October 25, 2000

THE OAXACA JOURNAL 

GORE'S HIDDEN CALIFORNIA LATINO RECORD

By Fernando Oaxaca

The conventional wisdom (CW) is that Al Gore will beat George W. Bush in California.  This same CW says that Latinos (and Black-Americans) will behave on November 7 as some giant dissatisfied anti-Republican voting bloc, loving Al Gore and marching lock-step as Gore's California drum major, Governor Gray Davis, leads.

The CW folks do not know how Gray Davis has mistreated and disrespected the California Latino community since he was elected in 1998.  For many reasons, Latinos, unlike Black-Americans, may surprise many experts this November by voting fairly substantially for Governor Bush in California.  Beyond the usually discussed issues, let us look at some Davis-related reasons for this possible outcome.

Al Gore insists he is his own man.  In California, though, Gore's alter ego and bag-man, Governor Davis, has helped to spread federal tax dollars statewide to shore up other pandering to Latinos and Black-Americans.

Davis is always beside big Al as the bucks are delivered to California projects, for Headstart, veteran's housing, job training, education grants, AIDS activity and other political largesse.   Admittedly, local officials or community folks whose project it really is, are allowed to appear in the resulting media photo-ops.

On Latino projects, Gray Davis and Mr. Gore assume that the beneficiaries/ voters will remain grateful and bought, until election-day.  What Mr. Gore does not know and Mr. Davis has kept fairly quiet are actions by Davis, which must have stuck in the craw and memory of self-respecting, politically aware Latinos.   Stored-up Latino gratitude which Gore expects to collect on November 7 may not be there.

For example, Governor Davis, in early 1999, failed to work aggressively to kill the viability of the notorious Proposition 187, the anti-immigrant law passed in 1996 with Pete Wilson support.  A Federal Judge delayed implementation on grounds of unconstitutionality.

On taking office, Governor Davis, in a spineless move, asked that the legality of Proposition 187 be turned over to arbitration. Latinos statewide, including elected officials, were furious at Davis for not going to court and fighting to kill 187 once and for all.

Compounding this political felony, angry Latinos then saw Davis trash and ostracize their Lieutenant Governor, Cruz Bustamante, because he dared criticize Davis's limp attitude on this vital issue, which was crucial in defeating Dan Lungren,.Davis's Republican opponent only months before.  The Governor's petty revenge even involved cutting parking at the Capitol for Bustamante staff!

Seen by California Latinos as another anti-Latino act, Governor Davis, already stumping for Gore, this year backed juvenile crime Proposition 21.

This is a draconian initiative originally formulated under Pete Wilson by conservative prosecutors and whose chief feature is lowering to 14 years, the age where juveniles could be tried as adults, and conceivably, even be put to death.  Latinos and Black-Americans make up almost 70% of California juvenile crime.

Most Latino officials cannot fathom why a Democrat governor took such a posture.  They were equally puzzled and irate when this summer, Gore's buddy, Davis, vetoed $121 million dollars put in by Democrats into the budget for prevention and rehabilitation projects to soften the effects of Proposition 21 which was funded only to build more jails.

Governor Davis only relented and took back his veto when faced with an angry constituency, bad Latino press and a bi-partisan coalition with a veto-proof majority for re-submittal of the rehab money.

Another Davis act of shameful political timidity was the veto of Senate Bill 933 by Senator Richard Polanco, the Latino powerhouse in Sacramento.  This biil simply required State agencies to give wide dissemination to state procurement opportunities, especially to minorities and women.  It placed similar requirements on educational programs and scholarship projects by state institutions of higher learning.  SB 933 was declared constitutional by the Democrat Attorney General in 1999, by then Attorney General Dan Lungren in 1998 and by the legislative counsel of both 1998 and 1999.

Incredibly, in a clearly anti-Latino-minority-women move, Gore's campaign Chair for California, Gray Davis, vetoed this Outreach Bill!!

By the way, Mr. Bush in Texas lets the top10% of all graduating high school seniors, be automatically eligible for State Universities.  Why did you set the California limit at a measly 4%, Mr. Davis?

Now Governor Davis has vetoed a bill guaranteed to tee off farm workers and their supporters.  This law would make farm labor contractors criminally liable if they cheat farm workers of pay or benefits received by the contractor from the grower or rancher on their behalf.  Had you heard of this one Mr. Gore?

During a Gore attack on Governor Bush and Texas two weeks ago it was revealed that Gray Davis left $550 million FY 2000 federal children's insurance money (CHIP) on the table through inaction.  Nobody noticed that this was more than was left unused in Texas!

Gary South, chief consigliere to Gray Davis, now says that California is being ignored by the Gore Campaign and they need help.  South probably shares blame for advising Davis on his anti-Latino stances!

Vice President Gore needs to explain why targeting Texas for attack is fair when California deserves it more. 

Can Al Gore explain away the billions he has given to Gray Davis to spend in California on his behalf .when there are so many Latino problems? 

Why are Latino kids achieving worse than their Texas cousins?

Why is affirmative access or action dead?  

Why is it okay to let farm workers be cheated? 

Why is his guy, Davis, willing to send 14 year-old Latino children to the gas chamber? 

 Why is regular gasoline $ 1.75 a gallon while far cheaper in Texas and Arizona?

Wake up, Al!  Your Sunshine State rep has screwed things up for you among Latinos, and others!

Al, California is slipping away!  But, don't fret; there is a nice house in Carthage, Tennessee, on your farm that you used to rent out.  It is vacant though the plumbing needs fixing.  After January, relax a few months there before you come back to Washington to be a lobbyist for the trial lawyers!