DNC Senior Advisor for Hispanic Affairs Statement on Mitt Romney’s Speech at NALEO: “Americans Will Remember Extreme Positions in November”

DNC Senior Advisor for Hispanic Affairs Juan Sepulveda released the following statement on Mitt Romney’s speech at NALEO today:

    “Mitt Romney is banking on the memory of the American people being very short. No matter what he says now, it won’t change the fact that Romney holds an extreme position on immigration and is on the wrong side of every issue that’s important to the Hispanic community. Mitt Romney may want to forget the promises he made during the far right Republican primary, but Americans won’t.

    “Romney called the DREAM Act a ‘handout’ and promised to veto it. Now he’s stayed silent for seven days, refusing to tell voters if he would repeal the Obama Administration’s new action that will make our nation’s immigration policy more fair and efficient. It would prevent young people who were brought to our great nation through no fault of their own as children from being deported—something we should all be able to get behind. So, we shouldn’t believe that anything for Romney has changed—even though now he’s just afraid to come out and say it.

    “President Obama knows that if Hispanic families succeed, our nation thrives. He’s fighting for us all and working to create an economy that is built to last. He’s worked hard to make college more affordable for Hispanic students, and because of his leadership, health care will be more affordable and accessible. President Obama’s record is clear—he’s fighting for the middle class and for a better future for our country for all Americans. Mitt Romney’s far-right positions and philosophy of Romney Economics are dangerous for nearly everyone: middle class families and those still trying to make it there, and Hispanics families working to achieve the American Dream.”

Romney Cannot Etch-A-Sketch His Extreme Immigration Positions

By DNC Press

Yesterday, Mitt Romney tried to shift attention away from his extreme immigration policies by misrepresenting President Obama’s record on immigration. In response, DNC Senior Advisor for Hispanic Affairs Juan Sepúlveda released the following statement:

    “Facing a huge deficit with Latino voters after spending his entire campaign aligning himself with the most anti-immigrant voices in his party, Mitt Romney is trying to distract voters from his extreme positions by misrepresenting President Obama’s record.

    “Taking his cues from one of the nation’s leading anti-immigrant voices, Mitt Romney has made it clear: On immigration, he would be the most extreme presidential nominee of our time. Mitt Romney has promised to veto the DREAM Act, encouraged all undocumented immigrants to self-deport, opposes comprehensive immigration reform and called the extreme Arizona immigration law a ‘model.’

    “Mitt Romney may try to Etch-a-Sketch his extreme positions on immigration, but he can’t shake off the extreme policies he has adopted – anti-immigrant policies that Latino voters won’t soon forget.”

ICYMI: Carlos Gutierrez: “Obama’s Broken Promises to Young Americans”

Excerpts from the Miami Herald

 

By Carlos Gutierrez

February 29, 2012

 

"Four years ago, the youthful Obama campaign offered young Americans the promise of a hopeful future. Today, the Obama presidency has little to offer the country's newest crop of first-time voters...

 

"Young Americans deserve better. They need an economy that offers opportunities, not roadblocks...

 

"Employment for 18-to-24 year-olds is at the lowest level since the Great Depression. Only 54.3 percent are employed, compared to 62.4 percent four years ago. And 13.3 percent of 20-to-24 year-olds who are actively looking for work cannot find a job - five percentage points higher than the overall unemployment rate.

 

"The president's record of mandates and regulations has placed excessive burdens on small and large businesses alike, increasing their operating costs. That, in turn, makes it more difficult for them to hire new employees-especially those new to the job market...

 

"The cost of a college education is at an all-time high. Average tuition at a four-year in-state college has increased 25 percent since President Obama took office from $6,591 to $8,244, according to the College Board.

 

"President Obama has been touring college campuses to promote his plan to tackle student loan debt. But he fails to tell students how little his refinancing plan will actually help them: It will save the average student less than $10 a month at a time when student debt is at an all time high...

