Race and Election Coverage 2008

15 June, 2008 by jimsterp Categories :
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Race and Election Coverage 2008

By Julianne Ong Hing & Valeria Fernandez

May 16, 2008

Minnesota, Part 2

In Minnesota, several controversial bills left over from the 2007 session have big implications for communities of color. Jermaine Toney, a researcher at the Organizing Apprenticeship Program, commonly known as OAP, has been keeping tabs on the developments of several pieces of legislation that were tabled in the 2007 session. One is the Reclaiming Our Children From Detention Act, which, according to Toney, would jumpstart a 12-month pilot project to look at young people of color’s unequal contact with police. “Racial profiling is a problem people in Minnesota have long been aware of, and people are finally trying to move on this,” Toney said. He admits that since its introduction the bill has been watered down significantly.

Toney also has high hopes for the Reducing Structural Barriers to Voting Act. The bill, which was tabled by Governor Tim Pawlenty in the 2007 session, would have automatically registered people renewing their driver’s licenses and state ID’s to vote in future elections. Toney called it a “missed opportunity,” but hopes it will be reintroduced in 2008.

Louisiana

In Louisiana the state legislative session closes in a month, and a lot is at stake for people of color and immigrants.

An effort to overturn Louisiana’s juvenile life without parole bill has been met with stiff opposition. The bill—currently in the state Senate—would allow young people to be eligible for parole once they turn 18. Seung Hong, a local activist, said that the bill failed to pass in the House recently and has been hotly contested in the Senate. Louisana has 317 juveniles serving life without parole in its prisons, according to a Human Rights Watch report released in 2005.

Three anti-immigrant bills, HB 1357, 1358 and 25, have also been introduced. HB 1357 would essentially penalize anyone who doesn’t notify local authorities when they know someone is an undocumented immigrant. Providing an apartment lease, legal services, or even a ride to the grocery store would count as “harboring” under the terms of HB 1357. HB 1358 would make it illegal to give undocumented immigrants a ride and fine the driver $1,000. If passed these bills would also sentence people to a year in prison. The last, HB 25, demands that police verify the citizenship of anyone they arrest. These bills passed the House with wide margins and are currently being discussed in state Senate judiciary committees.

Hong explained that there has not been a strong organized resistance to these bills because the immigrant population in Lousiana is so new and does not have an organizing and advocacy infrastructure in place. The immigrant community “is a post-Katrina population. The numbers have gone up ten times in the course of a year,” Hong said, adding, “It looks like all the bills are going to pass.”

Missouri: Anti-affirmative action measure fails

Ward Connerly’s anti-affirmative action initiative, known as the Missouri Civil Rights Initiative, failed to make it on the ballot for this November. The group did not turn over 140,000 signatures by the May 4th deadline, even though it claimed to have gathered 170,000 signatures.

The proposal to bar many state affirmative action programs is part of a campaign led by Connerly nationwide. Other states impacted include Nebraska and Arizona. Signature gatherers have until July to collect enough signatures to put it on the ballot in the remaining states. Colorado voters will have a say on the measure next November.

May 2, 2008

Nevada: Voting In Whose Interest?

Ruben Kihuen, the son of Mexican immigrants, is up for re-election in Nevada’s state assembly. The Dem has represented the 11th District since 2006, when he ran his first campaign a year after becoming a citizen. Kihuen made news most recently though because he endorsed and canvassed aggressively for Hillary Clinton, though the local Latino-heavy Culinary Union supported Obama. Clinton won the Nevada primary, but how Kihuen will deal with the difference in opinion between himself and his constituency is something to keep an eye on, says Bill Fulkerson of Plan Nevada, a nonprofit alliance of over 24 groups that works for progressive social change in Nevada.

Ruben Kihuen’s website: http://www.rubenforassembly.com/

Florida: Cuban Americans Battle For Seats

In South Florida, Latino Congressmen, Lincoln Diaz-Balart and his younger brother, Mario Diaz-Balart, are up for re-election. They are part of a Cuban political dynasty (their father was a pre-revolution Cuban politician and U.S. Representative) and represent elite Cuban interests. In Congress, they’re considered the backbone of the Cuban-American lobby. Their staunchly conservative politics give legitimacy to the Republicans’ and Bush administration claim to Latino support, but they don’t always have the support of working and middle class Cubans and non-Cuban Latinos.

Both Diaz-Balarts, who have served several terms in Congress and represent the Old Guard Cuban elite class, are being challenged by Cuban American Democrats Raul Martinez and Joe Garcia. Joseph Phelan of the Miami Workers Center projects that if the brothers lose, it could precipitate a huge change in Cuban policy. However, given the recent news of Castro’s resignation, they won’t give up their seats without a fight.

Lincoln Diaz-Balart’s official House page

Lincoln Diaz-Balart’s campaign webpage

Mario Diaz-Balart’s official House website

Yahoo News Story

Minnesota

Peggy Flanagan, a 28-year-old American Indian and pro-choice Catholic, who holds a seat on the Minneapolis Board of Education is challenging 12-year incumbent Representative Joe Mullery for his seat in November. Mullery is popular with progressives for championing consumer rights, but Jermaine Toney, from the Organizing Apprenticeship Project, an advocacy organization, was disappointed with his track record with other issues. "When it comes to criminal justice issues and issues affecting people of color, it’s like, ‘Where are you?’" Toney said.

http://peggyforhouse.org/

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Colorado: Attacks On Affirmative Action

Ward Connerly’s Colorado Civil Rights Initiative turned over more than 128,000 signatures to the Secretary of State in March. But several dozen Coloradans say they were deceived into signing the petitions under the guise of ending discrimination, according to Colorado Unity, a coalition that is fighting the measure.

The proposal to ban affirmative action in Colorado is part of a national effort lead by Connerly. Other states affected this year include Arizona, Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Connerly’s people in the remaining states have until early July to turn in enough signatures to put it on the ballot in November.

Affirmative Action stories

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