Vistas: The Latino Vote, For Obama Or Republicans?

Axel Caballero; Cuéntame'The most important thing for our community is to have our voices heard and to show that we are united and ready to take action. There is always a choice to be made. There was a choice made when Congress decided NOT to pass a Dream act. There was a choice made when Georgia, Utah, Arizona, Alabama among others decided to pass harsh and discriminatory immigration laws; when many of our elected officials spoke out in violent rhetoric against our community - reinforcing obscene stereotypes and denigrating us to a common denominator: "Illegal." And there was a choice made when after bailing out Wall Street and big corporate interests, job creation was stumped in favor of squeezing our labor force for more executive profit. So, do Latinos really have a choice in 2012? The answer: More so than ever before.'

Glenn Llopis; Center for Hispanic Leadership'As the 2012 election builds momentum, one fundamental responsibility by Democrats and Republicans will lure the Hispanic vote: allow Hispanics to own it. Party leaders must stop selling false promises and begin focusing on giving Hispanics an identity that matters by integrating new infrastructure policies to help advance them. Politicians must recognize that Hispanics represent a melting pot; an untapped source for innovation that America is not utilizing because we are forced to assimilate to be accepted. This election is a defining moment for Hispanics too. Will we allow politicians to buy our vote or will the authentic leaders in our community educate them to understand the rich heritage and legacies that the Hispanic community represents and how we can greatly contribute to the reinvention of America?'

Max Benavidez, PhD; Public Relations Strategies'The Hispanic vote could decide the 2012 election. That's why it's our duty as Americans to vote but also demand that candidates address our main concerns: jobs, education and immigration. Republicans use immigration as a political piñata and that's not good, yet Latino voters are lukewarm toward Obama's policies although we still like him. Republican extremism on the debt deal and Obama's half-measures on the economy turn us off. Right now, both sides appear ineffectual and out of touch. We get speeches when we need inspired leadership. In 2012 we may have to vote for the lesser of two evils.'

José Fernando López; Poder Magazine'While it is true that Obama has not kept many of his promises, he has not done so mainly due to the thoughtless Republican opposition. For me, the clear option is still the president and I believe that Hispanics should vote for him. But to recuperate his credibility with them, it's important that during his campaign Obama present potential voters with a concrete program on immigration and a commitment to take it to Congress in its first session after the elections. Obviously, this implies that by that time he should already have a clear plan to promote employment, which is everybody's first priority.'

Oscar Raymundo'Unfortunately, Latinos are stuck with a lesser of the two evils deal when it comes to voting for a President. The great unifier, Obama's political promises have been spread thin across his diverse range of supporters in the Democratic Party. But it takes more than several months for everyone to get their cake. We should be patient and supportive without being complacent. Hopefully through his second term, Obama will be able to prove he is more than a big appeaser and enact some real change, without worrying about getting re-elected. Do we actually think Republicans will swallow years of anti-immigration talk overnight?'

Dr. Ramón Resa 'It seems it really doesn't matter who is in office when it comes to representing Hispanics. But I have never trusted the Republican party, and having friends who are Republican, I don't think they really understand the average Hispanic population. Of course, to them,I am not average because I am a doctor. And as a doctor, they assume I should be Republican and against Obama-care. Obama has a hard road ahead of him because whatever he tries the Republican party blocks. As Hispanics we need to stand by him and give him the time he needs to implement those changes. Switching parties will only prolong the process.'