and academic advising offices, but the bottom line is that you cannot set out to “close the gaps” without addressing every single issue involved in the college going to college graduation process. In this case, we can only blame political expediency for this challenge because, certainly, colleges and universities have been doing without adequate resources for years.
The response now is to tell people, “There is no money.” But there is plenty of money which is being irresponsibly left untapped by Republican elected officials who fail to close tax and fee loopholes. And in Texas, Republicans may commit to using the Rainy Day Fund and other Education money for possible corporate welfare giveaways to oil companies. I guess we know what their priorities really are.
If those affected aren’t being targeted by the likes of Rick Perry and his wealthy buddies, then someone please explain to me this failure in leadership.
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Posted in Higher Education, K-12 Education, LatinoVote '11, LatinoVote '12, Republinutiness, Texas Dems 2012, Texas Lege, U.S. Ethnic Relations
Polling done by impreMedia and Latino Decisions is showing Latino support for President Obama is slipping a bit.
A poll conducted in late July and early August in 21 states with the largest Hispanic populations by impreMedia/Latino Decisions showed Obama with a 63% approval rate. That’s down from 68% in June and 73% in April.
Only 38% of the 500 registered voters polled said they were certain to vote for Obama next year, down from 49% in June.
The poll was done before the announcement that ICE would be reviewing 300,000 cases as part of a new prosecutorial discretion memo released recently, but the numbers should set off some emergency lights and loud sirens in the Democratic Party.
I’m of the opinion that polling should be done about Latinos’ intention to vote in 2012. Or ever.
There’s no doubt that Republican legislative attacks against Latinos and immigrants, not to mention the right-wing vitriol, could have easily placed Latinos in the (D) column for the next decade. But with that type of support should come action, and the polling shows the kind of frustration with President Obama that Latinos seems to have: Highly approved of, yet, iffy on voting for him.
I’m hoping LatinoDecisions does a poll on the intent to vote in 2012 because, As a Democrat, I find Latinos not voting worrisome since this would definitely affect our down ballot races. And the alternative isn’t any better.
Although the iffy-ness surrounding President Obama’s support will probably fix itself in the final percentage, how many Latinos who have voted in the past will just stay home? Let’s find some real evidence of how this might impact our democracy, because I’m tired of seeing the anecdotal evidence among some of my peers.
And when this evidence is found, maybe then will the high-dollar consultants, the nonprofits, and the campaigns invest in the voters, rather than just investing in a winning number.
There I go again with my idealism…
Immigration Not Number 1…Again
The poll showed that the economy has replaced immigration as the key issue for Hispanics. They, like many Americans, were put off by the battle over the nation’s debt ceiling and deficit reduction that concluded in early August.
This is not surprising. Immigration is one of those issues that Latinos react to depending on the rhetoric and legislative agendas. If Republicans start throwing terms like “backdoor amnesty” and “anchor baby” during state legislative sessions around the country, well, Latinos react. It is no different than what occurred in 2006 when the Sensenbrenner Bill was being debated. Well, now some legislative sessions are done and some anti-Latino bills are not in the spotlight as much, people go back to the economy, jobs, and their personal well-being. So, this will happen.
The Republican Primary will surely hop-up the anti-Latino rhetoric later this year and in the Spring. How Democrats defend will surely be noticed, but there’s nothing like a fight over policy to get Latinos moving, as Texas’ Republican sanctuary cities bill did in 2011.
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Posted in DREAM Act, Houston Dems '12, HoustonVotes '11, Immigration, LatinoVote '12, Republinutiness, Texas Lege
I remember the stories my mom and dad would tell me about how gringos (bad anglos) would treat them the minute they spoke one word of Spanish back in the day. Mom told me that one teacher would hit her on the hand with a ruler. Hell, Dad would tell me how gringo restaurant owners treated him while in uniform when her served in the National Guard. Of course, this was in the 40s and 50s.
It’s 2011 and some in the Texas Legislature still feel the need to attack Latinos for speaking Spanish, even when they do what most other citizens don’t do, such as testifying before a legislative committee. Such was the case when Santolin Aguirre, representing the Coalition for Immigrant Rights of Austin, was berated by conservative Texas Senator Chris Harris after he testified in Spanish (with a translator). Harris and others on the committee felt “insulted” for some reason, but frankly, as officeholders, they should feel honored that Texans feel the issue of legalizing racial profiling in Texas is so abhorrent that they would go to the Capitol and speak against it.
Monday was quite the day for conservative Tea party zealots. Joining Harris in spewing hateful rhetoric were the “Immigration Reform Coalition of Texas” in which they said the problem with the legislature is the existence of 30+ Hispanic representatives, which makes me question the sincerity of conservatives who are attempting to recruit Hispanics despite all of the hate.
If anyone should be insulted, it’s those of us who do not agree with those who chose to dial “1″ for racist.
Here’s the video of what occurred:
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Posted in Bigots and Liars, DREAM Act, Immigration, LatinoVote '11, LatinoVote '12, Texas Lege, U.S. Ethnic Relations
When Rick Perry prayed for rain earlier this summer, I didn’t know what to think, other than: Is this a joke? The photo the Texas Tribune used of him looking up to the sky was quite the side-show. Of course, we all know that it was Obama’s visit which made it rain.
