One step forward, three steps back

A recent Miami Herald article noted that Latino disappointment at the Obama administration could be taken advantage of by Republicans eager to make inroads in the Latino vote. "’There's a great sense of frustration, there's a great sense of anger and there's a big letdown’ that will drive more Latinos to the Republican Party” California State Senate Republican Caucus consultant Hector Barajas was quoted as saying.

There is plenty of justifiable disillusionment by Latinos against the White House on a range of issues. Yet the GOP must also be careful not to give the impression of offering “just a bunch of empty promises” (to use Barajas’ words against the Democrats). Proposals like the one outlined below will not earn the Republicans many Brownie points in the Latino community:

Republican lawmakers in Congress are sponsoring a bill that seeks to abolish birthright citizenship for children born in the United States to illegal immigrant parents…

"You have many people coming to this country illegally," said Rep. Gary Miller…"They come to this country and have babies. The children are citizens. The children are eligible to go to school. They receive food stamps and social programs. The American taxpayers are paying for it"…

Adrian Pantoja, associate professor of political studies at Pitzer College in Claremont, said the legislation is "largely symbolic" and unlikely to pass.

The other symbolism of the bill is that it demonstrates that the GOP will have their work cut out for them to make significant inroads in the Latino vote. Even though the Democrats are not doing themselves too many favors (i.e. lack of comprehensive immigration reform), a massive swing in Latino support to the GOP is far from guaranteed.

Online Sources- Miami Herald, Whittier Daily News
Image- TIME (Picture of the teleprompter at a 2007 Republican presidential debate “on Univision, the party's first on a Spanish-language network.”)