Latino Journal voter recommendations for California

For the last 14 years, the Latino Journal has made voter recommendations on statewide and local elections.  The recommendations are result of our studying the issues, learning about the candidates, and assessing who and what would benefit the Latino community the most.  The following are the 2010-midterm election voter recommendations for California:

U.S. Senate:  Barbara Boxer

Carly Fiorina is just too divisive for California Latinos to support.  She endorsed the new discriminatory law in Arizona and is too much of an arch-conservative on immigration.  So, we reluctantly endorse the re-election bid of Barbara Boxer, but not without expressing serious concerns.  Boxer blocked the last comprehensive immigration law on behalf of unions.  America’s unions have a problem with “undocumented workers” and they don’t want more Mexicans.  Latinos need to figure out how to rattle Boxer’s cage so she stops disrespecting this community in the future.  It would be great to have Boxer defeated but not by someone who is obviously a much worst choice.  

Governor: No Endorsement

Both Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman have strengths and weaknesses. 

Brown will champion worker and undocumented immigrant rights.  He has government experience and may be able to work with the current legislature.  But, he has some major flaws.  In the seventies he hired union supporters as deputy labor commissioners who used “Gestapo Like” actions to close down businesses for labor code violations (as he has done with the Attorney General’s office).  He lacks ability to work with the private sector that ultimately creates jobs and stimulates the economy.  Non union companies will find it hard to get access to Brown.  No Latinos were part of his inner circle the last four years he has been Attorney General, or now in his campaign circle.  His seventies style of governing is not relevant today. 

Meg Whitman knows how to work the private sector to gain economic advantages for California which then creates jobs and prosperity.  We also like that she appreciates Latinos and has a robust Latino component in her campaign.  She was hurt by two major factors, the illegal immigrant who lied on her employment documents and her contribution of over $160 million of her own money to her campaign that she claims makes her independent from special interest.  Most of the 200,000 state employees are working hard to defeat her since she declared a desire to cut 40,000 jobs.

We wish California had better choices, so, take your pick.

Lieutenant Governor:  Abel Maldonado

Abel Maldonado is perfect as California’s Lt. Governor.  He is a Latino who began as a farm worker, then became a businessman farmer, then a legislator and now is the highest ranking Latino in the State.  Throughout his political career Maldonado consistently led to create laws that make good public policy and in a non-partisan fashion.  He works diligently for the public’s best interest and clearly deserves the Latino vote.

Secretary of State:  No Endorsement

Current Secretary of State Debra Bowen has been a great disappointment.  She displays no sense of concern or urgency over the fact Latinos have some of the poorest voter turn-outs as any other group.  She la-di-das through her work day and seems not to give a hoot for the mess in voter apathy.  Her opponent, the high energy and great guy Damon Dunn, is not going to get elected, so, we make no endorsement.  Stay home on this one … she doesn’t care anyway.

State Controller:  John Chiang

John Chiang is an up and coming public servant that should be supported by the Latino community and should get re-elected.  He is widely speculated as a future candidate for governor and the Asian community holds him in high esteem.  His inclusive nature and success in public service make this an easy endorsement.

State Treasurer:  Bill Lockyer

Throughout his public life Bill Lockyer has been inclusive and pays a great amount of attention and respect to the Latino community.  Over the years he has championed policies that are balanced and good for the public.  We encourage Latinos to vote for Bill Lockyer to retain his position as State Treasurer.

State Attorney General:  Steve Cooley

Steve Cooley’s long history of being tough on crime, yet a noble and non-partisan law enforcement professional as the District Attorney for Los Angeles has made him the top choice of law enforcement leaders throughout California.  Latinos could not have a better candidate to support to be top cop as Attorney General.  He is fair, non-partisan and inclusive in his governance and so Latinos should vote for him.

Insurance Commissioner:  Dave Jones

Sacramento Assemblymember Dave Jones is an intelligent and charismatic leader who works hard and works smart.  He promotes balance between consumer interest and business.  We have found him to be a formidable champion and an articulate speaker of inclusive policies that he hopes to promote as Insurance Commissioner.  It is with deep respect and admiration that we endorse his candidacy and urge Latinos to vote for Dave Jones to be our next Insurance Commissioner.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction:  Tom Torlakson

A long time quality education champion, former Senator and now Assemblymember Tom Torlakson deserves the Latino vote to become superintendent of public instruction.  He understands the school dropout problem and is endorsed by so many Latino elected officials such as Antonio Villaraigosa, Senator Gil Cedillo and many more.  His opponent, Larry Aceves, is an education administrator and a great guy, but he lacks the breadth of depth of policy formulation and execution.  It would just take him too long to learn it.  That is why we endorse Tom Torlakson.

