See on wsRadio.com : http://wsradio.com/02032016-the-hispanic-vote-immigration-raoul-lowery-contreras/

Segment 1

The Hispanic Vote.  Elections 2016. Raoul Lowery Contreras

Raoul Lowery Contreras is a political consultant, formerly with The New American News Services of the New York Times Syndicate, and currently with Fox News Latino, The Hill and other publications. He is the author of various books on immigration and immigration reform. His latest article, dated January 27, 2016,   Will the Hispanic vote in record numbers in 2016?

Mr. Contreras comments on   the (February 1, 2016) Iowa Caucus results, echoing GOP Chairman Reince Priebus’ observation “that it is the first time in US history that  two “Hispanic candidates finished in the top-tier of a race  to nominate  a Party’s candidate  for President, with Sen. Ted Cruz (R) in first place, and Sen. Rubio (R) in third place…)  Mr. Contreras speaks of his participation in Republican politics from  1962 to his recent consulting work for the campaign of Rep. Darrell Issa  (R) in  California. Mr. Contreras, an “expert in Hispanic American issues” has also  formed a Super Pac, for a “21^st Century Hispanic Future (55 million Hispanics in the US),” to help increase Hispanic  voter participation.  Mr. Contreras describes, in generalized terms, the Hispanic voter who is  conservative, “family oriented, [ bound by ] duty – (1 of 5 serve in the military, Infantry Division), and  who tends to be more patriotic, religious…but liberal on economic/educational   issues. Mr. Contreras points to the  problems for Hispanics,  in “education,” however citing the “improvement in High School drop-out rates…,” having diminished, from 30%  in previous years to 15% since 2012,  showing cultural assimilation.

 

Segment 2

The Hispanic Vote. Elections 2016.  Raoul Lowery Contreras

Attracting the Hispanic vote in heavily (Hispanic)  populated states… (Texas, Nevada, Colorado, California, Florida…)  Which are the issues that are important to Hispanic-Americans?

Mr. Contreras explains that “we need to address the problems of unaffordable education… noting that when he studied in a community college in San Diego in 1958, “the cost for the semester, including books, was of $33.00 compared to $1,000 plus today.”   Another concern is today’s    unaffordable healthcare , “ the access to low-rate insurance policies, not available under Obamacare…” Mr. Contreras speaks of the permanent  “immigration debate…” clarifying  the different Latino audiences, the  Puerto Rican/Cuban, “who don’t care,” and the “Mexican-Americans, who most likely have a relative or friend who has entered the US illegally.” Mr. Contreras proposes a “guest worker program” and cites  the “bracero program,”  from  1942 -1963. For Mr. Contreras, a “legal, work permit, under which “visitors “ are fully vetted in compliance with  current immigration rules and regulations, is needed. Mr. Contreras speaks of Mexico, where he worked during a period of time,  and where a “worker permit and filing fee” is required  of non-citizens.  Mr. Contreras mentions  the unpopular  Gang of Eight bill, which, in his view, “could have solved many of the problems…“

 

Segment 3

The Immigration Debate. The role of the MSM. Raoul Lowery Contreras

Is the MSM fomenting an “anti-immigrant” atmosphere in the US?

Mr. Contreras remarks that “everyone in America is an immigrant [of sorts] beginning with the native Americans who came by way of the Bering Strait thousands of years ago…” and comments that some people  today, who hide behind an anti-“illegal” immigration sentiment, are to be compared to  the Know-Nothing nationalistic political party of the 1840’s, (known… for  being then anti-Irish, German, French, Catholic,) and those  who,  during  a period in the 1920’s , supported restricted immigration from certain countries and regions, (but not from Latin America)…

Has the recent rhetoric inflamed leaders in the Latino community? [In Iowa, for instance, LULAC (the League of Latin American Citizens) stated that 10,000  or so Latinos “had committed to show up…” last Monday. (As of  February 4^th, The LA Times reports that LULAC confirms  that between 10.500 and 13,00 Latinos attended the caucuses, though the “official turnout data from the caucuses won’t be available until Iowa’s Democratic and Republican parties release lists of those who voted.” ) Mr. Contreras notes  the importance of the language employed in explaining the illegal immigration problem, especially   when  national security is at stake, pointing to the fact that the 9/11 hijackers came through Canada and not Mexico, and that large trade deficits exist with many countries, including  the UK, Canada…  and not just China and Mexico…

 

Segment 4

The immigration Debate. Immigration Reform. Raoul Lowery Contreras

Mr. Contreras concludes the interview by explaining the need for comprehensive immigration reform, stating that it is not a “euphemism” for “amnesty…” (once  implemented by an Act of Congress and signed into law by  President Reagan in 1986)… He describes the conditions  for a “path to citizenship,” something which, again, in his view, is addressed  in  the Gang of 8 Bill…