Posted onJuly 10, 2022|Comments Off on Los Blogs de Tejas – TPA Round-Up
The Texas Progressive Alliance wishes everyone a happy Fourth of July despite it all as it brings you this week’s roundup.
Off the Kuff discussed a tempoarary reprieve for some abortion providers in Texas, and the valiant but fruitless promise that some state District Attorneys have made to not prosecute abortion-related “crimes”.
I haven’t had that busy a year on DC. No doubt, the state of politics concerns me when Republicans are still as nasty as they want to be, and Democrats, well, they only push back when a win is in sight, otherwise, they might lose a right-wing vote. Call for abolishing ICE or calling for Democrats to fight harder on, say, deportation and incarceration of brown folks, and they get skittish. Calls for “civility” are quite offensive when Democrats won’t fight and the policies offered by right-wingers are simply uncivil and not worthy of debate. If we want to win, increase turn-out, and make meaningful change it will take more than knocking on doors, but also promoting and defending a meaningful platform that fights for people, rather than one which rides a stripe down the middle of the road painted yellow on issues like immigration. At this point, 2020 is about trust and it must be earned.
Needless to say, I still had some posts that generated some good traffic, so, here are my Top 10 for 2018.
I don’t know how active a blogger I’ll be since some folks take all the fun out of it by flinging insults at those of us who are called “far left,” while calling for “civility” with the most uncivil among us–Republicans and their apologists. But that doesn’t mean I’m done. There’s a lot to write about politics and Chicano culture and I’ll still be doing it, or else, the pendejos who get easily offended will take over. So, stay tuned. Year 14 of DosCentavos begins in a few days!
Posted onMarch 29, 2013|Comments Off on Thoughts on Viernes…03292013 ~ 8th Anniv. Edition
There I Go Again…
…questioning my allegiance to any given political party. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as liberal as they come, and a lot more liberal than apologist progressives. A compelling post in CounterPunch by Professor Emeritus Rodolfo Acuna has me questioning everything about everything. Whether I question the apologist nature of the Democratic Party or the weak negotiating skills of Latino elected and nonprofit leaders, this article seems to have hit a nerve–especially on the weekend in which DosCentavos reaches its eighth year on the internets.
There’s little doubt that very few are paying attention to realities lately (or maybe they aren’t) regarding the great immigration debate. At one point there was no chance of another Bracero program coming to fruition; now, labor and big business are in negotiations over what is acceptable in a guest worker program. What’s worse, Latinos aren’t asking or saying much about it; or worse, not objecting to it. Of course, there’s more that is being ignored in the debate–record deportations, enforcement-heavy ideas, etc.
The question has become so muddled that not even the so-called Latino leadership knows what it wants. Having been invited and having sat at the Democratic Party table as guests of honor, they don’t want to rock the boat –or like my mother used to say quieren quedar bien con todo mundo.
Perhaps Dr. Acuna is correct. So, where does that leave those of us who still want to question everything, yet, really don’t have a place to call our political home? Stuff to ponder as I contemplate the future of DosCentavos.
Those Wetbacks!
Whether said by Gringos (bad Anglos) or newspeople, I hadn’t heard the term “wetback” so much in years! Glad to see Leader Boehner is mad about it. What did he tell Young? “You’re only supposed to say that at the country club, you ninny!!!” Or something like that, I’m sure.
Everytime Republicans try to play nice with Latinos, one of their own screws it up by opening his/her mouth. Most don’t care what they say as they blame it on being products of their time. But this just goes to show that Republicans are trying to attract Latinos using the wrong methods. Talk is cheap (and cheaper as with Young), but policy reaps rewards. I mean, c’mon, Republicans wouldn’t play nice with DREAM Act or CIR, so Obama does an end-run with DACA and Latinos (who vote) see who is actually playing nice–plain as day.
I guess that’s the message for Republicans and Democrats. If you want Latinos to vote for you, then make it about policy, pendejos!
And as I mentioned, DosCentavos is about to turn eight (8) in April. It’s been a hell of a run in so many ways. Readership has gone up and down, as has my political boredom, during the last 8 years. One thing I have found is that my readership goes up when I write about Tejano music and Chicano culture. People are hungry for it, especially as the Dan Patricks of the world go on the offensive with bad laws. Unfortunately, so many “activists” are hungry for attention that they’ll even take a pat on the head from Latino Republicans. The problem is, political parties still don’t seem to get just how to mix both culture and political message. I mean, I know how, but the powers that be are still stuck on appearing to be supportive, rather than just being supportive and understanding. That last one is more important, by the way, and is seldom met.
Anyway, the whole week I’ve been spending thinking about what to do with DosCentavos. Rebrand? Redesign? Re-quit? Like I said, the end result of politics gets boring when turn-out is less than 20%, yet, we continue to say that all politics is local. If that’s the case, then the politicians need to mean it. Or what Dr. Acuna states will be as true as ever.
Without a doubt, the 2012 Presidential Election is a watershed in Chicana/o History. It is a recognition of our numbers not our skill at playing the political game. In my view, in order to survive thegame,we must play it collectively and have clear principles.
I guess I’ll stick to principles and to hell with everyone else?
MUSIC BREAK: Mexico-Americano, Los Lobos (Live)
Comments Off on Thoughts on Viernes…03292013 ~ 8th Anniv. Edition
Well, we’re still alive. Unfortunately for Republicans, that means at least 520 more years of Latino population growth.
Congrats to the Prez
President Obama was named Time’s Person of the Year. He is credited for basically bringing people together, but Time’s chief goes as far as saying he’s the “architect of this new America.” Well, I wouldn’t go that far. Let’s face it, if any persons brought people together to form this “new America” I would credit the Republicans and their divisive rhetoric and political tactics. What this “new America” did send to Obama and Democrats (and the divisive Republicans) was a message: Get the job done! And once it’s done, then by all means, name the Prez the POY for 2016.
Hotze Under the Collar
And under our skin as voters, apparently, as pro-urban-deterioration advocate Bruce Hotze has filed a frivolous lawsuit against the City of Houston over the bonds the vast majority of voters approved. Some folks just enjoy wasting time and taxpayer dollars, I guess.
doscentavos.net 
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