1. I will not call the GOP racist based just on their opposition to illegal aliens. McCaskill, Shuler and Webb are all opposed. However, based on other indicators, such as the opposition to the Voting Rights Act extension, and the shennanigans in Georgia and elsewhere in the South, I am pretty convinced that the GOP is at the least pandering to the white racists in the South.

Robert at 11:11AM on Sep 10th 2007

2. To "Robert" - So YOU are in favor of ILLEGAL ALIENS being given carte blanche to the resources our country? And anyone who isn't is "a racist southerner?"

Gonzo at 12:56PM on Sep 10th 2007

3. Barack Obama is worse than GOP declining he showed up and did not mention his part in ongoing Racism against Hispanic Americans in Illinois. I have been calling Barack Obama a racist and invite him to sue if I’m acting in bad faith. I say there is a reason a former civil rights attorney does not run for president with civil rights as a main issue and if you are a Hispanic American from the state of Illinois this concerns you. It can be verified having already been placed on repeated formal notice Barack Obama has taken no action to stop or even call for any investigation into IDHR & EEOC’s discriminatory practices that mistreat, harm , and prevent Illinois Hispanic American complainants from fairly & fully exercising their legal right to assert the exact same claim of discrimination based on RACE that other nonHispanics are allowed to by IDHR & EEOC. There can be no dispute that since 2004 I was and still now am not being allowed to assert & memorialize a claim of discrimination based on RACE on formal official “IDHR & EEOC” charges of discrimination with IDHR & EEOC focusing instead on manipulating the charging process by IDHR & EEOC repeatedly pressuring me to sign (upon threat of dismissing my charges) only IDHR & EEOC prepared “IDHR & EEOC” charges of discrimination in which IDHR & EEOC never memorialized my clear unambiguous claim of discrimination based on RACE that I have always maintained against Hormel Foods Corporation & UFCW since 2004. Even to date IDHR & EEOC have not provided me any state law or state rule and/or federal law or federal rule that excludes and/or prohibits any Illinois Hispanic American citizen from asserting and memorializing a claim of discrimination based on RACE on formal official “IDHR & EEOC” charges of discrimination at the agency IDHR and/or at the agency EEOC. Despite bringing this to Barack Obama’s attention Barack Obama and his office having full knowledge and understanding has continued to ignore the fact that I, one of his Illinois Hispanic American constituents, is unlawfully being treated unequally by IDHR & EEOC. IDHR & EEOC (For instance but not limited to) has attempted to dissuade me, an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, from filing charges, misrepresenting facts in the public record, and IDHR & EEOC is excluding & denying me , an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, a fair & full opportunity to memorialize my assertion of discrimination based on RACE on formal official “IDHR & EEOC” charges during the charge process without IDHR & EEOC ever providing in a clear straightforward honest manner an actual written legal justification that shows under what actual discriminatory Illinois law and/or federal law allows IDHR & EEOC to exclude any Illinois Hispanic American citizen from fairly & fully exercising their legal right to assert the exact same claim of discrimination based on RACE that other nonHispanics are allowed to & enjoy as matter of record at IDHR & EEOC. As a result of Barack Obama’s failure to insure that his Illinois Hispanic American constituents are not being prevented from fairly & fully exercising their legal right to assert discrimination based on RACE at the agencies IDHR & EEOC and Barack Obama’s failure to even call for an investigation to immediately redress this serious matter Barack Obama is effectively aiding and abetting Race discrimination, obstructing justice, and shielding Hormel Foods Corporation & UFCW from ultimately being held accountable for Hormel Foods Corporation and UFCW (for instance but not limited to) violating Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by subjecting me an Illinois Hispanic American citizen to discrimination based on RACE. The fact and truth of the matter is Barack Obama can not deny that I one of his constituents, an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, brought to his attention that there is substantial evidence about IDHR & EEOC interfering with my right for an investigation into my claim of discrimination based on RACE against Hormel Foods & UFCW from ever being conducted to date. Because I , an Illinois Hispanic American citizen, have the audacity to believe I am equal under the Laws of the United States Of America I refuse to believe IDHR & EEOC, Hormel Foods Corporation & UFCW (Despite Barack Obama’s inaction) are above the law and will not ultimately be held accountable for the above mentioned actions.

