Latinos -- A Misunderstood Voting Bloc?

[Patrick Bateman 3903]

Latinos are by far the largest, worst mobilized, and misunderstood minority voting bloc in the United States.  Man consider getting to the soul of the Latino voters and winning this by a large margin may be the key to future election and political gains, especially in the Southwest, spanning from Texas to California.  However, they perplex many folks and political analysts as many are deeply religious, tend to be uneducated as a group, and are culturally typically cynical of politicians and democratic processes.  Let's be clear, the majority of Latinos lean towards Democrats, but like whites, there is a very loyal and active portion of the Latino population which identify with conservatives and therefore the GOP and Trump.  These conservatives are a very sticky bloc who haven't been easily recruited to rethink their political allegiances.  As immigration and our populace continues to change and be a hot button, how will the future of the Latino voting bloc change?  Or will it?  How do Democrats appeal to this group to win a greater proportion?  How does the GOP continue to hold onto their conservative portion while expanding their message to try and remain competitive? 

I few recent articles which have come out about the conservative Latinos and their loyal base.

 

Quote

The 2018 election was good to Democrats, but Florida disappointed them. They couldn’t convince enough of the state’s often right-leaning Cuban-American voters to support Sen. Bill Nelson, who was ousted by the GOP’s Spanish-speaking Gov. Rick Scott, or rally behind Democrats’ gubernatorial candidate, Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum, who lost to Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis.

Still, in the rest of the country, there were signs that pleased Democrats. Latinos voted at high rates in an election that saw record-setting turnout among all demographic groups. Latinos normally have among the worst midterm turnout rates, and while official data won’t be available for months, a number of formerly-Republican congressional districts in California and New Mexico flipped Democratic.

That’s why Republicans shouldn’t take solace from being able to consistently win about one-third of Latinos, said Madrid. They’re still losing two-thirds of an electorate that’s being goaded into the voting booth by Trump.

“That is contributing to the death spiral of the Republican Party — even if it holds at 30 percent,” Madrid said. “That’s a route to death, it’s just a slower one.”

 

Quote

The Latino vote in 2016 and 2018 was pretty similar to what it was in elections held before President Trump became the defining figure of the GOP. At least 1 in 5 Latino voters nationally backed Trump in 2016. This November, at least 1 in 4 Latino voters across the country backed a House Republican candidate. (Some pollsters found a slightly higher percentage.) Trump and some statewide Republican candidates have done even better in Florida, getting more than 30 percent of the Latino vote in 2016 and 2018. (Florida has a large population of Cubans, who are traditionally more conservative than other Latinos, so that partially explains what we’re seeing there.)

As it pertains to Texas.....

Quote

This bloc of Latinos backing GOP candidates really matters. You can see why when you drill down into individual races. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz got at least a quarter of the Latino vote in his race against Democrat Beto O’Rourke, a campaign the Republican won by only 3 percentage points. Latinos make up more than 20 percent of the electorate in Texas, so Cruz could not have won without getting a substantial number of Latino voters to back him. (Yes, Cruz is Cuban. But exit polls suggest Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who is white, won an even higher percentage of Latino voters than Cruz in his successful re-election bid.)

And Immigration isn't as big a driver as some have hoped....

Quote

Observers have assumed that Trump’s rhetoric on immigration would turn off Latino voters en masse, even some of the more conservative ones. But it seems that Trump’s immigration approach isn’t a deal-breaker for many Latinos, because they either agree with him or aren’t that amped up about the issue.

According to a recent Pew poll, a fifth of Latino voters say that there are too many immigrants in the United States, and a quarter favor Trump’s idea of building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. About half of Latino voters say they are fairly worried that a family member or close friend might be deported, but the other half is not too worried about such deportations, according to that same survey.

Specifically, most Latinos who were born abroad say they are worried about deportations, but the majority of Latinos who were born in the United States are not.

 

NPR on Latino voters in Texas:

http://www.kut.org/post/many-texas-latinos-dont-identify-political-party-and-are-cynical-about-voting

In some ways, not being able to turn enough Latinos his way, is what led Beto to get close.... but not over the top.

Let's talk Latinos and we can still write in English here....

 

 

 

[David Dennison 18656]

Fuck off, troll.

[Zepol87 9171]

Have a bunch of latinos in my family that are this way. They vote republican most of the time with the notion of I got mine and I am good, don't want you fucking it up for me. Pretty fucked up.

