US Republicans facing a revolution in Little Havana

[seemslikeadream]

By Marian Wilkinson, Herald Correspondent in Miami
September 30, 2004


Little Havana, the Cuban corner of Miami, is the last place in Florida where George Bush would expect to find himself in trouble. In the offices of the Cuban American National Foundation, a bleak poster of Fidel Castro's political prisoners welcomes visitors.

But when the veteran anti-Castro rebel Pepe Hernandez, who once risked his life at Cuba's Bay of Pigs in a CIA-backed coup attempt, starts adding up the votes of Cuban Americans in Florida, his conclusion is unexpected.

"If John Kerry can just get 30 per cent of the Cuban vote, then he would most likely win Florida," he says.

"The community has been changing substantially, especially over the last 10 years. Los Historicos ... they are living in history, out of the passions, experiences and tragedies of 20 and 30 and 40 years ago."

Los Historicos still form a substantial element of Miami's Cuban population and they turn out to vote in large numbers. "They are older and very much Republican," Mr Hernandez says.

more
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/29/1096401655848.html?oneclick=true

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. And if we GOTV and get 35% of the Cuban Vote then....

Jeb cannot steal Florida!!!

:kick:

[quaoar]

2. Here's a link that doesn't require registration

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/09/29/1096401645605.html?oneclick=true

[Cha]

3. How could anyone think that this would win

the hearts and minds of Cubanos?

"So, says Mr Hernandez, Mr Rove came up with an idea to energise Los Historicos. Recently, the White House brought down new measures against Cuba. The most controversial allowed Cubans to visit their families back home only once every three years instead of once a year, thus cutting the flow of US dollars.

But the move has been deeply unpopular with newer Cuban Americans and led to ugly splits, even among Los Historicos. "In my opinion they made a mistake," Mr Hernandez says. "Because, largely, the Cuban people continue to place the family in front of everything else. That is going to have some effect on the way Cubans vote in November."

[lanparty]

5. Yet again ...

... the Mayberry Machievellians fail to understand the culture of others.

Well, actually this is pretty stupid even in OUR culture. Limiting family visits to once every three years. Isn't this a "family values" president. Was the policy crafted by Laura Schlessinger?????

[Cha]

6. rove and hughes..have their

Machiavellian fingerprints all over this..

[AndyTiedye]

10. Rove Doesn't Care what Cubans Think...

...or anyone else in Florida. They aren't bothering to try to win over
Florida voters, they intend to steal their votes instead.

Their anti-Cuba measures are targeting their base in states where they
still have to count the votes.

[Cha]

13. Aha! You just opened some light on that

for me..thanks!

[schultzee]

11. The dems could use this to their advantage in fliers and ads if they

would.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Twenty seven electoral votes.

They gerrymandered a couple of additional districts a couple of years ago, so it's up from the 25 they were flaunting in the 2000 Presidential campaign.

Nothing to sneeze at. It would be hilarious if Rove finally outmaneuvered himself. No matter. It might be fixable by creating more some absentee votes, as has happened in South Florida before, going back many years.

Only a strong outside presence at the checkpoints in the voting process can prevent major vote manipulation, I'm sure.

Wouldn't it be great to see the right-wing finally shoot itself in the foot in South Florida? It would be a day for national celebration.

[Cha]

7. And we will CELEBRATE!

Anyone plan on going to the Inaugeration?!

:toast: :party:

[6th Borough]

12. Sure there has been gerrymandering...

...benefiting incumbents of both major parties.

We have added some 2 million people to our poulation since 2000; I believe that # justifies a couple of additional electoral votes.

[WillyT]

8. Great News !!!

The * Admin has managed to piss off segments of all their normal supporters. They ain't so genius after all, eh???

:bounce::kick::bounce:

[WyLoochka]

9. It was inevitable that successive

Cuban generations would, over time, identify more with being just plain old Americans instead of remaining isolated die hards voting on one and only one issue - getting rid of Castro.

It isn't Castro who has wrecked the budget and piled up debt for the next generations to pay off. It isn't Castro who is conducting a back door draft and laying the ground work for a front door draft. It isn't Castro who is looking the other way while health insurers drive up premiums and drive down benefits. It isn't Castro who is ignoring sky rocketing college tuitions. It isn't Castro who is making student loans much more burdensome to re-pay with sweet heart deals to banks. It isn't Castro who is responisible for jobs being shipped out of the US. It isn't Castro who is playing deaf, dumb and blind as lost jobs are replaced by low wage - no benefits - "service sector" jobs. It isn't Castro who is wrecking the United States.

Younger Cubans are Americans - they live HERE! Many of them will wake up to the fact that Repubs have never given diddly squat about the quality of their lives HERE! It's the now and the future that counts with younger people.

[Cha]

14. Finally!

:toast:

[AspenRose]

15. Uh-oh, time to start disenfranchising young Cuban voters

*in addition to* the black/Haitian vote....

(edited to add: sarcasm!)

[struggle4progress]

16. kick

:kick: