Moving Back to Florida

Moving back to South Florida to work for Rick Scott for Florida. Looking forward to help elect our next Governor. … sorry will probably be offline for a while but follow me on twitter – @BettinaInclan

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New Ad Highlights Reid’s Latino Gaffe

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s gaffe saying “I don’t know how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican, okay. Do I need to say more?” is still infuriating many Hispanic voters. A new ad by an independent group is capitalizing on the Reid’s foot-in-mouth moment to highlight the Senator’s failed economic policies in his home state of Nevada.

Watch the ad on the groups web page – Coalition to Protect Seniors

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A Rainy Saturday

Campaign workers in Southern Florida must have been disappointed by Mother Nature, as any plans to attract volunteers during the last 72 hours before the primary election got washed out – literally.

In all honesty, Floridians are used to rain, even hard hurricane like rain storms… it’s part of living in the tropics.  My friends working on the various campaigns tell me the voter turnout numbers are looking good for Republicans. While there are contested races on both sides of the political spectrum, the Republican electorate in South FLorida are voting at a higher percentages – both absentee and early voting… Hopefully the rain will stop but the Republican voter turnout will stay high as it might be a key indicator of things to come in November.

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REPORT: New Media Usage by Racial/Ethnic Category

Target Latino has a new post up on New Media usage by various ethnic/racial groups – showing that minorities use new media at a higher percentage.

Read more at – TargetLatino “New Media Usage By Racial Category”

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Back Home In Miami

Growing up in Miami, café con leche is an integral part of life. No matter what you do in Miami, Cuban coffee can be found. Café is to Miami is what apple ie is to the rest of America.

In fact, café Cubano, in all its forms – cortadito, café con leche or an espresso - is the center of the universe of Cuban-American culture (and therefore Miami society). You’ll be hard-pressed find a politician that hasn’t made a stop at one of Miami’s famous cafeterias (aka Versailles)… So its normal that when I get home I only have one thing in mind, take me to a cafeteria and get me a café con leche and tostada (hot cuban bread), so I can find my version of homegrown heaven.

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Fotos Of The Day: Cuba Libre DC

I am in DC for a quick visit tying up some loose ends… walking through Chinatown I saw this:

Apparently come this September, DC will get a new Cuban restaurant called “Cuba Libre” It will be located at at 801 9th Street, NW.  Hopefully this one sticks…and if so, Welcome to Chinatown DC!!

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Latinos: Exiles VS. Immigrants

A recent post at LatinoPoliticsBlog.com got my attention titled “Seneca: Machiavelli & Exile Latinos.” The author “Seneca” (a pen name) goes on to try to explain the differences between exiles and immigrants. He writes:

Exiles are different from immigrants in that exiles … Unlike immigrants, who basically decide to strike tents in their country of origin and move permanently to another, exiles fret and brood over the fact that recapturing their native land may prove onerous. Plainly, immigrants normally leave for economic reasons whereas exiles usually go abroad for political reasons.

I kinda agree with this statement, the premise that exiles and immigrants are different, it also might be the only thing “Seneca” and I see eye to eye on.  I fundamentally disagree with his description of exiles as “devious,” because goodness forbid they decided to become an active part of the American political process.

Seneca goes on to attack groups like Cubans, Venezuelans, and Nicaraguans, all of which whose homelands were taken over by leftist dictatorships, and the exiles would like to see democracy return to their homelands. He also mentions Mexican-Americans around the early 1900s who where trying to rid Mexico of a dictatorship and later dealing with the nation’s revolution. While Seneca tries to use a 16^th century philosopher to make a point that exiles might be fickle and possibly quick to abandon their adopted nation for other allegiances, most of history has proven the blogger wrong. These exile groups have become proud Americans and integral members of the democratic process, not evil players which a “devious” schemes. Exiles are thankful to America, a country that took them in when they had literally no other place to go. While they may have interests in their native homeland, they care deeply about their adopted country.

While Seneca points to these groups for having “out-of-proportion influence” in American politics, maybe he needs to be reminded that these “devious” groups expressed the same rights available to each and every American citizen – they educated themselves about the American political process, became naturalized citizens, registered to vote, and voted for candidates who cared about their issues. (punto y aparte!!)

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Navarrette: Self-Respecting Latinos Should Not Support Sen. Reid

Columnist Ruben Navarrette wrote a great piece titled “Harry Reid Doesn’t Speak For All Latinos.” Navarrete writes:

“Harry Reid can wonder all he wants about why any Hispanic could be a Republican. I’ve been wondering something myself: In light of such flagrant condescension and an obvious lack of regard, why would any self-respecting Hispanic – in Nevada or anywhere else – support Harry Reid?”

Navarrette says what I, and many other Latinos, have wondered in the days since the Senate Majority Leader’s idiotic statement – why would any self-respecting Hispanic voter, of any political parry, support Reid? The Nevada Senator’s has a long history of insensitive, idiotic and hypocritical statements. He has blocked immigration reform and then lies to the public about the reasons. His “I-know-better-then-you” attitude exemplifies his disconnect with voters, and especially Latinos.

Check out Navarrette’s full piece for other Reid gaffes, political hypocrisy and his real record with Latino issues.

Read full piece here.

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Fotos Of The Day: I Love New York

I love New York City, by far, one of my favorite places. Something about New York is electrifying and awe-inspiring, maybe because it can be so magical and mundane at once. It is one of the few cities in the world where opposites meet and make a recipe for perfection in a place that is far from perfect. New York is my kind of town. Here are some pictures from a recent trip to the city.

Walking over the Brooklyn Bridge:

Above, a view of the Statue of Liberty from the Brooklyn Bridge. Makes you imagine what it must have been like for the millions of immigrants who endured a long voyage by ship to start a new life in America, and their first glimpse of their new home was this iconic structure….

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McCollum Rising In The Polls, Faces Backlash On Arizona Like Immigration Proposal (UPDATED)

Arizona is a major issue in Florida… Bill McCollum, the state’s current Attorney General, took a calculated risk this week is his bid for the Republican nomination for Florida Governor and unveiled his plan for immigration reform, a tough version of the Arizona-style immigration policy. McCollum’s plan requires immigrants to carry legal paperwork or face up to 20 days in jail. The measure would also impose stiffer penalties on illegal immigrants who commit the same crimes as legal residents.

The immigration proposal comes just after a new Mason – Dixon poll showing McCollum leading in the Republican primary race against millionaire Rick Scott. McCollum has 34% support versus Scott’s 30% support. (Some newer polls, have McCollum up by 12 points)

McCollum has enjoyed strong support from Florida’s Hispanic voters. The Mason-Dixon poll shows McCollum with 57% support from Hispanic Republicans, while his opponent, Scott has 27% support from Hispanic Republicans.  Many point to McCollum’s support from Latinos as a major reason he has stayed neck in neck in the polls against millionaire a political newcomer Rick Scott, who is outspending McCollum. Yet, political analysts are wondering how the Attorney General’s new strict immigration proposal will impact his chances in the race and his relationship with Florida’s eclectic Latino electorate.

Many Hispanic Republicans supporters are mad at Team McCollum for not giving them a heads up on the measure or consulting them before the announcement. Team McCollum hastily put together a conference call for his Hispanic Leadership Team to discuss the proposal on Thursday night to address their concerns.

Still many Hispanic Republicans in Florida are divided in their support for an Arizona-style immigration law, and some have left the McCollum campaign.

STATS AFTER THE JUMP –

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