California State Supreme Court Nominations:

It only makes sense for voters to confirm Tani Cantil-Sakauye as Chief Justice, Ming W. Chin and Carlos R. Moreno as Associate Justices because they reflect California’s rich diversity and clearly understand the law from a judicial perspective.

Proposition 19:  No

What California needs are healthy minds to fix the economy, not poor pot smokers we can tax.  (Oreo cookies anyone?)

Proposition 20:  Yes

Gerrymandering for political gain is wrong, regardless of who does it.  Californians need to control their future and this is what Prop 20 will do.

Proposition 21:  No

This is one of those situations where the state needs to live within its means and not in our pocket books.

Proposition 22:  No

The ballot measure pretends it would bar the state from diverting certain types of local revenue. It's not the right solution.

Proposition 23:  No

Suspending California's global warming law as prescribed in this proposition would lead to more genetic and respiratory problems for children and the elderly.

Proposition 24:  No

Corporations (the wealthy) need tax breaks to grow and create more jobs.  This is Econ 101 - the more jobs, the more taxes, the more money for schools.

Proposition 25:  No

This is another political party power grab disguised as a public benefit.

Proposition 26:  Yes

At last, a law that makes sense for all taxpayers.

Proposition 27:  No

A Democratic Party power grab that will leave voters stranded. 

For specific candidate information or proposition language, visit the Secretary of State website and good luck on readily finding the information.

Latinos not reflected on Spanish TV

Blonde, Blue-Eyed, Euro-Cute Latinos on Spanish TV

Has Spanish language TV violated its trust to maintain American Latino cultural identity?

Dr. Al Carlos Hernández, www.LatinoLA.com

Edited by Susan Aceves

For second and third generation Latinos living in the USA, Spanish language TV is as foreign and disingenuous to our lifestyles as Jersey Shore. Everything portrayed on Univision, Galavision, and Telemundo reflects a "Euro-Cute" opinion of beauty; a visual that has tormented normal-looking Latinos for generations. To me, light skinned, light eyed, wealthy people represent the patron, not the peon.

Why, when I travel down south to the Motherland, is it always the Festival of St. Cara de Burro? I have never seen anyone even close to novella-quality walking the streets or even working the hotels.

Spanish-language TV has made a strangely twisted, anti-affirmative action effort to hire any Spanish-speaking white person on the planet who can over-act on cue. I have never seen a Benito Juarez-looking leading man or a leading lady like Freda. Brown is bad and guiro is always good.

Spanish TV ambitiously perpetuates this Arian beauty myth. People go to church with these novellas five times a week to learn the value of racial misinformation. No one says anything about it because these people happen to be speaking Spanish. Speaking Spanish doesn’t make one Latino. I met several Spanish speaking Chinese folks at Popeye’s Chicken.

Cortez spoke Spanish and taught it to La Malinche - then she turned around and sold out the Aztecs. Her name is remembered when you bang your thumb with a hammer, stub your toe on a bedpost or realize that your brother-in-law won the lottery.

Is Spanish TV selling out American Latinos and indoctrinating them into a universal Anglo ideal of beauty? Of course they are. It's all about giving the advertisers what they want: our money not our cultural integrity. This, via foreign-programmed Spanish TV, is for sale. I cannot relate to Spanish TV. It has even less quality than Network TV and we are excluded from that media as well.

I was amused to find that Captain Crunch, Colonel Sanders, and the Cocoa Puffs bird could speak Spanish. Advertising in Spanish media is now a multi-billion dollar-a-year industry, which seems redundant. Real numbers indicate that at least 70% of Latinos living in this country can communicate in English and prefer English as the language of commerce.

What concerns me, are the visual image values that are conveyed on the novellas and the variety shows night after night. Few Latinos have light hair, light eyes, and are draped in designer labels. The irony is that those whose actual lives mirror that description would never be caught dead watching Univision. Those who do pass for Anglo avoid the sting of American racism. We should continue to reject the American notion of "Euro-Cute" beauty as it is inherently colonial and racist. Many of us would protest such caricature on Network TV. On the other hand, they hired Blair Underwood to be a Black Cuban President. Seriously? It seems like they go around the block to avoid us.

