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By Tovin Lapan (contact) 
Thursday, May 31, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Related stories
- Violence Against Women Act in limbo as parties weigh consequences of provision affecting important constituency: Hispanics (05-29-2012)
- Swing your hips, then swing the election (03-23-2012)
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- Las Vegas Sol blog
- More Sun immigration coverage
- More Sun political news
A coalition of conservative groups has launched Nevada Hispanics, a new civic engagement organization throwing down the gauntlet with Democrats for the coveted Hispanic vote.
Wednesday morning, a series of speakers assailed President Barack Obama for failing to advance immigration reform, damaging the economy by restricting free enterprise and embracing liberal positions on social issues such as same-sex marriage.
“It’s time to say, ‘Enough with the lies, you failed us on immigration reform, and you are the most anti-immigrant president in the history of the United States,’” Alfonso Aguilar, executive director of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, said to loud applause from the group gathered at the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce.
Nevada Hispanics is an initiative of American Principles in Action, an affiliate of American Principles Project, a conservative organization founded by Princeton University professor Robert George. Aguilar’s Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles also is affiliated with American Principles Project.
“Are we conservatives? You bet we are, if by a ‘conservative’ one means a believer in the rule of law, democracy, limited government, and respect for civil liberties, private property and the free market, equality of opportunity, the sanctity of human life, the protection of marriage and the family, and the defense of our nation’s sovereignty and security,” a statement on the American Principles Project website reads.
The current campaign from Nevada Hispanics, “Your Vote is Your Voice: Vote Your Values,” focuses on the November general election and is designed to turn out Latino voters. However, Nelson Santiago, the organization’s spokesman, said the group is here to stay and will remain active after the election.
“I think for far too long conservatives and Republicans have not paid enough attention to Latinos,” Aguilar said, later adding that Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush were two Republican presidents who successfully reached out to Latinos.
The campaign is also affiliated with conservative groups Americans for Prosperity; the Libre Initiative, which focuses on economic policy; and the Congress of Racial Equality, a civil rights organization founded in 1942 that has progressively moved toward more conservative positions.
Michael Barrera, western regional director of the Libre Initiative, said the Occupy Wall Street movement should lay off corporations and focus their fury on big government.
“The government should not be picking winners and losers; it should be the free market that should pick winners and losers,” Barrera said. “We’ve got to let the free markets decide what’s best for us.”
Niger Innis, national spokesperson for the Congress of Racial Equality, attended the event and spoke. He told the audience the major parties terrorize minority communities with the politics of victimization.
“It’s unfortunate, in the minority community, we are often used as pawns,” Innis said. “Sometimes one political party writes us off: ‘We can’t get their vote.’ The other political party either takes us for granted or believes that the way to get us out to vote is to terrorize us. They say that the other political party is made up of Klan members. They say the other political party hates you. That’s nonsense, and it promotes a victimology that is not part of our essence as a people and a country.”
Aguilar said the Nevada Hispanics organization does not support “draconian” Arizona-style immigration laws, and he criticized the Obama administration’s relatively high rate of deportations. Aguilar said he supported the current form of the Dream Act but that a revised version expected from Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., had a better chance of passing.
“It’s an interesting message they are sending about victimization when we think about (GOP presidential hopeful Mitt) Romney, who wants to use what’s happening in Arizona as a model for immigration here, and that turns our people into criminals, separates their families and in essence creates a state of fear and panic where people are going to hide and retreat,” said Edith Fernandez, an Obama supporter who attended the event.
Fernandez said Nevada Hispanics’ statements on immigration do not align with Romney’s. Fernandez also balked at the idea posed by Aguilar that it was Obama and the Democrats who failed to pass immigration reform.
“It’s when tea party politics came in, injecting their tactics of fear that (the Dream Act) fell apart,” Fernandez said. “Romney’s proposal for self-deptoration is laughable. What kind of policy is that? It makes no sense.”
Several times throughout the event, various speakers used the phrase “vote your values,” and they criticized Obama’s positions on abortion rights and same-sex marriage.
“President Obama made abortion a U.S. export,” Aguilar said, referring to funding for international organizations that offer abortions. “Now we are funding organizations that are promoting and even practicing abortion in our own countries, in Mexico City ... and in other parts of Latin America.”
Polling of Latino voters shows they are much more likely to vote based on political issues and how government money should be spent than on social issues.
A strong majority, 63 percent, of Latino voters strongly disagree with religious leaders telling members which candidate to vote for, according to a recent impreMedia-Latino Decisions poll. Latinos have more of a distaste for mixing politics and religion than the general electorate, the poll found.
Aguilar said he was aware of such polling but that to get the most socially conservative voters you must spread a dual message that addresses both sets of issues.
Hispanics make up 15 percent of the Nevada electorate and are considered a crucial swing vote for winning the election in the Silver State.
From 2008-2010 the Democrats controlled the House, the Senate and the presidency. Obama had the votes to advocate for and pass any legislation he pleased. See the atrocious Obamacare as proof of that. Let's not rewrite history, Mr. Fernandez. The president had two years to further his agenda. Immigration reform just wasn't his priority. He gives little indication, outside of political rhetoric, that immigration would be any higher of a priority in a second term.
Sounds like the "Ladies against Women" group. "Latinos against Hispanics" ??? Just a bunch of people with their tin cup out for Carl Rove money. Maybe they can campaign with Sheriff JOE?
"'It's when tea party politics came in, injecting their tactics of fear that (the Dream Act) fell apart,' Fernandez said. 'Romney's proposal for self-deptoration (sic) is laughable. What kind of policy is that? It makes no sense.'"
Mr. Fernandez is right in her assessment. The Tea/Republican Party absolutely loves to fearmonger. Scare the Caucasians by portraying the Hispanics as the boogeymen. And they paint a picture that it don't matter if they are American or not, all the same to them, just scaremonger to get the vote.
But wait. Oh. An election is coming up. We, the faithful Tea/Republican Party, defenders of all Latinos everywhere, needs to switch. All of a sudden the Hispanics are important. Because they want your vote and are paying lip service to get it. But that will only go so far. If, after the election, they get their people in charge, it is a CERTIFIED FACT they will drop the Latinos like a lead balloon.
It should be noted that all the people behind this new group are all billionaires. There are absolutely no "grassroots" organizations at all. They are pandering to get the vote. They are trying to buy off the Latinos and get their vote. And I really hope they see this.
Lastly, I laugh everytime Romney brings up his idea of "self-deportation." Not sure if anyone sees the history about that, but it was first raised by a person in California many years ago. That person was a comedian. And he used it as a total joke. The people in California got a big laugh about the stupidity of that idea and his comedy skit.
Skip forward many years later. Brain dead Tea/Republicans, who are desperate for something to make themselves look like they are doing something, but really aren't, totally and completely grasped this concept. Not as a joke. BUT AS A POLICY!
Everytime Romney mentions this, people out here in the Pacific Southwest laugh at him. He's nothing but a buffoon. He can't figure out reality from fantasy.
Romney, the walking, talking, breathing joke. And add to that, because of last week's debacle with Trump, a confirmed birther too.
Obama/Biden 2012! AND a Democratic Party majority in the Senate and the House. To Heller with Heck and to Heck with Heller.
Latino Conservatives and Latino Business owners are combining forces to call THIS president Anti-Immigrant? All this meas is that Republican strategists have TOTALLY given up WINNING the Latino vote and will settle for chipping away at the Democratic Latino behemoth. It didn't work with Lesbians and Gays and it won't work with Latinos.
El Presidente Pinocchio.
