Obama Deportations Continue with New Wave of Raids

[RINO Tom]

When you get to the core of it all regarding this issue, this is how I believe "the Democratic establishment" sees it:

Latinos are a fickle voting bloc. I don't mean just in terms of turning out as levels equal to their citizen voting age population. I also mean in terms of embracing or identifying with the political system. Coming from a predominantly-Latino city and speaking as a political organizer, it has been my experience that practically all Latino civic organizations are either hostile to the two-party system or afraid to be seen as associated with one or the other. It appears to be this way everywhere else as well. They want to be "independents" because they dislike the structure. Well, you can perch on the fence all you want for whatever reason, but that comes with a price.

This is exactly were the African-American community was circa 1960. The had voted Eisenhower both times, most leaders avoided partisan affiliation and many were, actually, ancestrally Republican. MLK never endorsed Kennedy in 1960, and his father actually switched endorsement from Nixon to Kennedy at the last moment. It was estimated that they voted 60% Dem that year, and it was a major success. And look at it now. Clear effort on behalf of a community can do wonders. And remember, as a share of electorate blacks were far smaller back in 1960 than Hispanics are now, and attracting them was far costlier in terms of the white vote.

While it's a good comparison, Blacks did not vote for Ike either time, and Black registration was Democratic advantage by the 1940s.

[Virginiá]

I think you're forgetting that a huge part of the Democratic base has a lot to lose from immigration and is thus quite hostile themselves. Said part of base is the minority bloc that was given support in the 60's. The other part of the base epitomizes condescending compassion.

This leaves Latino civic organizations with either aligning with a party that completely holds them in contempt, or aligning with a party that only once in a while throws a good policy their way that won't cause backlash and still has a huge part that hates them.

This is in the inevitable outcome of a big tent party with a bunch of quarreling and a nationalistic party being the only two options.

True, but regardless, they should be mobilizing their share of the electorate as best as possible while working to change the behavior of suspicion and reluctance to associate with/work with Democrats.

I don't have the exact numbers, but off the top of my head I'd say Hispanics account for less than a quarter of the Democratic party. The party is 60% white, with African Americans constituting a large part of the 40% non-white share. My point is, it's hard to get major concessions when you are only a small faction of the party and fail to properly leverage your electoral potential.

But, like other factions of the Democratic party, lots of Hispanics do share some similar views on more fundamental policy issues, so it's not like they don't benefit from supporting the Democratic party. Finally, immigration reform would be a major achievement for them and is highly likely to be done when Democrats are able to pass it.

[MK]

I don't understand why this is even news (ok, politics, sure, but still bs).

We still have immigration laws and it's selfish as hell for Hispanics to demand we just halt all deportations, presumably forever. It's even sadder that Democrats are hispandering like crazy and promising to not deport anyone but criminals on live tv!

I consider myself pretty liberal and a loyal Democrat but I cannot agree with this. Hispanic activists are taking advantage of politicians they know are desperate for their vote and demanding selfish concessions on immigration that are not necessarily good for this country at this current time. Did these people ever consider how the USA is to take care of so many people/children fleeing central/south America? Did they ever consider if it's our duty or in our best interests to do this? Because doing so encourages even more people to immigrate here illegally.

AMEN.   

[dax00]

I don't understand why this is even news (ok, politics, sure, but still bs).

We still have immigration laws and it's selfish as hell for Hispanics to demand we just halt all deportations, presumably forever. It's even sadder that Democrats are hispandering like crazy and promising to not deport anyone but criminals on live tv!

I consider myself pretty liberal and a loyal Democrat but I cannot agree with this. Hispanic activists are taking advantage of politicians they know are desperate for their vote and demanding selfish concessions on immigration that are not necessarily good for this country at this current time. Did these people ever consider how the USA is to take care of so many people/children fleeing central/south America? Did they ever consider if it's our duty or in our best interests to do this? Because doing so encourages even more people to immigrate here illegally.

AMEN.   

Thirded.

[Intell]

The idea that Hispanic activists, are overreaching to get an halt on all deportation is ridiculous and dumb.The fact that democrats, are playing identity politics and actually promising no deportations is worse, especially with Sanders. A nation needs borders, at least under capitalism, and allowing a mass influx on immigrants, especially Illegal ones, will disregard the workers already here in America, to which the government should represent.  Illegal Immigrants could also be criminals, to which they need to deported. Hispanic activists are being really dumb, and unfair to the US public.

[DemPGH]

Well, good for Obama, if it's not piecemeal or rhetoric or half-done. I'm positively of the opinion that "Immigration" =/= "Just get across the border."