 

"Even though young Americans will contribute sizable chunks of their paychecks to Medicare and Social Security, they may not enjoy the benefits of these entitlement programs. Because of Democrats' unwillingness to reform Medicare, its trust fund will be exhausted in 2022. The Social Security trust fund, if the program goes unreformed, will be exhausted in 2036...

 

"Today's college-age voters will be less eager to buy into 'hope and change' than their brothers and sisters were. That's because they know something their older siblings didn't. They know what an Obama presidency looks like..."

 

Click Here To Read The Op-Ed: http://bit.ly/y0wggM

 

Source: RNC

GOP Expands National Latino Effort

RNC Hispanic Outreach to Capitalize on Obama’s Failed Leadership

 

By Johanna Persing

WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus has announced the next phase of the RNC’s national Latino engagement effort:

 

“The expanded multifaceted approach to connect with the Hispanic community will include both digital outreach, traditional voter identification, and get out the vote efforts,” said RNC Chairman Priebus. “Aimed at connecting with the fastest growing demographic, the RNC will place staff on the ground across the country to coordinate the GOP’s Hispanic effort as part of a program to make sure Barack Obama is a one-term president. Latinos play an integral role in our communities and the Republican Party believes it is essential to involve Latinos at every level of our Party’s efforts in 2012."

 

To organize the national effort and oversee state-level staff working with local Latino communities, the RNC has named Bettina Inclán as the Director of Hispanic Outreach. Bettina is the former Executive Director of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly and has served on numerous campaigns at the national, state and local level. Most recently, Bettina worked on statewide campaigns in both California and Florida. She was part of the team that elected Rick Scott Governor of Florida, who secured over 50 percent of the Hispanic vote in his successful run in 2010.

 

To kick-off the effort, the RNC has launched a Twitter account @RNCLatinos and a Tumblr blog at RNCLatinos.tumblr.com. The social media sites will include the latest bilingual content, research and videos from the RNC and provide an opportunity for the community to share their thoughts. The Twitter account and Tumblr blog will join the existing bilingual website for Latinos.

 

"With the unemployment rate for the Latino community at eleven percent, over two points higher than the national average, Latinos across the country are frustrated with Obama’s failed economic policies. Their dissatisfaction with the president creates an opening for the Republican Party’s message of economic security and conservative values to resonate with Latinos," said RNC Co-Chairman Sharon Day.

 

A mobile text campaign has also been launched asking Latino voters to text “ÚNETE” (Unite) to 91919 (Data & Msg rates may apply) and join the RNC’s mobile army.

 

As the 2012 election cycle continues, the RNC will unfold additional pieces of its Hispanic outreach program.

DNC Statement on Mitt Romney Saying He Would Veto the DREAM Act If President

By DNC Press

After Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said today at a campaign stop in Iowa that he would veto the DREAM Act if it passed and he were president, the DNC's Senior Advisor for Hispanic Affairs, Juan Sepúlveda, released the following statement:

“If there had been doubt in anyone’s mind—least of all, Hispanics in America, that Mitt Romney’s far-right views on immigration would make him the most extreme presidential nominee in recent memory, his statement today that he would veto the DREAM Act if he were president is appalling.  This piece of legislation has been supported by members of both parties.  It is something that Americans can get behind, and it is in line with the spirit of inclusion and diversity of our country that has made our nation great.  But Mitt Romney has shown once again that he is out of touch and far to the right of even members of his own party, and that he would not represent the best interest of middle class Americans, those still trying to reach the middle class, and Hispanics in the country.  This is in direct contrast to President Obama who strongly supports opening the American Dream for hard-working, patriotic young people who are leaders in their communities today and who are looking for an opportunity to attend college or serve our country in the military, but who can't, through no fault of their own."

DNC Statements in Honor of Hispanic Heritage Month

By DNC Press

The Democratic National Committee released the following statements today marking Hispanic Heritage Month, which starts today, September 15.

