The 2020 election marks the first time Latinos will be the largest minority group in the electorate, with 32 million eligible voters. It is now clear; no political party can win the White House without Latino voters. But Latinos cannot do this alone.
This election is not just about which party controls the White House; it is about uniting to fight the white nativist identity politics narrative that is tearing our country apart. To challenge this narrative, now more than ever, white people and communities of color need to come together.
The prevailing narrative, since the last presidential election, is rooted in white nativist identity politics, “white people are the victims of a multicultural America; the enemy is among us; we must take back our country by any means necessary.”
Our country continues to grapple with this divisive narrative, which led to the highest rate of hate crimes in 16 years. It led to a white woman in Iowa running over a 14-year-old girl, simply because she was a Latina, and a gunman driving hundreds of miles to El Paso to open fire on Latinos in a Walmart.
Sadly, the narrative of white nativist identity politics is compelling and has proven to be lethal. To be clear white identity is not a problem; tying our national culture to a white nativist agenda is highly problematic.
White Americans also have an essential role in fighting these harmful narratives. Them, alongside communities of color, particularly Latino, African American, and Asian American people, are all equally important in fighting these narratives of hate.
This election cycle, we must not let white nativist rhetoric deter us from forging a united front in turning the tide against hate in America. The numbers show, our country will only win with the high turnout from African American, Latino, and Asian-American voters coupled with a moderate increase in white voter turnout.
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The good news is we have seen this before. Exit polls from the past three presidential cycles provide much to be optimistic about. The victory was won with anywhere between 39 to 43 percent of white voters, between 67 to 71 percent of Latino voters, 93 to 95 percent of African American, and 6273 percent of Asian American voters.
President Barack Obama received 43 percent of the white vote in 2008 with high Hispanic support, historic turnout from black voters at 95 percent, and 62 percent of Asian American voters.
In 2012 President Obama only received 39 percent of the white vote. But was able to win by receiving historic turn out from Latinos 71 percent and high turnout from the African American and 73 percent of the Asian American community.
Anyone’s identity group does not win presidential elections; they are won by coalitions. We did not win two presidential elections solely on the backs of one demographic group; we won because we were able to bridge white voters from all strata with an ascendant multi-cultural society. We won because our message was inclusive and reflected the values of our country.
The data and narratives are precise, with a balanced turn out strategy we win, when we are divided falling prey to stories of white nativist identity politics and turnout from voters from communities of color decline, even marginally, we lose.
Having 32 million Latino voters eligible for this presidential cycle is an incredible opportunity. Latinos must do their part to turn the tide on the violence committed against our communities in El Paso, Iowa and throughout the country.
This is a call to action, to win this cycle we are going to have to work together across racial lines to soothe the passions of our country.
Kristian Ramos is the founder and Principal at Autonomy Strategies and a former spokesman for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the NDP is caving to political pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when it comes to their stance on the consumer carbon price.
Trudeau says he believes Jagmeet Singh and the NDP care about the environment, but it’s “increasingly obvious” that they have “no idea” what to do about climate change.
On Thursday, Singh said the NDP is working on a plan that wouldn’t put the burden of fighting climate change on the backs of workers, but wouldn’t say if that plan would include a consumer carbon price.
Singh’s noncommittal position comes as the NDP tries to frame itself as a credible alternative to the Conservatives in the next federal election.
Poilievre responded to that by releasing a video, pointing out that the NDP has voted time and again in favour of the Liberals’ carbon price.
British Columbia Premier David Eby also changed his tune on Thursday, promising that a re-elected NDP government would scrap the long-standing carbon tax and shift the burden to “big polluters,” if the federal government dropped its requirements.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Simon Jolin-Barrette, minister responsible for consumer protection, has tabled a bill to force merchants to calculate tips based on the price before tax.
That means on a restaurant bill of $100, suggested tips would be calculated based on $100, not on $114.98 after provincial and federal sales taxes are added.
The bill would also increase the rebate offered to consumers when the price of an item at the cash register is higher than the shelf price, to $15 from $10.
And it would force grocery stores offering a discounted price for several items to clearly list the unit price as well.
Businesses would also have to indicate whether taxes will be added to the price of food products.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
