Continue reading »]]> SOURCE: FOXNEWS.COM

They keep coming – the campaign ads seeking to woo Latinos.

Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has a new English-Spanish web ad that attacks President Obama’s recent speech where he said “If you’ve got a business – you didn’t build that.”

The Romney campaign has assailed the speech — in which the president is said to have meant that success often happens with the helping hand of others – as an insult to people who have worked hard to build businesses and their own fortunes.

The new ad, called “These Hands” or “Estas Manos,” features Gilbert Cantú, a Mexican-American who says his family came from Mexico and that he and his family were able to start a business through hard work.

Cantú, whose business is described as a mobile locksmith service that repairs safes and vaults, says he takes exception to Obama’s comment.

“The key to success, I believe, as many Latinos believe, is hard work,” Cantú said in ad. “President Obama said that if I own a business, I didn’t necessarily build it. That was a very insulting remark to make. I built this business.”

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2012/08/06/romney-ad-tells-latinos-did-build-that/?goback=%2Egde_4276638_member_143496158#ixzz22wpknNzJ

Continue reading »]]> Manuel Castaneda is only running for a seat in the Oregon House of Representatives, but Republicans in Washington already have high hopes for the candidate and others like him.

The Mexican-born owner of a landscaping business from Washington County is one of 114 Hispanics involved in the Future Majority Project, an effort of veteran GOP strategist Ed Gillespie’s Republican State Leadership Committee.

“There are certainly future Congress members, future attorneys general, future governors, and future U.S. senators and maybe even a president in there,” Matt Walter, the political director of the Republican State Leadership Committee, told The Daily Caller.

The project is an organized effort to recruit and support qualified Hispanic candidates for legislative and other seats at the state level. The idea is to develop a farm team of candidates for a party that is looking for ways to appeal to and win over Hispanics.

“The goal of the Future Majority Project is to have a long-term, sustainable effort to grow the Republican family,” Walter said in an interview.

Continue reading »]]> Below is the text of Governor Mitt Romney’s address to the National Association of Latino Elected Official’s (NALEO) Conference in Orlando, Florida 6/21/12.

Thank you for inviting me to your annual conference. It’s an honor to be here among so many dedicated elected leaders.

I come to you today as a candidate for President of the United  States of America. I will govern from the principle that while this is a land of extraordinary diversity, there is much more that unites us than divides us. Though each of us walks a different path in life, we are united by one great, overwhelming passion: We love America. We believe in America.We are one nation, under God.

Today, we are united not only by our faith in America.We are united also by our concern for America. This country we love is in peril. That is why I am running for President.

Almost four years ago, Americans did something that was very much the sort of thing Americans like to do: We gave someone new a chance to lead; someone we hadn’t known for very long, who didn’t have much of a record but promised to lead us to a better place.

At the time, we didn’t know what sort of a President he would make. It was a moment of crisis for our economy, and when Barack Obama came to office, America wished him well and hoped for the best. Three and a half years later, over 23 million Americans are out of work, under employed or have just quit looking for work.  At a time when we should be gaining momentum, we’re losing it. Job growth has slowed and this week, we learned that the number of job openings has fallen again.

Hispanics have been hit disproportionately hard. While national unemployment is still above 8%, Hispanic unemployment is at 11%.

The middle class has been crushed under President Obama. More Americans are living in poverty today than at any point in history. Over two million more Hispanics are living in poverty today than the day President Obama took office.

Home values have plunged, our national debt is at record levels and families are buried under higher prices for food and gasoline.  And yet our President says the private sector is doing fine. This is more than a policy failure; it is a moral failure.

Now, I know the President will say that he inherited an economic crisis. But we shouldn’t allow the challenges he faced four years ago to divert our attention from another important fact: The President pursued policies that have made this the slowest recovery since the Great Depression. And he broke promises many were counting on to build a brighter future.

It did not have to be this way.

Just compare this President’s record with Ronald Reagan’s first term. President Reagan also faced an economic crisis. In fact, in 1982, the unemployment rate peaked at nearly 11 percent. But in the two years that followed, he delivered a true recovery – economic growth and job creation were three times higher than in the Obama Economy.

If President Obama had delivered a real recovery – a Reagan recovery – we would have five million more jobs today. The unemployment rate would be about six percent. And our economy would be at least one trillion dollars larger.

Tomorrow, President Obama will speak here, for the first time since his last campaign. He may admit that he hasn’t kept every promise. And he’ll probably say that, even though you aren’t better off today than you were four years ago, things could be worse. He’ll imply that you really don’t have an alternative. He’s taking your vote for granted.  I’ve come here today with a simple message: You do have an alternative. Your vote should be respected. And your voice is more important now than ever before.

