June 27, 2022 - 7:00am
Hispanics are not happy with Joe Biden. According to a Quinnipiac poll last week asking if voters approve or disapprove of Biden’s handling of the Presidency, only a dismal 29% of Hispanics approve; disapproval is up to 53%. Biden’s cratering numbers aren’t surprising, since Hispanics have been shifting Rightward for the better part of two years now, but the 29% approval is shocking at first glance. Hispanics, a reliable Democratic voting bloc for decades, have turned their backs on Biden and the Democrats.
The truth is that the Hispanic-Democratic relationship was always a tenuous one. The fracturing dates back to the Trump Presidency. The progressive-led Democratic Party obsessed with woke cultural transformation has been diametrically opposed to the cultural pragmatism favoured by working-class Hispanics for some time now.
Hispanics, after all, lean socially conservative and respect traditional American values, which aligns the demographic with the Right-leaning white-working class. In the last decade or so, as Democrats transformed into a party catering to the whims of white-collar white women and their attendant cultural concerns, a Hispanic shift was all but guaranteed.
Trump instinctively understood the kinship between the white-working class and Hispanics, which is why he over-performed with Hispanics in 2016 and improved his numbers in 2020. Trump pushed America First policies — focusing on border security — and Hispanics, surprising many progressive experts, responded favourably. As Democrats countered with culturally transformative edicts focused on gender and race, Hispanics’ cultural pragmatism only strengthened. Poll after poll has shown that Hispanics, like the white working-class, care about jobs, law and order, and border security. To Hispanics, jobs and safety are of the utmost importance. Securing the border — to the shock of progressives who treat Hispanics from disparate countries as monolithic POC blob — is also very important.
Biden’s more recent collapse with Hispanics is attributable to the demographic’s distaste for transformative wokeness and the increasingly dire economic situation. Hispanics could deal with some wacky ideology if the economy was booming, but now that inflation is up and Biden seems ill-equipped to deal with an impending recession, there’s no reason to stick with him.
The tenuous relationship, built on a supposed pseudo-affinity between POC-appreciating Democrats and pragmatic Hispanics, was destined to break as soon as progressivism crossed over into the realm of total American transformation. The continual acceleration of wokeness in conjunction with a sputtering economy has broken the tenuous relationship altogether.
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SubscribeThe fact that many prominent Democrats and their supporters insist (despite objections by the majority of Hispanics) on calling them the pet name latinx says it all really; a neat encapsulation of the way that the progressives set themselves up as spokespeople for selected assumed-to-be-politically-advantageous groups.
Great news that the transparency of this tactic is becoming apparent.
Agreed, “latinx” is as nauseating as the capitalisation of “black”. It must feel so demeaning to be the recipient of such condescension.
Progressive elites reserve for themselves hyper-individualism, culminating in “gender fluidity” and deconstruction of any possible hint of collective racial identity by their elite “anti-racism”; while at the same time insisting that non-elites be balkanised according to crassly reductive collective identities like “POCs”, “Blacks” and “white supremacists” — which the elite script, define and represent through construction of media narratives.
The idea that Hispanics are a “people of colour” seems weird in itself given that Latinos are largely derived from an ethnically Spanish population. Of course those with an ethnically native or black slave origin may think of themselves as “peoples of colour” but their experience of life in the US is far more likely to be coloured by their experience as relatively recent immigrants which inevitably differs from “people of colour” who have been settled in the US for centuries as a result of the slave trade.
Absolutely. I recall some data (sorry, cannot remember where from) coming out during the BLM riots which showed that most Americans with Hispanic origins consider themselves to be white, not “people of colour”.
Historically about 50% of US hispanics self-identify as white
This is the litmus test of American politics. If Republicans are as racist as Democrats claim, Hispanics shouldn’t feel comfortable there and not vote Republican. If in fact, Democrats are indeed confecting racial division to stay in power, then they will fail here.
Not only has the Democrats’ long misunderstanding of Hispanic Americans (Latinos?) been exposed, but the left itself is alienating this group. They turn them off with idiocies such as “LatinX,” while denouncing their social conservatism as “white supremacist adjacent,” suggesting that American Hispanics are suffering from some kind of collective Stockholm Syndrome. Apparently, their not wanting to have to compete for jobs, have downward pressure put on their wages, or have their schools crammed with illegal immigrants makes them raging bigots.
You can almost imagine some genius at the Democratic National Committee headquarters looking at these data and yelling, “My God! It’s almost as if they are real, individual human beings!”
There was an article on here a little while ago saying that it was wrong to think of Hispanics as a monolithic bloc. Possibly that’s one reason why they don’t like the term Latinx.
I suspect that black Americans may be on much the same path. They do have greater historic ties to the Democratic party compared to Hispanics, but they are much more in line with traditional conservative viewpoints. I imagine it will be a slow bleed, much like the movement of working class voters from the Labour Party, until finally the dam breaks.
