Political parties are in the business of winning elections. They do this by creating their party platforms, selecting candidates, and raising money to support campaigns in order to win come election day. But the voters that each party desperately covets are generally thought of as coalitions: groups of groups, that each party wants to assemble and hold in order to maintain a majority of voters voting for their candidates. A great example of this was the "new deal coalition" which were made up of union workers, African Americans, Jews, northern intellectuals, farmers, and a few others who voted in huge numbers for Democrats from the New Deal (1930s) until the 1980s or longer.
While campaigns are becoming more sophisticated and more individualized, parties still target groups that they would like to hold. This is true for the "Black Vote," the "Women Vote," and the "Latino Vote." The parties target these groups by trying to support issues important to many in the group. Obviously there is no single issue that everyone in a particular group agrees with. It is no more realistic to talk about women's reproductive health issues as THE issue for woman as it would be to talk about support of Israel wrapping up 100% of the Jewish vote.
That being said the Latino Vote in America is among the fastest growing groups of voters and has been shifting more and more into the Democratic column. Take a look at this great report from Pew about the Latino Vote in 2016, or this one about 2012. You will notice the trends over time about which party Latinos are voting for and some information about the issues that Latino's felt were most important in to Latino voters over the past two presidential elections. There are many issues that were important, only one of which is immigration, though it grabs most of the attention. Immigration and our relationship with Mexico has been particularly contentious during the 2016 election and in the early days of the Trump administration. How might this affect voting in the future?
This week I would like you to analyze the role of the Latino vote today and as we look into the future. You might want to take into account where Latinos live, recent public opinion data about their views on immigration, and what other issues might be particularly important to Latinos.
How should this voting block be viewed? Is it a voting block at all? What policies or actions by the government might be best for the largest number of Latinos? And most importantly how would you advise both parties (but especially the Republicans) in regards to gaining more Latino voters? Please respond to one another and simply use these questions as a discussion starter.
In regards to advice for both parties on gaining more Latino voters, my advice is changing the use of words and rhetoric (especially the Republicans). It seems to me that both parties at times do not realize and understand that what they say and how they say it, which can make such a big impact on their image and/or reputation perceived by certain groups. In the reading by Rodney E. Hero, he makes a claim that:
ReplyDelete"The methods and definitions used by government entities to describe Latino groups in the United States is itself an important example of the social and political "structuring of ethnicity."
He uses the example that the identification as "Hispanic" is, in a way, a stereotype because it overemphasizes the European or Spanish aspect of Latinos. Whereas "Latino" is, according to Hero, a commonly used and/or preferred identification because it involves the non-European aspects; more related to the New World and native Latin America. Overall, in terms with what advice should be given to both parties to not only hope to gain more Latino voters, but other voters. Is to be cautious with the use of words and rhetoric used, as I believe that words can be as strong and effective than actions.
I completely agree - names and words matter, especially when people in government are trying to get an enormous group of people to vote them into a position of power. I feel like there's been a push by people that don't agree with the politically correct terms that are associated with more liberal viewpoints. This push creates issues just like you said, Latino people being grouped into a category they don't identify with that will also hold different views on what's important to them in a political candidate. It reminds me of the discussion on Asian-Americans and their average political stances, etc. Classifying millions of people into one group and then associating them all with a specific set of ideologies is ridiculous. Both parties (if they want to be more effective in gaining these votes) need to recognize the different races/ethnicities that people come from, use the appropriate rhetoric they identify with, and then work to support the issues they think most important.
DeleteI also agree that the rhetoric and words used when referring to a group of people is extremely important. I also think you have to understand that U.S. politics is dominated by white males and that most likely adds to the problem. White males see things from the white male perspective and that doesn't help the Latino population. The best thing for parties to do to gain more of the Latino support would be to get more Latino representatives and politicians for their party. People who can better understand their problems and needs, who know what it is like to be Latino. Now i know that the party can only do so much as a whole and a lot comes from the people and who they vote for, but it all has to start somewhere and i think better representation also just as important.
DeleteIt is interesting to see the statistics on Hispanic voters. And the big increase since the 2012 election which was 4 million. The Latino vote is a big block of voters and in order to get more votes politicians have to focus on representation. And that is because most of the White House is white, I think Hispanic people don't feel the need to vote. It is interesting that in the article it talked about how a lot of Latino voted for Clinton just because they wanted to vote against Trump. I think I'm future Latino vote will be big impact on the elections and one way to get more Latino voters, like Liana mentioned "change use of words and rhetoric" And categorizing them as second hand voters won't be beneficial in future for any politicians. Especially republicans would have to change their aspects on Latino vote.
DeleteWhile looking at the reports from Pew, I was surprised to see that the issue of immigration wasn’t a top three concern for Latino voters. Instead, education, the economy, and health care are the issues relevant to Latinos. The more I think about this, however, the more sense it makes.