This November, we’ll make a choice. We can continue along the path we’re on – or we can choose a better way. Instead of continuing with the policies of the last three and a half years, we can revitalize ourfree-enterprise economy. We can lead the world in what we invent and build andcreate. And let me make this very clear—this is the only way we can strengthen the middle class. And this is the only way we can create sustained prosperity. Raising taxes to grow government does not grow the middle class.

Today, I am asking you to join me because, while we may not agree on everything, we share the same goal, th esame vision, and the same belief in American greatness that draws so many to our shores. Liberty’s torch can burn just as brightly for future generations of immigrants as it has burned for immigrants past.

We know our businesses can’t succeed, grow, and hire more workers without a more competitive taxcode. That’s why I will lower our corporate tax rate, and reduce individual marginal rates by 20 percent, across the board.

We also know that our businesses and families need affordable and reliable energy. Producing more ofour energy resources will create jobs in America and generate greater revenues for America. It will also help bring manufacturing back to our shores.

We know our economy can’t grow if we’re mortgaging our future to pay for the big government programs of today. As President, I will rein in spending and balance the budget. And I will repeal Obamacare. We cannot afford another $2 trillion entitlement. Obamacare depresses job growth. In one study, 73 percent of business owners said that Obamacare has made it harder for them to hire people.  Repealing Obamacare and replacing it will give businesses the certainty theyneed to hire, expand, and grow.

We can also jumpstart our economy by expanding trade in our hemisphere. Yet, the President has not completed a single new trade agreement with Latin America.And he’s failed to crack down on countries like China that don’t follow the rules.

We know our kids can’t succeed if they’re trapped in failing schools. That’s why, as President, I will give the parents of every low-income and special-needs student the chance to choose where their child goes to school. When it comes to education, a choice for every parent means a chance for every child.

An effective immigration system can also strengthen our economy, as it has since the nation’s founding.  Unfortunately, despite his promises, President Obama has failed to address immigration reform.

For two years, this President had huge majorities in the House and Senate – he was free to pursue any policy he pleased. But he did nothing to advance a permanent fix for our broken immigration system. Instead, he failed to act until facing a tough re-election and trying to secure your vote.

Last week, the President finally offered a temporary measure that he seems to think will be just enough to get him through the election. After three and a half years of putting every issue from loan guarantees for his donors to Cash For Clunkers before immigration, now the President has been seized by an overwhelming need to do what he could have done on Day One. I think you deserve better.

Some people have asked if I will let stand the President’s executive action. The answer is that I will put in place my own long-term solution that will replace and supersede the President’s temporary measure.

As President, I won’t settle for a stop-gap measure. I will work with Republicans and Democrats to find a long-term solution. I will prioritize measures that strengthen legal immigration and make it easier. And I will address the problem of illegal immigration in a civil but resolute manner. We may not always agree, but when I make a promise to you, I will keep it.

Let me speak to a few principles that will guide me.

As I have said many times, it is critical that we redouble our efforts to secure the borders. That means both preventing illegal border crossings and making it harder to illegally overstay a visa. We should field enough border patrol agents, complete a high-tech fence, and implement an improved exit verification system.

Our immigration system shouldhelp promote strong families, not keep them apart. Our nation benefits whenmoms and dads and their kids are all living together under the same roof. But,today, too many families are caught in a broken system that costs them time andmoney and entangles them in red tape. For those seeking to come to America theright way, that kind of bureaucratic nightmare has to end. And we can do thiswith just a few common-sense reforms.

As President, I will reallocate Green Cards to those seeking to keep their families under one roof. We will exempt from caps the spouses and minor children of legal permanent residents. And we will eliminate other forms of bureaucratic red tape that keep families from being together.

Immigration reform is not just a moral imperative, but an economic necessity as well. Immigrants with advanced degrees start companies, create jobs, and drive innovation at a high rate. Immigrants founded or cofounded nearly half of our 50 top venture-backed companies. They are nearly 30 percent more likely to start a business. And that kind of risk taking is something we need more than ever because new business starts are now at a 30-year low.

I will work with states and employers to update our temporary worker visa program so that it meets our economic needs.

And if you get an advanced degree here, we want you to stay here – so we will staple a green card to your diploma. We want the best and brightest to enrich the nation through thejobs and technologies they will help create.

We also have a strong tradition in this country of honoring immigrants who join our military and put their lives on the line to keep this country safe. Since September 11, 2001, the United Stateshas naturalized almost 75,000 members of the Armed Forces.  Too many of these patriots died on distant battlefields for our freedom before receiving full citizenship here in the country they called “home.”

