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twitterDAILY MEMO: MINORITY AFFAIRS:
Latinos few in one place: Local politics
Despite growing clout, big population, Hispanics aren’t well represented
Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Special Coverage
Beyond the Sun
A county-sponsored panel next week will cover the history of Hispanics in the valley, which is basically a long, flat line followed by a sharp, vertical leap.
This is made apparent in a factoid from a news release for the Sept. 4 event, part of a series titled “Centennial Stories: Examining Our Past.” In 1960, it says, the U.S. census counted only 578 Latinos in Clark County. Four decades later an estimated 28.7 percent of the county’s population is Latino, the 13th-highest such figure among counties with more than 1 million residents.
Although no one would deny the worth of looking back at Hispanic contributions to the valley, the event also serves to raise a question: Why has political representation lagged so far behind population?
Of the 43 state legislators representing portions of Clark County, for example, only three are Hispanic.
None of the city council members in Las Vegas, North Las Vegas or Henderson is Hispanic. There are no Hispanics on the Clark County Commission, arguably the state’s second-most powerful political body, after the Legislature.
Similar accounts derive from the history of political appointments, including the recently named stimulus czar. No Hispanics in sight.
Andres Ramirez made a bid at becoming only the second Hispanic mayor in Southern Nevada history when he ran for mayor of North Las Vegas against incumbent Mike Montandon in 2005. He lost, in a city where an estimated 38.6 percent of the population is Hispanic. He would have joined Cruz Olague, who held the title in Henderson for two years in the 1970s.
When Ruben Kihuen was elected to the Assembly in 2006, he became the second Hispanic immigrant to become a state lawmaker, after Pablo Laveaga, who was elected in 1875 and hailed from Sinaloa, Mexico. Kihuen was born in Jalisco. He joked at the time about doubling the number of Spanish-speaking voices in Carson City, referring to Moises Denis, who was born in Brooklyn to Cuban parents.
When you go through this litany with Ramirez, who now works as vice president of Hispanic programs for NDN, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, he accentuates the positive.
He notes that most other large counties in the top 15 for Hispanic population have had their large populations for much longer. In Clark County, and Nevada generally, he says, Hispanics “have become a quantifiable political force only since the last census” — less than a decade.
And while Ramirez won’t overlook the historical paucity of elected and appointed officials with Latin American backgrounds, he also underlines the impact of those who have worked in other areas, such as former Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority chief Manny Cortez, “one the most powerful tourism officials in the world.”
As for politics, Ramirez also points out that the expanding Hispanic population has voted in increasing numbers in the past decade, contrasting the highly contested 1998 race between Harry Reid and John Ensign, when “35,000 Hispanic votes was considered the most you could get,” with the recent presidential election, when more than four times as many Hispanics went to the polls.
As for Kihuen and Denis, their victories are the result of lobbying on redistricting from Ramirez and others following Census 2000. The result: District 11, which is Kihuen’s, and District 28, which fulfilled its intent with Denis’ 2004 election.
Locally, the lack of Hispanic surnames on councils and commissions, Ramirez says, doesn’t negate the increasing number of Hispanic staff members whose jobs are to ensure Spanish-speaking constituents are heard.
The rest is a question of “time and maturity.” Ramirez predicts a near future that includes the more Hispanic state senators and more candidates for local offices.
Discussion: 69 comments so far…
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The Sun
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I think the author has skipped the fact that their are more undocumented mexican nationals than hispanic citizens within Clark County.
Citizens wonder why we have over 150,000 citizens without work here. I know that the lucky Americans who have jobs realize all the none english speaking workers around in the job market.
Honestly talking with hispanic citizens, they are fearful of losing their jobs to the undocumented.
We are out there we are just waiting for the right time to run...
you guys will never win a high profile office, Hispanics??????? The Democrats say we value the Hispanic vote....Ok, well lets see establishment backing for more Hispanic candidates....Establishment support helps with money and serves as a barrier to enry for other candidates.......Hispanic people will never become a political savvy group....Most of them can't even learn English. Who are you trying to fool.
JS
Hmm, and just how big would this population be without illegals being thrown in the mix. Of course the Sun writers don't tell us that. And here is a clue, hispanics are being "represented". This Sun writer seems to be saying only hispanics can represent other hispanics. Does that mean whites in office are only representing whites? Is Obama only representing blacks?
