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Super Tuesday’s Super Fracaso

8:29 am By Maegan La Mala · Casa Blanca Camino 2012|Media|Politics · 4 Comments

7 Mar 2012

Super Martes is over with few surprises. Mitt Romney won most of the primaries and caucuses. Rick Santorum managed some small victories that allow him to remain a viable candidate. Newt Gingrich won one state, Georgia and rumors are that the other candidates will push him to drop out. Perpetual outsider Ron Paul didn’t win anything but remained ever optimistic.

Read my op-ed over at El Diario la Prensa NY on why the results hold little weight for the Latino electorate and share your thoughts.

Eye on the Florida Primary : Mirror on the Wall, Who is the Most Anti-Immigrant of All?

27 Jan 2012

I’m feeling a little dazed from the seemingly endless stream of GOP debates and the incumbent President’s non-statement statement on immigration policy during the SOTU. With the Florida primary just days away, both political parties are targeting the Latino vote that the state allegedly represents. Both parties are playing a spin game, ready to crown an opponent as the most anti-immigrant on one hand, while claiming that the Latino electorate in Florida doesn’t really care about immigration.

In last night’s GOP debate, on again off again front runner Newt Gingrich took a page from the Democratic National Committee, targeting Mitt Romney as the most anti-immigrant. Certainly this attack is related to Romney’s statements earlier this week touting “self-deportation” as a good solution to current problems. Romney, offended by Gingrich’s characterization, demanded an apology. As I pointed out in a piece I wrote for El Diario La Prensa last month, we are heading into dangerous territory when we try to find the “worst” among bad choices. Gingrich’s allegedly kinder, softer approach to immigration amounts to what the current Obama policy is on paper, allowing “non-threatening” immigrants with family ties and a long history in the U.S. to stay in a permanent limbo status.

A new/old Latino target is being pushed by one organization. Today, Presente.org launched a campaign targeting potential GOP Vice Presidential pick, Senator Marco Rubio. The campaign wittingly named “No Somos Rubios” (We are not Rubios/We are not Blondes), hones in on Republicans using a brown face with a brown name to earn Latino votes. This right wing strategy is being called into question not just based on Rubio’s anti-immigrant positions but also because Rubio represent such a specific facet of the Latino electorate. Rubio appeals to Cuban-American anti-Castro demographic. Rubio probably will not appeal to other Latinos, especially in the South West, who according to polls, played a critical role in Obama’s getting elected in 2008.

Con la Vista al Voto : In Arizona Things Get Worse Before They Get Better

9:30 am By Maegan La Mala · arizona|Con la Vista al Voto|Immigration|Midterm Elections 2010|Politics · 8 Comments

4 Nov 2010

Continuing our look at the results of the midterm election, we would be remiss if we didn’t look at Arizona, especially as the media runs wild with the story about the Latino electorate saving the West (mainly Harry Reid). Nowhere was Democratic failure more apparent than in the Show Me Your Papers State, where anti-migrant candidates cleaned up at the polls. But before you blame the Latino vote or lack thereof, Latinos did indeed represent at the polls.

According to a poll done by Latino Decisions and co-sponsored by National Council of La Raza, SEIU, and America’s Voice, the issue of immigration was incredibly important to the Latino voters of Arizona, no doubt because they are being threatened with the anti-Latino/anti-migrant policies of the state.
In Arizona, immigration (45%) polled ahead of jobs and the economy together (41%) in terms of issues that voters want policymakers to address. In Arizona, 40% said immigration was the single most important issue in their voting decisions.

Jan Brewer turned from the Governor select to the Governor elect but not because Latinos bought her cries of “I’m not a racist”.
85 percent of Latino voters chose Terry Goddard over Brewer, with Latinos making up 14% of the voters.

Con la Vista al Voto : In Nevada That Latino Vote Worked Out Better than Expected

10:43 am By Maegan La Mala · Con la Vista al Voto|Midterm Elections 2010|Nevada · 3 Comments

3 Nov 2010

Election day is finally over and the Republicans have taken the majority in the House of Representatives, the Democrats have held on to their majority in the Senate, and the Tea Party delivered in some races. What role did the Latino vote play in yesterday’s election? Did voter suppression efforts work to keep Latinos at home? Did Latinos vote by not filling out ballots?