As President, I will stand for a path to legal status for anyone who is willing to stand up and defend this great nation through military service. Those who have risked their lives in defense of America have earned the right to make their life in America.

But improving access to legal immigration is only one part of the equation. We must also make legal immigration more attractive than illegal immigration, so that people are rewarded for waiting patiently in line. That’s why my administration will establish a strong employment verification system so that every business can know with confidence that the people it hires are legally eligible for employment.

We can find common ground here, and we must. We owe it to ourselves as Americans to ensure that our country remains a land of opportunity – both for those who were born here and for those who share our values, respect our laws, and want to come to our shores.

I’ve spoken often about how proud I am of my father. He was born to American parents living in Mexico. When he was five, they left everything behind, and started over in the United States.  His dad – my grandfather– was a builder who went bust more than once. My grandfather didn’t make much money. There were times in my dad’s life when he lived in poverty. But my grandfather had big hopes for my dad, and tried to help him as best he could.

My Dad didn’t finish college. But he believed in a country where the circumstances of one’s birth were not a barrier to achievement – and he wasn’t afraid of hard work. He held odd jobs – lath and plaster and selling paint. He was lucky enough to live in America, where hard work can turn aspirations into realities. And he became the leader of a great car company and the governor of a great state.

This is my father’s story – but it could be any American’s. Most of you here today are leaders in your community. You are here because you have benefitted from this land of opportunity, and you want to give back to this country, to fight for its people, so that they have the same chance to succeed.

We are truly one America.  Everyone here has made this exceptional nation what it is today.  This isn’t an election about two people. This isn’t an election about being a Republican, Democrat,  or an independent. This is an election about the future of America. I would ask each of you to look at the last three and a half years, and ask whether we can do better.

Is the America of 11% Hispanic unemployment the America of our dreams? I know we can do better. We can prosper again, with the powerful recovery we have all been waiting for, the good jobs that so many still need, and, above all, the opportunities we owe to our children and grandchildren.

Thank you all, and God bless America.

Continue reading »]]> The Republican National Committee released a new web video “Our Family, Our Economy” demonstrating how Hispanics have suffered disproportionately in President Obama’s economy. While nearly 23 million are feeling the pain of the Obama economy, Hispanics are being especially hurt with unemployment higher than the national average at 11% and 2.3 million more in poverty since Barack Obama was elected.

Web video can be viewed here.

RNC Video

Continue reading »]]>

ATTENTION HISPANIC COALITION SUPPORTERS!
This picnic style cookout will be free, so bring the whole family. PLEASE RSVP with numbers attending to cindyhammett@verizon.net
The “Outside-In” Event is your opportunity to meet and greet Maryland’s next US Senator, Daniel Bongino, and to support his campaign.
You will be able to pick up Yard Signs, Bumper Stickers, and other Campaign Material.

      Daniel Bongino

“An OUTSIDER changing Government from the OUTSIDE-in”A Coalition of Republican Clubs and the Republican Party Activities in Howard County are joining forces to support and promote this event:

NOTICE:  The MDGOP Hispanic Coalition is also planning to induct and introduce our first group of “Special Hispanic Ambassadors” at this event.

Continue reading »]]> Special Announcement:
“Latino Table” @ HoCo Lincoln Day Dinner
Monday, April 23, 2012
Howard County Republican Central Committee
Lincoln Day Dinner & Dance
Keynote Speaker:
JP Bolduc
A Successful Businessman’s Perspective
Celebrating the Businesses of Howard County
The “Job Creators” & the real Backbone of Maryland
Event Details, Registration and Sponsorship Opportunities
Turf Valley Resort & Conference Center
2700 Turf Valley Road
Ellicott City, MD 21042
Monday April 23, 2012
6:00 – 7:00pm VIP Reception & Photos
7:00 – 10:30pm Dinner & Dance
9:00pm Silent & Live-Auction
Auctioneer, Former Howard County Executive – Dr. Charles Ecker
===================================================================
We are looking to have a “Latino Coalition Table”
at the Howard County Lincoln Day Dinner.
Anyone interested in attending this fun event
and enjoy the company of other MDGOP Hispanic/Latino Coalition
Partners, please contact Linda Hernandez @ Lin2DaBeat2003@yahoo.com for reservations.
If we are successful with the table, we will get advertising in the program
and much visibility for our Hispanic Coalition.
This is a great opportunity to celebrate
the many Latino Business Owners in the Community,
as well as the Hispanic Community in general.

Continue reading »]]> Who Are the Libre Inditiative?

