With the race for the White House between Barack Obama and John McCain on its way, the political phenomenon that occurs every four years, “Christopher Columbus Syndrome” is just getting started. The “Christopher Columbus Syndrome,” coined by Jorge Ramos, occurs every four years when politicians from both political parties suddenly rediscover the Latino community and the importance of the Latina/o vote.

Like clockwork, they roll out the red carpet and wine and dine every Hispanic leader from California to Texas, Miami to New York, and throughout the Midwest. While they do this, they will gather up all the little people and throw out a few Spanish catch phrases, such as “Si Se Puede,” to win their vote; but after the election, in the blink of an eye, they disappear and forget about the Latino community for three years, until the cycle begins again.

I am not going to kid anybody but some Latina/o bloggers are beginning to feel that the Obama campaign is taking the Latino vote for granted, since the xenophobic wing of the GOP has virtually chased away their Latino electorate with their nativist stance on immigration. If the Obama campaign continues to go down this path, history will likely repeat itself.

In the early 1970s, Chicanos/as throughout the Southwest began flexing their political muscle by forming a political third party, La Raza Unida Party (RUP), because of the unresponsiveness to the needs of the Mexican-American community by the two controlling parties. Although the RUP does not exist anymore, there were history-making years because thousands of Mexican-Americans repudiated the Democratic Party’s dictatorship. During those four years, the RUP accomplished more what many third parties never achieved – enough political clout to shake up the power structure of the Democratic Party in Texas.

That was then and this is now. Although often considered to be homogeneous, the Latino community contains many culturally diverse groups than it did in the 1970s. However, there is still a hunger, a starvation, for our community to begin asserting ourselves again at the polls and dispel the old stereotype that we do not vote. When it comes to politics, you will always find those who will be loyal to there party no matter how unresponsive they are to the Latino community, however, make no mistake, if the Latino vote continues to feel that the Obama campaign taking their vote for granted, he could lose the more moderate Latino vote to John McCain. This is exactly what McCain is trying to capitalize during his recent secret meeting with Hispanic leaders.

Recently, many of us within the Latino/a blogosphere have decided to grade the bull by the horns and start to flex our own political muscle. This all started during Obama’s conference call about McCain’s closed-door meeting. During that conference call, three Latina bloggers - Liza Sabater of culturekitchen.com and The Daily Gotham, Marisa Treviño of Latina Lista, and Kety Esquivel of CrossLeft.org - took the Obama campaign to the woodshed over their poor efforts to reach out to the Latino community.

Soon after the conference call, a group of us Latino/a bloggers (CrossLeft, Culture Kitchen, Citizen Orange,Latino Politico, The Unapologetic Mexican, Migra Matters, Para Justicia y Libertad, Mamita Mala and Zuky) from The Sanctuary, a web base grassroots community of pro-migrant, human-rights, and civil-rights bloggers and online activists dedicated to the enactment of meaningful immigration reform, decided to draft a no holds barred survey on specific immigration issues for the presidential candidates to fill out.

I must admit it was very exciting to take part in this group project. I really learned a lot. However, I feel most of the credit should go to Kety for taking the lead and carrying the project through. None of this would have occurred if she had not shared her idea of developing a candidate survey with us. Considering we all spread throughout the US, she made sure nobody was excluded from this project.

As one of the founding members of The Sanctuary, my hope is that this site will not only address immigration issues, but can be a virtual settlement house similar to Jane Addams’ Hull House. In 1889, Jane Addams along with Ellen Gates Starr founded the social settlement Hull-House in Chicago, IL. Addams created a community center where people – of any age, race, gender, and ethnicity - not only contributed to the community as a whole, but also were allowed to develop and share their skills with anybody who was willing to learn.

During the 1920s, Hull House had expanded to expanded to include thirteen buildings to provide “kindergarten and day care facilities for the children of working mothers; an employment bureau; an art gallery; libraries; English and citizenship classes; and theater, music and art classes.” Hull-House also provided activities such as a Labor Museum, the Jane Club for single working girls, meeting places for trade union groups, and a wide array of cultural events. While The Sanctuary is not be able to provide direct social services like Addams’ Hull-House, however, we can function as a networking hub in order to connect people to these services in their area.

What made Hull-House special, the settlement house also advocated for legislative reforms at the municipal, state and federal levels, addressing issues such as child labor, women’s suffrage, and immigration policy. Hull House influenced legislation on child labor laws, occupational safety and health provisions, compulsory education, immigrant rights, and pension laws. My vision for The Sanctuary is that this site can also function as an advocacy center.