ReplyDeleteWe recently learned about the cycle of poverty that many Latino immigrants fall into. The best ways out of this cycle is education for their children, and an improved economy to help their financial standing. So to answer how I would advise both parties to go about gaining more Latino voters, I would suggest they focus on the issues of education and the economy first. If a candidate campaigned and focused on improving the education system in poverty-ridden places, and increasing the number of domestically available jobs that don’t require a college education, they would probably see a bigger increase in Latino support. That is because I believe policies aiming to improve education standards and work opportunities would be best for the largest number of Latinos. I would also advise the GOP to work on their translating abilities, as only 5% of their Latino backers spoke Spanish only in the 2016 election, compared to 22% for the DNC.
And yes, I would classify Latinos as a voting bloc. A voting bloc is defined as a group of voters motivated by a specific common concern. Although immigration is not one of their top 3 priorities, I am almost positive if a candidate proposed a travel ban to Mexico he/she would lose all Latino support. And since that one issues could swing the Latino vote, I would classify them as a voting bloc.
I was also surprised to see that immigration wasn’t as high of a concern, and I agree that it makes complete sense. Matthew brought up great points from the Latino/a’s perspective, but it’s also interesting to analyze why politicians (and the media) emphasize issues about a voting bloc that aren’t issues the actual voting bloc finds most important.
DeleteHow many members of Congress are Hispanic or Latino/a? It’s 38, or less than 8%. That lack of representation alone is another reason why politicians are out of touch with what this voting bloc wants--what it needs. That’s not to say that politicians can only advocate for voters of their own ethnicity, but instead that when devoting attention and gathering information on issues of poor education in Latino communities, for example, a Latino/a politician would be much more likely to do so than a white politician.
Because the majority of Congress is white, it is removed from the real issues that the Latino voting bloc faces, and instead assume (from lack of understanding) that the Latino community’s only goal is to get into America, rather than achieve a reasonable standard of living.
I think Hispanic voters could be considered as a voting bloc because they do share concerns about a variety of issues. However, I thought that immigration would be the number one concern for Hispanic Americans, considering that they account for a large number of immigrants in the United States. However, I am not surprised that education is a big issue because I live near the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area and the predominantly Hispanic schools in those districts are usually run-down and not very good schools.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found the most interesting about these articles is that the majority of Hispanics were not happy with the state of our country, but they do not have a high voter turnout. Also, I was shocked when I read that only 44% of Hispanic immigrants in this country go through the process to become citizens. If Hispanics weren’t happy with the state of this country, wouldn’t it make sense to go through the process of becoming a citizen and actually go out to vote?
I think that Republicans could reach out more to Hispanics if they focused more on issues with public schools and helping people in areas of poverty get a good education. Also, health care was a big issue for Hispanic voters and Democrats strive more toward universal health care, while Republicans believe more in private health care, which benefits the rich more. Also, especially with the Trump administration, he is isolating Hispanic voters by threatening to “build a wall”, which may be seen as offensive to Hispanic voters.
I agree! I think the way to reach more Hispanic voters is to take stances on the issues the care about. My senior year of high school my AP Gov teacher was really interested to see how voter turnout would affect the election of 2016 in states such a California, but especially Texas. More and more Hispanics are living in the Southwest areas that used to be predominantly Republican, but are now starting to transition into swing (or even blue) states, because of the Hispanic Bloc.
DeleteI think that can be put upon the Republicans. Either they need to start using more inclusive language, like Liana mentioned, or they're going to lose that vote. I think that Republicans are going to start losing states because of this. If they don't begin to cater more towards a broad voting populous, then they're going to lose the Hispanic vote. Especially with this new administration, I see Hispanic voters completely turning away from the party, because of the parties actions thus far.
I think moving forward, Hispanic people should strive more towards allowing their voices to be heard. Like you mentioned, only 44% of Hispanic Immigrants go through the process of naturalization, that allows them to vote. If there is going to be a "wall" built, then the Hispanic people who are in this country need to begin to rally to have their voices heard to overturn these unjust policies-- and I believe that begins with being able to vote.
One of the most interesting passages I read in the Pew report, was about how
Delete“Two-thirds (64%) of Millennial Latinos who back Clinton describe their support as more a vote against Trump than a vote for Clinton. By contrast, 65% of older Clinton supporters say their support is more of a vote for her than a vote against Trump.” In society that has Millennials leading the way for change and actively protesting for better policies, it just goes to show that neither candidate understood the needs of the younger generation of Latinos. However, there is a declining trend in turnout of Latino voters due in part that they are dissatisfied with the nation’s direction. Another part of the Pew report that surprised me was the fact that Latino voters were more concerned over education, the economy and health care rather than immigration.