Thanks for reading, I am glad that you take interest. Just to clarify the misperceptions, the overwhelming majority of Hispanics in Nevada are here legally, and the large majority of them are citizens. Undocumented Hispanics are the smallest share of Hispanic residents. There is this obscure agency called the census that publishes estimates on population for each state. I would encourage you to read their data, as it is very helpful. You can search the data at www.census.gov.
As far as your discomfort with the Spanish language and undocumented immigrants, let me tell you a little story. Way back in 1829, there was a young Mexican scout traveling throughout the Southwestern part of the current United States looking for a better route for explorers to travel to California. He set out and discovered a location that would serve as a good camping site and watering hole. They named that place Las Vegas, or to explain it in English for you "The Meadows." So everyday you show up to work, just remember that this town was discovered by an undocumented Mexican immigrant, and that you speak Spanish every single time you utter our great city's name.
The census data only accounts for people who actually tell the truth, which is not commonly done by illegals in fear of deportation.
Lets be truthful about the about of mexican nationals that liter our home depots, lowes and garden centers.
The truth is the number of illegals in Las Vegas is enormous. The amount of jobs taken away from American Citizens is larger than the amount of unemployed in Nevada. The drain on resources is larger than it has ever been. These illegals cost each and every American Taxpayer each and every day of the year. They use services paid for by taxpayer dollars. Our country is being invaded and we all know it. They can lie all they want but the truth is right in front of every home depot in town. The casinos and even Republic services employee these illegals. The invaders are every where. Spanish only speaking peoples should all have to verify legal status every day. These invaders need to be sent back across the border without any of the money they stole from us. If they have had kids here send the kids with them. The simple fact is these illegals broke the law by invading the country and dont even take time to learn English.
RHG, you hit the nail on the head. Who ever said Hispanics aren't getting represented because there are few Hispanics in office is an idiot. I guess that Catholics aren't getting proper representation if the mayor is a Methodist, right. How about the Wiccans, who is looking out for their values. Oh, don't forget the Italian Americans, Irish Americans, etc... When are we going to pull our heads out of the sand and just call ourselves American? Does the Hispanic community have radically different needs and agendas over any other American citizen? I hope not, because if so then they need to start trying to get with the program and become better citizens instead of just another unwanted special interest group.
STOP complaining about illegal immigrants. To the point, illegals do not work for other illegals, they work for businessmen who are smart enough to stay in business. People complain about undocumented people, well stop hiring them American citizens. Stop being so STUPID, you hire them and then complain....You guys remind me of the classic cuckold husband. Everybody hires them. High ranking officials have had to withdraw there names from govt. positions becuase they have hired undocumented workers. You cuckold people are just ignorant....
JS
I think some of our ranting right-wing nut-jobs have been taking steroids. And they are likely still a little tipsy after the big celebration yesterday.
Talk about a Hate-In. They are "passionate."
It is disappointing to read multiple comments infused with xenophobic ideologies about Latino immigration (legal or not) to Las Vegas.
The sad reality is barriers to provide equal access to education, and health care are still to be reached.
Thumper: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/aug...
Can I claim this as a contribution from white America?
How about the Oklahoma city bombing? Another contribution to American family values? http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,2681...
NY Times: How Immigrants Saved Social Security
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/opinio...
Enjoy.
hey silver where do all your undocumented friends work, maybe we will send immgration around and make them enforce the law and fine those businessmen....
Let's share this one too!?!? What's the point: http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/fugitives/cac/...
I wonder why:
1. An American citizen voices the opinion here in this story that Las Vegas is overrun with illegal hispanics, mostly Mexican, and right away that citizen is labeled a "racist", a "right wing radical", etc...etc..., and there you go, the action goes no where.
2. Las Vegas hispanics, all of them, are like their brethern elsewhere: they refuse to learn tne English language, they refuse to educate their kids beyond house cleaners and lawn boys, and they refuse to participate in the Great American melting pot where folks like my Nordic ancestors lost their old country ways and became solid, patriotic Americans, serving the country in all wars since the Spanish-Amaerican War of 1898. We love our country, and we want all illegals out now!
Andres: The Spanish language and Roman Catholic Church were the instruments of Spanish enslavement of the masses of people in Latin America. If Mexico had adopted English (at least as an official second language) after the Mexican-American War, Mexico would today be one the wealthiest and most lawabiding nation on the planet. The truth of the matter is that the wealthy class in Mexico all speak English but use Spanish as a lever to keep the masses down.