[David Dennison 18656]

Just now, Skinny Tie said:

The only Latinos who vote Trump are the shitkickers who post hog hunting pictures and listen to Joe Rogans podcast to get their feelings on feminism verbalized

Funny, but not true. There are plenty of conservative Latinos, particularly Mexican-American Texans, who voted for Trump because he was the Republican nominee. 

Still not a large percentage. Republicans better hope Latinos don't start voting in larger numbers. That would be very bad for them.

[Kringelbert Fishtybuns 943]

3 minutes ago, Skinny Tie said:

The only Latinos who vote Trump are the shitkickers who post hog hunting pictures and listen to Joe Rogans podcast to get their feelings on feminism verbalized

Do you know how I know you have never met any Cubans?

[Patrick Bateman 3903]

19 minutes ago, David Dennison said:

Fuck off, troll.

Huh?

12 minutes ago, Skinny Tie said:

The only Latinos who vote Trump are the shitkickers who post hog hunting pictures and listen to Joe Rogans podcast to get their feelings on feminism verbalized

This doesn't seem to be the case and it's obvious you didn't read any of the links.  A lot of Latino are deeply religious and abortion is still a huge issue for them, as well as some are actually in their views towards new immigrants.  They considered themselves Americans and have either forgotten or have chosen to forget how their families got to this country.  It's really, really strange.

Quote

A significant number of Latinos (30 percent, per Pew) say they have conservative political views. They are likely sticking with Trump for the same reason as they stick with other Republicans — because he’s closest to them on issues like taxes or abortion.

“There is a growing evangelical share among Hispanics, and that may be an important part of the story for Republican Latinos,” said Mark Hugo Lopez, Pew’s director of Hispanic research.

 

[Patrick Bateman 3903]

13 minutes ago, Kringelbert Fishtybuns said:

Do you know how I know you have never met any Cubans?

No shit.... Cubans, in my experience, are some of the most racist folks demographically out there to other Latino populations....

[Js1 85109]

27 minutes ago, Zepol87 said:

Have a bunch of latinos in my family that are this way. They vote republican most of the time with the notion of I got mine and I am good, don't want you fucking it up for me. Pretty fucked up.

Pull the ladder up behind them. Got mine, now I'm here, fuck you.

Like Cubans who benefited from specifically tailored refugee immigration processes but don't want anyone else using such things.

[Zepol87 9171]

Yep it is ridiculous. Having a conversation with them is hard as hell. They say shit like I earned my way, I didn't get any handouts and I am not one of these pussies protesting. They have no clue at all

[tantric superman 4667]

I think the Orientals are more misunderstood.

[David Dennison 18656]

30% is not a significant number in politics.

The other 70% is.

Republicans have a Latinx voter problem and they know it.

[Guest Lobo]

When the Democrat Party does with the "Latino/Hispanic" bloc of voters what it did with "White" voters in Chicago...the Republican Party will effectively be dust.  

Every city has its ethnic groups divided around the city.  But Chicago remains the grand champion of white segregation as well.  To this day, the Democrat Machine still pays credence to the wards of not just Irish and Italian and Polish, but then the Latvians, the Lithuanians, the Slovaks, the Czechs, the Russians, the Portuguese, the Armenians, the Nordics, the Ukranians, the Albanians, the Croatians, and the Turks.  And the Machine knows how to engage each of those groups using a ground game and a broad tent message as well.  Speaking to everything from their union concerns, to schools, to places of worship, to every other cultural nuance.  

When the Democrats start speaking that way to everybody from the Falklands to Falfurrias...the GOP is in serious trouble.  Only good news for the GOP is Latino/Hispanic voters are catching wise to the assumption that as new census numbers come in for 2020/2030/2040, the Democrats are already counting their seat shifts.  They failed to remember that while the Democrats have better messaging for them, one thing Latino/Hispanic people fucking hate is assumptions.  

[Grandioso 2592]

I was pretty shocked at the overall indifference to Trump down in the valley when I traveled there for work a couple times in 2016. Maybe not indifference, but definitely a registering on the low end of the outrage meter. 

I met with a client eariler this year down in McAllen. Hispanic marine veteran. Sean Hannity wouldn't have the balls to talk about illegal immigrants the way this guy did. Said they would come over, have kids, and the family would work every system and get on every kind of welfare/social service imaginable through the kids. Ultimately, he kind of conceded (but not really) that regardless of how you feel about immigrants getting on the doll, there was a racial aspect of all the Trump/Trumpkin rhetoric. I didn't go this far but I wanted to say something like, "beneath this movement isn't just your usual conservatism but a racial animus toward Mexicans, Central Americans, and latinos in general. You may be a legal immigrant (or first or second generation American) and a veteran, but given their druthers, these people would rather not have you or any people who look like you in the country. That's fucked up."

