Torres: Republicans allowing Democrats to win messaging war?
By State Rep. Raul Torres
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas The Democratic Party has taken the Latino vote for granted for too long and has failed to deliver on all their promises: on education on freedom on life on our family values on religious freedom and on small business opportunities. Looking forward there are two paths for Hispanics in America.
One path begins with the words I have often heard from fellow Democrat friends who say to me Why are you a Republican? You belong with us. The Republicans are only for whites and they will only use you." But that path leads to nowhere. All we have to do is look back into our history books.
An October 2006 survey revealed that
34 of Latinos considered themselves conservatives" a number similar to the white population. In that same survey Latinos were 54 pro-life more conservative than the population at large and 59 strongly support traditional marriage.
When given choices and asked What do you think is the best strategy to begin to growing the economy again? 56 said
Cut taxes.
If you ask me Hispanics sound a lot like current day Republicans.
Hispanics are fully aware now that they have been sold a box full of empty promises. It has led to a place where the only answer to our problems is to blame others for them.
Millions of Latinos have for too long accepted as fact that that somehow we are victims and we are disadvantage because others hate us. All this does is enslaving us to our own fears and eventually causing us to be politically control by others rather than be free thinkers and able to choose our own destiny and standard of living in our in life.
Millions of hard working Latinos are slowly learning that the other path leads to a more hopeful and prosperous future for their families and for other Latinos in America. It gives us to the freedom
to embrace and exercise those values that are deeply embedded into our culture and in our minds. It leads us to the freedom to seek the best opportunities available to us in both education and career path.
The only limit we find is within ourselves and prosperity is a only a hard days away from being a reality.
Now to path & point number two. This continueing series based upon the survey numbers
can be found in Leslie Sanchezs book Los Republicanos."
Most Latinos consider education as the number one issue confronting their families. Yet the policies of the Democratic leadership over the past 40 years have failed the Latino community. Today Latino families face three major problems in education. According to an article that appeared in the New York Times on August 5 2011 titled The Decade of Lost Children" the author says this about the state of education
A majority of children in all racial groups and 79 or more of black and Hispanic children in public schools cannot read or do math at grade level in the fourth 8th or 12th grades."
This issue is very prevalent in Texas where many of our Hispanic K-12 students are stuck in a system that does not teach them the basic skills such as reading and math that they need to succeed academically. According to the Excelencia in Education organization 48 of all student in Texas K-12 in 2010 were Hispanic students.
These two factors added together represent a very troubling situation for Latino parents and educators throughout Texas.
The second problem is the minority dropout rate in Texas.
According to an article written in the San Antonio Express News on June 23 2010 the author states Some tag the Texas high school dropout rate as high as 33 percent with speculation that the rate may be higher than 50 percent for Hispanic students."
In another report issued by The Intercultural Development Research Association in 2010 the data
showed that Hispanic students are about two times more likely to leave school without graduating with a diploma than White students.
The story is sobering. Nearly 50 of the K-12 Latino students drop out of high school for one reason or another. This is very troubling to the families and to the state of Texas. Once again Hispanics are left behind the pack.
Finally in a report put out by the American Legislative Exchange Council titled Unacceptable Outcomes: A Call To Action" we learn of
a 3rd major problem.
According that the report the students who do graduate from high school do so unprepared to handle the most basic college work such as reading and math. Instead students are forced to take remedial courses. This results in close to 50 of those who enter college never graduate with any type of degree or certificate plus they are forced to add thousands of dollars to their education cost with nothing to show for it at the end.
To prove this all we have to do is look at the graduation rates for Texas.
- According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2008 American Community Survey 33 of Texas adults (ages 25-64) obtained at least an associates degree compared to a national average of 38.
- Yet sadly only 16 of Hispanics in the same age group earned an associate degree or higher.
This is truly a deep concern for the Hispanic community and for the future prosperity of the state of Texas. This is one topic the Republican Party can use to reach out to Hispanics all over America and especially in Texas.
The final reason Republican and Hispanics need each other is because both groups are so much alike in their values and beliefs.
When you see a Hispanic what you are seeing is a Republican on the inside. Yet the immigration issue will be the one issue that the Democrats will use to divide both groups and the truly sad part of this is that the Republicans have allowed this to happen for the past 40 years.
Nevertheless both the Republican National Committee and the Republican Party of Texas despite their best efforts have failed in most cases over the years to properly communicate a positive message that gives Hispanics hope they are welcomed into the party. Rather the Democrat Party has won the message battles and today seems to have the upper hand in influencing millions of Latinos all over America.
How much longer will the Republican Party allow the Democrats to continue to win the messaging war?
I think back when I first heard Ronald Reagan. At that time I was unemployed I was the father of two children and I was concerned about our
familys future. But somehow I remember hearing him speak. His words and his enthusiasm for life gave me a renewed sense of hope.
Reagan allowed me and others to believe that better days were on their way and the possibility of achieving the American dream was within my grasp. President Reagan was right. Within three years my wife and I purchased our very first home at 13 interest (that was a bargain rate at that time) but we were happy and two years later I started my very first business.
Why do Republicans continue to conduct their Hispanic outreach efforts the same old way its been done for 40 years and then expect a different outcome? Albert Einstein had a word for this type of behavior. He called it insanity."
How much longer will the Republican Party allow this to take place? Why do Republicans insist on handling their Hispanic outreach efforts the same old way its been done for 40 years and expect a different outcome? Albert Einstein had a word for this type of behavior. He called it insanity."
In conclusion Latinos are looking for a home where their votes will not be taken for granted. Where they will be welcomed and allow to fully participate in the political process. They want to their children to have a world class education and an equal opportunity to succeed. They work hard believe in individual freedom they want to freely worship God they believe in traditional marriage and in the sanctity of life.
All they want is what you and I want: to provide a good quality of life for their families and a safe community for their children and grandchildren to live in. Like most Americans Hispanics are optimistic about their own future and that of America.
President Reagan reminded me of how great America could be if we the people could once again believe in ourselves. He talked about God as if he was sitting right next to me at our church service and he reminded us all of the duty we had to each other especially to those less fortunate than ourselves.
The Republican Party should learn a good lesson that the Democratic Party has given them. Do not take for granted the Hispanic vote.
Times are changing quickly and failure to embrace the Hispanic vote and find a softer tone regarding the immigration issue will produce dreadful results in the political landscape. God willing the Republican leadership will make the right decisions in 2012.
I conclude by updating what Ronald Reagan said many years ago Latinos are Republican and they are just starting to realize it."
State Rep. Raul Torres of Corpus Christi serves House District 33 and was sworn into the Texas House of Representatives on January 11 2011. He is a member of the Appropriations Committee & the House Committee on 
Insurance. To read each analyses ibncluded in the 4-Part Series click HERE.
Torres (HD 33) talks with Insiders Jim Cardle of his decision to run for the State Senate Dist. 20 seat in the valley" portion of deep south Texas.
For the early & Inside Scoop" on the Senate District 20 race …. its demographic make-up as well as the closely-watched border issues confronting the candidates
dont miss Torres exclusive discussion with Texas Insider.
This is a very important race not only for the district but also for Texas & perhaps Hispanic Republicans nationally" says Torres.
