Discussion: Are Hispanics a Different Kind of Conservatives?
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Recent polls indicate that more than half of Hispanics identify themselves as conservatives. However, according to Lydia Camarillo, vice president of the nonpartisan Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, it’s not that simple. Today, in an article from The Dallas Morning News she says:
“When a Latino says that he or she is conservative, they’re thinking about how they are raising the kids and … the family. It’s more about work ethic, and that when you give your word, you give your word. Those kinds of things are what they’re thinking of. It’s a different frame of mind, and pollsters have yet to define it.”
Do you think the GOP is aware of this key difference? And more importantly, how can they effectively reach out to the Hispanic community with issues more profound than just small government and less taxes?
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The problem with Ms. Camarillo´s comment is that she does not seem to understand the real meaning of “conservative”. Conservative is much more than what she writes there. Also, many latinos read about “conservatives” or “conservadores” in media outlets that try to demonize “conservatism”. They play with the Spanish word “conservador”, which in Hispanic culture and in the Hispanic world, it is equivalent to an absolutist, old-fashioned position in life. We know that it is precisely the opposite. So… Latinos are conservatives in many areas, some of them just do not know it, as Reagan once said.
Great questions! Another example is how Hispanics voted in favor of a conservative marriage amendment in Florida & California in ‘08 but at the same time they voted for Obama. Should we go back to the days with GWB and talk about conservative family values which helped him reach over 40% of the Hispanic vote? Should we talk about the principles of the party that support entrepreneurial opportunities since Hispanics by nature are entrepreneurs starting their own businesses 3 times faster than any other group? Should we talk about how the Death Tax goes against what Hispanics strive for which is to build a foundation for their children to carry on with.
There is lots to talk about, but Hispanics are tired of being talk to or about, they want to hear solutions. This reminds me of a video I saw on McCain talking about what he knows about Hispanics or the radio commercial that aired in Florida talking about the Castro regime. We know where we stand & believe in & the majority that care deeply about Cuba is the 1st Generation….what we want to hear is solutions to the problems we face today.
Good point Angelette. The solution for Hispanics is to understand what conservatism is. For that, they need a starting point and The Americano is a good one. Hispanics cannot continue depending on Big Government. This is exactly what made Latin America fail for so long…