Thursday, February 21, 2008

¡Viva Obama!

Amigos de Obama. Make sure to watch the video.

UPDATE:

Friend CM Mayo, in the comments, mentioned this op/ed piece by Barack Obama in the Dallas Morning News. It really is worth reading. The clarity of this message - a policy statement - is why, on the ground, he has caught up in Texas, especially among tejanos. (And note the micro-financing addition - good stuff because it shows good results).

...It's also time to develop a bilateral strategy for lifting up our border communities. Six and a half million Americans live in cities and towns next to the border, and 61 million Americans live in the four states that border Mexico. Too often we neglect the unique needs of these communities, which are integrated with their sister cities across the border. As president, I will work with state and local governments to enhance cross-border partnerships in transportation, law enforcement, environmental protection, health care and water usage.

At a national level, our diplomacy with Mexico must aim to amend NAFTA. I will seek enforceable labor and environment standards – not unenforceable side agreements that have done little to curb NAFTA's failures. To reduce illegal immigration, we also have to help Mexico develop its own economy, so that more Mexicans can live their dreams south of the border. That's why I'll increase foreign assistance, including expanded micro-financing for businesses in Mexico.

Finally, we have to recognize the connection between our rhetoric and our relations – both with Mexico and within our own borders. We can and should have a robust debate about immigration reform, but we should never demonize or scapegoat any ethnic group. Already, we have seen an unacceptable spike in hate crimes aimed at Latinos across America. This has proven divisive here at home, and it risks poisoning our relations with Latin America.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

And here's a link to another one, with commentary by Yrs Truly:
http://madammayo.blogspot.com/2008/02/nicky-enright-dj-lightbolt-and-obama-08.html

Check also the Obama op-ed on Mexico in yesterday's Dallas Morning News:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/viewpoints/stories/DN-obama_20edi.ART.State.Edition1.464da8e.html

troutsky said...

"risks poisoning our relations with Latin America"? Which relations? What does it risk when Obama says our lack of "foreign aid to the region leaves a VOID filled by people like Hugo Chavez and the Chinese"? The globe as territory to be filled up by them or us? Nice.