Hispanic Fury With Obama: The Dilemma That's the Handwriting on the Wall | Center for Immigration Studies
Hispanic Fury With Obama: The Dilemma That's the Handwriting on the Wall
The mainstream punditry has long treated as a fait accompli that the Hispanic vote in the 2012 election is safely in Obama's corner and will, as in 2008, likely tip the balance in swing states like Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, perhaps even Florida. But this looks extremely doubtful, even in a presidential election in which immigration will finally emerge as a major issue. In fact, the reason this proposition is so dubious is precisely because immigration will be a major issue.
This shared assumption appears to be the product of wishful thinking rather than an accurate portrayal of the angry, resentful mood on the Hispanic street. It's not descriptive but prescriptive, reflecting the media's wishes, not Hispanic attitudes. As Rep. Luis Gutierrez's periodic rebellious outbursts against the administration's action or inaction reveal, Obama is an enormous disappointment to Hispanics to whom he promised passage of "comprehensive immigration reform" but couldn't even deliver the DREAM Act. Nor are all Hispanics buying the rationale that this failure is wholly attributable to Republican obstructionism or the fears of Democrats who recognize amnesty is anathema to the great majority of Americans and are loath to face the backlash.
Both are factors, but the president has never regarded the issue as a priority. His pandering to Hispanics has been entirely rhetorical, and words can take one just so far. Though his stated goal is amnesty for some 11 million illegal aliens, some of his interim polices are profoundly unpopular with Hispanics. His administration is facing a fierce Hispanic backlash now – just as the election campaign begins – bad timing for a weak incumbent to have an important component of his base fractionating. The cause? The record one million illegal aliens his administration has deported.
Boiling anger over this is the theme of the
Washington Post story entitled, "
Activists say Obama aide Cecilia Munoz has 'turned her back' on fellow Hispanics".
All the illegals coming here want to work and bhos is killing jobs.