Why do we accept caricature as legitimate? Is it just because the racist message is in Spanish? Our kids should not be subjected to situational values (assumed as truth from birth) that tell them that the Anglo ideal of beauty is good and ideals of color are wrong.

I find it also true that most of Spanish TV programming is a corny, cheap knock-off of what we American Latinos call, "played out." That being said, my monolingual sons watch Spanish TV to see the babes, TV volume down, while listening to rap. I like the guy who blows the horn on the whacked singing contestants on Sabado Gigante.

We rant. We boycott about the conspicuous lack of real Latinos on Network TV, as well we should. They don't even pretend to respect us. What we don't realize is that while the viewing numbers of Spanish TV soar into the hundreds of millions of households, they dwarf network ratings worldwide. And speaking of dwarfs, I saw a Mexican midget rodeo and almost laughed my way into the emergency room. I sincerely hope that the program was a comedy. If not, I volunteer my sincerest apologies.

Spanish networks, especially the local affiliates, should be held incredibly accountable to the community. They have a sacred trust to maintain and sustain Latino cultural integrity. It was second and third generation Latino activists who rallied and demanded a bigger Latino presence in modern media. We built the house. Spanish TV foreclosed on us. Now we have no real community presence on Network T.V. They pitch their commercials to the advertising agencies claiming to speak for the people. But how many Castilian-speaking, blonde-haired, green-eyed busboys have you met in the barrio?

And if you have never been to the Barrio, you are unqualified to comment.

Gerrymandering harms all voters

Hold Politicians Accountable on Election Day
'Gerrymandering' Exposes the Problems and Absurdities with Letting Politicians Draw Their Own Districts
By Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Governor

Right now, across the country, our two major political parties are gearing up for a once-a-decade war whose winner will control Congress for the next ten years, and possibly more. There will be battles in every state, and each will be kept carefully hidden from the prying eyes of average voters who only become more disenchanted with their government with each meaningless election.

Democrats and Republicans collude to keep these skirmishes private so that they can maintain total control over the ultimate political weapon: the ability to directly determine the outcome of elections. Why bother stuffing ballots when they can just draw districts? For the first time, Gerrymandering exposes the most effective form of manipulating elections short of outright fraud. After the 2010 Census is finished, will you know where your district went?

Gerrymandering looks at the practice of politicians around the country drawing their own election districts to protect their jobs and power. California voters should know that voting Yes on 20 and No on 27 can eliminate this practice in California.

The film is timely and relevant in California because Prop 20, on the November ballot, will extend the redistricting reforms voters approved in 2008 so that the independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, instead of Sacramento politicians, will draw congressional districts in addition to state Assembly and Senate districts. Prop 20 will stop Sacramento politicians from drawing “safe” districts for their friends in Congress, which virtually guarantee their reelection even when they ignore the needs of voters.

By supporting Prop 20, voters can help ensure that all California politicians are held accountable and put an end to the backroom deals that have characterized the politician-controlled redistricting system for decades.

Also, voters should not be fooled by the incumbent politicians and special interests who are bankrolling Prop 27. Prop 27 will gut the voter-approved Citizens Redistricting Commission and return the power to draw districts to legislators. Voting No on 27 will stop the politicians’ power grab and ensure voters have a real voice in elections. 

The Yes on 20/No on 27 campaign is a broad-based coalition of individuals and groups including AARP, California Common Cause, the National Federation of Independent Business/California, NAACP California State Conference, California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, California Black Chamber of Commerce, Latin Business Association and many more that believe the voter-approved Citizens Redistricting Commission, not Sacramento politicians, should draw district lines for Congress.

To learn more about the Yes on 20/No on 27 campaign and the growing list of California stakeholders that want to hold politicians accountable, visit www.yes20no27.org. Or follow the campaign on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VoteYes20No27. To learn more about Gerrymandering, visit www.gerrymanderingmovie.com.

Anti-Latino move put Arizona in world map

The Manifestation of Jan Brewer

By Aidée Valenzuela López, Special to The Perez Factor 

 

On April 23, 2010, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed the controversial Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act or SB 1070, catapulting her and the state of Arizona into the national spotlight. To the anti-immigration crowd she became the heroine of a story that has an extensive and sometimes vexing preface with a well-supplied cast of characters:  beginning with John Tanton, an influential activist in efforts aimed at reducing immigration levels. Tanton is the organizer and first chairman of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), a group that advocates a reduction in the level of immigration into the U.S.  He is still on the board of directors of that group which enjoys “non-profit status.” 

