Congressman Joe Baca telling it like it is
Washington, DC,_ There is something about Joe Baca that moves the air in any room he happens to walk into these days.
It probably always happened but lately he seems to be hitting the strongest and most powerful strides of a long and distinguished career. Its good to see that he is becoming the leading Latino voice in the country on letting Democrats and Republicans alike know that Latinos will not stand idly by as others attempt to make them the “political punching bag” of 2008.
He has been even handed in his criticism of the far right as he has been on the Democratic leadership. He and others like Rep. Luis Gutierrez continue to push their own party hard on immigration issues and reform but it does not seem to be listening and that’s why he is upset with them. They can understand how the landmark legislation failed last year but can’t understand why their Democratic colleagues are rolling over when it comes to standing up to the anti-Latino rhetoric being spread across the country. Their party has taken to accepting the issue as first about border enforcement but now also about stricter reporting requirements without ever acknowledging the value, need and dignity of the millions of immigrant workers who keep our economy going ’round the clock. As Rep. Charlie Gonzalez, D-San Antonio, says, “We allowed the opponents of comprehensive immigration reform to frame the debate.” Several dozen Dems have joined Republicans in a petition drive to force Speaker Nancy Pelosi to debate the Shuler proposal. They are ingenious – fail to do your job on national security and immigration reform then come back and propose something stupid that may provide a strong sound bite.
While immigration has faded as the key wedge issue Republicans had hoped it would become it is still front and center in the daily lives of 14 million Americans awaiting legal status approvals. Congressman Baca and his colleagues are to be commended for holding the torch high and not relenting on the issues that matter to our community. Their work will bear much fruit in this election and many more to come.
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