Jane Addams was a true visionary and one of the main reasons I became a social worker. Ms. Addams promoted the idea that access to opportunity was the key to successful participation in a democratic, self-governing society. She foresaw a compassionate, interdependent world revolving around the principles of social justice, fairness, tolerance, respect, equal opportunity, civic responsibility and hope for every individual, family and community. It is these principles I try to emulate as an activist.

But I digress. The survey we created to get real answer to the tough questions surrounding immigration, such as free trade, foreign policy, abuse of power by ICE and among other political issues not covered by the media or the candidates. It is time these politicians stop the rhetoric, worrying if their answer will be spun as proof of flip-flopping. We are in a crisis and it is time they provide us with a straight answer. This is why the survey was developed.

It has been about three weeks since we sent out our survey to John McCain and Barack Obama, only one candidate has acknowledge our survey, but has yet filled it out. According to Maegan at VivirLatino, “the Obama camp says a response is forthcoming.” However, we had no choice but to take extreme measures to force them to respond. We published the survey on a list-serv which includes influential people within the Hispanic community. While some saw this move unnecessary, we were able to get a reply from Vince Casillas, Obama’s Hispanic Outreach Coordinator:

Just so you know we haven’t forgot this survey. As you can imagine we recieve hundreds and hundreds of these which is no excuse just a reality. I’ll follow up with the status and hopefully have an update this afternoon. Thanks.

Vince Casillas

In Casillas’ attempt to reassure us that our survey is not being ignored; still leaves us to wonder if they are taking us seriously. Senor Casillas, what happened to our update? I know you mentioned that you are a one man team, but if I recall, you said that the higher ups were going to allocate some people to help you. If so, couldn’t you have gotten someone to assist you by sending us a quick message to let us know what transpired when you followed-up? Do we need to advocate for you so that your higher up provide you with the resources to make sure you are not overwhelmed? Talk to us. Communication is a two way street.

As for McCain, not a single word. I wouldn’t be surprised if our survey fell into the hands of some nativist or so corporatist elite.

This is my message to Barack Obama and John McCain. I am not surprised we have not heard from you. In fact, it wouldn’t shock me if you thought our survey was probably a bit complex, which means you would have to assign some flunky from your campaign or some Congressional aide to do some heavy research. But I doubt that is the reason. The obvious reason for either the delay or refusal to acknowledge our existence, the survey was purposely controversial, while at the same not leaving you a way out. There is a reason why we left out a “no comment” option.

We no longer want to take part in this viscous political “Christopher Columbus Syndrome” ploy. We are tired of getting the short end of the stick once the elections are over. Unlike other organizations who prefer to be force-fed the collective illusions on the wall of Plato’s Cave. Some of us are learning how to filter out the rhetoric. Our eyes are opening up. And in the spirit of competition, we don’t have to limit ourselves because there are other options to choice from. See, some people have been brain washed to think people are only allowed to run as a Republican or a Democrat. It is this reason people pick the unthinkable third option by not voting. But what if they were given a 3rd or a 4th, shouldn’t they have the right know? Shouldn’t they have the right to choose who will represent them?

Thomas Jefferson once said, “When governments fear the people there is liberty. When the people fear the government there is tyranny.”

This is why we chose to send our survey to the Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney and from what I have seen, I am sure she and her running mate Rosa Clemente are more likely to fill it out without giving us the run around. While I may not have the luxury to vote for her this November here in Texas, I am sure Ms. McKinney will be able to pick up a good number of Latino voters in other states with the right outreach coordinator by her side.

While she may not be on the November ballot in Texas, I am pretty sure if former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente had an effective Latino outreach coordinator who understood the complexity of the Latina/o community, she could give both McCain and Obama a run for their money.

It is time to stop the rhetoric and step up to the political plate. You may think you can give us the round around and hope we will go away quietly, think again. As Marisa Treviño pointed out, given that both candidates are appearing at the National Council of La Raza conference this weekend, it would be wise if they get back to use quickly before this story gets national attention now that some members of the news media, such as Alicia Stewart with CNN, caught wind of it. Momentum is already picking up around the blogosphere.

The ball is in your court and we are waiting for your reply.

Other Sanctuary Members’ Writing in Solidarity:
The Sanctuary
Latina Lista
Zuky
Latino Politico
Problem Chylde
Vivir Latino
The Unapologetic Mexican
CrossLeft
Citizen Orange

Read the entire questionnaire

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

Name:
Party Affiliation:
Address:
Home Phone:
Campaign Phone Office:
Office Sought/Opponents in:
If you are a State candidate, please indicate your State Registration Number:

The Sanctuary is a multi-issue organization working in the service of human rights, human reasoning and progressive discussion. Therefore it is critical for us to understand your position on the following issues. Please give specific answers to the questions and answer them as thoroughly as possible. Please type your answers. Use additional sheets as necessary.

