GOP-Tied Rightists Urge Hispanics Not to Vote

It is no secret that the Republican Party does best at election time when vote turn out is low. Indeed, vote suppression is part of the GOP's playbook. This year, they appear to have made a quantum shift in their efforts to keep traditionally Democratic voters out of the polling stations. An organization calling itself Latinos for Reform has commissioned at least one ad that asks Hispanic voters to stay home because the Democratic Party is taking Hispanics for granted. A little digging by journalists has turned up close ties between the Republican Party and Latinos for Reform.

Now, reasonable people can disagree over whether the Democratic Party has treated the Hispanic community poorly. The failure of any immigration reform is but one issue where blame lies with the Dems as well as the obstructionist GOP. This journal generally takes the view that, unless an election is rigged to a North Korean degree, failing to vote merely cedes power to those one most dislikes. Hispanics (who are largely Democratic voters) staying home to punish the Democrats merely boosts Republican victories. However, a case is plausible that says the GOP will run the table this election anyway, so by staying home the Hispanic voters can help drive the point home to Democrats without causing any extra harm to their interests. The damage will occur anyway.

Robert de Posada, the president of Latinos for Reform, told Politico.com this very thing in reference to the Nevada Senatorial race where Leader Harry Reid is taking on Tea Party backed Sharon Angle in a state that is 25% Hispanic. "We're saying what a lot of people are feeling. It's the only way for Hispanics to stand up and demand some attention," Mr. de Posada said. He also stated the he did not want to ask voters to support Ms. Angle. "I can't ask people to support a Republican candidate who has taken a completely irresponsible and bordering on racist position on immigration." This is echoed in the ad as the voice over says, "Don't vote this November. This is the only way to send them [Democrats] a clear message, 'You can no longer take us for granted'."

However, TPM.com notes, Mr. de Posada "served as co-director with Dick Armey on Americans for Border and Economic Security, on George W. Bush's Social Security Commission, and as director of Hispanic affairs at the Republican National Committee until becoming disgruntled with the GOP and settling into conservative advocacy." The site also states, "Latinos for Reform website lists its address as a P.O. Box operated by Susan Arceneaux, who was a big player in the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth operation. De Posada says that's a mistake." The ad provides a different address, so perhaps it is a mistake, and perhaps not.

Meanwhile, Juan Carlos Benitez, the treasurer of Latinos for Reform, was a Pioneer of the Bush re-election campaign. That means he raised at least $100,000 for the effort. July 17, 2008, the McCain for President campaign reported that Mr. Benitez had bundled between $50,000 and $100,000 in donations.

Clearly Messrs. de Posada and Benitez are conservatives with ties to the Republican Party at the highest level. That is far from a crime. What is at issue here is whether conservative Hispanics are being entirely honest with la gente when they claim they want to punish the Democrats by withholding Hispanic votes. Is it purely coincidental that such an action would follow decades old GOP strategy? One would be more convinced of the purity of their hearts were they centrists or leftists.

As an aside, America's two largest Spanish-language TV networks, Univision and Telemundo, have declined the $80,000 fee for broadcasting the ad. Good for them.

© Copyright 2010 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Ubuntu Linux.

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