Obama’s Agenda for Latinos in the US
The special forces operation that killed über bad-guy Osama Bin Laden was a watershed moment on several fronts. For national security, for the so-called war on terror, and for the overall American psyche it marked a kind of closure. It’s not that we’re any safer, it’s just a new chapter. But it was also a watershed for President Obama. Almost immediately after his dramatic announcement that American forces had killed Bin Laden the Internet lit-up with speculation about Obama’s sure re-election.
Obama: before and after Bin Laden
Before the raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the president’s poll numbers were very low – a direct correlation to high unemployment and deficit numbers. We’ve yet to see any significant post-raid polls, but rest assured they’re being compiled. Among Latinos in the US Obama was losing favor. Some polls had his Latino approval in the low 50’s. The White House response was to put together an initiative aimed specifically at Latinos: Winning The Future – President Obama’s Agenda And The Hispanic Community.
More than a plan of action, it’s a compilation of where Obama’s agenda dove-tails with the needs and issues important to US Latinos.
- Strengthening the economy
- Revitalizing Education
- Fixing Immigration
- Ensuring Homeownership
- Ensuring access to healthcare
- Securing renewable energy
- Serving veterans
- Protecting the environment
- Embracing Puerto Rico’s self determination
An impressive list that hits on the major themes and issues that Latinos have been preoccupied with for decades: education, jobs, security, family and immigration.
More a list than a plan.
It’s also a long document – 34 pages of White House initiatives and programs, ideas and agendas and how they include, benefit and uplift the Latino community with requisite pictures of Latinos in the Oval Office and the president and vice-president along-side school children, soldiers and Sonia Sotomayor.
If you believe the on line chatter none of this will matter. The common and euphoric feeling is that after killing Bin Laden Obama has secured a clear path to reelection and his poll numbers are sure to increase – among Latinos along with all other Americans. But I wouldn’t be so fast to shelve the 34 page “Winning the Future” list.
It’ll come back once the presidential campaign gets into full-gear. And as we get closer to election day it may serve as a list of plans and promises that may or may not have hit their mark. And that’ll be 18 months after the day Obama killed Bin Laden.
Follow Victor Landa on Twitter: @vlanda