In view of this will Democrats continue to be in favour of an open border policy with Mexico? Will Mr Biden start calling for a wall to be built?
I always thought that gerrymandering was illegal, or at least it seems so, on a local scale. On a National scale however It seems, some, thought to ‘boost’ their electoral chances by replacing Gerald with Geraldo, amongst others. The trouble, for the ‘devious’ politicians, is that Geraldo was/is a free thinker and is increasingly not pandering to the mandering for which they were imported in the first place. Evidently ‘all’ non Western countries are populated by raving left wing progressive radicals, only suppressed by dictators, autocrats and the insidious global Jewi…, sorry, I mean ‘white’ supremacist cabals. Release them from the bondage to which they have been enslaved for so long and, in subservient gratitude they will vote Democrate, or Labour, for ever more.
So much for theory !
Often Hispanics first stop in the workforce in this country is the blue collar trades which are more often than not owned and run by white conservatives. What I don’t think democrats factored in their great replacement scheme was the connection we end up making with each other. White blue collar people respect the incredible work ethic of the Latins. We end up dating them, marrying them and fully integrating with them. In truth, we like them. We not a caricatures to each other. We aren’t the great bogeyman they were told. When they do well, we applaud them and often help them get started to make their own wealth in this country. They are us.
“Latinos are Republican. They just don’t know it yet.”
What a quote! Even better than “My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes“.
Of course there is one minority group that has no supporters: the WASP Ivy Leaguers who built the power of US finance, and a large part of US commerce: they came to Britain and transformed our old stockbroking and merchant banking culture, and with their charm, education, immaculate dress sense, interest in culture and often, love of the shooting and Hunting field were warmly welcomed admired respected and liked, as well as enjoyed.
There are now gone…!as woke America deemed them ‘ outdates’ just in time for the Lehman crash, perpetrated by their grossly inferior successors….
Don’t kid yourself, those people are still running things, they’re just gone woke to cover their tracks.
My late father John Craven’s firm Phoenix Securities put together most of the Big Bang’s broker-jobber-investment bank marriages.
Back when the democrat talking heads used to gather together on CNN after a national election they talked about how the democrats were unbeatable with over 70% of Hispanics voting for their candidates. Which was almost true, as long as they had over 70% of Hispanics actually voting for them. But now they don’t.
While some minorities were into welfare, power over others and bizarre social engineering programs that have created men who want to be women, and near bankruptcy. That was the last thing the Hispanics wanted. They were here for jobs, freedom of religious and security for their family and culture. The very things democrats hate. It’s amazing that it took this long for them to make the republican connection.
Interesting, but what does the following mean?
“Democrats transformed into a party catering to the whims of white-collar white women and their attendant cultural concerns”
At the risk of putting words in the author’s mouth, I’m guessing it refers to the Democrats’ modern fixation with the plight of minority group such as hispanics, and how it’s largely informed by the sensibilities of affluent, white female progressives, who feel themselves uniquely able to speak on behalf of these groups, causing the Dems to adopt the offputting role of an overbearing mother who insists she forever & always knows whats best for her children.
Bingo. And feminism’s fondness for political reasons of the anti-scientific branding of women as a “minority” – hence fellow victims of oppression by The Patriarchy, uniquely placed to understand their suffering.
Insightful treatment of this topic was recently done here btw: https://unherd.com/2022/06/are-women-more-left-wing/
Maybe the author means the “whim” of #MeToo’s campaign against sexual assault and harassment, or the “whim” of support for abortion rights? Are those really issues that the Democratic party has been misguided in “catering to”?
Over time Trump’s political instincts are shown more and more to be accurate. In addition to the writer’s observations I would add the blatant contradiction in Democrats’ presumed championing of “marginalised” Hispanics, and the bile they spew on to those who have risen to the highest public offices, such as Cruz, Rubio, and most recently De Santis. The latter they equate to Hitler for backing the bill to stop gender critical theory being taught in Florida schools to those under the age of 8.
De Santos is an inspiration and a hero. Wish we had leaders of his stature here.
America’s obsession with a perception of equality will always come back to bite as some ethnic groups just do not believe that all are equal…
“Hispanics, after all, lean socially conservative and respect traditional American values, which aligns the demographic with the Right-leaning white-working class.”
Yes. If you happen to be a white Cuban or Colombian. The types of Hispanics who are racist/colorist/featurist towards their non-white compatriots and have no problems referring to Puerto Ricans or Mexicans in derogatory terms.
This type of worldview aligns perfectly with white supremacists. You get to add a little bit of “flavor” to their constituency by pooing on the rest of who don’t fall in lockstep with your “traditional American” values, as if white America will ever consider people who speak Spanish “traditional”. And when you’re called out on it your retort is “I can’t be racist! I’m Hispanic!” Okay, bub.
First of all, Hispanic is not a race, but a cultural signifier. And second, racism exists in every corner of Latin America.