[David Dennison 18656]

2 minutes ago, Grandioso said:

I was pretty shocked at the overall indifference to Trump down in the valley when I traveled there for work a couple times in 2016. Maybe not indifference, but definitely a registering on the low end of the outrage meter. 

I met with a client eariler this year down in McAllen. Hispanic marine veteran. Sean Hannity wouldn't have the balls to talk about illegal immigrants the way this guy did. Said they would come over, have kids, and the family would work every system and get on every kind of welfare/social service imaginable through the kids. Ultimately, he kind of conceded (but not really) that regardless of how you feel about immigrants getting on the doll, there was a racial aspect of all the Trump/Trumpkin rhetoric. I didn't go this far but I wanted to say something like, "beneath this movement isn't just your usual conservatism but a racial animus toward Mexicans, Central Americans, and latinos in general. You may be a legal immigrant (or first or second generation American) and a veteran, but given their druthers, these people would rather not have you or any people who look like you in the country. That's fucked up."

Of course some do this, just like some white, native born American citizens do.

Most, however, don't do this.

[Tuco 5076]

No shit.... Cubans, in my experience, are some of the most racist folks demographically out there to other Latino populations....

Well, they’re all of pure Castilian blood, not like those brown folks.

I think part of the problem is grouping the together, when they often have animosity to immigrants from other cultures. It’d be like being surprised that 2nd generation Irish-Americans might be hostile to new Italian immigrants.

[SubliminalHorn 6674]

Like any group, the more educated they become along with the overall tolerance and progressive ideas of younger generations, they will continue to tilt further towards liberal ideas and the Democratic Party. 

[F250 28682]

3 minutes ago, Tuco said:

 

Well, they’re all of pure Castilian blood, not like those brown folks.

I think part of the problem is grouping the together, when they often have animosity to immigrants from other cultures. It’d be like being surprised that 2nd generation Irish-Americans might be hostile to new Italian immigrants.

Interesting point, I am not sure why people continue to lump one group together when they have so many differences. Cubans don't care for Mexican immigrants, Mexicans don't care for Puerto Ricans or any other Caribbean group. New York Puerto Ricans might as well be from another planet when you compare them to South Texas Mexican-Americans and personally, I have yet to understand the Cali-Mex population.

[Patrick Bateman 3903]

5 minutes ago, Tuco said:

 

Well, they’re all of pure Castilian blood, not like those brown folks.

I think part of the problem is grouping the together, when they often have animosity to immigrants from other cultures. It’d be like being surprised that 2nd generation Irish-Americans might be hostile to new Italian immigrants.

 

Good post and I agree on both counts.  First, some Cuban-Americans prejudices highlight how different cultures can isolate themselves with prejudices formed over generations of others.  Second, how a common language for Latinos or farther Hispanics doesn't necessarily give birth to similar experiences and therefore some amount of empathy.  You see this in other cultures as well such as Asians, who have very defined prejudices of each other (which makes sense considering how different the cultures can be) although technically their languages can be very different.

[SaucyJack 3487]

7 hours ago, Patrick Bateman said:

 A lot of Latino are deeply religious and abortion is still a huge issue for them, as well as some are actually in their views towards new immigrants.  They considered themselves Americans and have either forgotten or have chosen to forget how their families got to this country.  It's really, really strange.

 

Maybe because they are Americans?

 

Answer to your op is in one of the articles you read:

 

"My fourth and final explanation is not really an explanation at all, but a suggestion that the entire premise of this piece might be wrong."

Edited December 28, 2018 by SaucyJack

[ChiTownDoc 21101]

It's kind of crazy how many middle aged well to do latinos I see watching fox news...I'm not too sure what to make of it.  Maybe it's not THAT many it takes me by surprise every time.  Of course I just go about my business doing my thing but it's tempting to throw in a comment about dotard.  Thankfully, to this day, I have not been that guy. 

[Catdaddyhorn 3444]

I've often thought that people are exaggerating the supposed great Brown wave and its effect on our politics.  A significant % of Hispanics are white and over time their offspring will identify as culturally white in the same manner every other ethnic white group has in our history.  In the end they may still stick with Dems,  but it won't necessarily be as a result to some sort of aversion to the racial animus presented by the other side.  

[JohnnyRage 1617]

What percentage of "Latinos" are eligible to vote?