Seven years after he started FAIR, Mr. Tanton wrote this: '... to govern is to populate... will the present majority peaceably hand over its political power to a group that is simply more fertile? ... As whites see their power and control over their lives declining, will they simply go quietly into the night? or will there be an explosion?' In 1997, John Tanton also told The Detroit Free-Press that America will soon be overrun by illegal immigrants '... defecating and creating garbage and looking for jobs.

'FAIR reportedly received more than a million dollars in funding from The Pioneer Fund.

The Pioneer Fund describes itself as a group formed 'in the Darwinian-Galtonian evolutionary tradition, and the eugenics movement.' For the last seventy years, The Pioneer Fund has funded controversial research about race and intelligence, essentially aimed at proving the racial superiority of white people. The group's original mandate was to promote the genes of those 'deemed to be descended predominantly from white persons who settled in the original thirteen states prior to the adoption of the Constitution.

'He also helped to start two other groups with a similar goal: the Center for Immigration Studies, a non-profit research group; and NumbersUSA, a grassroots lobbying group.  Tanton has also been a leader in efforts to make English the official language of government in the U.S. To that end, he was co-founder (1983) and chairman of U.S. English and later (1994) of ProEnglish, of which he is still a director. 

What appears to the public as a myriad of voices advocating for severe immigration enforcement is nothing more than a series of cloned front groups, coalitions and spin-offs seeking to overwhelm reasonable debate on immigration. Tanton has founded and funded through US Inc., Federation for American Immigration Reform, Center for Immigration Studies, NumbersUSA, Pro English, Social Contract Press, U.S. English, American Immigration Control Foundation, American Patrol/Voices of Citizens Together, Californians for Population Stabilization, ProjectUSA and Population-Environment Balance and the legal arm Immigration Reform Law Institute who employs Kris Kobach.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Tanton

 Kobach crafted local laws for towns including Hazelton, Penn. and Farmer's Branch, Texas, designed to crack down on citizens who rented property to illegal immigrants. The Hazelton law was struck down by a federal judge in 2007. Kobach is a frequent media spokesman for the anti-illegal-immigration cause. A law professor at the University of Missouri -- Kansas City, he also serves as chair of the Kansas GOP, and is running for Secretary of State of Kansas. After 9/11, as a Bush administration lawyer, Kobach designed the "National Security Entry-Exit Registration System," which required fingerprinting and monitoring of visitors from Muslim and Arab countries. As Prerna Lal recently pointed out on Race in America, The program registered 83,000 people and led to the arbitrary detention of over 1,000 individuals, but didn't net a single terrorist and eventually died under the weight of charges of racial profiling and discrimination. Hundreds of people who had voluntarily appeared to register were arrested and detained without reasonable justification and 14,000 put into deportation proceedings--none of them charged with terrorism.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris_Kobachhttp://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/25/legal-architect-arizona-law-sought-immigration-guru/

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/21/us/21lawyer.html?pagewanted=all 

FAIR/IRLI's Kris Kobach and AZ Senator Russell Pearce are the architects of SB 1070.  In 2006, Rep. Pearce, R-Mesa, said during an interview on AMorning Edition@ on KJZZ (91.5 FM) that he would support bringing back a controversial federal program dubbed Operation Wetback, which was designed to apprehend and deport illegal Mexican immigrants in the mid-1950s

http://www.kpho.com/news/9966938/detail.html

Also in 2006 Russell Pearce sent out an e-mail titled "Who Rules America" produced by the National Alliance, a neo-Nazi group known for its anti-Semitic views. The email contained views about Jewish control of the news media and the media's bias against whites, while favoring minorities and Israel. The National Alliance promotes White Living Space "a racially clean area of the earth for the further development of our people. We must have White schools, White residential neighborhoods and recreation areas, White workplaces, White farms and countryside. We must have no non-Whites in our living space, and we must have open space around us for expansion. Government must be wholly committed to the service of our race and subject to no non-Aryan influence. It must be structured and organized in a way suited to its purpose of safeguarding and advancing the race". 

