Latino Issues, A Conservative Blog

I have been hearing again and again why it is that I vote for the GOP time and time again. No matter how bad I think the GOP candidate may be, the Alternative is JUST CLEARLY WORST AND UNACCEPTABLE. I may not like McCain as the GOP presidential candidate come 2008, but regardless of all the maverick games McCain plays, do you truly consider Hillary to be a better option? Is it even acceptable to "teach the GOP a lesson" at the social and moral cost of returning control of the House, Senate or the White House to the extreme liberal left? Have you considered what would happen in the fight for life, the protection of marriage, and our economic growth should Democrats regain power? Here are the 15 important words Hugh Hewitt presents as key ideas for 2006 and 2008: Win the war. Confirm the judges. Cut the taxes. Control the spending. Secure the border. Can Democrats be trusted to win the war? Can obstructionist liberals be trusted to place constitutionalist judges on our nations...

If you are riding a dead horse, get of it. I heard this saying, or a variant of it, yesterday alluding to the idea of big government conservatism. The horse is dead, and it would serve Republicans well to get of it. I have been considering the moral and social implications of big government. While I tend to look at political issues from the perspective of how it affects human life, liberty, and the freedom to live out my faith, I believe big government has moral and social consequences beyond just the economic. Perhaps we need to all be reminded about my economics professor's 11th economic principle; Government does not create money. Did you get that? The government CANNOT create money. Now, it might print paper bills, effectively "stealing" the value of the citizen's money, or it can tax the citizen for the money it needs or wants to operate. A people suffering the burden of excessive taxation from big government is a people with that much less resources to give to o...

I'm still out at a conference. I've just listened to some very interesting panel discussions on immigration, and environmental conservation. Thought provoking--I'll try to share some thoughts later in the weekend. Here is a quote for your enjoyment: "A society that puts equality...ahead of freedom will end up with neither equality nor freedom." Milton Friedman

Welcome to all the new readers that continue to pour in from La Shawn Barber, Tammy Bruce, and Hugh Hewitt. I'm going to be out of the office for most of the day today, so blogging is going to be minimal. I had the honor of listening to Senator Frist this morning, and will be listening to various panel discussions on the important issues of our times. I'll try to get some notes and share what I learn. Mary Katharine has more on last night's session with Rick Santorum. I heard Rick Santorum speak tonight. He touched on the vulnerabilities and the opportunities for Republicans in '06 Senate races, speaking candidly about the fact that he is, indeed, vulnerable. He'll be in the fight of his life this year-- a projected $30 million fight, as a matter of fact. He also spoke powerfully about the War on Terror, which he would prefer that we more often call exactly what it is-- the War on Islamofascism--even urging the President to speak more openly and more often ab...

Good question : In the short film El Uno De Mayo , filmmaker Stuart Browning casts a light on the left-wing totalitarian groups behind the May Day marches ostensibly aimed at defending the rights of illegal aliens in the US. El Uno De Mayo points out that if extremist right-wing groups organized anti-immigration marches, we would not expect the media to stay silent about their involvement. However, when the Stalinist androids of International ANSWER are the organizers, the mainstream media is curiously uninterested. Pawns in the hands of socialists and radical groups. Here is another question to Latinos of all political perspectives--do they speak for you? Watch the video: Large | Small

Ok, I want to hear from Mexican born Mexicans who actually celebrate and make a big deal of the 5 de Mayo holiday! Write me an email or leave your comments--tell me what or why this day is special to you and your family. Left or right, I don't care about political ideology--I want to hear from you. Everything I have heard is that 5 de Mayo is not even a real Mexican holiday. It's just another American-made multiculturalist holiday. Am I getting this wrong? President Bush is on TV right now, and just said how 5 de Mayo is a special holiday for Mexicans. I will accept that maybe Mexican immigrants living in the US have taken to this holiday as a way to retain their homeland identity (let's leave out the issue of assimilation for this one). But, again from what I understand, for the President to say this is a special Mexican holiday sounds like PC pandering to me. Here is an interesting post from 5 de Mayo of 2004. Today is Cinco de Mayo in Mexico and absolutely nothin...