What percentage of eligible "Latinos" vote?

20% of of Latinos that are eligible to vote and also do vote...but what is a "Latino"?

 

[FondrenRoad 4378]

3 hours ago, Tuco said:

 

Well, they’re all of pure Castilian blood, not like those brown folks.

I think part of the problem is grouping the together, when they often have animosity to immigrants from other cultures. It’d be like being surprised that 2nd generation Irish-Americans might be hostile to new Italian immigrants.

 

Cuban Americans vote GOP because they don't want the embargo lifted. They think they are gonna get familial lands back. Never gonna happen even if communism fell right now, but that is what they want. Just as backward thinking as other GOP voters. They can't see a way forward. Not necessarily a racist motivation though. 

 

Edited December 28, 2018 by FondrenRoad

[Patrick Bateman 3903]

57 minutes ago, SaucyJack said:

Maybe because they are Americans?

 

Answer to your op is in one of the articles you read:

 

"My fourth and final explanation is not really an explanation at all, but a suggestion that the entire premise of this piece might be wrong."

Surely, but some, namely those born here see themselves as only that, not Mexican-American or Chilean-American, just American and there's nothing inherently wrong or right about this, simply a difference.  Some hold onto to their traditions a bit more and their cultural identity and that's not necessarily any better or worse, but it will impact their views and/or perspectives especially in how they approach Immigration.

Second part.  LOL.  But you didn't quote the entire passage and it's more specific.....

Quote

My fourth and final explanation is not really an explanation at all, but a suggestion that the entire premise of this piece might be wrong. What if Latinos are deserting the GOP because of Trump, but it’s happening at a gradual enough pace that is not currently being captured by most polls

This is absolutely possible, the quiet migration, if you will.  In the end, Democrats would like to be pulling a larger part of the pie, something similar to the African-American voting bloc (90% last election) or even to the Asian vote (77%), while the GOP would like it to get it closer to even.  

 

[MaybeACoordinator 8349]

5 hours ago, Tuco said:

 

Well, they’re all of pure Castilian blood, not like those brown folks.

I think part of the problem is grouping the together, when they often have animosity to immigrants from other cultures. It’d be like being surprised that 2nd generation Irish-Americans might be hostile to new Italian immigrants.

 

Lol at Cubans being "pure" Castilians. My great grandfather traveled to Cuba often as a sea captain. Somebody once asked what the Cubans were? Black? White? Mexican? "Well, I can tell you this," he said. "They are all hit with the tar brush down there." Not proud of that, just sayin'

5 hours ago, F250 said:

Interesting point, I am not sure why people continue to lump one group together when they have so many differences. Cubans don't care for Mexican immigrants, Mexicans don't care for Puerto Ricans or any other Caribbean group. New York Puerto Ricans might as well be from another planet when you compare them to South Texas Mexican-Americans and personally, I have yet to understand the Cali-Mex population.

Yeah, the idea of Latinos as a bloc is farcical. Chuy in Uvalde might have nothing in common with Cheo in Orlando other than a last name ending in Z. 

[Thetexashammer 1062]

I don't really know but what matters is that you pronounce it Lah-Tee-Noce.

[G650 14106]

My FIL is Cuban. His whole family is die hard GOP.

[bolverk 29399]

Having grown up in a West Texas town that straddles cattle country, the oil patch and cotton fields, I can say that the Mexican-American population I grew up with probably sees themselves as wholly American. From my understanding, many of their ancestors immigrated as part of the braceros program to pick cotton or work on the cattle ranches even before that, so most of my childhood Hispanic friends were at least third generation.

The town most definitely hasn't been a magnet for more recent waves of international migrants, so I'd guess you could see this as an advanced test case for Mexican "assimilation."

When I was in high school in the 1980s, I'd guess about 1/4 to 1/3 of the kids were Hispanic and it was probably around then that Anglos were beginning to accept them into the American fold. My senior year, the class president was a guy of Mexican descent as was our Homecoming queen. Personally, I dated three different Hispanic chicks in high school. I rarely heard any of them speak Spanish except to occasionally spice up their cursing. Only one that I know of even spoke Spanish at home with his family, and he was one of my closest friends.

Today when I see the FB posts of former Hispanic classmates, I can't differentiate their politics much from the Anglos. Some are Republicans, and some are Democrats. Some are born-again evangelicals, and some don't post anything about religion. But most just post about random stupid shit like everyone else.