Our community can no longer stand idly by and ignore the loss of economic freedom which has significantly impacted people’s ability to attain a quality education, seek viable job or business opportunities, accumulate savings, and achieve a better quality of life. The LIBRE Initiative (LIBRE) provides a platform where U.S. Hispanics and Latinos, as well as the general American public can join the movement to get informed, become active and engaged in the cause to advance economic freedom in our halls of government.

LIBRE will remain dedicated to informing Americans and the growing U.S. Hispanic and Latino community about the importance of protecting and promoting economic freedom and advocating for limited and a more fiscally responsible government.

LIBRE is a nonprofit nonpartisan 501 (c)(4) organization formed by a group of U.S. Hispanic and Latino individuals committed to protecting and promoting economic freedom, lifting more people out of poverty, and increasing prosperity for all Americans. LIBRE is supported by the generosity of great Americans committed to increasing economic liberty, who together with LIBRE strive to build a renewed and more prosperous nation.

LIBRE is headquartered in Texas. LIBRE staff participates in community outreach activities and provides resources and advocacy tools to the public, economic freedom activists and grassroots efforts across the country.

Continue reading »]]> IMMIGRATION PANEL AFTER ACTION REPORT:

The MDGOP Hispanic Coalition wishes to thank each panelist who participated in the Forum on Illegal Immigration and Reform. Our panelists included: Paula Bongino a naturalized citizen from Columbia, South America, and wife of Dan Bongino candidate for US Senate. She is an independent web design consultant who operates two successful small businesses; Leo Salazar who is from Peru and worked under the George H.W. Bush in the White House Presidential Personnel Office, the department of Education, was the Director on the Commission on minorities, an RNC consultant, and owns his own political consultant business; Eric Ruark is the Director of research of the Federation for American Immigration Reform or FAIR. He has done research and written publications as well as providing education on immigration related issues to the public and policy makers. Our panelists answered questions provided by the moderator, Linda Hernandez, and then the question and answer session was opened up to the audience.

The Hispanic Coalition provided some research materials including the RNC Platform of 2008, the US National Laws on Immigration, and a book written by Father Patrick Bascio entitled “On the Immorality of Illegal Immigration.” The participants were able to draw on their own research, books, and past personal experiences to answer questions. We hope that the forum proved to be educational and informative to those who attended.

We encourage participation in this coalition to Hispanics and Non-Hispanics from all over this state. Our goal is to grow and to educate and inform Latinos on our conservative principles and why they work to serve all of the people in the state of Maryland. We encourage you to contact us and allow us to help you conduct outreach programs in your area, to conduct forums, events, and other activities in order to reach out to Hispanics to participate in the political process. We believe that we are like-minded in our belief in our freedom, our love of God, country, our families, and in the pursuit of happiness for ourselves and our future generations.

See all the photos and videos from the event on our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/mdgophispanics
PLEASE “LIKE” OUR FACEBOOK PAGE.

All of us at the MDGOP Hispanic Coalition wish all the good people in the state of Maryland a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.

Continue reading »]]> What is fact and what is fiction when we speak about illegal immigration? The Hispanic Coalition begins the educational and informative process of dealing with the tough issues before us by conducting a forum to analyze the Republican Platform regarding this very divisive and polarizing subject. John Mayer sings about “Waiting for the World to Change,” but in reality, we cannot and must not wait for the world to change. If we continue to wait, we may be too late, to do any good. As grass-root activists, the Hispanic Coalition strives to build its membership by sharing our conservative values and ideals which we believe in. The rule of law has been the benchmark by which we measure right from wrong in this country from its beginnings in history. Our hope is that we can end the confusion and begin to understand what is fact and what is fiction about illegal immigration. Please join us for our second statewide meeting and ask the tough questions at the forum so that we can reason together and begin to find the answers to our questions. We welcome Hispanics and non-Hispanics to this event.

Date: November 18, 2011

Time: 6:30pm Reception, 7:00pm Meeting begins

Place: VFW Hall @ 4225 VFW Ln. in Ellicott City, Md. 21043

RSVP: Linda Morales Hernandez Lhernandez@mdgop.org 410-263-2125

UPDATE:

We welcome Hispanics and non-Hispanics to this event.  The Forum Panel will consist of 3-4 Panelists who will each give a 3-5 minute introduction, then they will respond to prepared questions and also questions from the audience.  Coalition members may submit prepared questions to Linda in advance.

The Republican Platform of 2008 has stated several positions in regards to illegal immigration:
- Against in state tuition rates for illegal aliens
- Against social security or any other public benefits for illegal aliens
- Against drivers licenses for illegal aliens
- Opposes Amnesty. “The rule of law suffers if government policies encourage or reward illegal activity.”
- Supports English as the official language of our Nation

- Supports a phased in requirement for employers to use the E-Verify System