The good news is that Nevada will soon have an outstanding Governor of Hispanic ancestry: Republican Brian Edward Sandoval! Viva!
afveteran: are you serious?
As a Las Vegas Latino: UNLV 2007 bachelor graduate, Ohio State University 2009 masters gradaute - you have lost your mind with these blanket statements that generalize a total community!
Recent immigrants who do not speak English are similar to your Nordic ancestors, non-English speakers, undereducated, and probably burdened the local hospitals, so shouldn't we allow this group to assimilate before you demand that they return to their Latino countries?
Assimilate? Hell No! Go Home!! Kick all these invader out of the country. If they wanna be Americans they can get in line and wait the way it is done all over the world. They are here to invade our country make no mistake about it we are at war with these invaders. The problem is we are not yet fighting back to save America.
Pseudo-Patriots:
You are "at war" with the "invaders" are you? What does that mean?
If you really believe that the country is being "invaded" what exactly are you doing about it? Moaning? Crying? Wringing your hands? Forming a little club?
If you really believe that the country is being "invaded" or that we are "at war" and all you can do is cry about it then you are:
A. Ignorant and misinformed.
B. A coward.
All at the same time! Wonderful.
I find it so funny how many narrow minded people there are. I just laugh because there is nowhere anyone can now days without seeing a minority. Face it, the landscape of "white" america has forever changed. I guess you can get onboard or flame on message boards. Actually the flaming is quite comical. I guess I am confused how all of these uneducated non-english speakers can beat out all those educated americans for jobs. That guy selling the roses on the corner stole your job. That guy hanging out in front of Star Nursery stole your job. Lord knows that I was going to plant a palm tree in the middle of the summer for $10. So much for early retirement.....damn illegals for stealing my job.
there once was a widdle wabbit named thumper.
thumper's mommy was mean to him and he grew up to be vile & hateful and mean! Well, our waskwee widdle wabbit meets up along the trail with Mikey! You know Mikey, he HATES EVERYTHING! Still with his bib on, Mikey joins up with our now waskwee widdle wabies infected wabbit. Further on down the trail, they meet a nasty little ankle-biting Rat Terrier named Hendy, who becomes the boys' pet. Together, this mangy band of misfits scurry around the countryside hating on everyone & everything.
Aren't they cute?
Isthis4real,
I do not have any illegal ailens friends. Most of my friends are affluent Caucasion people who control resources. As I said before, most people are just stupid. Why would an elected official listen to you when you do not bring resources to the table (campaign money). It is easy to see who controls the cration of public policy, not the little people (race, color etc. is irrelevent). When do you see average people testify before Congress? So you people who hate illegals should keep quite because you dont have to deal with the economic risk, just keep quite and do nto say anything about imposing a fine on the business owner.
Jsilver
Jsilver,
"ailens"? "Caucasion"? "cration"? "irrelevent"?
"nto"?
Maybe all of your affluent friends could send you back to school so you can learn to spell properly?
And how much of that 28.7% is here legally? 10%? 5%?
And how much of that 28.7% is here legally?
ThisOneGuy,
Fair enough....
Mikegino,
Very true, I agree. I hope Sandoval runs against Harry Ried.
JSilver
As usual even when confronted with unbiased (US Census Data) facts, the right wing voices refuse to let those facts cloud their rhetoric. It's easier to just use rash generalizations (They don't want to learn English.) than except them as equal partners in this country. They are just the latest phase of immigration. The same generalizations and fears faced the Irish, Scandinavian and Oriental immigrants when those groups were just arriving. Any group that doesn't look, sound and worship the same as those of us already here is to be feared.
California will have the first Hispanic Governor. Nevada will be next. Get used to it!
So, then when the first hispanic governor of California gives out free tacos at the DMV line for all the illegals signing up for free services, the first Nevada governor of hispanic origins can copycat?
g-string: widdle wabbit? As Mark Levin says about your hero Barney Frank, why do they all talk like that? Your Swedish ancestors were probably smoking fish while my Norge kin were invading and colonizing England, Ireland, and northern France.
Let me get this straight, I'm better off with the invasion of illegal ailens. Well, I'd rather take my chances and do without. I would rather pay more for products and services I want than the taxes which there is no choice.
Better get used to immigration. They're coming, and they're breeding big time. Even Utah, that Brigham Young bastion, now has an 18% minority population. And didn't I read that Clark County schools are majority Hispanic now? You'd better get used to Jose and Hose B running Nevada soon....