Another good one via Get Liberty News: "Experts and the educated elite have replaced what worked with what sounded good. Society was far more civilized before they took over our schools, prisons, welfare programs, police departments and courts. It's high time we ran these people out of our lives and went back to common sense." Walter Williams

The economy is booming in Sierra Vista, Arizona. From the Sierra Vista Herald : In March, the management of the Mall at Sierra Vista decided to find out just how much of its sales were coming from Mexican customers. According to marketing coordinator Crystal Rivera, a poll of store owners indicated that roughly 30 percent of all shop purchases were generated by cross-border consumers. Now, Rivera is trying to figure out the best response to the new data. "I've been looking for ways to market more to the Mexican community, but I haven't yet located an avenue to do so," she said. "It's a hard demographic to target, especially with them being on the other side of the border." The chamber of commerce is also looking for a way to reach out. "(Mexican shoppers) are a big part of our economic base here and we want to do everything we can to attract them," Bullock said. "We don't have anything specific right now (in terms of a marketing strate...

Straight out right-wing rock-n-roll! Found this at YouTube.com The band known as "The Right Brothers" sing how President George W. Bush is right on all of the decisions that he has made. Check them out at: TheRightBrothers.com Except immigration, perhaps. HT: TulipGirl

If you truly care about the illegal immigrant lives that are being lost, here is another reason why we must build a wall. From trevino at RedState.com (emphasis is mine). We should further note that there is no need to actually build a wall across the entirety of the border. What matters is that sufficient lengths of it are sealed for two purposes: first, to deny illegals' access to the most perilous stretches; second, to allow law enforcement the ability to maximize its own manpower. So much for the technical and efficacy arguments against the border wall. In the absence of ersatz flotillas from the south, it is entirely reasonable to assume it will do its job well. Block out the most dangerous portions of the border--it saves lives! Tags: Politics , border , Homeland Security , MEXICO , Immigration , Illegal Aliens , Border Security , GOP , Democrats , Immigrant , Mexico, the great invader

Michelle has a great rant today over at HotAir.com ! While I continue to believe that Reconquista is a uniquely Mexican problem, I can see it certainly is not a fringe movement. To be clear, I don't have a problem with Mexicans. I do have a problem with a Mexican government that legalizes drug use, refuses to properly fight illegal immigration, and that continues to officially rely on America's prosperity to subsidize its economy. As for reconquista, I have experienced it first-hand myself. At a scholarship recipients banquet last year, I heard a reconquista MECHISTA recite a violent, and racist poem. She was a Hardvard graduate, high school teacher, activist, and Mecha student group adviser. She was the special guest of a major Hispanic education support foundation in Colorado invited to talk about the importance of education. When the finished, the entire audience--a mix of American supporters and donors, and Latino students and parents--gave her a standing ovation. Enough...

I suspect voter turnout is going to be high this coming November. Each time that one of these high-rolling, big-spending politicians comes up for re-election, the voters must speak out--and vote them out. Via Instapundit : PORKBUSTERS UPDATE: As Capt. Ed notes, it was a bad day for PorkBusters yesterday. From Captain Ed . The projects that got past Senate pork hawks like Tom Coburn were a $200 million bailout of Northrup Grumman for indemnifyng the defense contractor against losses that its insurers refuse to cover. Coburn faced stiff opposition from Trent Lott, the man who apparently wants to make a career out of defying voters on earmarks, and Thad Cochran. Both Republicans insisted that the government needed to replace the loss, even though Northrup made a 7.1% operating margin in 2005, up from 6.7% in 2004 and 5.6% in 2003. That represent $2.4 billion in profit, an increase from $2.3B in 2004 and $1.9B in 2003. Why does a corporation that made $2.4 billion in profit need another ...

