Distance Between Us Artifact 3

By 2020 hispanics will outnumber non-hispanic whites in Texas.  In the last few elections the majority of hispanics have voted with the Democrats, this will transform Texas into a swing state as early as the 2016 election.  Although immigration is still happening, in the 80's it was happening in far great numbers, the article states that since 2007 the hispanic population has hardly grown.  Hispanics have a higher birthrate than their Caucasian counterpart, if this trend as well the trend of hispanics voting for the Democratic party continues, Texas will only become more, and more of a blue state.  When/if Texas become solidly blue, Republicans stand almost no chance of winning the presidential election.  Texas is the biggest Republican state from the last election with 38 electoral college votes.


I myself am a Republican, at least financially.   I believe that the government shouldn't act like Robin Hood, taking from the rich and giving to the poor.  But now is not the time for any rants.  Logically what Texas should do before Democrats take over is split the vote, similar to what Maine has done.  This way whenever they begin to lose, they will not lose all 38 votes, but around twenty of them.  My opinion has not really changed on this subject since reading The Distance Between Us.  I still believe in the Republican financial values, such as cutting down on welfare, and similar programs.  However, my opinion on immigration has changed.  Before, I believed that we should have no tolerance for illegal aliens(which does not makeup the majority of hispanics, it covers 10 million to 22 million of them).  I have a bit more tolerance now, I feel like I understand more than before, the sacrifice and hardship that they went through to get here.  Currently Illegal immigrants cannot vote, but as they have children born here, their children can.

I now understand why Hispanics tend to vote with the Democrat party, it's because they tend to understand and enact new laws and bills that give illegal immigrants more rights.  For instance, DACA which I discussed in my last post was created by the Obama administration. I believe that I might vote democratically if I were the son or daughter of an illegal alien, if I was in a situation similar to what Reyna, Mago, and Carlos had been in.  If I was like them and got my green card from programs created by the Reagan administration, I would be a Democrat.  I would likely place far more importance on the issue than I do now, even after reading the book it is not a very important topic to me.  If I were the son of an illegal alien, I would take note of all the times that Democrats helped my father by allowing us to receive green cards.  I would also take note of all the times that Republicans tried to strengthen the border.  I believe I would begin to dislike the Republicans, and grow fond of the democrats who helped us.

Link to article:http://www.nationaljournal.com/daily/how-democrats-are-aiming-to-make-texas-a-swing-state-20130908