Hispanics and Asian Americans celebrate new electoral clout with inaugural galas, wish lists

[DonViejo]

Hispanics and Asian Americans celebrate new electoral clout with inaugural galas, wish lists

By Pamela Constable and Luz Lazo, Published: January 19

Dave Kumar, a District lawyer whose parents immigrated from India before he was born, and Mauricio Martinez, a Salvadoran refugee who cooks for a catering service in Virginia, have one important thing in common. Both are part of the historic surge in electoral participation and activism by immigrant groups, who turned out for President Obama in record numbers last year and put the country on notice that their votes and voices count.

This weekend, Kumar and Martinez are among thousands of Hispanic and Asian American immigrants gathering in Washington to celebrate Obama’s reelection — and their own growing political impact. Among the flurry of inaugural events are glittering Latino- and Asian-themed galas, immigration policy workshops and citizenship fairs.

Several caravans of Latino voters and activists are crossing the country to join the festivities and promote legalization for the country’s 11 million illegal immigrants, most of whom are from Latin America. Obama has already granted deportation relief to some young undocumented immigrants, and he has promised to seek sweeping immigration reform in his second term.

“People have woken up and realized the power they have through their participation in the election. They are saying, ‘We did it. We helped him win,’ ” said Jaime Contreras, 38, a ­labor union official who lives in Maryland and helped organize Latino service workers in pre-election volunteer activities. “I think the president knows he has to deliver for our community.”

-snip-

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/inauguration/hispanics-and-asian-americanscelebrate-their-electoral-clout-with-galas-and-legislative-wish-lists/2013/01/19/6e603146-60ca-11e2-9940-6fc488f3fecd_story.html?wpisrc=nl_headlines

[JRLeft]

1. We need them to show up for midterm elections too.

[NewJeffCT]

2. You're right

A hard public push for the DREAM Act will help, I think. It would put the Republics on the spot - reject it to please their base and further alienate Hispanics, or else agree with Obama and anger their base, but maybe win back a few Hispanic votes. However, most Hispanic votes will still be with Democrats since Obama made the push. Either way, it's a win-win for Democrats, I think.