Via Michelle Malkin , here is this story from WJLA . The day labor site in Herndon may have changed the face of politics in Herndon. Steve DeBenedittis, a resident who opposed the center, has been elected mayor of Herndon, defeating incumbent Michael O'Reilly. DeBenedittis captured 1,363 votes, 130 more than O'Reilly. The center opened late last year, replacing a chaotic unofficial site in a 7-Eleven parking lot as a spot for employers to recruit day laborers. There was also turnover on the Herndon town council, as only two, Dennis Husch and Harlon Reece, were re-elected. Connie Hutchinson, Dave Kirby, Bill Tirrell and Charlie Waddell have been newly elected to the council. The mayor and town council take office on July 1. I care about people, and can truly feel for the migrant workers that are looking for a job--but in our country of law and order, there are consequences for breaking the law. This is good. It provides for peace and order in our communities. Go back to ...

From a reader, here is what I suspect is going to be the true result of these mass rallies and the boycott. While politicians like pandering to the masses--a problem from since the Roman Empire--in our country, the voters (you know, those citizens registered to vote) will decide. I do not have symphaty with the illegals and the marchers of May 1st. I am a naturalized citizen myself, but I did it the legal way. I am going to the poll today and I will vote for those candidates that will not tolerate illegal alliens, especialy those people that hates America and carrying anti american slogans. Tag: Politics , border , Homeland Security , MEXICO , Immigration , Illegal Aliens , Border Security , GOP , Democrats , Immigrant , tegucigalpa , Nicaragua , Guatemala , El Salvador

Well said: May 1st came and went. What happens now? I think that this movement has run out of gas. Why? It does not have public support. Better put, it has turned off a large majority of Americans. Rasmussen's latest poll indicates that "24% of American voters have a favorable opinion of the people who have recently marched and protested for immigrant rights in major cities." At the same time, 67% oppose amnesty. ( http://rasmussenreports.com ) What happens now? The movement is stalled because it does not have public support. Also, there appears to be an internal struggle between the leftist groups and centrist elements. Lou Dobbs reports today that: "Just how significant is the impact of leftists within the illegal immigration movement? It is no accident that they chose May 1 as their day of demonstration and boycott. It is the worldwide day of commemorative demonstrations by various socialist, communist, and even anarchic organizations." ( htt...

I thought I would give a round up of the days events and ad some personal perspective as to why this issue matters so much to me. This morning, my apartment complex's cleaning-lady was right on schedule, doing her rounds. The contractor hired to remodel our office was on schedule, and brought along his wife--his regular helper. He did say many of his other employees did not make it to their other work sites--I'll be asking him what he plans to do about them. The construction site of a new high-rise in Arlington was deserted--not a soul in sight. They must have taken the day off--what a shame. But, I was happy to see that the evening cleaning crew where all on their normal routine, and hard at work. I went by Joans and Target after work--plenty of Spanish speaking Latinos shopping. My point--the rallies and the strike did happen, but it does not speak for most immigrant Latinos. Most of them just want to live their lives, work hard, provide for their families, and survive long e...

A must read post from RedState.com on Oil and Cuba, and our dear Sen. Nelson. Some politicians defy logic : You'll recall that Fidel Castro can drill 45 miles off the US coast , when we cannot. You'll recall further that he's also going to work with China to let them tap the same reserves, while we look on helplessly with oil hitting $3/gallon. Finally, remember that Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) provided the rebuttal to the President's Weekly Radio Address a week or so ago, talked on and on about energy, even though he's steadfastly opposed to opening up the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) to exploration. OK, so oil prices are skyrocketing and we have 80 billion barrels of oil in the OCS, with 85% of it under a federal moratorium. If you're Senator Nelson, what do you do when you see Fidel drilling and there's a moratorium that you have the power to lift? You finally get cracking to lift the moratorium, right? Wrong. Sen. Nelson instead is moving to try to s...

For those that might have wondered. Also, I'll be on the Tammy Bruce radio show at 1PM Easter time. You can listen online here . The rallies you see today do not speak for a majority of legal immigrants in this nation. They do not speak for me. While we are all free to disagree with our government, these rallies amount to an ungratefull entitlement on top of a mockery of our legal system. Mark my words--this is going to backfire on them. America has woken up to the reality of reconquista--a minority but a real threat--and to the problem of illegal immigration. To top it off, to most American citizens, the release of "Nuestro Himon" is an alarming afront on the traditions of the American culture. This is not the way for illegal immigrants to gain a popularity contest as a guest in a foreign country. Tags: nuestro himno , national anthem , anthem , Politics , border , Homeland Security , MEXICO , Immigration , Illegal Aliens , Border Security , GOP , Democrats , Immigran...