Statement from DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz:

“Today, we begin a month-long celebration of the millions of Hispanic Americans who, since the founding of America, have been a fundamental part of our society. Throughout our country’s history, Hispanic Americans have built homes, families, and businesses in every corner of this great nation. The United States has always gained great strength from its many immigrants, and Hispanic Americans have lived in pursuit of the American Dream, building a past and planning a future for themselves and their families in the greatest country in the world. Hispanic Americans are an integral thread in the rich tapestry that is the fabric of America.

“Hispanic Americans continue to work hard to provide for their families and their communities, and I am proud to have a President who fights to help them achieve this goal. Under President Obama’s leadership, we have expanded the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to an additional 4 million children, including legal immigrant children, and we have reformed our student loan system to provide an additional 150,000 Pell Grants to Latino students. We have worked to bring about comprehensive immigration reform, and we are now working to pass the American Jobs Act, which will aid in our economic recovery and put millions of Americans back to work—including the nearly 1 million Hispanic Americans who have been unemployed for six months or more. As we honor the many contributions that Hispanic Americans have made to our society, we must also remember the unique challenges that so many face and work to ensure that all Americans have a fair shot at the American Dream.”

Statement from DNC Vice Chair Linda Chavez-Thompson:

“The Hispanic story is the American story: a story of immigrants who continue to come to America looking for a chance to provide for their families, and a story of early settlers who helped weave the American tapestry from the very beginning. Today, Hispanics continue to embody the American Dream, with all its challenges and joys along the way.

“Like all Americans, Hispanics want our country to continue to move forward. That is why our communities overwhelmingly support President Obama’s initiatives to create jobs, move the economy in the right direction, and ensure that our education, immigration and health systems provide all Americans a genuine opportunity to realize their full potential.”

Statement from DNC Hispanic Caucus Chair Iris Y. Martinez:

“This Hispanic Heritage Month, I am proud to stand with President Obama as we work to ensure that we can get more folks back to work and Hispanics continue to have a fair shot at the American Dream. From the beginning, the President has stood up for our communities, often making difficult political choices in an effort to turn the economy around and work toward an immigration system that ensures safety and security while also keeping our families united. This courage is exactly what is needed to preserve America’s unique place in the world as a nation full of immigrants where all who are willing to work hard can discover success.”

Photo: Secretary Clinton Meets With Jovenes en Accion (Youth in Action) Exchange Participants

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Assistant Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Ann Stock, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Matthew Rooney, and Mexican Ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan, met today with 68 Jovenes en Accion (Youth in Action) exchange participants to congratulate them on the successful completion of their program.

Jovenes en Accion is an innovative five-week youth exchange program that develops leadership skills, fosters civic engagement, and supports Mexican public high school students in creating service projects to implement in their communities. State Department photo by Michael Gross

West Wing Week: "Mutual Disposition"

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, The President held a town hall, met with the Prime Minister of New Zealand, honored the world series champions, spoke to Hispanic community advocates and addressed the Nation on the importance of compromising on a balanced approach to reduce the deficit. That's July 22nd to July 28th or "Mutual Disposition" 

In Case You Missed It: Dems Hitting The Panic Button Over Losing Latinos

By Michael Short

The Daily Caller: “Look no further than Barack Obama’s Monday speech at the annual conference of the National Council of La Raza, one of the nation’s largest Hispanic advocacy groups. After being chided a week before by the organization’s leader, the President offered hints of support for immigration reform, but was clear about one thing: ‘The Democrats and your president are with you, don’t get confused about that.’ …

“Apart from the GOP, there is another group that may disagree with the confident statements of Democrats: Latino voters themselves …

