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Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

Hispanics haven't forgotten the Dream Act

Posted on Monday, March 28, 2011 at 09:16 AM

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The statistics released by the Census Bureau last week demonstrated - unarguably - that America's Hispanic population has grown dramatically, which is very bad news for the GOP.

Hispanics now account for 16 percent of the nations total population, making them the largest minority in America.

And in an astounding finding, almost one quarter of the nations children under 17 are now Latino.

For a Republican strategist, reading these numbers must be like looking down into the Grand Canyon: vertiginous and possibly overwhelming. Having used immigration as a wedge issue for decades, the GOP must be kicking themselves now. Demographics are handy vote getters in the short run, but they can come back to haunt you in the long one.

In 2011 implacable opposition to immigration reform (any reform, anywhere, ever) is practically the first commandment of the Tea Party platform and consequently of mainstream Republicanism and it is already costing them dearly with this demographic.

Just look at where the Hispanic population grew by 100 percent (or more) between 2000 and 2010: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee. The heart of the south isn't looking as reliably red as it did even a decade ago.

For a GOP strategist that's a bit like discovering Democratic land mines planted all over reliably red states. And in California, Florida, New York and Texas - the states with the highest Hispanic populations - Latinos will soon account for 143 electoral votes.

It would help if GOP voters were in a conciliatory mood, but lets face it the Tea Party has managed to turn even Donald Trump into a gay-bashing birther. It will clearly do the same or nearly for every other GOP candidate - who in 2012 will be forced to compete to outdo each other to become the most reactionary candidate running. Recall how the Irish watched, with sorrow and disbelief, as John McCain morphed from immigration reformer to a hardliner as soon as he saw his numbers dip. It will be that way again.

That spells no quarter whatsoever for immigration reform, which in turn means no progress whatsoever for Hispanics.

It would be hard not to notice all the issues ranged against them. Hispanic voters have decried Arizona's draconian immigration laws, which they rightly consider racial profiling. They hear the shocking disrespect for their community regularly voiced on Fox News and Rush Limbaugh's programs. And the nation may have forgotten, but they themselves remember the fate of the Dream Act.

They know how they are talked about and treated. It’s inevitable they will remember that when they vote too.

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seanomelbourne | Mar 31, 2011, 05:54 PM EDT

Chevy you should drive to the levy and ponder your navel.

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rpmschevy | Mar 30, 2011, 11:50 PM EDT

Wow I say nothing offensive, just facts and my posts get deleted from here? Very interesting. Talk about freedom of speech. So Cahir all well when people agree with you, but you get challenged with facts and you delete the posts? What is the matter Seano and gurl, you cannot handle the heat?

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hancock | Mar 30, 2011, 12:56 AM EDT

Work in Corona or Sunset Park and tell me if its racist.

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seanomelbourne | Mar 29, 2011, 06:31 PM EDT

I have seen U.S. citizens drunk in the street.

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hollabackgurl | Mar 29, 2011, 03:11 PM EDT

The comment below this one should be removed. It's racism. It's also disgusting.

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hancock | Mar 29, 2011, 01:10 PM EDT

I have seen undocumented aliens piss drunk in the street.

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allentown | Mar 29, 2011, 12:46 PM EDT

If we were a democracy and the majority won, a growing Hispanic population comprised of 50% legal and 50% illegal might be serious for Republicans. However, we are not a democracy, but a Federal Republic and the electoral votes win. The Republicans are so freightened with the increase in Hispanic population that Mitt Romney's immigration platform is that illegal aliens are going home.

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hancock | Mar 29, 2011, 11:43 AM EDT

Then go home.

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hancock | Mar 29, 2011, 09:51 AM EDT

Have any of you even seen, do you even know how hard Hispanic undocumented work here, for such little reward - and to be blamed and baited by the right?

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Dublinjas | Mar 28, 2011, 10:22 PM EDT

Cahir O'Doherty. You are an ignorant idiot....but hey you probably still get a paycheck.........nothing I can do about that.

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Dublinjas | Mar 28, 2011, 10:17 PM EDT

It's a pity really ..when they Do seem to have such a good memory..that they don't remember where they came from...and piss off back there..

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Magdaleno | Mar 28, 2011, 09:52 PM EDT

The day will come when Hispanics are accepted by a majority of Americans... this very moment their are many Americans who don't have a problem w/ Bigotry. Just recall when Germans, Irish, and Italians were considerd foreigners-- within time they melted right in to American life.The same fate will replicate with Hispanics... they too will melt right into one big pot called America. My family can trace our American life to 1540 on the Coronado Trail with Spanish exploration.For those of you that can see the future with clear eyes have no fear... we Hispanics are not out to take the Southwest. We will blend in and speak English and work hard to support our selves and our families... and we will defend this great country America from all who want to destroy our American way of life. Be they foreign or domestic.

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Monsoonman | Mar 28, 2011, 09:16 PM EDT

Oh Lad!...Heard there was a bit of upset on yer devils island where you store all er illegals. Heard some didn't want to recite the roo pledge of allegiance and wouldn't stand while waltzing Mathilda was played, it became a full blown riot. America treats its illegals better, we don't herd them on to lepers islands.

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maloney | Mar 28, 2011, 09:01 PM EDT

The gay New York block seems to think Hispanics are all liberal. You really need to get out of the big city every now and then. Most of the older and long time residents of hispanics in America are Conservative. Yes Conservative. The don't like illegals either. Yes the vote Repulican. You are correct that the new arrivals, illegals who have no right to vote, do so for the liberals. Before you say go to Texas, I used to live in Los Fresnos Tx. just a few miles north of Brownsville. I also lived in Scottsdale Az. As for the expert roohumping seano. He wouldn't know a tea party person if one jumped up and bit him on the arse. A Tea Party meeting or gathering is made up of all ages, RACES and religions. They are also made up of liberals as well as consevatives and libertarians. So before you make an arse out of yourself seano you might want to know what your talking about, but then again maybe not.

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Pittsburghkid | Mar 28, 2011, 06:28 PM EDT

It was called a Dream Act, because it's never going to pass. America has quotas for hiring, and White Americans are last. Now, do you really believe that White American are going to give Amnesty to millions of Hispanics, in order that the hispanic will be hired ahead of White Americans. I know you are considering me racist, but the label white American was assigned to me at the State Unemployment Office. Before the assignment, I consider myself American, whose greatgrandparents came from Ireland and a few other countries. Also Catholic.

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