I saw other bloggers mention it, but I thought its worth repeating. The Spanish version is not just simply translated--it has small changes of substance with the intent of being a rallying song. This is a lyrical hijacking. For those who have forgotten how it goes... (The Defense of Fort McHenry) September 20, 1814 By Francis Scott Key Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light, What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming? And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully b...

HT: Instapundit . Roger L. Simon is looking for help in covering the demonstrations in LA today. Andrew Marcus (with video camera), Juliette Ochieng (aka baldilocks ) and I will be covering the immigration demonstration in LA tomorrow for Pajamas Media. If you are a blogger or just a concerned citizen who would like to help us, we will be rendezvousing in the lobby of the New Otani Hotel (120 S. Los Angeles St.) at 8:30AM. Bring your digital camera and/or tape recorder. Spanish speakers especially welcome. From a reader at Roger L. Simon, I found this tidbit. Sounds like a good idea--go shopping! I plan to make a rather large purchase tomorrow (A new barbecue grill) that I have actually delayed until tomorrow for this very reason. Quite frankly, I think someone should show this mess of Che Guevara wannabes who's boss and start tossing them back over the fence. Posted by: Wildmonk What should I buy...?

HT: Michelle Malkin and Pajamas Media . I wish I could make it to this one, but I doubt it. I thought I would spread the word. Contact: Ira Mehlman, 310-821-4283 or 213-700-0407 (cell); Susan Wysoki, 804-673-1939 or 804-221-7084 (cell) News Advisory: -- May 1, 2006 Press Conference; Get the Other Side of the Immigration Debate -- Hispanic Coalition Tells Illegal Alien Protesters, 'You Don't Speak for Me!' WHO: Members of "You Don't Speak for Me" include a cross section of the Hispanic American community: lawyers, doctors, teachers, scientists, former government and military officials, who are immigrants and children of immigrants, such as: Pete Nunez (former Assistant Secretary of Treasury, & U.S. Attorney for San Diego), Col. Al Rodriguez, Ret., a highly decorated war veteran, Claudia Spencer, Ogla Robles, Rosa Candaleria, Mariann S. Davis, Esq. and more... WHAT: Press Conference/Media Briefing of Hispanic Coalition "You Don't Speak for Me....

Via World Magazine, here is a story of the struggle American citizens go through to bring their wives home. Here is one key area where the government could take simple steps to improve and quicken the process. Why is our government separating marriages? Check out the story at the bottom of the page. Considering what he's been through in the past five months, perhaps U.S. citizen Douglas Mickey should have followed his lawyer's tongue-in-cheek advice to smuggle his Chinese bride into the United States. Paying a coyote to smuggle her across the border would have certainly been cheaper than the approximate $4,000 he'll have to dole out for immigration lawyers and various fees associated with getting his wife a visa. If she gets a visa. Like Mickey, there are hundreds of American citizens that have gone through this. What do you suppose these voters are telling their senators about immigration reform? I would not be surprised to see the largest immigration backlash since proh...

Check out the video. Very interesting . Los Angeles, CA. In anticipation of the May 1st boycott by undocumented immigrants and their sympathizers, the Full Disclosure Network™ is releasing a ten-minute video news blog revealing the behind the scenes tactics and preparations. The video contains exclusive footage and a interview with MAPA President Nativo Lopez, immigrant rights organizer who describes the boycott activities along with Brook Young, a documentary film-maker whose website features very controversial audio messages including one from Professor Angel Gutierrez of the University of Texas attempting to incite students to protest American immigration policies. See the video here . There is also more very revealing videos of behind the scenes and voice recordings related to the mass rallies. Check out the blog and the many videos here . I don't endorse everything in there , but the videos document the spirit behind the mass rallies.