What's encouraging though is how many have Anglo spouses and thoroughly mixed families. I'd guess about half the town's population is now Hispanic. Some of my Mexican-American former classmates are total rednecks, some work at the local refinery, some are artists, some have opened stores, and some are now emerging as community leaders as Gen X is taking over political leadership positions in my hometown. I'm sure few of their kids or their kids' friends give much of a shit about any of this.

It's great to see and is a real testament to America and its ability to absorb new immigrants, offering them a thriving way of life, the ability to contribute to our culture, and replenish our communities. And my hometown is all the better for it.

I'm not going to poll them about their views on the wall or immigration as they've been studiously quiet about the matter. What I can say is that, by and large, they don't proactively proclaim support for Republicans or Trump as much as the Anglos I grew up with do. The few that do mention politics at all are probably about 2 to 1 in favor of Democrats which is about the opposite of the Anglo friends I grew up with. Overall, though, they do (at least, publicly) appear more apolitical as a group. I'm not sure what this bodes for the future voting patterns of the America's greater Latino population in the long run.

All that said, the above excludes my Austin peeps of the brown persuasion, which is a whole different matter. They are all right now a bunch of unabashed, pissed off liberals like myself.

/cool anecdotal story bro

Edited December 28, 2018 by bolverk

[hayden_horn 11360]

15 hours ago, Tuco said:

 

Well, they’re all of pure Castilian blood, not like those brown folks.

I think part of the problem is grouping the together, when they often have animosity to immigrants from other cultures. It’d be like being surprised that 2nd generation Irish-Americans might be hostile to new Italian immigrants.

 

i don't think i've met a single hispanic that didn't come from proper castilian blood somewhere nebulous in the family tree.

it's sort of the same dynamic of every texas having some comanche or cherokee somewhere in the family tree.

my wife's case, there's an actual portrait of a blonde haired blue eyed great-grandmother. 

in any case, the strange thing is that a large part of the hispanic population (the distinctions within this thread noted and notwithstanding) are custom fitted for a conservative mindset. hard-working, financially conservative, big-c catholic, family-oriented, the list goes on and on, and it all lands on the red side of the aisle. 

except republicans do not seem to want them, and seem to try at every turn to castigate them. 

democrats have not done much better at courting hispanics, instead assuming that because the republicans treat brown people like shit, then brown people will flock to their banner, when that's actually not the case.

[GSU&UT 1798]

11 hours ago, Catdaddyhorn said:

I've often thought that people are exaggerating the supposed great Brown wave and its effect on our politics.  A significant % of Hispanics are white and over time their offspring will identify as culturally white in the same manner every other ethnic white group has in our history.  In the end they may still stick with Dems,  but it won't necessarily be as a result to some sort of aversion to the racial animus presented by the other side.  

Relevant

[hayden_horn 11360]

1 minute ago, GSU&UT said:

Relevant

it's relevant, but also highlights the democratic expectation that latinos will automatically identify as D because the republicans treat them like shit. 

hell, look at all the ignorant poor people that voted for trump.

you gotta do something to actually gather those voters under your tent.

otherwise, they'll just tell the system to get fucked and not vote at all.

disenfranchisement is a real thing.

[GSU&UT 1798]

1 minute ago, hayden_horn said:

it's relevant, but also highlights the democratic expectation that latinos will automatically identify as D because the republicans treat them like shit. 

hell, look at all the ignorant poor people that voted for trump.

you gotta do something to actually gather those voters under your tent.

otherwise, they'll just tell the system to get fucked and not vote at all.

disenfranchisement is a real thing.

I don't disagree. Shea is a Mexican-American who has written quite a bit about this subject.

Edited December 28, 2018 by GSU&UT

[tantric superman 4667]

1 hour ago, hayden_horn said:

in any case, the strange thing is that a large part of the hispanic population (the distinctions within this thread noted and notwithstanding) are custom fitted for a conservative mindset. hard-working, financially conservative, big-c catholic, family-oriented, the list goes on and on, and it all lands on the red side of the aisle. 

The conservative mind set is currently big-e evangelical, lazy I got mine fuck you, okay with grabbing pussy, financially don't give a fuck about debt, the list goes on and on and it lands on the red side of the aisle.

 

[tantric superman 4667]

Hispanics tend toward D because Trump and the Republicans are cunts.

[Tuco 5076]

13 hours ago, FondrenRoad said:

Cuban Americans vote GOP because they don't want the embargo lifted. They think they are gonna get familial lands back. Never gonna happen even if communism fell right now, but that is what they want. Just as backward thinking as other GOP voters. They can't see a way forward. Not necessarily a racist motivation though. 

