Bernie Sanders Could Win The Latino Vote, And Tonight’s Debate Proved it

[Uncle Joe]

(snip)

Secretary Clinton, I do have a disagreement here. If my memory is correct, I think when we saw children coming from these horrendous, horrendously violent areas of Honduras and neighboring countries, people who are fleeing drug violence and cartel violence, I thought it was a good idea to allow those children to stay in this country. That was not, as I understand it, the secretary’s position.

It was not. In 2014, the world watched massive numbers of unaccompanied children enter the United States. They were fleeing violence, primarily in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, but their parents weren’t coming with them. And for Secretary Clinton and the Obama Administration, this was unacceptable.

“We have to send a clear message, just because your child gets across the border, that doesn’t mean the child gets to stay,” she said. “So, we don’t want to send a message that is contrary to our laws or will encourage more children to make that dangerous journey.”

(snip)

It was not. In 2014, the world watched massive numbers of unaccompanied children enter the United States. They were fleeing violence, primarily in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, but their parents weren’t coming with them. And for Secretary Clinton and the Obama Administration, this was unacceptable.

“We have to send a clear message, just because your child gets across the border, that doesn’t mean the child gets to stay,” she said. “So, we don’t want to send a message that is contrary to our laws or will encourage more children to make that dangerous journey.”
Her comments were controversial at the time, and many, including United We Dream managing director Cristina Jimenez, criticized her for turning a refugee crisis into an opportunity to enforce immigration law. But she did not back down from those comments tonight.

Here we have two fundamentally different worldviews at play, and soon Democratic Nevadans will choose which one they believe in. Is it the worldview that says that ethics and morality are equivalent with the law, and that exceptions cannot be made, not even after tens of thousands of children fleeing extreme violence make it to the United States of America? Is it the worldview that says “messages” should be sent to parents in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, messages that say “We will send your children back to a place where they fear death on a daily basis because of immigration law?”

Or is it the worldview that refuses to treat children as a bargaining chip?

(snip)

https://medium.com/@wwwdonohue/bernie-sanders-could-win-the-latino-vote-and-tonight-s-debate-proved-it-ef2eb55f8621#.9affutri1

[liberal_at_heart]

1. K&R

[Admiral Loinpresser]

2. KnR! n/t

[Mike__M]

3. Not just the Latino vote

He could win the decent human vote.

[Luminous Animal]

4. Great post. Thank you, Uncle Joe.

[Uncle Joe]

5. EXCLUSIVE: Hillary Clinton sold out Honduras: Lanny Davis, corporate cash, and the real story about

the death of a Latin American democracy

(snip)

In the 5 a.m. darkness of June 28, 2009, more than two hundred armed, masked soldiers stormed the house of Honduran president Manuel Zelaya. Within minutes Zelaya, still in his pajamas, was thrown into a van and taken to a military base used by the U.S., where he was flown out of the country.

It was a military coup, said the UN General Assembly and the Organization of American States (OAS). The entire EU recalled its countries’ ambassadors, as did Latin American nations. The United States did not, making it virtually the only nation of note to maintain diplomatic relations with the coup government. Though the White House and the Clinton State Department denounced only the second such coup in the Western Hemisphere since the Cold War, Washington hedged in a way that other governments did not. It began to feel like lip service being paid, not real concern.

Washington was dragging its feet, but even within the Obama administration a distinction was seen very early seen between the White House and Secretary Clinton’s State Department. Obama called Zelaya’s removal an illegal “coup” the next day, while Secretary Clinton’s response was described as “holding off on formally branding it a coup.” President Obama carefully avoided calling it a military coup, despite that being the international consensus, because the “military” modifier would have abruptly suspended US military aid to Honduras, an integral site for the US Southern Command, but Obama called for the reinstatementof the elected president of Honduras removed from his country by the military.

Clinton was far more circumspect, suspiciously so. In an evasive press corps appearance, Secretary Clinton responded with tortured answers on the situation in Honduras and said that State was “withholding any formal legal determination.” She did offer that the situation had “evolved into a coup,” as if an elected president removed in his pajamas at gunpoint and exiled to another country was not the subject of a coup at the moment armed soldiers enter his home.