News Flash:
Jose Antonio Romualdo Pacheco was governor of CA in 1875.
Ezequiel Cabeza de Baca was governor of NM in 1917.
Raul Hector Castro was governor of AZ in 1974.
Bob Martinez was governor of FL in 1987.
Bill Richardson is currently our only Hispanic governor, serving the state of NM.
WOW! Thats quite mmmmmmmm informative.Must have been exhausting coming up with that list.
See the Spanish names are getting more Anglicized so you don't have to be so frightened.
Seriously, they only look different, please don't be afraid.
I'm tired of hearing people claim that any American who is against a illegal taking jobs in the U.S. is a racist. Stupidity ranks up there in the 100% range when a person makes this claim. Of course there was a time when people were told the world was flat.
A racist is someone who makes a remark or does somthing illegal soley against a persons ancestral roots. It has nothing to do with a persons nationality as they encounter racism within their own country. I can say any thing I want to about any national from another country and it isn't being a racist, so you people accusing us of being a racist go back to school and learn something. Make sure you go back to school in your country because our school are having many problems with the illegals overcrowding ours.
This is the second time that Fremammasmind or what ever, has tried to proffer that incorrect definition of racism. Go look it up and find me one credible source for your inane definition.
Let's be clear here; you are allowed to be racist, it isn't illegal, so own up to it. If you fear a person because he or she has a different color of skin, just admit that is the reason. Don't hide. It isn't illegal immigration you fear; it is brown immigration, legal or otherwise.
The irony here is that these pseudo-patriots are trotting out the same tired, ignorant arguments that frightened bigots were using when talking about Chinese, Irish, Italian and Eastern European immigration at the turn of the last century:
"They're dirty, they can't speak English, and they're lazy (and yet, somehow) they're taking our jobs". Boo Hoo".
The United Stated survived, even prospered. It was fine and everything worked out. It'll be fine this time around as well, Americans might just look a little different in 200 years, sorry if that scares you.
Remember: unless you are full blooded Native American you are the descendant of immigrants.
And thumper, I'll leave you alone about your fear of Homosexuals until a more appropriate thread.
UnoVato: the biggest difference being is that we share a thousand mile border with them. There are no oceans or immigration officials that separate us, Bozito.
By the way, my wife is a Mexican-Yaqui from a venerated Sonoran family. She says that if we can't defeat the Reconquista, she's leaving for Canada.
Yeah, thumper wumper, calling people "gay" is so mature & adult of you! Are you still in Junior High young man?
Here's the deal, thumper wumper.
Every day, you go straight to the comment section of The Sun and figure out what trash to write that will be filled with ignorant ranting.
You are the living embodiment of the "Dumb Redneck." If that's what you are after, you can consider yourself a smashing success.
It is easy to tell when thumper starts getting angry and emotional; his posts somehow make LESS sense and he makes more typos. Take it easy little buddy.
thisoneguy, are you telling me that one can be a racist againts a national from another country? Race describes a citizens ancestral nationality. There are different races in the U.S., Canada, Mexico etc. It does not describe what country a person is from.There are racial expressions and sometimes crimes are commited because of a persons racial undertones. I didn't say that being a racist was a criminal act, crimes can be commited because of someones racial beliefs. I was brought up an army brat and moved around the world as a child living with every ethnicity our armed forces had in its forces. I was introduced to racism back in 1966 when I started the 7th grade in Montgomery ,Alabama. I found out the the students racist attitude portrayed by the white 7th graders was copied from from parents. When I reached the 9th grade our Jr. High was integrated with one black boy and 3 black girls. I couldn't believe the way these young white teens acted because I had grown up with all colors . Later in life I realized that children inherit their personalities set by their parents.
Anyway our people and our country are being destroyed by undocumented aliens who are breaking federal laws. In the past the whole idea of letting immigrants into our country was controlled to keep a balance of workers prospering without harming anyone. With illegals slipping into our country, from different countries, breaking federal laws, there is no balance and our citizens are suffering.
Race has nothing to do with arbitrary political lines drawn on a map.
It is possible to say racist things about someone from a different country if you base those remarks on physical appearance.
The racism on this thread is not a case of Americans vs foreigners, it has to do with fear of specific foreigners because those foreigners (and their descendants)look different, have different hair/eye/skin color.
