Dear Barack Obama,

In the weeks leading up to the November 4, 2008 presidential election, I remember knocking on doors in areas mama told me to aviod.  I canvassed with an Asian one day, a young African-American girl the next day, a young progressive White man the next, and a retired woman the next.  I remember visiting the local Obama phone banking sight and seeing long-time Latino friends running the show (one of which was an immigrant student).  I drove a 15 passenger van over 150 miles on election day to north Kansas City, through midtown, and then to Harrisonville dropping off and picking up volunteers who were hitting the streets one last time. 

As a first semester law student who swore in writting not to work, I was driven to sacrifice multiple nights of studying to contribute my infinitely small part to elect you president of the United States.  I believed in your message of hope and change, you inspired me, and you sealed the deal with me that you were a champion of immigrant rights when you promised to push an immigration bill through congress in your first year.  Let me refresh your memory: 

"I cannot guarantee that it is going to be in the first 100 days. But what I can guarantee is that we will have in the first year an immigration bill that I strongly support and that I'm promoting. And I want to move that forward as quickly as possible." - Jorge Ramos interview with you on May 28, 2008. 

But oh boy...after that first year, despite the excuses by some (especially by democratic Senator Charles Schumer who was tasked with writing the bill) that health care, jobs, Iraq, and Afghanistan kept immigration reform off of the agenda, not a single bill was introduced or even written to address immigration reform.  I certainly hope Schumer took "Multi-tasking" off of his resume as a result.  PROMISE, along with the hearts of many immigrants, BROKEN...

I hope you didn't think that we weren't watching, would overlook it, or would somehow forget?  It is true that lately Republican presidential candidates are doing a great job of alienating their hopes of splitting the Latino vote in 2012 every time they open their mouths thumping their chests as to who hates immigrants more.  But, is that how you wish to approach the Latino electorate?  Would you rather be known as the better alternative as opposed to a champion for immigrant rights? Do you think your defensiveness and blaming of Republicans will inspire us?  Do you believe criticism of your record of on immigration is a "disservice to the cause of getting the DREAM Act passed and getting comprehensive immigration reform passed?" Do you believe this messaging strategy is going to excite Latinos, drive us to the polls, and gear us into action for your re-election efforts? 

Once upon a time your message was one of hope and change; that you could even lower the oceans:



Just so you know, as president you have the power to issue executive orders.  Presidents have issued them since the inception of the republic.  Hey look here, you are no exception. Here are listings of the executive orders you have issued: 2009, 2010, 2011.

Despite the 95 executive orders you've signed to date, an executive order providing immigration relief to undocumented kids seems to be your kryptonite I guess.  See, this was you a few weeks ago basically telling us that your executive powers are useless and that you can not go to bat for DREAM kids.  Maybe I'm wrong, but its seems the very fact that we are even challenging you on this point irks you a bit.  (from minute 25:30-28:00)


Isn't it a bit disrespectful to presume we don't know the law well enough to understand your mistatements of what you can and can not do as president? 

I urge you to go down the street and  ask US Senators, many of whom are lawyers,  if they believe you can and should use such powers you claim you don't have. 

Sadly, I also get the sense you know what powers you have, given that you are a constiutional law professor, but you'd just rather not confront it.  Confronting reality even seems tough for your team to face. As Harry S Truman would say, "I never give them hell, I just tell the truth and they think it's hell!" 



Bottom line is, its seems you will continue to spread the falsity that you don't believe your administation can priortize resources on criminals and not deport DREAM Act kids.  My message to you is simple: "Yes we can!"

We are not seeing in you a champion for immigrant rights.  In fact, what many Latinos see are record deportations (over 1 million! and on pace to out-deport George W. Bush in one term what took him two to accomplish!), and not just of criminals, but non-criminals are still being deported in the largest numbers than any other administration.  Even your "prosecutorial descretion" anouncement in August has no teeth, and eligible immigrants (Including DREAM kids) who were supposed to have their "low priority" cases administratively closed are still being deported.  We see inaction on pushing for the DREAM Act/CIR.  Most disheartening is that you generally portray the criticism you've received from Latinos as: 1) wrongly placed on you and should be placed on congressional Republicans, 2) not an issue you can address administratively without legislation, 3) and that such criticism does a disservice to the efforts of getting DREAM/CIR passed. 

You could only blame the Republicans if you yourself dedicated capital towards passage of immigration reform.  You can't blame the long muddy path as the reason why you did not make it up the hill if you never got in the driver's seat and turned on the ignition.  During the one-year window of time you promised CIR, you had 60 democratic votes and a Republican who committed to bring other Republicans on board.  You did not get on your bully pulpit for us when it mattered; or as of yet. 

This defensiveness of your record does not energize me or any Latino I've spoken with.  In fact, it is depressing us.  Addressing that you have shortcomings with regard to the Latino vote should be a priority.  The stakes could not be higher and a revamped messaging strategy will be critical in the key swing states with rapidly expanding Latino demographic shifts. 

I've been asked recently by a person affiliated with your 2012 re-election campaign: "Where are my Latinos at?"  The only answer I can think to give is that if only you had done what you promised, this question would never have arisen and we would already be in the trenches fighting for our champion.   

I wish I were politically savvy enough to show you exactly how to get us back on the wagon.  I can tell you that any effort to pass DREAM or Comprehensive immigration reform prior to the election without  placement of significant political capital will fail.  Any attempt at DREAM or CIR without your complete buy-in might allow you to deliver smooth talking points on the campaign trail and it might help you bash Republicans on their one way ticket to political suicide by alienating the Latino vote.  But forgive me for believing your pre-election hype of our issues will be anything but an sad attempt to court the Latino vote.  I will be watching with great focus. 

But first things first.  Mr. Obama, the first step to addressing a problem is to admit you have one.  Mr Obama, you have a Latino problem on your hands.  67% of Latinos supported you in your 2008 election, today only 47% of Latinos approve of the job you are doing.  Nationwide, 50,000 Latinos turn 18 every month.  In 2008, there were 18 million eligible Latino Voters, in 2012, that number will be 22 million.  With these kinds of numbers, in swing states like Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, and Colorado, if 67% of Latinos vote for you again...you will win, it's that simple.  Even in Missouri, registered Latino voters have risen 24% just from 2008-2010.  As states such as Nevada and Colorado may prove decisive battleground states for your re-election, I implore you to ask Harry Reid of Nevada how important the Latino vote was there (Won 94% of Latino Vote, won election by 5%), or Michael Bennet in Colorado if the Latino vote was important there (Won 81% of the Latino Vote, won by .5%) in 2010. 

I want you to know that Latinos are not single-issue voters.  Immigration, in fact, is not even a top five issue.  We are members of the general public and all other issues are important.  However, when the word "immigration" comes out of the mouth of a politician, Latinos listen with razor sharp focus.  So as you travel to swing states with large Latino populations, and when you begin your efforts to re-connect with the Latino vote, I'd advise you to reexamine your messaging. 

Mr. Obama, you have overpromised and underdelivered, and the bad news is you will suffer the inescapable political consequences. Will I advocate that Latinos sit this one out on election day?  Never.  But many Latinos are jaded along with me. When the time comes, those who do vote will likely vote for you as the better alternative, but not as our champion.  If your approach does not change, and we are not inspired or energized, perhaps many Latino voters might favor sitting out this election at the local Taco Tuesday special as seeming more tasty and less salty than a vote for you on that day.

Sincerely,

Raymond Rico