I agree with Kate the Republican Party could do more to be inclusive with Hispanic voters. The current narrative I think is pushing these voters away rather than bringing them into the fold. Darcy also brought up a great point about how that voting bloc is not being represented in Congress and how that the real needs are being ignored. The focus needs to be on improving the standard of living and education for this group rather than isolating them.
I definitely agree with all three of you on the fact that Republicans tend not to focus on most of the issues that Latino communities are concerned about, which plays a big role in who they vote for. Democrats are known to advocate for government funded programs like welfare, universal health care, and public education whereas Republicans are focused on much different issues.
DeleteIn addition, a lot of Republicans are increasingly voicing controversial opinions about immigration and racial minorities within the U.S. or being silent when other public officials make controversial comments, and this year's election certainly did not help. I also don't think that the election of Betsy DeVos is going to help Republicans get the Latino vote. Taking into consideration how concerned Latinos are with education, the nomination of an inexpereinced Education Secretary is going to be counterproductive in that respect. If Republicans are really looking to gain the Latino vote, they need to reevaluate a lot of their policies.
The government needs to realize that the Latino population is growing so rapidly that the issue is not singular, and obviously cannot be defined for everyone, specifically when looking at generations. Politicians seem to think they know the policies or actions that deeply affects the Hispanic population, such as immigration. But that is a short-term problem that the upcoming generation does not relate to on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteThe difference between Hispanic Millennials and the older Latino voters (36 and older) that voted for Clinton is eighteen percent, while the difference between the two generations upon voting for Trump is not as drastic. This stat alone demonstrates that the Democratic party, in the recent election, is, surprisingly, struggling to grasp the ideas that the Hispanic Millennials see as the main topic of discussion. The Hispanic Millennials are the future of this country, and topics that they see as important are education, the economy, and health care, which should be the main focus. Also, these topics are very similar to that of most people living in America trying to get an education, and eventually raise a family. Politicians need to consider the obstacles they might run into. Considering, their parents probably do not know the language all too well, and have a low paying job, a system of support could be considered by politicians to increase turnout and voting, in general.
Hi Ermin! I completely agree with everything you are saying. There is no doubt that everyone wants a better future for themselves and loved ones. Although immigration is a extensive and complicated problem in the United States, but it makes sense as to why health care, education, and the economy top that issue.
DeleteI found your comments on the portrayal of the problems in the Latino population extremely interesting! I agree that politics use immigration as their way to either gain the Latino vote or to gain other votes. At the same time, this is not the many concern for many. Immigration has often been directed towards Latinos, but I do not think this is accurate. Immigration can affect many and this is why I think that immigration is not a main issue.
I think it is easy for people to analyze statistics based on solely one aspect whether that be race, ethnicity, race, gender, etc. Concerning the Latino vote exit polls from the most recent election, I was surprised at the lack of turn out compared to the 2012 election. It is particularly shocking because the number of eligible Hispanic votes increased by 4 million since 2012, making 27.3 million Latinos eligible to vote. However, one way to make sense of these statistics is to consider that overall voter turnout for the 2016 election was down from the 2012 election. Whether it was because voters disliked both candidates or for another reason, it is undeniable that voter turnout took a hit in 2016. In looking at the way Latinos intended on voting before the 2016 election, I think it is interesting to note the blatant statistical difference between older Latinos and Millennial Latinos. “About two-thirds (64%) of Millennial Latinos who backed Clinton described their support as more a vote against Trump than a vote for Clinton” (PEW), while 65% of older Latino Clinton supporters say their support is more of a vote for her than a vote against Trump. While personally I think that maybe because the older supporters still remember a time when women did not have the right to vote and are thus more likely to support Hillary for symbolic reasons versus Millennials, I am interested in hearing others’ thoughts on these statistics.
ReplyDeleteHey Tierney! I completely agree. I think in order to get a more holistic grasp on the 'Latino vote' we need to attempt to understand the reasoning behind the statistics, and not just the numbers themselves. The 2016 election was far more controversial than previous elections, and that extreme divisiveness may rationalize why voter turnout in general was down. Also, I really like your connection to older and Millennial Latinos. It is important to look at not only race/ethnicity, but also at age as well. Oftentimes, individuals find solace and connection with their generational peers. Like you said, each generation has experienced a different perspective of American History. For the Republican Party moving forward, even as they faced victory in the Presidential election, they must be conscious of the multidimensional characteristics of individuals. That being said, I think there is a pertinent connection to Latinos as they have historically faced very similar discrimination, but as the Republican Party attempts to tackle issues like immigration, they may want to keep in mind what the standpoints of newer voters are. These are the people who will be voting for years to come.