 

I was specifically responding to the comment about Cubans being racist towards Hispanics.  

Yes, many of them vote Republican because of the embargo.  Additionally, they tend to be understandably anti-communist in a personal way that not even the biggest Koch Brother stooge can appreciate, so the rhetoric equating Democrats to communists is particularly effective. 

[F250 28682]

7 hours ago, GSU&UT said:

I don't disagree. Shea is a Mexican-American who has written quite a bit about this subject.

Plus he is a member of Vatos Locos.

 

[Kyle 207]

20 hours ago, ChiTownDoc said:

It's kind of crazy how many middle aged well to do latinos I see watching fox news...I'm not too sure what to make of it.  Maybe it's not THAT many it takes me by surprise every time.  Of course I just go about my business doing my thing but it's tempting to throw in a comment about dotard.  Thankfully, to this day, I have not been that guy. 

I think the answer is simple: stereotypes promulgated by privileged white guys are not accurate in every case.

[Guest Lobo]

17 hours ago, F250 said:

Plus he is a member of Vatos Locos.

 

Sangre En. 

[Kyle 207]

21 hours ago, Kyle said:

I think the answer is simple: stereotypes promulgated by privileged white guys are not accurate in every case.

Yeah, I know - aggy to reply to myself - but the only thing discussed more here than faux outrage is edit timing.

Listening to a podcast yesterday, the story of Clay Allen Duke was an episode. Another example: a guy this echo chamber would call deplorable, racist, national socialist, etc., but he was spouting Occupy schtick before the millenials. (snowflakes: not endorsing his methods, just FYI)

[Junior Miller 1502]

A lot of the construction Latinos here in Dallas I knew said they were voting for trump because he was going to spend billions building a stupid wall and that would mean a lot of work for them down south for years if they wanted it. 

[Helobious 9481]

As a hispanic guy that grew up in the valley I guess I should try to weigh in:

Hispanics are simply too diverse a group to try and "appeal to" or compartmentalize. Getting to the "soul" of latino voters is as hard as getting to the soul of "white" voters. How can you do that with so many different people. I think I have a lot in common with other Mexican-Americans who are from Texas. I don't feel much of a connection with Mexican-Americans from California, or any other state. I have as much in common with a Dominican or Puerto Rican New Yorker as you do. A recently arrived immigrant from Mexico or another latin country has some wildly different interests and concerns from a hispanic person that was raised here. Most hispanic-americans just see themselves as americans first and hispanics second. They're no monolith at all. I'm proud of my heritage but I definitely view myself as an american over anything else.

Side note: I learned about the term "minority" when I was a freshman in high school. 1 white teacher telling a classroom of 30 hispanic kids that we were minorities. I've always hated that term. If you want to look at it purely as a racial numbers thing, how am I a minority when every city I've lived in has been majority hispanic? If you look at it from a whole nationwide perspective, why can't I expand that globally and call you a minority for being white? And if I identify as an american first, how can I be considered a minority in the United States? /rant

[NBMisha 224]

11 hours ago, Helobious said:

ide note: I learned about the term "minority" when I was a freshman in high school. 1 white teacher telling a classroom of 30 hispanic kids that we were minorities. I've always hated that term. If you want to look at it purely as a racial numbers thing, how am I a minority when every city I've lived in has been majority hispanic? If you look at it from a whole nationwide perspective, why can't I expand that globally and call you a minority for being white? And if I identify as an american first, how can I be considered a minority in the United States?

Thank you for this particular point of view.

[RDCanecutter 26266]

18 hours ago, Helobious said:

As a hispanic guy that grew up in the valley I guess I should try to weigh in:

Hispanics are simply too diverse a group to try and "appeal to" or compartmentalize. Getting to the "soul" of latino voters is as hard as getting to the soul of "white" voters. How can you do that with so many different people. I think I have a lot in common with other Mexican-Americans who are from Texas. I don't feel much of a connection with Mexican-Americans from California, or any other state. I have as much in common with a Dominican or Puerto Rican New Yorker as you do. A recently arrived immigrant from Mexico or another latin country has some wildly different interests and concerns from a hispanic person that was raised here. Most hispanic-americans just see themselves as americans first and hispanics second. They're no monolith at all. I'm proud of my heritage but I definitely view myself as an american over anything else.

It's like people are unaware how many political parties there are in Mexico alone.