Chaos45i at 2:16PM on Sep 10th 2007

4. Well, Gonzo, #2, if Republicans have no one left to vote for them but the hard line conservatives, how do they expect to keep winnng elections?
African Americans vote overwehelmingly for Democrats, women are voting more and more with Democrats.
I give Bush credit for very little, but at least he had the sense to see that he was starting to woo Hispanic voters towards the Republican party. The GOP chose to throw that away with their hard line stance on immigration. In the November 2006 mid-terms, Republicans only got 20% of the Hispanic vote. They clearly lost votes since the 2004 re-election of Bush.
Last time I checked, it is about winning elections, isn't it?

David S. at 2:46PM on Sep 10th 2007

5.
The GOP may lose the Hispanic vote ( though only 1/2 of Hispanic Americans are pro illegal immigrants ). But they will be picking up a lot of Democrats.

When you look at the Democratic agenda, it is racist.

1. pro lawless illegals which benefits hispanics but not other Americans.

2. hobnobbing with La Raza, the latino version of the KKK. They want to take over western USA, and kick the Americans out.

3. supporting illegals is pro Latino but anti - American worker whose wages get depressed or loses jobs.

4 now pushing Spanish as a second langague. I speak three languages but there should only be one used in America, Enlish.

After reading about the debates this 20 year plus Democrat has walked away from the party. I am not intereted in its racist agenda. They should change their name to the Hispanic National Party.

cdnbirch at 9:10PM on Sep 10th 2007

6. David,

From various conversations I have had, the Democrats shouldn't rely too much on the black vote. They are getting mega ticked off by the racist policies of the Democrats which favor illegals latinos over American blacks. Blacks according to the lastest study have been the hardest hit by job loss due to the illegals, and they know it.

And when you count on women, do not forget that women set rules for kids and expect them to be followed. This whole anti rule of law idea of the Democrats is not going to hold much water. Plus women are the ones who volunteer in their kids schools. They know the problems the illegals are causing and that as a result their kids education is diluted.

cdnbirch at 9:16PM on Sep 10th 2007

7. Come on, how many illegal kids attend your child's school? Stop using immigrant families as scapegoats for your personal problems. Maybe you should spend time reading with your kid instead of wasting time blaming others.

And African-Americans will make the right choice. Blacks and Latinos are in this together. It's racist people (like some that are in here) that try to pit both cultures against each other. Together we are a powerful tide that cannot be stopped.

The GOP had a good chance to sway the Hispanic vote but the lineup has thrown that chance away with their harsh speeches (and not only on illegal immigration).

RX8X at 11:49PM on Sep 10th 2007

8. So what we have learned is if you are against mexican illegals parading over the border you are racist. I say pro-illegals have no argument so they throw the race card into the forum. Put up a wall and keep them out. They say they love Mexico? via la Mexico? BS

normanface at 12:06AM on Sep 11th 2007

9. The Democrats may be courting the Hispanics, yet they don't realize that the Hispanics aren't as cohesive or easily led as are the Blacks.

Armand at 9:10AM on Sep 11th 2007

10. I am Hispanic/American, born and raised in the United States. I can trace my ancestors back to New Mexico when it was a Territory. I also happen to be a Republican. And, I am fed up with the constant lumping together of Ethnic Groups. Just because I am Hispanic doesn't mean I vote Democrat. The candidates just need to appeal to the public as a whole, who cares if they are White, Hispanic, Black, etc. As I side note, I am 100% opposed to Illegal Immigration. These states who are spending all this money on Illegal immigrants should look at their public schools. Our public school children are having to go to school in substandard schools and are receiving substandard education. Those states should be educating American born children before educating Illegal immigrants children. Certainly American born children's interest outweigh the interest of illegal immigrant children. Yes, all children should be educated, however, the money should go for American born and legal immigrants first. Signed, fed up with race based politics!

