THE HYPOCRISY OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY TOWARDS HISPANIC VOTERS

by DRM Action Coalition | March 6, 2012

By: Cesar Calderon

Phoenix, AZ– Hello my fellow DREAMers, today I want to pass on to you what I recently read. It was both surprising and heart wrenching but I would like to share it. First I want to speak about Rep. Jeff Flake, a republican and a Romney supporter. Back in 2010 Jeff Flake voted against the DREAM ACT. That was after he stated that he supported it. So why would he vote against it if he supported it? Well, Flake is a flake. He has proven to be a hypocrite and I would like Hispanics to register in this state and send him on his way out the political door.

Next I want to talk about Sen. Lindsey Graham, a republican who voted against the DREAM ACT. Just before voting Lindsey Graham took the Senate floor to tell the young DREAMers who have come to his office that they were “wasting their time”. What Graham didn’t mention is that though he has supported immigration reform in the past, he and his party are largely responsible for blocking it in 2010. First he held it hostage to health care reform, pitted it against climate change legislation, and then turned his back on it altogether. He also supported changing the 14th amendment to deny the U.S.-born children of immigrants citizenship.

Republicans

Image obtained from http://www.usnews.com/opinion/photos/immigration-cartoons/25

Besides Graham, the Republican senators voting against the DREAM ACT today included Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), John Cornyn (R-TX), and George Lemieux (R-FL). All of whom come from Latino-heavy states and most of whom supported either the DREAM Act or comprehensive immigration reform in the past. Included are so-called “moderate” Republicans, including Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), and George Voinovich (R-OH) who also voted against the bill. Only three Republicans voted in favor of the bill. After the vote, Univision anchor Jorge Ramos openly wondered how Republicans will be able to ask Latinos to vote for them after killing the DREAM ACT.

Lastly I want to speak about Miami Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican of Florida. Rubio has been a big supporter of Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich but the funny thing is he does not need either’s support one bit. Republicans need Rubio more than Rubio needs Republicans. Romney and Gingrich are quick to speak of Rubio and dangle his name like catnip because their parties have a lopsided disadvantage with Hispanics. Fact of the matter is that Rubio has stated “there has to be a way to accommodate the “illegal” youth” which, in actuality, can be the DREAM ACT.