Hispanic congressmen with poor grasps of English?

[Jacobtm]

Just wondering if there are any hispanic congressmen who don't speak English particularly well. I've seen the chairwoman of the house small business sub-comittee on TV alot--a hispanic woman from NYC--and she has a rather thick accent, but seems to have no real trouble with the english language. But is there anyone out there who primarily speaks spanish and really can't communicate fluently in english?

[Stranger in a strange land]

someone with a poor grasp of English would have a hard time coming up through the US political system.

[Lunar]

I think it would be hilarious, but no.

Ahnuld is about as hilarious as it gets.



It's ICE to see you

[defe07]

I'd prefer to have a non-English speaker that speaks with an accent and has a wide vocabulary than a non-English speaker that speaks with no accent and has a limited vocabulary.

[Jacobtm]

someone with a poor grasp of English would have a hard time coming up through the US political system.

How far are we from having congressional districts where large majorities are native spanish speakers? Once that happens, how far are we from having campaigns that are waged mainly in spanish, with limited need for a candidate to know english?

[minionofmidas]

someone with a poor grasp of English would have a hard time coming up through the US political system.

How far are we from having congressional districts where large majorities are native spanish speakers? Once that happens, how far are we from having campaigns that are waged mainly in spanish, with limited need for a candidate to know english?

One referendum in Puerto Rico away.

[ag]

someone with a poor grasp of English would have a hard time coming up through the US political system.

How far are we from having congressional districts where large majorities are native spanish speakers? Once that happens, how far are we from having campaigns that are waged mainly in spanish, with limited need for a candidate to know english?

Unless Puerto Rico joins, that still, w/ 99% probability, would result in fluent English-speakers elected. Successful Hispanics speak English. Your gardener is unlikely to be elected to Congress, whatever the district he runs in.

You should simply realize one thing: US Hispanics are predominantly English-speaking by the second generation, and overwhelmingly so by the third. The ones that stay isolated and unable to speak English are almost without exception the poorest, the least educated, the least successful in every sense even within their own community (or else, those who either migrate late in their lives, or those who do not intend to permanently settle in the US - neither of these groups is going to matter here). What makes you believe that this would be the sort of the people that are going to be elected municipal dogcatchers - forget the Congress?

[Stranger in a strange land]

someone with a poor grasp of English would have a hard time coming up through the US political system.

How far are we from having congressional districts where large majorities are native spanish speakers? Once that happens, how far are we from having campaigns that are waged mainly in spanish, with limited need for a candidate to know english?

Unless Puerto Rico joins, that still, w/ 99% probability, would result in fluent English-speakers elected. Successful Hispanics speak English. Your gardener is unlikely to be elected to Congress, whatever the district he runs in.

You should simply realize one thing: US Hispanics are predominantly English-speaking by the second generation, and overwhelmingly so by the third. The ones that stay isolated and unable to speak English are almost without exception the poorest, the least educated, the least successful in every sense even within their own community (or else, those who either migrate late in their lives, or those who do not intend to permanently settle in the US - neither of these groups is going to matter here). What makes you believe that this would be the sort of the people that are going to be elected municipal dogcatchers - forget the Congress?

very well put. Add to that the people you mention as the poorest and least successful are also by far the least likely to vote, even if they're able to do so.

[Spaghetti Cat]

Luis Gutierez is probably the biggest dick in congress.  I saw him at a financial services hearing once and he was the biggest pain in the ass ever.  Anyway, he understands English fine, but sometimes he just gets lazy.

[memphis]

There are a couple members of the Congressional Black Caucus worthy of mention in this thread.