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/1011pearce1011.html

Russell Pearce has sponsored three such laws.SB 1070 http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070s.pdf

**note: FAIR makes a living off of suing local and state governments over immigration laws. Tucked inside Article 8 of Arizona's new law is a provision that if groups like them win their cases 'a court may order that the entity that brought the action recover court costs and attorney fees. 'That could create a nice financial boon for the formerly eugenics movement-funded, advance-the-white-majority, promote-the-genetics-of-white-America anti-immigrant group whose attorneys helped write the new law.**   

SB 1097 a bill that threatens to cut state funding from schools unless they report on children's immigration status. http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1097p.pdf

HB 2631 which amends current marriage law to require that a prospective bride and groom provide both their social security numbers and proof of citizenship before a marriage license is issued. So only Americans can wed Americans.

http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/hb2631p.pdf

In January 2009 Jan Brewer became Governor of Arizona as part of the line of succession due to the resignation of Janet Napolitano after being selected as Secretary of Homeland Security. In her inaugural address, Brewer promised to keep taxes low in Arizona, yet two months into her term Brewer proposed a tax increase in front of the State Legislature. Championing a one-cent sales-tax increase (abhorred by most of her fellow Republicans) to keep Arizona from going bankrupt, several versions of an immigration bill floated around the legislature under the watchful eye of state senator Russell Pearce. Worried about the fate of the sales tax and Arizona's budget, political observers say, Brewer had no choice but to attach herself to SB 1070 to avoid turning off Republican voters.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,2009629,00.html#ixzz0yuCFXty9 

On April 23, 2010, Brewer signed the controversial Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act or SB 1070. A bill that she initially lobbied against while Secretary of State. SB 1070 was enjoined by Judge Susan Bolton. Just hours after filing an appeal with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Jan Brewer admitted to Larry King that SB 1070 does nothing to secure the border. Then that Friday after being denied the expedited appeal, she announced she would consider changes to "tweak" the law. Later that same day she posted on her FB page "Americans want the border secure first...."

Just a couple weeks later on May 11th, Governor Brewer signed  "Ethnic Studies" Law: HB 2281 which prohibits schools from offering courses at any grade level that advocate ethnic solidarity, promote overthrow of the US government, or cater to specific ethnic groups—regulations which will dismantle the state's popular Mexican-American studies programs.

Governor Brewer has come under questioning for her ties to Tennessee-based prison company Corrections Corporation of America's executives and lobbyists had donated $1,780 in "seed money" for Governor Jan Brewer's Clean Elections campaign. CCA also contributed $10,000 to the campaign for Prop 100, the state sales-tax initiative. CCA operates six prisons in Arizona, three of which house detainees for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The various enforcement provisions of 1070 practically ensure that more undocumented folks will be turned over to ICE. CCA probably will end up holding some of these individuals as they wait for removal proceedings or if they are convicted of federal immigration-related crimes.So CCA stands to profit from SB 1070 as they hold the federal contract to house detainees in Arizona. The company bills $11 million per month. . Phoenix's CBS 5 (KPHO) investigations indicate, Brewer's relationship to CCA runs far deeper than just the political contributions mentioned. Brewer's top representative, Paul Senseman, worked for Arizona's Policy Development Group, which lists CCA as a client. Senseman's wife, Kathy, is listed with the firm as a lobbyist for CCA. CCA employs Highground Public Affairs Consultants to represent its interests in Arizona. Highground's president is Chuck Coughlin, Brewer's top political adviser and the man running her gubernatorial campaign. Brewer refused to answer questions about her advisers' ties to CCA.

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2010-07-29/news/governor-jan-brewer-s-cca-ties-burn-like-neon-and-news-for-liberals-j-t-ready-s-still-a-neo-nazi/

After saying that "Our law enforcement agencies have found bodies in the desert either buried or just lying out there that have been beheaded," A Fox News team investigated the claim and concluded in the last two years only one human skull had been found and that had been the results of animals. Six medical examiners in Arizona from Yuma, Pima, Santa Cruz, Cochise, Pinal and Maricopa confirmed that they had no records of decapitated bodies.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/07/15/human-head-arizona-fuels-political-debate/

In Phoenix, police spokesman Trent Crump said, "Despite all the hype, in every single reportable crime category, we're significantly down." Mr. Crump said Phoenix's most recent data for 2010 indicated still lower crime. For the first quarter of 2010, violent crime was down 17% overall in the city, while homicides were down 38% and robberies 27%, compared with the same period in 2009. Arizona's major cities all registered declines. A perceived rise in crime is one reason often cited by proponents of a new law intended to crack down on illegal immigration.

