In one of my previous post, I talked about the perception of government’s authority among Hispanics in Texas. In order to better understand the influence of Latinos in future elections we should explore the steps that both political parties should take, in my modest opinion, to win over this rapidly increasing ethnic group. First, we must agree that a change in the eligible voter’s population doesn’t represent a change in likely voters. The number of new, non-white eligible voters in Texas may be very overwhelming, but not all those eligible voters truly go to the polls. This phenomenon makes us all question; what should Democrats do to get these voters excited enough to cast their vote on Election Day?? What should Republicans do to prevent Texas from going blue??

 One wild card may be an immigration reform. If Democrats can pass an immigration legislation that gives some undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship, millions of new minority voters might enter the electorate. If the Republicans remain firm in its existing position on immigration; Texas may be a Democratic bastion as early as 2030. Democrats could speed the rate at which Texas become ready for action if they could rush the rise of Hispanic turnout rates.  One could argue that Republicans have managed to keep Latinos from the ballot boxes by not giving them enough issues that would demand an urgent response from the Hispanic community. I firmly believe that Republicans cannot afford to lose Texas, especially if they don’t pick up something else that is evenly substantial. If Republicans lose Texas because of their immigration style or their negligence to issues affecting Latinos; they are not very likely to find success in other parts of the country where they are not already succeeding.

However, it’s not just immigration that has become a problem when trying to attract Latinos’ votes. The Texas legislature recently passed a law that requires voters to have a photo ID. Many Hispanics find that the requirement discriminates against minorities, who are less likely to have a driver's license and can have a rough time getting one. Those are just the main aspects each party should strongly consider as the first steps to take to appeal to the Hispanic population in Texas. The party that manages to do a better job and play the better cards in the next elections considering the interest of the Texas Hispanics will certainly have a fair advantage to win.

 

 

 

 

I absolutely agree with this post about the ban of plastic bagsin the city of Austin. As a proud resident of this city that has some of the best grocery stores in the country  and are the home base of Whole Foods market as an example; I find it pretty inconvenient to pay for a reusable bag whenever I forget to bring one to the grocery store. The problem would be a lot simpler if it was just a case of convenience we were discussing but this new law also represents an  added cost to many families for that trip to Walt-Mart or H.E.B as they now need to spend some extra dollars for bags in order to carry the groceries home. In many other cities where this law has been implemented  businesses have seen an increase in shoplifting as a consequence of the bag ban; costing grocery store thousands of dollars, a problem they didn’t have to deal with beforehand. As one could assume, it’s easier to hide  items in your reusable bag than it would be in an empty grocery cart.

There is also a health concern that  environmentalists have forgotten to address with these reusable bags. When you load your bag full of groceries  there can be something that falls off or leaks that may go unnoticed  when you empty your bag.  In a plastic bag, that’s not a big problem . Nevertheless, with a reusable bag even if you think you have wiped  it up with a paper towel ,there is very likely  to be some of those germs left over . This facilitates the spread and growth of bacteria that can contaminate the other items.

I also believe that forcing us  to use reusable bags takes away from our freedom as individuals to decide whether we want to use this plastic bags or not. It's a pretty  intrusive regulation, and not a good one. I have high hopes for it to get repealed in a near future.

 

How do minority groups in Texas perceive government’s authority and influence? Is it pure hindrance as Republicans portray it? Or is it the instrument aimed to provide the help and reforms Latinos urge so much? Republicans, who are characteristically conservative, defend the idea of not too much government’s intervention in local affairs. They see Uncle Sam as “the problem” no “the solution.” Nevertheless, this central republican idea is rapidly growing irrelevant to a very relevant constituency in Texas. Hispanics do not see Washington as an obstacle but as a helper.  During the most recent elections the biggest percent of the Hispanic vote has gone to the Democratic Party. This is due in part to the belief among Latinos that the Blue Party will favor more federal programs of assistance for minority families. This idea tends to win Democrats the Hispanics vote as it is surprisingly the economic factor the main concern among Latinos and not an immigration reform. Should Republicans change their tactics?  Would that mean to betray the ideology the party has been based on? Probably; because to imagine a liberal republican is like to imagine an aggie befriending a longhorn.

However; I think the Democrats are somehow taking for granted the Hispanic vote in Texas. Democrats should recruit more Hispanic candidates because many Hispanics sense the party does not care enough about electing more Hispanic officials and having more representation in the local government. As the Latino population continues its accelerated growth in Texas there is definitely more room for the Democrats to play the field. Recent surveys show that second and third generation of U.S born Latinos tend to think more liberally and support the legalization of abortion and gay marriage to mention a few examples. As the years go by this new generation will consequently think differently; they may stick with their parents’ favorite party or they may not. It’s a matter of a few decades and hopefully the Republicans will focus more on reforms intended to support this growing ethnic group instead of blaming Washington and every “faulty federal program.”