Republicans have a very telling message for Puerto Ricans displaced by last year’s devastating Hurricane Maria: STAY AWAY from the mainland US and whatever you do, DON’T register to vote!
Politics
After the hurricane plowed through the US island territory, knocking out power, fresh water, and most food supplies, many Puerto Ricans fled to Florida in the aftermath. However, John Ward, a Republican congressional candidate from Florida’s 6th Congressional District has announced he is adamant about not wanting these people to indoctrinate themselves into the US political system — despite the fact that Puerto Ricans are not foreigners but bonafide American citizens.
During a political Q&A, Ward was asked by a voter how he would respond to Puerto Ricans who have “moved either temporarily or permanently to Florida” when “they say that they need more help and that the aid to Puerto Rico is not enough.”
His response was beyond shocking.
“First of all, I don’t think they should be allowed to register to vote. It’s not lost on me that, I think, the Democrat party’s really hoping that they can change the voting registers in a lot of counties and districts, and I don’t think they should be allowed to do that.”
Ward added that “we should be looking to put the Puerto Ricans back in their homes. The idea that they can come to the mainland United States, I don’t necessarily have a problem with that, but I think we should be thinking about it in terms of getting them back home and providing the capital and resources to rebuild Puerto Rico, which is, I honestly think, is where they belong.”
Hmmm…
Ward’s position was akin to attempting to prevent someone moving from Wisconsin to Florida to register or vote — which would be unconstitutional.
Politics
Realizing the enormous backlash Ward’s words were about to cause the GOP and their attempts to hold onto power in Washington, Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis (who currently represents Florida’s 6th District) came to Ward’s aid.
“Puerto Ricans are US citizens and any suggestion that they should be treated differently than other Americans is beyond the pale,” DeSantis said. “These are our fellow Americans and candidates running for office as Republicans need to be committed to equal treatment under the law for all of our citizens.”
Florida State Rep. Bob Cortes also raced to reprimand his fellow Republican.
“I find it very ignorant and highly offensive that someone would suggest that an American citizen should not be afforded their constitutional right to register to vote,” Cortes said. “I do not believe the Democrat Party should be able to take advantage of Puerto Rican evacuees fleeing a natural disaster, here on a temporary basis, in order to manipulate voter registrations rolls in the run-up to the 2018 elections. I would welcome any Puerto Rican who wants to permanently resettle in Florida to register to vote here. We’re all American citizens together. That said, if a natural disaster displaced me from Florida to some other state temporarily, I’d still want to vote by absentee in FL, my home community and voter registration, and not elsewhere.”
Now, if anyone was unclear as to how the Republican Party feels about Hispanic voters and immigrants, the words of John Ward and the actions of Donald Trump should make things crystal clear!
I agree DJ. The Trump party (formerly known as the Republican party) really has made it “crystal clear” how most Trump voters feel about voters and immigrants of Latino/Hispanic heritage.
But I commend Repub Reps Ron DeSantis and Don Cortes. They stepped up and *checked* that Ward guy at the gate.
And you can bet that neither Trump nor John Ward knew that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. Both of them had to be informed…smh.
Haters tend to be dumb as a box of rocks.
Hey Truth I don’t think he cares they are citizens. All he saw was some latinos not Americans and they were a threat to him.
Of course you’re right BD.
I just couldn’t resist pointing it out another “crystal clear” truth- Haters tend to be dumb as a box of rocks.
And on a related note I really can’t stress this enough………
When it comes to getting out the votes Dems had better truly understand just what they are up against. It would be incredibly STUPID for Dems to think the growing anger against Trump and Repubs pretty much guarantees a “Blue Wave” come the elections this November.
No one…and I do mean…No One…has paid attention to the nearly 100 million American voters who saw no reason to vote for either party in 2016 so they stayed home. It’s not just about the madness of Trump and the entire farce of his corrupt and totally reprehensible presidency. LOOK at the colossal mess both parties have made of this country over the past 35-40 yrs to the present. Most of those 100 million voters may stay home again which would leave (mostly) just the committed base voters of each party.
Trump’s base appears to be solid. They will stick with him no matter what. Full stop. They are (mostly) upper middle-aged and older white voters from DISAPPEARING rural areas and small towns across this nation. They’ve fallen for GOP lies, time and time again AND voted AGAINST their own interests, time and time again FOR YEARS. Their “good” jobs now long gone, they’ve been forced to uproot themselves and their families and leave their whole way of life behind. to move closer to larger towns and more DIVERSE cities in order to Survive. Frankly those places feel like “foreign lands” to Trump voters -they resent the H*ll out of ALL that!
We now know with certainty, there is a population of Americans out there who are under-educated, mucked-up, extremely FEARFUL and ANGRY who feel that they/their {White} “American Dream” have been betrayed. They blame everybody but THEMSELVES for the massive holes they’ve dug for themselves since becoming enraged at the passage of the Civil Rights Act.
Hell, Richard Nixon and George Wallace (the original..not Wallace after he was shot, became paralyzed and saw the light) still looms large with many if not most of those people. It’s 2018. Trump voters have turned to booze, Fake reality TV, Hannity, OPIODS and to HIM for deliverance. They despise the Republican party BUT will continue to VOTE Republican (against their own interests) to PROTECT Trump. They know they can’t actually trust him, that he’s a serial lying con-man and coward to boot. But he’s all they’ve got………
…….and come this November they WILL vote.
Hey Truth I don’t think the Dems are taking anything for granted this time. My guy Obama’s has been quiet behind the scenes. But I read he had been secretly planning with other Dems for the midterm and the 2020 election. At least it looks like there is some kind of plan.
They’d better have a plan BD…beginning with a unified and credible message that truly resonates with the majority of American voters. A message that speaks to a real vision for getting this country out of the muck, on the right track and moving forward in a positive direction.
Dems must identify and put forth a qualified and competent presidential candidate for 2020. A person who knows how (and is willing) to fight the good fight. Someone capable of handling the monumental task of repairing so much damage Trump will leave behind. Some damage will be irreparable. The world will never look at America quite the same again. But THAT won’t necessarily be a bad thing. Let’s be done with the mythical America.
I pray when this nightmare of a presidency is over the majority of Americans will finally be ready to come together and work towards building a better and genuinely authentic America.