1. Could you please articulate what you think are the most pressing issues for the U.S. immigrant community, at home AND abroad, and how you would hope to address those issues as President?

2. Do you support comprehensive immigration reform?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

3. What policy conditions would comprehensive immigration reform have to meet in order for you to support it? Please be specific?

4. Do you support the establishment of an expanded guest worker program?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

5. Do you support the expansion and construction of a virtual border along the U.S./Mexico border?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

6. Do you support the switch from family based immigration standards to the merit based system put forth in the last round of Senate CIR?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

7. Do you support the “touchback” requirements of previous comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) legislation that would require undocumented immigrants to return to their countries of origin in order to normalize their status?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

8. Would you support the addition of funding for stricter enforcement of general labor standards such as wage and hour or safety regulations as
part of CIR legislation?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

9. Would you support an increase in the cap of low-skilled
employment-based green cards issued each year from it’s current level of
5000?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

10. Would you favor raising the 65,000 cap on high-skilled H-1B temporary work visas, in light of the fact that in the last two years, H-1B visas were quickly filled in a matter of days?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

11a. If so, would you also favor limiting the number of H-1B professionals a company can hire?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

11b. If so, would you also favor limiting the number of H-1B professionals employment brokers are allowed to recruit?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

11 c. If so, would you favor including meaningful prevailing wage requirements keyed to the Service Contract Act and Davis-Bacon Act?

Yes No

Please explain

12. Do you have a position on providing materials concerning health care and public benefits programs in languages other than English?
Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

13. Do you support lifetime eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for disabled and/or elderly refugees and asylees who are eligible for SSI except for a lack of U.S. citizenship?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position

14. What are your feelings on immigrant detention?

15. Do you support family detention centers?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

16. Do you support private companies profiting of of immigrant detention?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

17. Do you support the Detainee Basic Medical Care Act, the bill that would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop procedures to ensure adequate medical care for all detainees held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

18. Do you support the United American Families Act, the bill that would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to allow permanent partners of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, including same-sex partners, to obtain permanent residency?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

19. Do you support the community service requirement of previous DREAM Act legislation that would grant provisional (conditional) legal residency to immigrant graduates who perform 910 hours of volunteer community service?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

20. Would you support an immediate moratorium on community and work site raids by ICE?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

21. Do you approve of ICE’s use of excessive force to conduct immigration raids as seen recently in Postiville, Iowa?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

22. Do you support the Families First Immigration Enforcement Act, the bill that would provide for safe and humane policies and procedures pertaining to the arrest, detention, and processing of aliens in immigration enforcement operations?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

23. Would you support the incorporation of requirements that would tie both future economic aid and trade agreements to substantive benchmarks in sender nations that would alleviate some of the economic and humanitarian conditions that foster continued migration?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

24. Would you renegotiate the NAFTA last phase that just went into effect that lifts restrictions on more US agricultural products, particularly poultry, imported into Mexico?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

25. Do you support cancelling or renegotiating NAFTA?”

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

26. Do you support providing subsidies for corn-based ethanol?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

27. Do you support the farm bill, more specifically the agricultural subsidies it contains?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

28. Do you support a restructuring of trade-distorting US farm subsidies?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

29. Do you support a significant shift in subsidies to help farmers adopt conservation and renewable energy practices on farms?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

30. Do you support Plan Colombia (the Plan that was meant to combat the principal threat to the nation’s political and economic elite: the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC)) even though after closer examination of Plan Colombia, it has been revealed that the Plan states that public companies and banks are to be privatized leading to massive layoffs and further increasing unemployment at a time when cutbacks in government spending has removed any vestiges of providing a social safety net for those affected?
Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

31. Do you support Plan Mexico, which has been considered to be a duplicated of Plan Colombia, which has entrenched violence and corruption in Colombia while failing to reduce drug flow?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

32.Do you support canceling or renegotiating Plan Mexico?

Yes No

Please explain.

How long have you held this position?

33. What would you do to address the racist and nativist rhetoric that is becoming mainstreamed and that is tied to a rising crime wave fueled by the same sentiment?

34. What are you going to do to take a more global approach to the
issue of migration?

35. What would you do to provide opportunities in the countries that
migrants are fleeing from?

36. How do you address the overwhelming amount of money the U.S. federal government spends on defense and military expenditures, at home and abroad, and would you see to it that less money is spent on
militarization and more money is spent on social programs?

37. What leadership have you taken on immigration issues, including but not limited to the issues addressed in this questionnaire?

38. On what immigration issues will you take leadership?

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