This is the age old discussion – where’s that line? There are writings from Benjamin Franklin (of all people) comparing the complexion of German immigrants to his and finding them darker, and declaring their culture to be different (inferior).
Hispanics like the man who wrote this article want to be the next Irish or Italians, granted he doesn’t have any Irish or Italian coursing in his veins. If they just work hard, assimilate, and go to church every Sunday then maybe the WASPs will accept them too. That’s all it really is.
This concept of a Latin/Hispanic identity to me is tenuous because it really boils down to who can be the most white-adjacent while holding onto the “POC Card”. Latin American culture is unfortunately also very conservative. Worse when you have acclimated to American culture. Latino men have a reputation for being very sexist and homophobic, and that stuff does not sit well with me.
Democrats should have thought of that before they demanded open borders with “very conservative” Latin America. But the political value of branding the Republican “déplorables” as “Hispanophobes (Hillary) was just too tempting.
The first thing that enters the minds of Democrats when they read or hear the word Hispanic is Mexican. Poor people of color from the South of the border who only want to come to America to look for a better life and work the jobs Americans don’t want to do.
It’s a comfortable refrain that warms the hearts of white liberals and progressives. It doesn’t occur to these people that Hispanics are overwhelmingly religious and carry traditional views on sex and gender.
It’s also a struggle to remind these bleeding hearts the affect the Drug War has had on our communities (black and Hispanic) and the fact that so many of us are stuck in a cycle of violence and poverty.
I’m not interested in the street culture and Thug Life that have become fixtures of living in a blue state inner city, or the outmoded conservativism that comes with living in a red state.
I’d be interested to know what you deem as “outmoded conservatism.” Do you refer to personal responsibility, love of country, family-values first? That’s part of my definition of conservatism. I certainly hope it’s not outmoded…yet.
“Racism exists in every corner of Latin America” but let’s punish North America for its racism is a familiar chant. Similar to the “Europe is racist” one used by those militants wanting to promote mass immigration from intensely racist corners of the Middle East, South Asia and Africa.
I know plenty of Puerto Ricans, and Mexican-Americans that are becoming Republicans. It’s the entire hispanic block slowly moving to the center. Whistle past the graveyard if you want to — but don’t be surprised with the results in 2, 6, and 10 years.
Alex Perez wrote, “According to a Quinnipiac poll last week asking if voters approve or disapprove of Biden’s handling of the Presidency, only a dismal 29% of Hispanics approve; disapproval is up to 53%.”
The weekly tracking poll at the Web site of The Economist shows that the majority of Hispanics have approved of the performance of Joe Biden since the beginning of his presidency. (See the reference.) This poll is more accurate than the Quinnipiac poll and correctly suggested that Hispanics would help Governor Gavin Newsom to defeat his removal in the recall election.
By 2040, the Californian demographics will become the national demographics. The United States will cease being a Western nation. Hispanic culture will dominate, and Western culture will be rejected by a majority of Americans.
The intelligence agencies of Great Britain, Germany, and other European countries can easily verify the demographic changes in the United States. The European governments must begin distancing themselves from Washington. Hispanic interests are hostile to Western interests.
Get more info about this issue.
What have you got against the Hispanics? Every article you complain that by 2040 the US will no longer be a western nation due to the Hispanics (despite the Spanish link and Spain being a western country). What threat do you think the world faces from the Latino’s?
As you will gather I find it weird that Hispanics are lumped in as people of colour but equally I can see where MM is coming from if the ARPA racially discriminator debt relief plan is a harbinger of the future. Racial politics is a poison.
I would expect Hispanics to be more sympathetic to Biden, who is a Roman Catholic, than Trump, who is Protestant by background. Note that Biden specifically advertised his Catholic beliefs in his first main speech.
There is an undertone of Catholic revivalism in the UK too, contributors to some sites, such as the Spectator (and this one), coming close to regarding ‘conservative’ as really meaning, at heart, both Christian and Roman Catholic.
There is a vast gulf between the likely ‘social’ policies of Protestant (e.g. Thatcher (leaving aside her flirtation with US-style liberal-leftism e.g. Hayek)) and Catholic (e.g. Fraser Nelson) ‘conservatives’, which is why many British conservative-leaning people are constantly bemused by the behaviour of the current Tory government led by Boris Johnson, who refused to answer the question as to whether he is a Catholic, when asked by Robert Peston. Now consider exactly what policies the Tories have followed over the last two years, and whether they strike you as ‘conservative’ in any way.
Five of the seven G7 leaders are Catholics, at least nominally. Just saying
Biden is as Catholic as the current Pope.
Biden (“I am a devout Catholic”) and Pelosi “I don’t hate, I am a devout Catholic” wear their religious brand only as a way to fend off criticism of their markedly un-Catholic positions on a whole raft of social issues. More virtue-signaling.