While pundits and electoral analysts will be looking at the numbers for awhile, there are some early stats that show that the Latino vote played an important role in some key races. For example, in Nevada, where Democratic Senator Harry Reid faced a threat via the politics of hate of Sharon Angle, Reid held on to his seat. According to early exit polls reported by the Wall Street Journal, 16% of the Senate electorate yesterday was Hispanic and Reid’s magic number, if you will, to defeat Angle, was 15%. According to a poll sponsored by Latino Decisions, the National Council of La Raza, SEIU, and America’s Voice the breakdown looks like this:

Latino vote for Governor
Rory Reid: 84%
Brian Sandoval: 15%

Latino share of voters: 12%
Latino contribution to R. Reid: +8.5

Latino vote for Senate
Harry Reid: 90%
Sharron Angle: 8%

Latino share of voters: 12%
Latino contribution to H. Reid: +9.8

There will more to report later following some press conferences this afternoon.

Democratic Promises, Insecure Lies

6 Oct 2010

Let’s get this out of the way.

Yes, the Republicans as a party have shown nothing but contempt for Latinos, especially immigrant Latinos, LGBT Latinos, poor Latinos and all the intersections and iterations of the aforementioned.

Is that enough for Latinos to run to the polls and vote Democrat in less than a month? All signs point to no. Polls abound pointing that the mythical Latino voter supports the Democratic party in theory but aren’t convinced enough to keep the Dems in office.

And why would that be?

It’s a little too easy to merely point out the fact that the Obama administration has failed to cumplir it’s promesa to the Latino community on comprehensive immigration reform. To rely on that as the reason to not vote/not vote Dem, makes the Latino electorate look irresponsible and passes blame onto the voter. Rather, perhaps the media who is sounding alarm bells about the lack of Latino loyalty and will should look at what the Democrats have done against immigrant communities.

Happy (?) Latino Heritage Month

8:17 am By Maegan La Mala · history|Latin America · 5 Comments

16 Sep 2010

Sigh inside Papa John's Advertsing a Fiesta Pizza Yesterday marked the official start of Latino (of Hispanic) Heritage Month, 30 days or so of corporate cafeterias serving tacos. Ok so I’m being cynical. The marketing is so over the top some time (see picture). The political pandering so offensive, especially at a time like this with the mid-term elections, it feels like all fluff and no substance.

It’s not that I don’t love being a Latina, it’s my primary identity above all others. I think in large part because of my political awaking when I was a teenager, whenever someone asks that tired old question and I am forced to limit myself to one answer, I’ll go with Latina over mujer. It’s just it is who I am, how I live. I don’t wake up in the morning thinking about how can I be more Latino and don’t try extra hard to be extra Latina during this month. But that, that not trying so hard to prove myself, is a shift for myself so maybe in that there is value in this month as a kind of “new year” of sorts for our multiple communities.
Read more…

NYC Mayor Bloomberg gets a Latino Endorser for His Third Term Run : P.R.’s Gov. Fortuño

6:35 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · New York City|Politics · 7 Comments

28 Aug 2009

michael_bloomberg I first noticed the Spanish language door hangers in my Latino NYC hood last week. The door hangers were promoting NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s run for a third term.

Now, I don’t think he should have been allowed to run again. Here in NYC there was this big push for term limits but now because the billionaire mayor wants to keep power, he’s using the poor economy as justification for a third term in office. I think that fear mongering, especially when his model of city as business instead of as communities of people, has hurt more people than it has helped, is a disgusting way to maintain control. Pero people are buying it and supporting him. In NYC the Latino vote is especially important which is why Bloomy is spending alot of time and effort lining up endorsers with Spanish last names.

One of the latest endorsements comes from a non-New Yorker, Puerto Rico’s pro-statehood Governor Luis G. Fortuño. .

In a statement released by the Bloomberg campaign, Fortuño called the mayor an “honest and independent leader who can make the tough, necessary decisions that will create jobs, keep the streets safe and continue the strides in education that have been made over the last few years.”

“New York also needs a leader who understands the diverse nature of the city, appreciates how invaluable it is, and works to ensure this diversity,” Fortuño added.

“When it comes to Latinos, Mayor Bloomberg wants to make sure that all of us are heard.”

Presenting ¡PRESENTE!

30 Apr 2009

presentelg
This post comes to you courtesy of Nezua of The Unapologetic Mexican.

There’s new Latino organizing effort underway that seeks to further the political power of our communal voices, energies, strengths, and talents.

As we approach May 1st thousands of people across the country will take to streets to express their collective desire for human rights for all immigrants. Pero just as there are multiple Latino experiences, there are multiple ways to organize.

