Is Texas a Sanctuary State? (Or how Perry is playing a coyote)

[sonias]

Texas Tribune 5/4/10
Is Texas a Sanctuary State?

Even before he entered the race for governor, Democrat Bill White faced attacks for running a "sanctuary city" as mayor of Houston, where officers don't inquire about immigration status during routine patrols and investigations.

In early December, the Republican Party of Texas posted a web ad that asked, "Like Sanctuary Cities? White’s Houston was one." The charge again cropped up in a leaked February memo from Dave Carney, an advisor to Gov. Rick Perry's campaign, that defined White as "a big-city trial lawyer, anti-gun, sanctuary-city-promoting, Clinton protégé DC politician." Since then, Perry spokesman Mark Miner has casually thrown out the sanctuary city perjorative in campaign news releases.

Houston officials, from former Police Chief Harold Hurtt to current Mayor Annise Parker, have rejected the label. And a comparison of Houston's policy under White and that of the Texas Department of Public Safety under Perry reveals little difference between the two — and their respective rationales are almost identical. So if Houston is a sanctuary city, is Texas a sanctuary state?

Perry is trying to walk a very fine line. I hope he falls into the pit of sharks waiting to take a bite out of his ass! :evilgrin:

[sonias]

1. Texas Governor Hopefuls Talk Arizona

Texas Observer 4/30/10
Texas Governor Hopefuls Talk Arizona

(snip)
Both Democratic and Republican politicos running statewide are trying to curry the favor of the Latino electorate. Latinos comprised 63 percent of population growth in the last decade. By 2040, the Latino population is expected to triple in metropolitan areas, from 5.9 to 17.2 million. In rural areas, the number of Latinos is expected to double, from 777,000 to 1.6 million, according to the Texas Office of Rural Community Affairs.

In a recent conversation with Jerry Polinard, a political science professor at the University of Texas-Pan American, he emphasized that "demographics are destiny."

"If one party gets two-thirds of the Latino vote, they’ll start winning every statewide election," says Polinard.

Arizona has actually done a great disservice to Texas GOPers. Candidates running statewide like Perry need to reassure Latino voters that they won’t rubber stamp Gestapo measures like they did in Arizona.

That’s why Perry is trying to reassure the electorate that he’s not going to throw Latinos under an Arizona bus. At least, that was gist of the message his campaign released late Thursday afternoon.

The evidence on why Perry is walking a fine line. Two thirds of Latino voters, baby - that's all we need to start running this state. So continue to piss us off Texas Republicans - please do. :grr:

Let this be the year Latinos finally wake up in Texas and vote these republican racist bastards out. Ya basta con Perry!