[UofMfan]

Originally Posted by Hack

Let's remember that in 2008, Obama received 67 percent of the Latino vote. This was unprecedented in American politics. In 2004, John Kerry got 53 percent of the Latino vote, compared to 44 percent for George W. Bush -- the most ever received by any Republican presidential candidate.

Latinos were about 9 percent of the total vote in the Obama-McCain election. This number will continue to grow, according to every poll and analysis I have read.

Obama was more successful than any Democrat before him in pulling Latino voters. Why? He didn't talk to them like an ethnic group. If you listen to any speech he gave to a primarily Latino audience or in New Mexico, Florida, Colorado or Nevada, he spoke to Latinos about inclusive key issues -- the economy and Iraq.

Given that, I think Gov. Brewer's actions do solidify what was already a growing Democratic voting bloc. However, I think there are factions within the Latino community that remain solidly Republican -- the Cuban-Americans in south Florida are a prime example.

I'd be interested in knowing if law enforcement groups endorsed this new law or were they opposed to it? If they opposed it, it just further supports that this was a dumb political move for Brewer. It is stuff like this that swings law enforcement support in elections to the Democrats. If she is pandering to a narrow band of conservatives in her party, what has she accomplished? As a politician, she's shot herself in the foot twice -- once with Latino voters and maybe again with law enforcement.

But it did grab her an entire national news cycle for at least a day or two.

Palin, Bachmann, Brewer...a truly scary mix.

From HuffPo:

"The Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police has sharply criticized the legislation:

The provisions of the bill remain problematic and will negatively affect the ability of law enforcement agencies across the state to fulfill their many responsibilities in a timely manner.

While AACOP recognizes immigration as a significant issue in Arizona, we remain
strong in our belief that it is an issue most appropriately addressed at the federal level.
AACOP strongly urges the U. S. Congress to immediately initiate the necessary steps to
begin the process of comprehensively addressing the immigration issue to provide
solutions that are fair, logical, and equitable."

And while the older community of Cuban-Americans are in fact mostly Republicans, there is a new wave of younger Cuba-Americans who have registered and voted Democrat. This was highly noticeable during the Presidential election where Obama was able to win Florida with the help of said group.

I also want to keep in mind that although this sorry excuse of a Governor signed the Bill into law, it was those in the House and Senate in Arizona who wrote it and passed it.

The Latino vote will not forget those facts. And John McAin't better forget any support from this community.