Here is an example:
Calling all Mexicans "dirty foreigners" is not racist (just ignorant) if you also call all Canadians "dirty foreigners".
Here is the test that thumper cannot seem to understand the logic of. This is where he somehow got the idea that I was promoting a blanket amnesty:
If they passed an amnesty law today for all of the "undocumented aliens" and they became card carrying, U.S. citizens overnight would you accept them as Americans equal to yourself? If the answer is anything other than "Yes" then you need to own up to your racist fears. Notice I didn't say you had to accept the POLICY, just the people, to not qualify as racist.
bigb: congrats, you finally escaped the censor. Too bad this forum is about over.
gmag: you were civil to me yesterday. Sorry, I owe you one.
Vulcan: do you know Spock?
Just remember one thing my friends,the world's most interesting man is Mexican. I've seen the television commercials.
So what does this really mean,If you dont have more latinos in office life is just not as good as it should be for the illegals?
It is my understanding that one must possess the ability to read and write in English to successfully run for political office. That eliminates almost 90% of Hispanics without even taking Herspanics into consideration.
Why is it when legal Americans or legal immigrants express their out rage at all the illegals pouring over our borders everyday, their called racists. These illegals overflow our emergency rooms at taxpayer expense. They use our energy supply whether it`s gas or oil which drives up our cost because of consumption. They drink our water which is of limited supply here. We have to educate their children at taxpayers expense, plus all the other resources they use at our expense. What`s wrong with shipping them home and telling them to get in line like all who have emigrated here the right way for over 200 years. The only real Americans are the Native American`s. I`m not a racist nor do I condone racism but I believe in what`s right.
Thumper Wumper;
We keep waiting for the silence that never comes.
shhhhhhhhhhh!
thisoneguy if our government passed an amnesty bill and give 20 to 30 million immigrants a pathway to citizenship it would destroy our middle class Americans. At that point these immigrants would bring in their relitives with a greencard through family member.
Our fore fathers told us that if ever our government did not respond to the needs of the people we have a right to get rid of our government elect and vote in a new administration and or Representatives, etc.
When a citizen finally realizes that his government is not of the people for the people, something has got to be done to wake up our elected officials or get rid of them.
We were told that the United States would profit from NAFTA. Just another avenue to let big business outsource. Lies from our elected officials. CAFTA was passed and again we were told that United States businesses would prosper as would American citizens. Well the businesses outsourced again and prospered but the U.S.citizens again lost more jobs to LIES told to us by our elected officials. There was out sourcing going on around the world to where ever big business could find a country that would provide cheap labor to produce goods to be sold in the U.S. for the highest profit world wide. Greed, greed, greed. Greed over came the intelligence of big business because they did not think about the fact that if you take away the jobs from middleclass America, who will be able to afford to by any item being produced in third world countries?
Today with our nation having the largest unemployment in our history, now to help businesses that are left in the U.S, they want to make illegal aliens who are taking jobs away from American Citizens who are in need and screaming for help, they want to make these illegals American citizens and their relitives. Do you suppose that any known entity that would try and destroy our great nation should be charged with treason? Greed makes our Government smarter than "We the People".
fremmasmind: their purpose IS to destroy the middle class. They want to do to the rest of us what they did to the black population and are endeavoring to do to Hispanics, make everyone wards of the almighty state. The Leftists' big problem, however, is that although they crave the power to control everyone and everything through big government, they are incapable of producing anything of tangible value. This is why socialism failed horribly in Russia, China, etc. They want us to toil to make bread so they can eat it and redistribute it according to their dictates of exercising power. More government leads to more control, which leads to more socialism.
I don't think anyone knows how many of the Hispanics in this County are legal or illegal. Our Federal Government refuses to enforce our immigration laws.
I read articles where UMC was providing services to illegals. Services that were not being reimbursed by the Federal Government of the Mexican Government. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
What do you say to a Mexican in a uniform? I'll have fries with that.
Why do you think over 80 hospitals in the southwest have CLOSED !!
The Spanish word for toilet paper=Lasvegassun
mikegino for me know to vulcan is "HIGHY ILLOGICAL"
The way politics has been going, extremists on both sides, millions being spent to run for local offices, dirty campaigning, immediate "investigations" if an elected politician supports or dosen't support a given issue....... Maybe the qualified Hispanic people (along woth a lot of qualified Whites, Blacks, etc.) are just saying "I want no part of that".