This group is schizophrenic. They claim to be "conservative" and "for the rule of law," but they want to reward illegals for breaking the law. Which are they? "Conservative" or not? "For the rule of law," or not? They can't have it both ways. Another thing, screw the politics of "divisiveness." Either they are Americans or they are not. I'm not a Russian simply because my grandparents fled Russia in 1914. I'm an American. They not Mexicans or Brazilians or Peruvians if they are U.S. citizens; they are Americans. Cut the crap and quit trying to divide us by place of origin, religion or color. Understand that the "melting pot" means exactly that. You want to be a Russian? Move back to Russia. You want to be a Mexican? Move back to Mexico, etc.
It is insane to call Obama anti-immigrant. He has the DOJ attacking every state that tries to defend itself from the welfare mob from Mexico and South America. He does Spanish ads for voters who are too lazy to learn English. No this man is all for the illegal mob overrunning us.
I don't know where the Hispanic coalition gets their information from, but i can tell you this President Obama has done more for the Hispanic Immigrants that any other President i know.
If you think Republicans are for Hispanic Immigrants take a look at what they are doing in AZ,ABA,CA.and etc.
The Republicans has Hired Rubio to campaign with Mitt Romney to get the Hispanic votes. If you are RICH, Mitt is your gug, if you middle class or poor than President Obama is working for you.
Kathleen Worthington,
Please show where the Democrats had a fillibuster proof majority of 60 votes in the Senate from 2008 through 2010.
Thank you.
I want to share this article with you because its important that you know what happen to our country and where Mitt Romney wants to take us back to.
I read this morning on CNN "Wall Street ditches Obama, Backs Romney. I ask my self why?.
Its because President Obama implemented Regulations that caused this economy crisis in our Country. i will post the article on the next post, but read a comment on this post that were 'SPOT" by colin.
This is where Romney wants to take our County back to.
Phil, let's start with the meltdown and the causes. What did you guys find to be
the basic causes of the meltdown?
Well, at the heart of this crisis were really the twin factors of recklessness
on Wall Street -- unbridled, reckless actions -- coupled with abject regulatory
neglect in Washington, this brew of a private, financial sector run amok without
the kind of guardians of the public interest on the watch, protecting our
economy, protecting our financial system. And I think when you look at what
happened, what's most striking is the extent to which this was an avoidable
crisis.
You know, there has been a whole school of rhetoric coming out of this crisis
that it was the perfect storm, that this could not have been anticipated, that
there were such large forces that collided that no human being could have
foreseen the magnitude of what happened to our financial system and to our
country. But when you look at the facts, what you will see is you will see a
building over 30 years of a deregulatory mind-set in which the belief became
embedded in intellectual circles and the financial circles that the financial
masters on Wall Street had learned to control risk, that there was an
intersection of their interest in self-preservation with the protection of the
public interest, and there was a real belief in the light hand of regulation.
But in the early 2000s you see the emergence of lots of warning signs, red
flags, flashing red and yellow lights along the way: the unsustainable rise in
housing prices; the reports of egregious and predatory lending practices that
were cropping up all over this country, starting in places like Cleveland and
then spreading to the "sand states" [Arizona, California, Florida and Nevada].
What you see is, as early as 2004, the FBI is warning about an epidemic of
mortgage fraud that, if left unchecked, could leave us with losses as big as the
savings and loan crisis. You see the growing risk being taken by the big
financial houses on Wall Street. Take, for example, Goldman Sachs. In 1997, I
think they make about 39 percent or so, or in the high 30s of their revenue
comes from what they call principal and trading, principal investment and
trading.
By 2007 that has risen to about 79 percent, essentially making money just by
trading on the marketplace. And of course you had that small matter of the
doubling of mortgage debt in this country and the creation of $13 trillion of
mortgage securities. All of that occurred as regulators either turned a blind
eye or didn't have a real sense of the risks that were embedded in this system
that had grown in the last two to three decades.
:
:
Every one should read "Frontline Money, Power,and Wall Street. via PBS.ORG
I watch 4 hrs of that show and to say the least i were shock.
