Jim Crow 2012: Mexican Americans Under Attack

Jim Crow laws were state and local laws in the United States enacted between 1876 and 1965.   Literacy test were used to keep people of color and sometimes poor whites from voting.

2011: Laws are being passed in the name of preventing “voter fraud.

The laws in question include requiring voter identification cards at the polls, limiting the time of early voting, ending same-day registration and making it difficult for groups to register new voters. 

 E. J Dionne of  The Washington Post Wrote

” Study after study has shown that fraud by voters is not a major problem — and is less of a problem than how hard many states make it for people to vote in the first place. Some of the new laws, notably those limiting the number of days for early voting, have little plausible connection to battling fraud.

These statutes are not neutral. Their greatest impact will be to reduce turnout among African Americans, Latinos and the young. It is no accident that these groups were key to Barack Obama’s victory in 2008 — or that the laws in question are being 

Texas, states that enacted voter ID laws this year include Kansas, Wisconsin, South Carolina and Tennessee. Indiana and Georgia already had such requirements. The Maine Legislature  voted to end same-day voter registration.  Florida seems determined to go back to the chaos of the 2000 election. It shortened the early voting period, effectively ended the ability of registered voters to correct their address at the polls and imposed onerous restrictions on organized voter-registration drives.

ISOLATIONIST?

The Republican party is still a party that seems to be at odds with  people of color and gays.  From their polarizing postion on immigration to supporting budgetary cuts that affects the poor and the senior population.

Many Latino’s and Asian  families  are conservatives and share  many views with the Republic Party, however while the immigration issue was directed at Mexicans it also effected Asian Americans.  Many Latino families supported Propitiation 8.

The fundamental problem with the Party is the appearance of one voice.  There is dissention within the Democratic Party.   Many high profile Democrats have publicly  challenged President Obama  from  Dennis Kucinich, to John Lawson.

Last year, Karl Rove, Jeb Bush and Florida Senatorial Candidate Marco Rubio where the only Republicans who publicly spoke against the Arizona Law.    No Republican in office publicly spoke against the law.      Not one  2012 Republican Candidate for President has opposed the changes in voter laws.

This country needs the Republicans

Its unfortunate  we have basically a two party system.   The citizens of this country deserve  full representation. The system is rigged to protect the two parties.  The result is limited voice..   Idealog  is more important than needs of the citizens.  A strong third or fourth party would end the log jam, but for now its tug of war with two participants weighing the same.

Whites are no longer the majority In California, Texas, New Mexico and Hawaii  more states will be added.   To survive, the Republican Party has to appeal to voters of color.   The party has to move more to the center.  It cant as Meg Whitman and Steve Poziner  who attempted during the California primary to appeal to the core and Latino voters, assuming all Mexicans who listen to Spanish radio station do not understand English.

For the first time in years the Party is fragmented.  The old guard is being challenged by newcomers who want change today.   This may be a good thing for the party.

However, the issue is time, for gays,labor ,people of color, and now seniors the party is going in the wrong direction.    Voters have long memories and the clock is ticking.

Cityfella