(snip)

Davis, along with another close Clinton associate Bennett Ratcliff, launched a Washington lobbying offensive in support of the coup government and its oligarchic backers, penning a Wall Street Journal op-ed, testifying before a Congressional committee, and undoubtedly knocking on office doors on Capitol Hill, where he enjoys bipartisan connections, which valuable asset he demonstrated during his committee hearing.

“If you want to understand who the real power behind the [Honduran] coup is, you need to find out who’s paying Lanny Davis,” said Robert White, former ambassador to El Salvador, just a month after the coup. Speaking to Roberto Lovato for the American Prospect, Davis revealed who that was: “My clients represent the CEAL, the [Honduras Chapter of] Business Council of Latin America.” In other words, the oligarchs who preside over a country with a 65 percent poverty rate. The emerging understanding, that the powerful oligarchs were behind the coup, began to solidify, and the Clinton clique’s allegiances were becoming pretty clear. If you can believe it, Clinton’s team sided with the wealthy elite.

http://www.salon.com/2015/06/08/exclusive_hillary_clinton_sold_out_honduras_lanny_davis_corporate_cash_and_the_real_story_about_the_death_of_a_latin_america_democracy/

[bettyellen]

6. Curious, do you think there is a Pan-Latino interest in this incident? I have always found

latin american populations to have a lot of quirky rivalries and a general disinterest in the fortunes of neighboring nations unfortunately. I recall when I managed a super diverse group (from about 7-8 latin nations and island) they had serious rivalries (and a very defined race based pecking order that I destroyed) going on that I had to squelch. Always made me think of Che trying to unite them all politically. I respect that they all had different histories politically and socially, but I had to insist they all leave that at the door when it came to their jobs. I wonder if things have improved.

[Uncle Joe]

7. I have no doubt they have their rivalries just as states and regions here in the U.S. do but per my

post #5 the OAS had them all agreeing that this was indeed a military coup.

I can't imagine the people of a neighboring nation in Central America or even Mexico wishing for destabilization, extreme poverty, rape and murder on their borders if not for humanitarian concerns, which I believe most of them have but also because it sends refugees into their own nations while driving their own living standards down.

[bettyellen]

10. Sorry if I wasn't clear but I was talking about our voters from various Latinos in the USA-

Because the OP was about Latino voters. Was not thinking of Central/ So Americans.

I'm thinking my experiences in NYC don't extrapolate except in the most anecdotal way- the rest of the nation is very different from Manhattan the Bronx. But t here seemed to be a tendency toward border wars- people from neighboring countries NEVER liked each other. As it always is.

[Cheese Sandwich]

8. She wanted to use the kids to "send a message". Cruel.

Especially after her role with the Honduras coup.

This is Hillary:


source

[Uncle Joe]

9. I haven't seen that one.

Peace to you, Cheese Sandwich.

[Luminous Animal]

12. No shit. Thank for this no matter how painful.

[tecelote]

13. Powerful!

I have to wonder if Obama's two terms would have been a lot more peaceful if Hillary was not SOS. I always thought he had stronger morals and ethics concerning war and am disappointed that he did not end the wars.

[MisterP]

11. heck, Rios Montt and Chuck Taylor are still around--maybe we can install them too

[AZ Progressive]

14. Hillary supports American Imperialism in Latin America, and thats personal to me

[Uncle Joe]

16. Thanks for sharing, AZ Progressive.

Peace to you.

[captainarizona]

15. where was hillary during march on washington?

John lewis didn't see hillary clinton in the 1960's she was for goldwater when he voted against the civil rights bill. Berni should come out for individually pardoning all undocumented for being here illegally and see what hillary clinton says to that!

[Duckfan]

17. Bernie should come out now and call for the reinstatement of

President Zayla(sp) and condemn the coup undertaken by the military. And as President Sanders, cut all diplomatic ties and freeze any and all aide to the country until a democratically elected President is returned to power. This would be a very good move by Bernie because Hillary doesn't have an argument because of her position and actions in Honduras.

F*** what Obama thinks about Honduras. Bernie has stood up for everyone else. Take a stand on the criminal crap that has transpired in Honduras and pledge to bring a solution to the issue. And not do it for scoring political points, but with a sincerity of addressing something that affects the region and a pledge as President to focus on Latin American issues.

Been awhile since my Latin American studies, but I think this would be a wise move for Bernie to speak up against this. And any argument/criticism by Hills could be easily crushed in defense of Mr. Zayla. Bernie has a credible argument to make. Hillary does not.