Nezua writes:

OVER AND OVER we hear about The Hispanic Vote™ and The Latino/a Vote® and it is a real thing we are talking about in all of this. Our people—nuestra gente—have long been a force in this land, be it under the golden sun harvesting the corn that has for thousands of years fed our antepasados (ancestors) or away from the sun and working hard in US places of business or doing so much to build strong familias together, as las mujeres—the women—among us are known for historically. We are a beautiful and long enduring people, and responsible for so much creation here that sustains us today: Art, Literature, Food, Clothing, Song.

And yet, our voices have yet to be utilized and enjoined in a way that can efficiently organize around the issues that affect our communities. Don’t mistake what I say: the Latina/o (or “Hispanic”) community is famous for its ability to organize on the local level, and we are proud of this. And that is why it is time to continue to tie this ability and history together and bring it to an even higher level.

It’s true that while so much joins us, we do come from many different backgrounds and hold varying views on the issues that affect us. We will not always agree, nor should we. What we can agree on, though, is that we should have a way to centralize and engage the politics that affect us on so many levels.

Are you down? Read mas.

Obama’s Spanish Tongue as a Political Tool

8:05 am By Maegan la Mamita Mala · language|Obama|Politics · 2 Comments

6 Apr 2009

I caught heat for criticizing President Obama’s appearance on Premio Lo Nuestro. I proposed that Obama’s use of Spanish in a way that didn’t address any real issues was pandering. Others thought I missed the point completely since after all Premio lo Nuestro is a social/entertainment event not a political one.

I still would argue that Obama’s video injected politics into an event that usually just injected with lots of silicone. A new poll shows that I may not be alone.

Recently, President Obama has been speaking in Spanish and appearing on
Spanish-language networks. AOL Latino just conducted a poll in which a
majority (54%) voted that the move was a strategic/political move, while
34% voted that he¹s just getting closer to his electorate.

Ok so the source is AOL Latino, which indicates that the poll may not be the most scientific, pero interesting none the less.

What do you all think?

Latin@s and Obama linked by hate groups

1:18 pm By la Macha · Immigration · Comments Off

26 Feb 2009

arthate I know that there’s still a big population of Latin@s that don’t care for Obama. I am growing to like the man–he seems to be actually following through on a lot of his promises, and for that I give the man props even if politically I am much more to the left than he is.

But there’s still a lot of Latin@s that don’t like him–which is ironic because there’s a growing number of white folks that are going the KKK way–because of him and us. From CNN comes this report:

The center’s report, “The Year in Hate,” found the number of hate groups grew by 54 percent since 2000. The study identified 926 hate groups — defined as groups with beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people — active in 2008. That’s a 4 percent jump, adding 38 more than the year before.

What makes this year’s report different is that hate groups have found two more things to be angry about — the nation’s first African-American president and an economy that is hemorrhaging jobs. For the past decade, Latino immigration has fueled the growth of hate groups.

Reading the whole report is pretty terrifying. And I am in no way meaning to imply a sense of “solidarity” (or that Latin@s should “like” Obama) between Obama and Latin@s just because we’re both being targeted by hate groups.

Rather instead, I guess I’m wondering is there any way to connect the politics of Obama (whatever that may mean to individuals or communities of Latin@s) to the politics of “Latin@” or “Immigration” or “Illegal immigrant” (which inevitably means Latin@)? Not sure if I’m being clear here–it’s sort of an abstract idea I’m working with.

I guess to put it at it’s very basic kernal of thought–I wonder if there’s any links between Latin@s and Obama that we need to think through on an individual or community level?

What do you think?

Older Entries

Maegan La Mala: Thank you Julio! To be honest I was a little nervous. [...]

Ana L. Flores: I was very excited when you decided to join us. I really wanted your voice there as it would add dep [...]

Maegan La Mala: Hola Juliana and thanks for commenting. There is a dearth in activist/critical thinking Latino blogg [...]

Julio Ricardo Varela: Good for you for asking. I got goose bumps just reading this and yes, yes, yes, to it all. Thank you [...]

julianabritto: The sense that I get is that you might feel a little frustrated at the dearth in activist bloggers? [...]

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Posts Tagged ‘latino vote’

Super Tuesday’s Super Fracaso

Eye on the Florida Primary : Mirror on the Wall, Who is the Most Anti-Immigrant of All?

Con la Vista al Voto : In Arizona Things Get Worse Before They Get Better

Con la Vista al Voto : In Nevada That Latino Vote Worked Out Better than Expected

Democratic Promises, Insecure Lies

Happy (?) Latino Heritage Month

NYC Mayor Bloomberg gets a Latino Endorser for His Third Term Run : P.R.’s Gov. Fortuño

Presenting ¡PRESENTE!

Obama’s Spanish Tongue as a Political Tool

Latin@s and Obama linked by hate groups

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