“’The DNC leadership and their spokespeople can say whatever they want about Latinos but the reality is Latino organizations are not happy with Obama,’ Bettina Inclan, a Republican political strategist who blogs extensively on conservative Latino issues, told The Daily Caller. ‘You have the National Council of La Raza saying that Democrats have to woo Latinos more because they realize the broken promises and the horrible economy they’re facing. … I think these political people have to take their head out of the sand and realize what’s going on and the reality is that, the Hispanic vote, the Latino vote, is up for grabs’ …

“The number of Hispanic Democratic officeholders has decreased by about 2 percent since 2006, while it’s jumped to 22.5 percent for Hispanic Republicans, according to NPR. Thanks to the 210 midterm elections, state-level elected Hispanic Republicans now outnumber corresponding Democrats by a 5-to-3 margin …

“’This ad is a desperate attempt by Democrats to save face in light of the GOP’s successful messaging within the Hispanic community,’ said RNC spokeswoman Victoria Martinez, who continued: ‘Voters, especially Hispanic voters, know that they cannot afford four more years of President Obama’ …

“‘I think what’s going to happen more during this election cycle, everyone is going to be talking about the economy. Is immigration a concern? Yeah, but I think one of the biggest problems with immigrations  goes back to Obama’s broken promises,’ said Inclan …”

McClatchy Newspapers: “President Barack Obama promised a Hispanic group Monday that he'd continue to push for a sweeping immigration overhaul even as he acknowledged frustration that he's failed to deliver on his promises.

“Obama noted that he'd pledged during his 2008 campaign to ‘work tirelessly to fix our broken immigration system and make the Dream Act a reality’ so that the undocumented children of illegal immigrants could stay in the U.S. and study …

“La Raza president Janet Murguia said … she and conference attendees acknowledged frustration with the administration …”

Source: RNC Press Release

VIDEO: RNC Launches Third ‘Change Direction’ Television Ad, Hispanic Radio Buy In Southwest

By Matt Sauvage

WASHINGTON –The Republican National Committee (RNC) released its third television ad today as part of a month-long “Change Direction” economic messaging campaign highlighting President Obama’s failed economic leadership.  The RNC will go on offense in the Southwestern states of New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada with a broadcast television buy. Acknowledging the region’s Hispanic population and 11.6 percent unemployment among Hispanics nationally, the ad will be supplemented with a Hispanic radio spot also hitting on the president’s economy.

Even David Axelrod admits the president must win the Southwest, a region Obama won in 2008 but George W. Bush won in 2004, to win reelection. President Obama will be playing defense in the Southwest and across the country because his failed economic policies, and now his insistence on raising taxes, are making the economy worse for job creators and Americans looking for jobs. The third television ad can be viewed here http://bit.ly/p1qK8u. The radio ad in Spanish can be heard here http://bit.ly/oFvEII.

“The RNC is ready to take the fight to the states where President Obama’s economic policies are stifling job creation and putting recovery on hold,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. “Each of these states is suffering from high unemployment – 6.9% in New Mexico, 8.7% in Colorado and a staggering 12.1% in Nevada because President Obama has been unable to deliver on promises to turn the economy around. After record spending and deficits, now the president wants to raise taxes on the very people needed to create jobs. Simply put, we cannot afford more of President Obama’s disastrous economic leadership that has put this country on a path to bankruptcy. It is time to change direction.”

Video was included in original RNC press release

Students Fight Back, Swinging Blindly Part 5

By Zach Foster

Continued from Part 4

6.      “Full rights for all immigrants.”

Students Fight Back demands the legalization of all undocumented people and an end to “racist” ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids that target the immigrant workers and their families.  Whether or not such a demand seems noble depends on the perspective of the individual.  While it may seem chivalrous that these activists are fighting against laws and agencies that undermine undocumented workers, they fail to realize how much they the protestors are undermining the millions of immigrants who came here legally and waited years to become citizens.