DeleteThere are about 27 million eligible voters among the Latino population in the United States. That is 12% of all eligible voters meaning that they are a very significant ethnic group during election season. Because Latino is such a broad categorization, it is hard for politicians to exactly pinpoint how to appeal to the Latino population. That being said, statistics are the best way to find out what Latinos are interested in, and according to stats, Latino voters are very interested in education, the economy, and health care. Although Democrats have gotten less Latino votes this election than in 2012, they’re still favored by a majority of the Latino population. The GOP has failed to get many Latino votes, mostly because of their controversial stances on many topics such as immigration. 70% of Latino voters said that immigration was a concern in the 2016 election. When Donald Trump tried to highlight the issue of illegal immigrants from Mexico, he said that Mexico was not bringing in their best but instead they were bringing “criminals” and “rapists” in the United States. Given that 75% of Latino voters discussed Trump’s comments on Latinos, his rhetoric has a huge impact on how this demographic views him and the GOP.
ReplyDeleteI do think that Latinos voters are a voting block since they are actually voting, and that means that they care about who is going to be the next president, since this is going to affect them as well. I also think that this voting block should be seen as one of the most important ones, because the Latino population is increasing a lot in the U.S. and this can be an advantage for both of the parties, democrats and republicans, because if the parties know how to solve some of the Latinos issues in regards to education, improve the areas where they live and to actually hear their issues, probably the party that does these would won.
ReplyDeleteThe government needs to take a lot of actions in concern with the education of Latinos and improve where they go for school and for the university as well, since I feel, that the government is not doing a lot to help them with the education. I think this can be a way, the democrats or the republicans could win more voters from the Latino population.
Talking about Latino Americans as a group has similar issues as when we talk about Asian Americans as a group. Too often, people group Latinos together when the cultures are very different. While I think there may be similarities, it also may be misleading to group them together as a voting block. I found the information about the 2016 election to be very interesting. White Trump supporters are typically less educated but the report from the Pew about the Latino vote suggests that Trump had more support for the more educated Latino voters than Clinton. I'd be more interested in seeing the Latino vote in 2016 broken down into countries. It's possible that certain cultures lead to more liberal or conservative views. Also, it'd be interesting to see of Trump's vote, how many were Mexican, since he tended to target Mexico more than any other Latino nation.
ReplyDeleteLast week, we talked about stereotypes placed on Asians, with one of the major stereotypes being that Asians are naturally very smart and obedient. I think Latinos' concerns about deportation are greater than Asian Americans' because their stereotype is often more negative. Trump often labeled illegal Mexican immigrants as rapists, drug dealers, criminals, etc. Often times, Latinos are stereotyped of as uneducated or dangerous. This negative generalization could be reason that more feel targeted. I think with this new administration, even more Latino voters may turn to the Democratic party, who present themselves as more accepting and protecting of many minorities. As for the Republicans, while I don't believe their intention is necessarily to exclude, I think they fail to distinguish immigrants from illegal immigrants or even from illegal immigrants with criminal convictions. This negativity towards immigration as a whole has turned away many possible Latino voters.
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ReplyDeleteWith every new topic it is more and more apparent that each race essentially lives in their own "America". They have thoughts about what America is or should be and they have thoughts about what should change in order to better suit their needs. I think change is particularly at the center of why Latino voters are so skewed towards voting Democrat. Each party has continued to push further and further away from each other in terms of their values and ideas, with each one picking a sort of theme. For Republicans it seems to be that their theme is reinforcement (sticking to and reinforcing the core values and beliefs that America was built on). For it Democrats it seems that their theme is change (altering our values and beliefs to better suit the growing needs of the country).
ReplyDeleteIn terms of Latinos (or any immigrants for that matter) I think the idea of change aligns more with their ideas of what America should be. It shows that their country is actually willing to listen to their problems, which may not have been the case where they came from. Whether or not that is actually true, I think the idea or image is enough to push their votes in that direction.
As a Latino myself, I believe the big issues that are mentioned such as health care, education and the economy is something we have growing to be concern about. I came from a community where the education is not great and we always had discussions about this in school. We wondered why is our education is forsaken, but it wouldn't be in other communities or why do they always think less for being latino. Politicians around the district have made the commitments over the last years in progressing the education to meet standards if not greater. That has encouraged us to pursuit college after high school. As far as political parties go, like in the article, many Latinos side with Democrats because they feel that they fight more of the social issues we face. For Republicans to start having more Latino followers would be when they have concerns of the social problems they face such as poverty, low education and health care. The two notable Latino Republicans that come to mind is Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. I'm nowhere to say they represent the Latino voter due to the opposition they have towards social issues that are mentioned. But if they start to work towards those issues you can bet to see a Latinos drifting towards them. Although Immigration may not seem a concern, but it will become when the president wants to deport more Mexicans. If Republicans want to get more of the Latino vote they have to start thinking about the problems that Latino's have rather making Latinos the problem.
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