Ruby at 9:15AM on Sep 11th 2007

11. Democrats my be trying to get the Hispanic vote. They are overlooking ther fact that the Hispanic's do not tend to be as cohesive or as easily led as are the Blacks. The Hispanics are not all of the same mindset. They are from all levels, economicaly,education wise with varied mindsets to the political arena.

Armand at 9:25AM on Sep 11th 2007

12. I am in one of the hardest hit states in the united states when it comes to illegal immigrants. Not that we have more than any other, but Mississippi is a poor state to begin with. We are having a serious problem in our public schools. We don't have to resources to successfully educate our legal citizens never mind to illegals! I pulled my daughter out of public school this past year. The school doesn't have time for my child! She was unable to take a spanish class because it was filled with illegal immigrant chilren. Her history class was disrupted on a daily basis by a couple of illegal hispanic children saying sexually harrasing comments to her in spanish.There is a no tolerance rule for violence but not for sexual harassment. Her teacher, on a number of occasions, claimed there was nothing he could do because he couldn't understand what they were saying. I know this may sound trivial to most but, when I confronted the head counsler about this issue she proceeded to inform me of the issues the high school was having. The school system was legally bound to educate any children in the district legal or illegal. It doesn't matter wether they can speak english or not they have to hire instructors for these children to learn english, unfortunatly they were short on funds in the county and were on able to hire 2 teachers for approx. 32 schools. In my daughters one History class there were four non-english speaking children. One other child was doing the translating for them. Who is this helping? I know this problem was seriously harming my childs education! By the way the county has raised our real estate taxes for education twice in the last 3 years and plans to increase them again this year. What am I paying for? If I want my child to have a good education I have no choice but to send her to private school, which I am having a very hard time affording. Meanwhile I am footing the bill for these illegal immigrants to get my child's right to a quality education. Hello???? Who is going to step up and fix this??? Certainly not the Democratic party. They are scared to stir up the hispanics. Well I hate to burst any bubbles but the hispanics who have a right to vote are legal!!! I have hispanic friends who are just as sick of this issue as I am. They are legally here! Their parents or grandparents came here just like mine did. They waited in lines, filled out the correct papers, and learned to speak english! Does no one understand the difference? It's not that we don't want immigrants to be here but, shouldn't they have to follow the laws just like the rest of us?

Jennifer at 10:05AM on Sep 11th 2007

13. LOL

jbmc2u at 10:56AM on Sep 11th 2007

14. There is one thing that is for sure Hispanics will not vote for a party that permits, tolerates and promotes hateful commentary, discriminatory and unconstitutional laws, that defames and slanders good people and that promotes racism with pride.

Let us look at the facts

800 billion consumer spending
Immigrants and Hispanics pay billions in taxes
We create jobs
We develop businesses
We build roads
We construct skyscrapers and big buildings
We harvest the food Americans eats
We serve it
We cook it
We consume it
Our children have become doctors and lawyers, teachers and engineers and astronauts
We are the future of America
We are America and let it be clear and emphatic we are here to stay.

carlos at 11:24AM on Sep 11th 2007

15. For all you people talking about the poor education our children are receiving, lets bring it all back to where the problem really is and that is this horrible administration. The war in Iraq is costing billions, and going nowhere. Not only is the US giving money that could be spent here to help not only education, but all the damage hurricane Katrina inflicted and is still not being fixed. But also, man/woman power that is in Iraq, which is another reason there wasn't enough help to get people evacuated and rescued! This country was made by people migrating from other countries, yes, it needs to be regulated, but who are we to decide who can and can't come to this wonderful country to make a better life for themselves and their families.

Marlene at 3:28PM on Sep 11th 2007