Between the economy and boycotts related to Arizona's tough new immigration law, SB 1070, tourism in the state is down 10 percent. The state has lost about 40 conventions and $15 million so far.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2010/08/03/20100803arizona-immigration-boycott-costs.html

The state has already had to pay $77,000 to defend the immigration enforcement law in court and enforcement of SB1070 will continue to cost the state money. According to the Arizona Republic, booking costs the state $192 per suspect and the city must pay $72 per day for each inmate to be housed in jail.

lWith manageable politicians such as Jan Brewer pushing legislation like SB1070, SB1097, HB2631 and HB2281 John Tanton has been able to further advance his agenda......  'I've come to the point of view that for European-American society and culture to persist requires a European-American majority, and a clear one at that.'

Latino voters caught again on "wedge" issue

Latino voters caught again on "wedge" issue

By Adrian Perez, Publisher

In 1994, California’s Governor Pete Wilson used illegal immigration as a wedge issue to ensure his reelection and secure the election of Republicans across the state. His effort was successful, plus the voters passed a measure that would have denied public services to illegal immigrants, Proposition 187. Now, in 2010 gubernatorial race, the tables have turned and Democratic candidate Jerry Brown is using illegal immigration as a wedge issue to attain the support of Latino voters.

There is no question that Brown needed to pull a “rabbit out of the hat” to compete against Republican candidate and billionaire Meg Whitman. That rabbit was actually presented as a gift by media hound and sometimes attorney Gloria Allred, when she introduced to the world Nicky Diaz Santillan, an illegal immigrant who worked as Whitman’s nanny for nine years.

Whitman immediately denied knowing that Nicky was illegal and says when she found out in 2009, she fired her for lying and because it was the legal thing to do. Now the big questions for California voters are: Is Whitman a hypocrite for hiring a person carrying false documents? Why didn’t Nicky complain in 2009 when she was fired? How will this fix California’s economic woes? Will this improve Latino retention in public schools? Why doesn’t the state of California hire or contract more Latino employees and businesses? Oh wait those last three questions are too germane to the real issues affecting California.

Detractors during an election are a common ploy and seem to work for those seeking to represent the masses. But, if that’s what campaigns are about, here are some suggested detractors for Whitman to use, especially after being accused by Brown of playing politics like a girl:

Brown uses sexist terms like “bread-winner” and promotes male dominated jobs like retrofit construction. He ignores the fastest growing small business owners in the state, women – especially Latinas.

Brown helped Latinos when he was Governor, not out of the goodness of his heart, but because he was pushed and lobbied by the powerful labor leader Cesar Chavez (view the videos on the UFW website.)
Brown wants to punish women with a capitol gains tax after their husbands die (men have a shorter life span.)

While Mayor of Oakland, Brown removed thousands of African Americans living along the Cypress freeway and replaced them with upper class, Silicon Valley employees.

Brown did nothing for Latinos as Mayor of Oakland and has done nothing for Latinos as the state’s Attorney General (ask any Latino attorney in that agency.)

And the list can go on. But this election is not about the failed policies or mistakes the candidates have made in their past that are being exploited by campaign consultants and used as detractors. It is about getting California’s economic engine back on track. The candidates need to see the real problems facing us…senior citizens and large Latino families losing their homes…more homeless people…a growing number of closed businesses in every shopping mall…farmers fallowing their land…Latino children’s health issues on the rise…Latino children not being educated.

This column has spelled out before how Latinos comprise nearly 40 percent of the state’s population. Immigration reform is an important topic, but not the sole topic. Jobs, economic development and education remain the top areas of concern for all voters and we are all waiting to learn how these two political candidates will tackle these problems. To date, neither has been specific enough, especially Jerry Brown, on how they will work with the Legislature in resolving our economic dilemma and helping Congress fix the undocumented worker issue.

And as for Nicky, “Que la hechen patras! Es lo que merece por andar de mentirosa (Send her back!  That's what she gets for lying),” says Socorro Contreras a naturalized U.S. citizen who votes and earned only $20 per day to clean, cook and wash windows as the late Governor Pat Brown’s (Jerry’s dad) nanny.