For American Latinos, this election is especially consequential.
Sure, every voter is important in our system of democracy. But in certain circumstances, like facing the rise of a misogynist, racist narcissist with 1930s authoritarian proclivities, those voters who have been the target of the candidate’s many slanderous attacks must stand up and fight back – at the ballot box.
This is not about immigration policy. Sure, GOP nominee Donald TrumpDonald John TrumpSenate advances public lands bill in late-night vote Warren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases Esper orders ‘After Action Review’ of National Guard’s role in protests MORE started his campaign by calling undocumented Mexican immigrants “rapists.”
He promised the chimera of a “big, beautiful” wall to keep the hordes out.
And we learned he humiliated Alicia Machado about her weight and her ethnicity, calling her “Miss Housekeeping” as if racial stereotyping came naturally to him.
Because apparently, it does. When the Justice Department won a settlement against Trump and his father for systematically blocking apartment rentals to African-American families in the 1970s, that was business as usual.
When the government years later intervened again to block Trump’s racially determined renting policy, it was not another unfortunate circumstance; it was a pattern.
And we see its contours today. The open disdain for minority voters and even for majority voters (women) is also a pattern. Whatever Democratic nominee Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhite House accuses Biden of pushing ‘conspiracy theories’ with Trump election claim Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton qualifies to run for county commissioner in Florida MORE’s basket of psychologists found in their analysis of the Trump mind, it’s clear to even the casual observer that Trump has used open and coded racial language.
It’s worked. He has rallied support and legitimized the so-called “alt-right” neo-fascist movement, made casual bigotry “politically correct” again, and delivered the golden boy of radical right-wing media, Breibart’s dark sorcerer Steve Bannon, to his team.
American Latinos can look at this show of shows and be inspired. Here before us is a tableau we understand, either from personal experience or family history. The rise of a populist, nationalist figures on the political stage strikes a chord — dictators Juan Perón (Argentina), Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua) and Hugo Chávez (Venezuela) are just three of a rich universe of democracy-killers.
And their story always ends badly. Rich countries are plundered, vestiges of democracy are used as window dressing, people lose their rights and eventually their freedom or worse. At first blush, comparing Trump with the likes of Perón may seem farfetched. But Perón also rose on a wave of massive discontent with the democratic system, wealth inequality and the feckless, flaccid power of the elites.
Promising the sun and the moon, Perón was cheered by the masses of uneducated, economically disadvantaged people previously hidden behind the top-line economic miracle that was Argentina at mid-century. From desperation and frustration of the people many a fascist has hatched. Through the art of deception, calculated violence and steel determination to overawe with power, mini-Mussolinis have risen across history. And in this election, we face a similar fate.
Should Trump win the election, it’s very possible that America, based on Trump’s stated plans, will enter a deep decline. Serious economists are projecting a remorseless Trump recession. Moreover, the country may be divided for a long time, class and racial tensions will rise to the boiling point and the justice system will likely become, as it did for Perón and his peers, the mechanism to suppress dissenting voices.
Fortunately, the Hispanic vote stands between Trump and the White House. I won’t spill more bits here describing the various ways Latinos from Arizona to North Carolina can deliver the winning margin. This is a simple calculus of number of voters and turnout. Perhaps some Americans are convinced that calling Latino men “rapists” ruined it for Trump.
And yes, judging by the torrential flows of social media, that horrid lie is top of mind for most Hispanics.
But there is something else going on. Trump’s defamation of Latinos did not happen in isolation. The current GOP nominee’s blatant anti-Hispanic bias resides comfortably in the GOP.
The list of major GOP figures who have trashed Latinos is long and disgusting, whether it’s Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) and his “Mad Max” fantasies that Dreamers have “calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert,” or Trump pal Sen. Jeff SessionsJefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsMcCabe, Rosenstein spar over Russia probe Rosenstein takes fire from Republicans in heated testimony Rosenstein defends Mueller appointment, role on surveillance warrants MORE (R-Ala.) raging against “uncontrolled immigration’ with a wink toward the Mexico border. Or whether it’s the other Republicans who flee rather than confront Trump on his factually challenged views on immigration.
Even when the supposedly moderate Mitt Romney proposed the bizarrely cruel system of “self-deportation” when he was the 2012 Republican nominee, Latinos reeled, but were not too surprised.
Ironically, the GOP’s open hostility to Latinos even infects Republican Hispanics.
Of all the misplaced hopes for the future of the GOP, there is no greater sucker’s bet than Sen. Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioHillicon Valley: Georgia officials launch investigation after election day chaos | Senate report finds Chinese telecom groups operated in US without proper oversight Republican Senators ask FCC to ‘clearly define’ when social media platforms should receive liability protections Trump’s tweet on protester sparks GOP backlash MORE (R-Fla.). The son of humble immigrants, he has been on all sides of the immigration debate — from reform supporter to self-deportation booster, Rubio’s one unshakable promise to the GOP electorate is that he will shift positions on a nickel for personal gain.
So, in this pivotal moment for our country, where the danger of authoritarianism is not hyperbole, but crisp reality, American Latinos must rally.
The days of Hispanic voters sitting it out are over.
Like in California after Gov. Pete Wilson’s (R) self-immolating attempt to humiliate undocumented immigrants, resulting in the political rise of Latinos in the state, we may have crossed the Rubicon of American Latino political participation.
Voting for Clinton is not a partisan or ideological affair. Electing the former secretary of State is an affirmative choice for Hispanics seeking respect, economic policies friendly to the middle class and education reform that liberates students from failed schools and crushing college debt. Those are a few of the many pro-family policies at the core of Clinton’s candidacy.
But we must give thanks where it’s due: Thank you, Donald Trump. America thanks you for the great work you and Gov. Wilson achieved.
Just look at some of the new voter registration data showing a surge of new Hispanic voters!
Mr. Trump, it may just be that your greatest contribution to America will not be a malevolent presidency, or making bigotry socially acceptable again, but rather serving as motivation for millions of American Latinos to vote and help save the nation.
Espuelas is a Washington-based political journalist working in digital, broadcast and print media. He hosts the popular podcast “Espuelas.” Follow him on Twitter @EspuelasVox.
The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.
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