"I'm running for office, for pete's sake, I can't have illegals!" That's what Willard said after learning that the dark-skinned guy mowing the lawn at his mansion was an undocumented worker.
We can all look forward to hearing more of these kind of WTF? comments now that the spineless worm who campaigned nonstop for seven years has officially won the GOP nomination.
This coalition speaks out of both sides of their mouths at the same time, and therefore has a credibility problem coming out of the gate. One of their speakers, Aguilar, stated, "... referring to funding for international organizations that offer abortions. "Now we are funding organizations that are promoting and even practicing abortion in our own countries, in Mexico City ... and in other parts of Latin America."
This coalition is simply attempting to sede the USA into Latin America, it appears through their pandering politics. Commenter Jerry Fink cut to the quick highlighting this issue with "Cut the crap and quit trying to divide us by place of origin, religion or color. Understand that the "melting pot" means exactly that. You want to be a Russian? Move back to Russia. You want to be a Mexican? Move back to Mexico, etc.".
The United States of America has offered a LEGAL and JUST path to citizenship for centuries, and it is groups like these that attempt to take over the USA by such political manuevering and division. If they are so upset about not enough Latinos immigrating here, then let them SPONSOR all of them by using the current path to citizenship.
Blessings and Peace,
Star
Ronald Reagan gave 3 million illegals amnesty and fired 11,000 union air traffic controllers. El Presidente Pinocchio wants to give 12 million illegals amnesty and put 20 million Americans on food stamps.
Kathleen Worthington,
Please show where the Democrats had a fillibuster proof majority of 60 votes in the Senate from 2008 through 2010.
Thank you.
Action speaks louder than words. The Republicans actions have clearly shown the majority of Hispanics that Republicans despise them. From Sharron Angles commercials depicting Hispanics as criminals, to the constant Republican filibusters of legislation to address our illegal population, and the downright hatred emanating from the Republican base. I don't see this sham organization gaining any Hispanic votes.
More hilarity from wingnuts.
On the one hand, (according to the loons) President Obama was born in Kenya. Now, the illegal, non-American president is 'the most anti-immigrant' president ever.
lol
I think I'm going to puke.
See the video called the Obama Deception. The See The Sandoval Deception: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtkc0YSNx...
This reminds me of the quote from Team America....
Gary Johnston: OK, a limosine that can fly. Now I have seen everything.
Spottswoode: Really? Have you seen a man eat his own head?
Gary Johnston: No.
Spottswoode: So then, you haven't seen everything.
Harry "I never met a hispanic who wouldn't vote for me" Reid had a filibuster proof majority for about 6 months when one of the more poorly drafted laws---Obamacare, was passed. Never again.
I guess I don't understand some of this.
If you are here legally, you have nothing to worry about.
If you are here illegally you protest because the government follows the laws regarding your criminal actions?
Next we will have protests by bank robbers. After all, who did they hurt, they only steal from banks. ;(
Have a chat with one of the people who are pro-illegal aliens and you discover they don't think Obama is anti immigrant at all. Further, look at the numbers, and Obama is NOT the most deporting of all Presidents.
Simply put.. the American People are dealing with a new propaganda campaign to open the doors down on the border. Not a single word about repaying all the money stolen at this point.. just shoveling the baloney as fast as they can.
El Presidente Pinocchio, born in Kenya when getting free gubmint scholarships, born in Hawaii when getting a free gubmint paycheck, born in a manger if you ask a democrat, just a fulero to a Latino.
Obama will have a few obligatory support phrases for things of interest to Hispanics during the fall campaign but that's it. Obama has been a big dud to our state.
Maybe legal immigrants are fed up with the illegals scamming their country:
"Angry, resigned, helpless."
That's how one Northern California Internal Revenue Service employee described revelations that millions of illegal aliens are claiming and receiving billions of dollars in tax refunds for alleged family members in Mexico using a loophole in the tax code.
