US Political Parties Hope
to Gain Latinos' Vote
United States citizens1 of Latin American ancestry2 could influence the U.S. elections on November 4th. On that day, Americans will vote for members of the House of Representatives3, a third4 of the Senate, and state and local positions around the country. In states like California, Latinos are an important group of voters5 for the Democratic Party6. But both Democrats and Republicans face a challenge in getting7 their vote.
Latino activists recently signed up8 new voters at a citizenship9 ceremony. They were seeking new U.S.citizens like Roberto Hernandez. He registered to vote with help from his son Jose, who is already10 a citizen and a voter.
Roberto Hernandez wants a bigger voice11 for the millions of undocumented people12 living in the country. Here, his son speaks his words in English.
“Better things13 for the undocumented, for immigrants, give them an opportunity. No discrimination. We should all be treated equal14.”
In 2008 and 2012, many Latino voters supported15 President Barack Obama, a Democrat who promised16 immigration reform. However17, the president faced strong opposition from Congressional Republicans. They have demanded18 a secure border19 and oppose amnesty20, or pardons, for illegal immigrants.
Latino activists are largely Democrats. Many of them are angry21.
Activists from the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights22 of Los Angeles expressed their displeasure23 at a press conference24. They discussed the situation Latino families face25 with some Latinos who are U.S. citizens and others who are in the country illegally.
Lauren Diegues is a citizen and a voter. But her grandfather and an uncle risk being expelled26 from the country. She says she is unhappy27 with the president. “I am, because now that I lived it, now I know how other families feel.”
Dean28 Bonner is with the Public Policy29 Institute of California. The research group is not linked to a political party. He says Hispanics in California are usually Democrats, with smaller numbers of Republicans and independents. But he says California Hispanics are evenly divided among30 conservative,liberal and moderate voters. He says President Obama’s popularity has dropped31 and that could hurt Democrats in the election.
“We have been seeing32 a steady33 erosion of his approval34 among Latinos. While35 three in four right before the election in 2012 were approving of his job performance, today that number is 50 percent.”
Activists for Hispanics say voters support politicians36 who show interest in their concerns37, in issues such as38 the economy, education, health care and immigration.
Hector Barreto is with the Hispanic Business Roundtable Institute. He says Latinos could influence the election results in many states.
“Colorado, for example, has a large Hispanic population, North Carolina has, even40 Arkansas has an Hispanic population. So neither one of those two parties can take those for granted42, and Hispanics will continue to play a pivotal role43 in every election, whether that be44 a local, state or national, whether it be mid-term or presidential.”
Hispanic voters were eight percent of the electorate nationwide45 two years ago. However, fewer than half46 of those who were registered actually47 voted.Activists are working to register more Latino voters and urging48 them to vote.
I’m Mario Ritter.
Vocabulary
1.
citizens = cidadãos
2.
ancestry = antepassados
3.
House of Representatives = Câmara dos Deputados
4. a third = um terço
5. voters = eleitores
6.
Democratic Party = Partido Democrata
7.
face a challenge in getting =
enfrentam um desafio em conseguir
8. signed up = inscreveram
9. citizenship = cidadania
10. who is already = que já é
11. voice = voz
12. undocumented people = pessoas sem documento
13. Better things = coisas melhores
14.
We should all be treated equal = Nós deveriamos todos sermos tratados de forma igual
15. supported = apoiaram
16. promised = prometeu
17.
However = contudo
18. have demanded = tem exigido
19. border = fronteira
20.
oppose amnesty = oposição à anistia
21.
Many of them are angry = muitos
deles estão zangados
22. Rights = direitos
23. displeasure = descontentamento, desaprovação
24.
press conference = conferencia de imprensa
25. face = enfrentar
26.
risk being expelled = arriscam serem expulsos
27.
unhappy = infeliz
28. Dean = reitor
29.
Public Policy = Diretriz publica
30.
Evenly
divided among = igualmente divididos entre
31. has dropped = tem caido
32. have been seeing = temos visto
33. steady = continuo
34. approval = aprovação
35.
While = enquanto
36. politicians = politicos
37.
concerns = Interesses, preocupações
38.
such as = tais como
39. health care = assistencia medica
40. even = até mesmo
41.
neither one of those = nenhum daqueles
42. can take those for granted = pode dar como garantido
43.
pivotal role = papel essencial
44.
whether that be = quer seja
45.
nationwide = nacionalmente
46.
fewer than half = menos que a metade
47. actually = na verdade
48.
urging = pressionando