[Kyle 207]

18 hours ago, Helobious said:

As a hispanic guy that grew up in the valley I guess I should try to weigh in:

Hispanics are simply too diverse a group to try and "appeal to" or compartmentalize. Getting to the "soul" of latino voters is as hard as getting to the soul of "white" voters. How can you do that with so many different people. I think I have a lot in common with other Mexican-Americans who are from Texas. I don't feel much of a connection with Mexican-Americans from California, or any other state. I have as much in common with a Dominican or Puerto Rican New Yorker as you do. A recently arrived immigrant from Mexico or another latin country has some wildly different interests and concerns from a hispanic person that was raised here. Most hispanic-americans just see themselves as americans first and hispanics second. They're no monolith at all. I'm proud of my heritage but I definitely view myself as an american over anything else.

Side note: I learned about the term "minority" when I was a freshman in high school. 1 white teacher telling a classroom of 30 hispanic kids that we were minorities. I've always hated that term. If you want to look at it purely as a racial numbers thing, how am I a minority when every city I've lived in has been majority hispanic? If you look at it from a whole nationwide perspective, why can't I expand that globally and call you a minority for being white? And if I identify as an american first, how can I be considered a minority in the United States? /rant

Thanks for the note. Now STFU you stupid racist and let the old white privileged  liberals tell you what to think and how to vote and when to be outraged. YOU’RE OPRESSED DAMMIT WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT!

[burntorangebongos 10681]

19 minutes ago, Kyle said:

Thanks for the note. Now STFU you stupid racist and let the old white privileged  liberals tell you what to think and how to vote and when to be outraged. YOU’RE OPRESSED DAMMIT WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT!

What a dumb take. DIAF

[Nueces River Rat 5529]

18 hours ago, Helobious said:

As a hispanic guy that grew up in the valley I guess I should try to weigh in:

Hispanics are simply too diverse a group to try and "appeal to" or compartmentalize. Getting to the "soul" of latino voters is as hard as getting to the soul of "white" voters. How can you do that with so many different people. I think I have a lot in common with other Mexican-Americans who are from Texas. I don't feel much of a connection with Mexican-Americans from California, or any other state. I have as much in common with a Dominican or Puerto Rican New Yorker as you do. A recently arrived immigrant from Mexico or another latin country has some wildly different interests and concerns from a hispanic person that was raised here. Most hispanic-americans just see themselves as americans first and hispanics second. They're no monolith at all. I'm proud of my heritage but I definitely view myself as an american over anything else.

Side note: I learned about the term "minority" when I was a freshman in high school. 1 white teacher telling a classroom of 30 hispanic kids that we were minorities. I've always hated that term. If you want to look at it purely as a racial numbers thing, how am I a minority when every city I've lived in has been majority hispanic? If you look at it from a whole nationwide perspective, why can't I expand that globally and call you a minority for being white? And if I identify as an american first, how can I be considered a minority in the United States? /rant

This is pretty spot on.  And I'm a white guy who was raised in the RGV and this is almost exactly what I hear from many of my lifelong friends.  

I've head some things on illegal  immigration and other hot button issues had they been said by me as a white dude, I'd get FU look.  But they came from the very mouth of people who are first and even second generation immigrants from Mexico.    One of the comments some one made on a Facebook post and this a gal I went to high school with and is from a family of a mover in the Democrat Party down there going back decades now was something along the lines that many of the new immigrants coming from Mexico and CA are different.  They don't seem to care about our traditions,  they are even changing the looks of our towns with all the signs and ads being in Spanish, they  don't take pride in their neighborhoods, etc.    I had to look at the date to make sure it wasn't April 1st and she was doing an April fools thing on is because she is one of these Facebook types who shares every anti GOP thing she can find from reputable and not so reputable sources.   But she was darn serious.  

I think Hispanics by in large would do themselves a great service to not go down the monolithic vote that some of the other "minority" communities have done and make both parties work their asses off for their votes.   I hate to say it, but it's obvious any many parts of the country where identity politics has destroyed those cities and counties with decades of political  corruption and financial ruin (see Detroit, Chicago).   It might be California and NY Hispanic communities are too long gone and the shit storm (pension criss)  that will hit California sooner rather  than later thanks to voting patterns will impact the rest of the nation unfortunately,  but Texas hispanics can change the narrative by keeping their independence and expanding on it.  

[F250 28682]

2 hours ago, Nueces River Rat said:

This is pretty spot on.  And I'm a white guy who was raised in the RGV and this is almost exactly what I hear from many of my lifelong friends.  