It is hard to believe Rick Perry’s sincerity as a Christian given that he cares little for the future of Texas: he supports cutting public education by $4 billion, cutting university/college funding by another $1 billion, putting at risk thousands of immigrant families with hateful legislation, and gutting health care programs that help the economically disadvantaged, among other unChristian actions.
So, I’d like to know for what exactly he is praying? Certainly not to increase the number of high school graduates. He doesn’t seem to care about “closing the gaps” by defunding our colleges and universities. And we all know how he feels about Latinos and immigrants. And he is a champion for that Republican health care plan of “don’t get sick.” So, what’s the deal?
Is he praying for his messed up view of morality where Gays don’t exist, or are simply in hiding? Is he praying for a return to the good ol’ days before the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act were established? Is he praying for women to be subservient? That’s what I get from this statement:
“Given the trials that beset our nation and world, from the global economic downturn to natural disasters, the lingering danger of terrorism and continued debasement of our culture, I believe it is time to convene the leaders from each of our United States in a day of prayer and fasting, like that described in the book of Joel,” Perry said.
Some will say that this tent revival is all about Iowa.
Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, called the rally “an obvious appeal to fundamentalist Christians, who comprise 60 percent of the turnout in the Iowa caucuses.”
That makes sense.
Still, for whatever the reason, this side-show detracts from the real problems Texas is facing and that Rick Perry has avoided and/or caused since he was Lt. Governor. The people of Texas can either be made fools or point out the fools amongst them and elect people who will fight for the children of Texas.
But that takes voting. And come 2011, 2012, and 2014, and beyond, we must vote like our lives depended on it.
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Posted in Houston Dems '12, LatinoVote '11, LatinoVote '12, Redistricting '11, Republinutiness, Texas Lege
Please call Gov. Rick Perry’s office at 1-800-252-9600 TODAY and press 2 to tell a representative: “We do NOT want a so-called “Sanctuary Cities” bill in the Special Session. Texas can do better. We do NOT want local police and school officers asking for federal immigration status.”
The Special Session can start as soon as 8am tomorrow. (via Houston United)
Thank you!
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Posted in Immigration, LatinoVote '11, LatinoVote '12, Texas Lege
Late Tuesday night, we get the following tweet from the Texas Tribune:
@TexasTribune: Senate doesn’t have votes to suspend the rules and take up sanctuary cities.
Well, after all of Woodlands Senator Tommy Williams’ maneuvering, do you think we’re ready to give out a sigh of relief? Hell no!
So, here’s the Vimeo of the press conference today in which numerous organizations and activists lined up against the ban on nonexistent sanctuary cities and the mandatory InSecure Ethnicities bills.
NALEO REJECTS HB 12
The National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, a nonpartisan organization that facilitates the full participation of Latinos in the political process, has joined many organizations in calling on the Texas Senate to reject HB 12, the bill to ban non-existent sanctuary cities.
“HB 12 is an unconstitutional and very costly measure that will
jeopardize the public safety of all Texans,” said NALEO President and former Harris County Commissioner Sylvia R. Garcia. “This legislation
will violate their civil rights and subject the state’s Latinos and newcomers to discrimination.”HB 12 would not allow counties and cities to approve measures blocking law enforcement from asking the legal status of detained persons.
“This bill makes it harder for localities to set their own policies on keeping their neighborhoods safe,” said NALEO Educational Fund Chairman Juan C. Zapata. “In these times of pressing economic challenges, HB 12 does nothing but place significant burdens on local governments when limited resources are sorely needed elsewhere.”
Meanwhile, check out my recent post and action alert at Somos Tejanos:
As SomosTejanos predicted earlier this week, the conservatives in the Texas Legislature were not about to disappoint Governor Rick Perry by denying him his“emergency” measure targeting nonexistent sanctuary cities.
Soon after the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security added onto and voted out of committee Texas Senator Tommy Williams’ (R-The Woodlands) Senate Bill 9, the Secure Communities bill, The Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security returned the favor and reconsidered and voted out of committeee House Bill 12, the sanctuary cities bill.
Senate Dems Vow to Block HB 12
Off the Kuff has the report on Texas Senators vowing to block HB 12, the bill to ban nonexistent sanctuary cities.
The best outcome is that both of these bills die. Whatever does happen, at least the Democrats will have gone down fighting. Sometimes, that’s all you can hope for.
Stay tuned!
Posted in Immigration, Republinutiness, Texas Lege
About 100 local progressives, including Democratic stalwarts and pro-migrant activists, protested the grand opening of the King Street Patriots’ new voter suppression warehouse located off of Hempstead Highway and Loop 610.
Calling out their king Rick Perry, progressives held up signs voicing their opposition to Perry’s “emergency” measures, including intrusive sonograms for women and Mexican hunting measures (HB12). The biggest issue on the minds of protesters was Perry’s lack of leadership regarding the Texas budget. Calls for greater use of the Rainy Day Fund and support for teachers and students were among the protesters’ chants.
Some say King Street is a Republican party operation posing as a nonprofit organization. During the 2010 elections, KSP participated in a voter suppression operation which included challenging voter registration applications of mostly poor and minority voters, as well as polling location intimidation of minority voters.
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