Knowledge of the scam has grown following a report by Indianapolis television station, WTHR-TV. The report documented illegal aliens filing the IRS Additional Child Tax Credit form for children -- often nieces and nephews -- who have never lived in the United States. To legally qualify, a child must be present in the filer's U.S. residence for over half the year.
http://www.wnd.com/2012/05/irs-field-age...
Again, I doubt anybody switched sides due to this latest temper tantrum by yet another fringe GOP group that gets their facts from another planet.
vegaslee,
So the selective outrage against illegal immigration that focuses on people who look different doesn't bother you? There is bigotry and racism shot all through the Republican party.
Alfonso Aguilar can't be that naive as to think Romney or any real conservative republicans will want anything to do with him after the elections are over, can he?
The farce is: "let the free markets decide what's best for us".
Really? Let the money people decide all issues of science, education, history? And who will occupy the back rooms of decisions? Most likely executives and lawyers, certainly not the electorate.
There is no such thing as the 'Free' market. Markets are won and controlled by information which is never free. The important information is very expense and those who can pay for it do not dispense their property to the public.
A Free Market economy referred to works in reality as a Money Market economy and that leads to a Money Market legal system (legal markets are never Free). Those with money to pay the attorneys will litigate their victims into oblivion.
Justice will be defined by those with the most financial power to outlast their victims. What makes the most money for a few will be the 'best decision' for the public...as it almost is now.
The latest Republican Primary was financed over 90% by less than 100 privileged people. These 100 will listen only to those who speak the same thoughts. When they want war, the President they elect and to whom they have direct access will wage war and the National Debt will be expanded to such a degree that the Government becomes crippled and controlled by a few.
The ultimate objective of the '(un)Free Market' is to overpower the Government and control the Democracy, as it did in Europe before the American Revolution.
No politician can win office with ONLY the latino vote. Show some respect for American principles and send the illegals home. mschaffer: It is NOT bigotry to insist that our laws be obeyed. Protecting our country from enemies, "foreign and domestic" is the PRIMARY purpose of the federal government.
Jerry Find: Thank you for iterating the obvious. I am an American. My grandparents, the ones who emigrated, were Americans--fought in our wars, paid our taxes, endorsed our systems, learned our language, joined in community with AMERICANS. They did NOT cluster into ghettos of any ethnicity. They did not expect, and REFUSED, special treatment.
Catholics have a large percentage of Hispanics in their congregation. Catholics have now joined together to file a law suit against Obama for his refusal to allow Catholics and their congregations freedom of religion.
Obama has actively supported killing many hundreds of Hispanics and others in Mexico by shipping guns to drug lords for them to kill innocent men, women and children.
Obama has supported jailing for 33 years Pakistani doctor who allowed Obama to find Osama Bin Laden - Obama now wants us to think that since Obama played golf the day of Osama's death, that Obama did the act himself.
Obama has failed to work a full day in his life as president - always plays the pimp and smiles and prances around but never digs in and works both sides of an issue. As such, he has failed to bring meaningful legislation to a vote on immigration. Something he could have done.
So if you love your neighbors in Mexico; if you support freed of religion; and if you support hard work of the team - then you must vote the imp Obama out of office.
Stupid mark schaffer does not understand the meaning of the word illegal.
Seems like more of a complaint against the do-nothing go-nowhere congress than the president, but I guess they have to scapegoat someone.
respect for civil liberties and the defense of marraige is an oxymoron
Jon Corzine and the White house...
http://video.pbs.org/video/2237926398
I do not understand why US citizens defend people that are in our country illegally. Why? It must be the fact that conservatives want them out. That is the only defense that I can imagine. Just because conservatives want it.
Liars, the article above is a phony assessment about Obama. That no good President of yours has catered to the illegals since he took office and he's fought every law where states what to deport them for knowingly breaking the law. That's like saying the California version of The Dream Act hasn't cost the taxpayers there a few billion a year more adding to their budget problems.
