New York Times Editorial: Demonize, Then Demoralize

New York Times Editorial: Demonize, Then Demoralize
Copyright by THe New York Times
Published: October 21, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/22/opinion/22fri3.html?th&emc=th


This year’s crop of negative political ads is fresh and repellent and headed for the landfill on Nov. 3. At least they aim to motivate voters, however basely.

Now here comes a twist: a new Republican ad so cynical that one media company, Univision, refused to air it. It’s from one of those 527 groups allowed to pursue “issue advocacy.” The group, Latinos for Reform, aims its message at Hispanic voters fed up with inaction on immigration reform, which has been stalled for years.

It doesn’t tell them whom to vote for or against. It tells them not to vote. “Clearly, the Democratic leadership betrayed us,” it says. “Aren’t you tired of politicians playing games with your future? Don’t vote this November. This is the only way to send them a clear message.”

Wait. Don’t vote? Clear message? Who is “us”?

Latinos for Reform is not a grass-roots Latino immigration-reform group. It is the operation of a conservative Republican, Robert DePosada, a former director of Hispanic affairs for the Republican National Committee. While many Latinos are bitterly and rightly disappointed in President Obama’s failure to win immigration reform, the ad’s prescription — “Democratic leaders must pay for their broken promises and betrayals” — has it upside-down and backward.

Every time Congress has come close to passing bipartisan immigration reform, lock-step Republicans have destroyed any hope of passage. Democratic cowardice and ineptitude haven’t helped, but when a bill has come close to a vote, Republican-led filibusters killed it.

The Republicans’ contempt for Hispanic voters, of which this voter suppression is Exhibit A, is mirrored in the way their party exploits immigration rather than fixes it. Many immigrants and citizens yearn for reform. But if most of the Republicans running this fall have their way, we’ll never get it. Good reason to get out and vote.