The Deets
This past Saturday The DREAM Act failed to pass a procedural cloture vote 55-41. While most of the votes against moving forward to actually debate and vote on DREAM were Republicans, there were Democrats who also voted against the DREAM Act including Montana Sen. Jon Tester, who called DREAM, “amnesty”. Other Democrats who helped the DREAM Act die in this Senate session are Ben Nelson, NE; Max Baucus, MT; Mark Pryor, AK and Kay Hagan, SC. There were, on the upside, some Republicans who voted for the DREAM Act. Those were Bennett (UT), Lugar (IN), and Murkowski (Alaska).
Let the Finger-Pointing Begin
As mentioned above, Democratic senators blamed the Republican Senators, especially ones who supported DREAM in the past, senators like Sen. Orrin G. Hatch. President Obama blames the GOP. Most pro-immigrant orgs have released statements blaming the Republicans. A handful of bloggers have noted that had the 5 Democrats mentioned above voted yes, the 60 votes mark would have been reached. There is discussion about if the White House pushed hard enough and if progressive organizations outside the immigration and Latinosphere did enough.
What’s Next
Let’s be real, there were/are some who declared the DREAM dead even before this last Senate cloture vote. There were some who felt that the vote was a useless show. The DREAMers are heartbroken and angry and the big question for them is where they go from here as individuals and in the wider movement(s). Even before this last failed vote, Congressman Luis Gutierrez announced pressing Obama to sign a moratorium on detentions and deportations. There is some indication that some DREAMers may push for something like this as well with a focus on those like them, those brought hto the U.S. as children. There are some calls for the renewal of movement towards Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
Legislatively speaking, DREAM and anything remotely looking like CIR doesn’t seem likely. The CIR plans that came out over the last few years, pushed by Democrats were laden with pre-enforcement efforts. Imagine what CIR proposals with a Republican Congress would look like?
Some have set there eyes into the future, 2012, promising to vote out those who didn’t vote for them but in the meantime what?
I am not an undocumented immigrant. I am not an immigrant. My stake and my decision making power is not important here. What is important is working in the streets and in our communities to make sure that the lives of immigrants are protected. I fully expect things to get harder before they get easier. So the challenge I put out there for myself and for others, is what will people do to make sure that immigrant communities and the families within then are protected, educated and healthy? I am not talking policy. Policy will not, can not, and does not save our lives. We will, we can, and we have to.
VL asks
“Where Did the DREAM Go?”
I’d like to add a corollary to that question..
“Where will the DREAM Go?”
First of all I’d like to state there are no simple answers to these extremely complex questions.
From my point of view effective change for the Latino people will not come about in the foreseeable future.Latinos,like it or not have been effectively co-opted by the Democratic Party(the neo-liberal wing of the ruling class).The Democratic Party in tandem with the DNC and the Obama have come close to building the “perfect mouse trap”-in the political sense.Let’s face it they have been very successful in corralling Latinos onto their Democratic Party “plantation”.
The question..”Where will the DREAM Go?”
At this time no one has the definitive answer.
However,I do believe that in the future there will be a vicious “war” fought over the “hearts and minds of Latinos” between the Democratic party/ neo-Liberal ruling class with their Latino lieutenants and enforcers and Latino progressives,leftists and radicals who will fight to expose the corruption,lies and deception inherent in the two-party scam,who will provide leadership in teaching the people how such forces will never serve the real interests of the Latino people.Personally,I am 100% absolutely convinced of the correctness and righteousness in taking this position.It will be a long difficult struggle,but in the end I am sure..we will win.
I believe that at this stage in the Latino struggle part of the solution..one piece of the gigantic puzzle we face will be a PROCESS.A PROCESS of creating movement and energy sparking a fire
that hopefully will burn down corrupt,anachronistic,negative institutions and political structures which hinder Latino liberation..not build it.
This PROCESS which we must set in motion should be a Tsunami-like phenomena encouraging Latinos to ask deeper questions,questioning and doubting the powers that be which hold them back,questioning and probing the legitimacy and authenticity of the Democratic Party( and the GOP as well) as true representatives and leaders in the Latino struggle for liberation.
Creating a solution is a two-fold and interrelated phenomena both connected and dependent on each
other.
As a tree flowering and bearing leaves and fruits practical organizing,strategic and tactical solutions will also grow from a deepening process thinking and of asking questions.
All nature is a PROCESS.Politics is no exception.
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Where will the DREAM go? « Chicano future tense
I think you make a good point in terms of language…where will the DREAM go is indeed a better question, although I was referring to the very specific circumstances that just passed
Re: ” if progressive organizations outside the immigration and Latinosphere did enough”
They didn’t. All they cared about was DADT. I used to think the left meant all progressives, but now I see that that term excludes Latinos. If we hadn’t saved the Senate, that would vote would not have taken place. But do you think they will ever acknowledge that? Hell no.
It’s been an ongoing struggle in some ways against the progressive movement, “mainstream” progressive orgs in many ways have perpetuated the racism & classism that they claim to be fighting against by viewing issues of our survival as marginal.
Mira Karen, we agree!
Re: ‘Mira Karen, we agree!”
lol
I still think illegal immigrants should close their bank accounts. If they don’t want them here, then they don’t want their money either. Right? All this country understands is money.
Hey, have you seen how many electoral votes the northeast and rust belt lost? That means the Latino vote in Florida and the Southwest is even more important.
Can we please, please say undocumented though…
That’s not a bad strategy actually though. In fact I would support all people taking their money out of the big banks. They don’t want any of us, truth be told.
I haven’t had a chance to sit and look at the new census numbers as I have a sick child on my hands, but I will…:)
VL says
It’s been an ongoing struggle in some ways against the progressive movement, “mainstream” progressive orgs in many ways have perpetuated the racism & classism that they claim to be fighting against by viewing issues of our survival as marginal.
Your statement here resonates quite strongly with me,I think you have brought something out that deserves much further concern and exploration.
Don’t get me wrong here in my criticism of the left.I’m not taking anything away from their valuable and important contributions to the Latino struggle for self-determination,for their solidarity with Latino issues and causes which the Democratic and GOP parties would never touch with a ten foot pole.I applaud and cherish their support for Latino issues even through the darkest and most difficult times.Say what you can about the left,they have been and continue to be our closest allies in the struggle.We should respect and take that into overall consideration.My criticism is intended as positive constructive criticism to our mostly white comrades and friends on the left,meant to make them even better comrades and individuals in the struggle.
Having said that,I concur with VL’s criticism of the left.It is valid.
I myself have for some time now have given considerable thought to the question that if our natural political allies on the left-progressive,socialist and communist organizations and parties perpetuate racism,classism with their patronizing,arrogant and condescending attitudes and practices then who else do Latinos have to turn to as integral organizational allies or as potential organizational partners?
Surely NOT the Democratic Party,even less so the GOP.They have more than proven their disrespectful,hypocritical and exploitative attitudes towards Latinos.
I ask,give this situation of Latinos in the USA with all it’s manifest forms of racism and xenophobia permeating every nook and cranny of our society,would it be beyond the realm of possibility to even consider in a any serious way the question of building a movement for liberation and self-determination around a dual-core ideology of of socialist democracy and nationalism??
Would Latinos even consider this as an option?
This is a question which has been on my mind for some time now which I would further explore and study as a genuine possibility if I could see there was shown popular support from the Latino people.
Would it be madness to even consider the possibility of an independent UNITED LATINO PARTY??
Well I think there are collective models that exist outside of mainstream progressivism that would benefit Latinos on the local level and I think that is where action needs to happen first.