Being Mexican-American and the grandson of workers who legally immigrated from northern Mexico, the author sympathizes with the plight of the illegal immigrant population and is fully aware of the economic circumstances that inspire people to try to get into this country at all costs.  Unfortunately though (and even socialists have to agree on this), only so many cows can get fat on one patch of grass.  This theory is proven correct by history within the Eastern Bloc, as the Soviet and Chinese governments regularly relocated millions of their own citizens to various rural areas for various projects meant to advance the socialist cause.[1][2][3][4]  Many were even deported.[5][6][7]

Right now, this patch of grass called the United States suffers from anywhere between nine and nineteen percent unemployment (statistics are clouded because many who were unemployed simply lost hope and stopped searching).  There are countless Hispanic citizens in the United States who remember their own or their parents’ and grandparents’ achievement of hard-earned U.S. citizenship who are vehemently opposed to their ethnic brothers and sisters who have not waited their turn.[8][9][10]  Even if people look past the legal argument, they can see that there aren’t even enough jobs for citizens in this country, let alone non-citizens.  Should illegal immigrants be blamed for this job shortage?  No—by no means whatsoever.  The blame entirely goes to massive debts and unemployment caused by large banks who stretched themselves far too thin on fractional reserve banking and loans with un-payable interest rates, and also large corporations who failed to practice true capitalism by failing to serve consumers and instead serving the higher corporate echelons to the tune of price hikes, mass layoffs of workers, and large bonuses for the higher ups.  What that all means is that unemployed U.S. citizens and residents need to get jobs before employers can even think of looking the other way and accommodating undocumented workers.

Regarding the insinuation that ICE is a racist organization, such is absolutely preposterous.  There may be a few racist individuals laying low somewhere in the ranks of immigration and border law enforcement, but my no means are the agencies or their raids racist, nor do they exclusively target Hispanics.[11]  Due to Mexico being just south of the U.S., the majority of immigrants—legal and illegal—happen to be Hispanic.  There are many Hispanic agents in the various U.S. immigration agencies and most of them work on or near the U.S.-Mexico border.  While statistics for Hispanic personnel in ICE are currently unavailable, it is confirmed that over fifty percent of the U.S. Border patrol is made of Hispanics, primarily Mexican-Americans.[12]  The constant use of the race card by the Left, especially by Students Fight Back and other Marxist-leaning groups is the equivalent of crying wolf, accompanied with a lack of credibility, and the weakening of the accusation can only cause damage, as the public will be tired of hearing ‘Wolf!’ when there truly is a case of racist conduct by a law enforcement agent.

Continued in Part 6: Labor Unions and full employment

---

[1] What Were Their Crimes? http://gulaghistory.org/nps/onlineexhibit/stalin/crimes.php

[2] Russians left behind in Central Asia. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4420922.stm

[3] Population Transfer and Control. http://www.tibet.net/en/index.php?id=152&rmenuid=11

[4] Liang Heng and Shapiro, Judith. Son of the Revolution. Vintage Books. New York. 1983.

[5] Liquidation of the Kulaks as a Class. http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?page=subject&SubjectID=1929collectivization&Year=1929

[6] Ukraine after the Great Patriotic War. http://www.soviethistory.org/index.php?page=subject&SubjectID=1947ukraine&Year=1947

[7] Pohl, Otto. Ethnic cleansing in the USSR, 1937-1949.

[8] [Hispanic] Americans for Legal Immigration. http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=14

[9] Antle III, W. James. Hispanics Against Illegal Immigration. http://spectator.org/blog/2010/11/01/hispanics-against-illegal-immi#

[10] CNN: Hispanic Americans Stand Against Illegal Aliens. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laYeI-9nPLU

[11] Greenhouse, Steven. Wal-Mart Raids By U.S. Aimed At Illegal Aliens. New York Times. October 2003. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/24/us/wal-mart-raids-by-us-aimed-at-illegal-aliens.html

[12] Pinkerton, James. Hispanics bolster Border Patrol. Houston Chronicle. December 2008. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6184818.html