The Republicans’ Fallacy About Latino Voters and What Motivates Them

[DonViejo]

Nov 12, 2012 4:45 AM EST

The GOP’s post-election tendency to reduce Latinos to people who are motivated by immigration and social issues rather than by economic concerns or merely want government handouts is wrong—and dangerous to the party, says Peter Beinart.

The first can be summed up in a term deployed by Charles Krauthammer, and numerous other conservative pundits, in recent days: Hispanics are “natural” Republicans. They’re culturally traditional; they run small businesses; they’d have voted for Romney in a heartbeat if only he’d not asked them to deport themselves. For right-wing Beltway pundits, many of whom were already more pro-immigration than their party’s grassroots, the answer is obvious: cut a deal that gives illegal immigrants a path to citizenship; eliminate immigration as a wedge issue and watch Hispanics embrace the GOP.

The nice thing about this view is that it’s not racist. It envisions Hispanics as Tea Partiers with visa problems. But it’s wrong.

For one thing, Hispanics aren’t all that conservative on cultural issues. According to the Pew Research Center, half of Hispanics now favor gay marriage compared with one third who oppose it. Hispanic Catholics are about as pro-gay marriage as white, non-Hispanic Catholics, and Hispanic evangelicals are less opposed than their white, non-Hispanic counterparts. And while some past polling has shown Hispanics to be more anti-abortion than other Americans, the distinction is diminishing as second- and third-generation Hispanics prove far more pro-choice than their immigrant parents and grandparents. In fact, according to ABC News, 2012 exit polls actually showed Hispanics to be more supportive of keeping abortion legal than other Americans.

If Hispanics aren’t all that culturally conservative, they’re not obsessed with immigration either. According to Pew, 60 percent of Hispanics rated the economy as their top issue (almost exactly the same as the public at large). After that came health care, the deficit, and foreign policy. A USA Today/Gallup poll this summer found that Hispanic registered voters prioritized health care, unemployment, economic growth, and the gap between rich and poor over immigration.

-snip-

read more:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/12/the-republicans-fallacy-about-latino-voters-and-what-motivates-them.html

[Dubster]

1. Spam deleted by gkhouston (MIR Team)

[ProudProgressiveNow]

2. K&R nt

[yellowcanine]

3. I believe it was Krauty who said that Rubio would win the Latino vote if he runs in 2016.

Now who is playing identity politics? Obama is not Latino but he overwhelmingly won the Latino vote. Maybe Republicans should find out why before they start pandering by running Latinos.

[DCKit]

4. And not just any Latinos can run and appeal to the community(ies).

Those from Central America aren't all that fond of the Cuban Americans. In fact, I know a few who have a real dislike of them and say "they think they're better than us."

There is far more diversity among the Latin countries than the Republics would think. They'll never get the message right.

[yellowcanine]

5. Some Central Americans also think Cuban exiles got way too much of a free pass and now want to close

the door to other Latinos.

[DCKit]

7. Guess I was preaching to the chior.

That, and the employment discrimination from "their own" and the fact that so may Cuban Americans adhere to Republican viewpoints. They don't get it, they hate it.

Too many Cuban Americans have marginalized themselves, and they're going to find themselves in the same (sinking) boat as the Republican party.

[calico1]

6. I crack up when I hear Consevatives talk about how deeply

religious all Latinos are. I only go to church for weddings or funerals and consider mysefl agnostic.

I am also very pro marriage equality.

They make such a big deal about how "traditional" we are.

Just as there are very religious Italian or Irish Americans, Latinos can be very religious and church going, and others just don't relaly give a shit.

I also agree about the diversity and the fact that throwing one Latino out there isn't going to immediatly attract all of us.

But they don't have a clue so it's not surprising.

[JRLeft]

8. I live in California and none of my Mexican friends go to church except for the same reasons.

Republicans view Latinos like they view black people. They all think alike. LOL!