These types of articles will only get worse as the election nears, we're going to have to sift to the garbage reporting while their minions suck it up and believe the trash they'll print.
It's no wonder the liberals are screwed up, they're fed a lie enough where and they're too lazy to do the research and get to the truth for themselves. Amazing, how minions are conditioned and become mindless trolls beating to someone else's drum beat, lmao!
Corzine still a bundler for Obumma, even while justice dept investigates why he lost a billion-two. Perhaps a bailout after the election?
Someone wake up occupiers--quite the cozy relationship. LMAO!
How can Odumbo be called anti-immigrant when he had two illegal alien relatives from Kenya, one a drunk and a danger to society and the other one sucking off of the system in public housing? Odumbo just doesn't believe any rules apply to him or his family.
SunJon, were you on John Edwards jury today? As a trial lawyer, made a lot of money talking to "the dead" while working for "the common man". Enjoy dumbocrat junkscience, as most of the rubes who vote (D) do.
The Republican party has simply lost its collective mind. It's flopping around all over the place in a desperate attempt to look as though they have a clear purpose.
If the President is soooooooooooooooo awful and has done soooooooooooooooooo many terrible things and is doing such a horrible job then why is the GOP soooooooooooooooooooo desperately trying to find ways to defeat the man?
The whole Tea Party, Republican, Right Wing is nothing more than the dying embers of a sad and pathetic American past based on zenophobia, segregation and Christian supremacy. You can't tout freedom and Democracy while you're so blatantly attempting to marginalize people large groups of the nation.
FYI GOP: Latinos aren't as dumb as you'd like them to be and that is why you're going to lose the White House and the entire congress in November. Only a pinhead would think that Latinos aren't well aware of who would like to see them all rounded up and sent away.
Has anyone told the GOP that Nazism didn't work?
Nobody is saying illegals are stupid, they're not. They're actually smarter than the average. They've trained the liberal party and most politicians, they say three magical words, "offensive" -- "racism" - "entitlement" and poof, welcome to America and enjoy the freebies!
I don't acknowledge or succumb to the use of hyphenated Americans, the use of hyphenated was and is designed by liberals as a way to divide and conquer by race for their thirst to suck more money from us taxpayers to further their sick freeloading agenda. When people come to America and become US citizens, they're American, nothing more, nothing less.
Hey sport, enjoy another "summer of recovery". It's no longer the "inherited" thang.
Mark and Justice,
No president has had a filibuster-proof majority since Jimmy Carter. Reagan and Clinton managed to get plenty of business done. If your comments are trying to suggest that Obama couldn't get key legislation passed because he didn't own a guaranteed number in the Congress, I again submit to you Obamacare. He fought like a bear for it.
Republicans are heavily divided on immigration reform. Half are staunch no-amnesty proponents, but others are not. Obama needed no filibuster-proof majority to pass legislation on that issue if he had gone to the wall for it. He only needed to persuade 2 Republicans to join his side. Two.
Finish packing and start hiking south. I predict a landslide election, for change. Romney has already told you to go home if you want a chance to REQUEST legal entry into this country. There will be NO AMNESTY of any kind. When we enforce our laws and employers cannot and will not employ illegals, even those hiding here for years will need to hike south. Haven't you noticed the federal bills and legislation to STOP PAYING benefits to illegal anchor babies? Romney will sign those laws.
This article has to e giving the tea partyers fits. Defend or deny? What a conundrum!!!
Kathleen,
The ACA that was passed did not contain everything the President asked for and much of that was watered down. That he had to fight for what was an improvement but a long way from what other countries have as you write yourself ("fought like a bear") reinforces my point. As to your assertion regarding Republicans...prove it.
People who've managed to sneak across the border and remain undetected in the U.S. appear to have a strong sense of entitlement. In no way do they think what they've done is wrong.
These people want an open border. In this post- 9 eleven period, that's simply not going to happen.