I've head some things on illegal  immigration and other hot button issues had they been said by me as a white dude, I'd get FU look.  But they came from the very mouth of people who are first and even second generation immigrants from Mexico.    One of the comments some one made on a Facebook post and this a gal I went to high school with and is from a family of a mover in the Democrat Party down there going back decades now was something along the lines that many of the new immigrants coming from Mexico and CA are different.  They don't seem to care about our traditions,  they are even changing the looks of our towns with all the signs and ads being in Spanish, they  don't take pride in their neighborhoods, etc.    I had to look at the date to make sure it wasn't April 1st and she was doing an April fools thing on is because she is one of these Facebook types who shares every anti GOP thing she can find from reputable and not so reputable sources.   But she was darn serious.  

I think Hispanics by in large would do themselves a great service to not go down the monolithic vote that some of the other "minority" communities have done and make both parties work their asses off for their votes.   I hate to say it, but it's obvious any many parts of the country where identity politics has destroyed those cities and counties with decades of political  corruption and financial ruin (see Detroit, Chicago).   It might be California and NY Hispanic communities are too long gone and the shit storm (pension criss)  that will hit California sooner rather  than later thanks to voting patterns will impact the rest of the nation unfortunately,  but Texas hispanics can change the narrative by keeping their independence and expanding on it.  

This isn't an unusual opinion amongst Mexican-Americans. The fact is new immigrants from Mexico and Central America are different with separate cultures and traditions. Comparing Tex-Mex culture to Nicaraguan culture would be like comparing the people of Appalachia to Ulster Scots. Outside of a little shared ancestry and language there isn't a lot in common.

Regarding other minority groups, do African Americans vote the same way as recent African immigrant communities? One time I took a taxi from DFW to my clients office and we were stuck in traffic for an hour. The driver was Nigerian and holy shit, the guy went on a crazy rant about African-Americans that sounded like it was written by David Duke.

[Patrick Bateman 3903]

22 hours ago, Helobious said:

As a hispanic guy that grew up in the valley I guess I should try to weigh in:

Hispanics are simply too diverse a group to try and "appeal to" or compartmentalize. Getting to the "soul" of latino voters is as hard as getting to the soul of "white" voters. How can you do that with so many different people. I think I have a lot in common with other Mexican-Americans who are from Texas. I don't feel much of a connection with Mexican-Americans from California, or any other state. I have as much in common with a Dominican or Puerto Rican New Yorker as you do. A recently arrived immigrant from Mexico or another latin country has some wildly different interests and concerns from a hispanic person that was raised here. Most hispanic-americans just see themselves as americans first and hispanics second. They're no monolith at all. I'm proud of my heritage but I definitely view myself as an american over anything else.

Side note: I learned about the term "minority" when I was a freshman in high school. 1 white teacher telling a classroom of 30 hispanic kids that we were minorities. I've always hated that term. If you want to look at it purely as a racial numbers thing, how am I a minority when every city I've lived in has been majority hispanic? If you look at it from a whole nationwide perspective, why can't I expand that globally and call you a minority for being white? And if I identify as an american first, how can I be considered a minority in the United States? /rant

Nice post.  Question, if I'm understanding your correctly, by extension, you're saying Latinos or Hispanics are a more diverse minority group (at least politically) than African-Americans or Asian-Americans, two groups who are more aligned in their voting habits.  Any reason for this, other than.... we from all different places?  So are Asian-Americans including having much different language and they are more monolithic in their voting habits.  FTR, I"m not saying that's good or bad, just different.

[Pancho 44475]

36 minutes ago, F250 said:

This isn't an unusual opinion amongst Mexican-Americans. The fact is new immigrants from Mexico and Central America are different with separate cultures and traditions. Comparing Tex-Mex culture to Nicaraguan culture would be like comparing the people of Appalachia to Ulster Scots. Outside of a little shared ancestry and language there isn't a lot in common.

Regarding other minority groups, do African Americans vote the same way as recent African immigrant communities? One time I took a taxi from DFW to my clients office and we were stuck in traffic for an hour. The driver was Nigerian and holy shit, the guy went on a crazy rant about African-Americans that sounded like it was written by David Duke.

Against Blacks in general of American Blacks?  Because I know Black Africans have a disdain for American Blacks for a whole host of reasons. 

[Pancho 44475]

3 hours ago, Kyle said:

Thanks for the note. Now STFU you stupid racist and let the old white privileged  liberals tell you what to think and how to vote and when to be outraged. YOU’RE OPRESSED DAMMIT WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT!

 

just fucking dumb