While the 2008 Presidential election is not seeing as much color change as the U.S. terrorist alert level, the candidate color gradient is seeing some minor shifts. In keeping with tradition, the Republican side represents the longstanding notion that the head of the house (The White House that is) should maintain the status quo of a white male leader (John McCain, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee…all white and all males). Flip that candidate coin and the Democratic hopefuls are stirring up who belongs as head honcho of D.C’s political throne: a white woman or an African-American male? With Senator Clinton and Senator Obama riding the rollercoaster of primary wins and losses, I ask you, are these two candidates preparing America for the possibility of un presidente en el futuro?
In Illinois, a third of Hispanic residents have not finished high school or gone on to receive a GED. As a result, only one in seven has obtained a college degree, leaving Latinos at the bottom of the labor pool.
In the past decade, America has not seen a shortage of cultural forces reshaping its existence and projecting its future. After the large injection of Hispanic immigrants to major metropolitan areas like Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami, by 2001, Hispanics exceeded the number of African-Americans in the U.S. to become the nation’s largest minority. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Illinois saw its Hispanic population skyrocket to 70% in 2000. In the next 25 years, if this rate continues, experts believe Hispanics will become America’s racial majority, making Caucasians and African-Americans dwindling minorities. This Hispanic surge is most evident in Illinois. If an individual were to take a walk down 18th Street in Pilsen or through other Illinois neighborhoods like Cicero, Melrose Park, Elgin, Stone Park, Berwyn, Humbolt Park, Little Village, Waukegan or Aurora, one would see this demographic change and the message would be clear: If the U.S. president should accurately represent the nation’s people, the president should be Hispanic or have some Hispanic ancestry.
Hispanic Hurdles to la Casa Blanca
However, multiple hurdles exist and must be overcome before a Hispanic heads the White House. While the 2000 Census found that 64% of Latino adults (age 18+) were employed, most worked blue-collar jobs and were living on the fringe of being categorized as the working poor. The number one contributor to this grim reality is the lack of education Hispanics, especially Hispanic immigrants and first generation Hispanics, receive. With most of Illinois’ Hispanic families surviving on a median income of $40,000 or less, the dropout rate of Latino children in Illinois has reached alarming proportions. With families in need of money to survive, a low paying job is more lucrative than a diploma; this is a factor that is becoming more prominent as our economy dives deeper into its slump. In Illinois, a third of Hispanics residents have not finished high school or gone on to receive a GED. As a result, only one in seven has obtained a college degree, leaving Latinos at the bottom of the labor pool.
Without education at the lower levels, how can Hispanics expect to receive degrees from higher education institutions to propel them into more lucrative political positions? Looking back at our past 43 presidents, 25 of those elected had obtained a juris doctorate. Sadly, according to the American Bar Association based in Chicago, Hispanics make up about 5.8 percent of all students in the American Bar Association accredited law schools and about 8.4 percent of total law school applicants nationwide. The ABA’s Deputy Director of Policy Communication, Nancy Slonim, told me that a looming issue at ABA headquarters is low minority enrollment. Even law schools around Illinois are awestruck at the ebb and flow of Hispanic applicants. These sentiments are being echoed in the halls of the University of Chicago Law School where “out of 600 law students enrolled, only 55 are Hispanic”, according to Ann K. Perry, the university’s assistant dean. Overall, while educational outreach programs have been extended to middle school minority students to attract them to law school, education and economics are outweighing these efforts and succeeding in suppressing Hispanic advancement.
Illegal Status Hinders Hispanic Vote
Nevertheless, a law degree does not guarantee anyone a four year stint at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue or any other political power position. Still, despite this raw reality facing Hispanics, headway is being made. In Illinois, we have Latino leaders in politics, including: 11 state legislators and eight Chicago City Council members. Perhaps with more Hispanics in politics, the road will be paved for a future Hispanic candidate. However, in order to put more Hispanics in power, more Hispanics need to vote. State politicians contend that Illinois and the entire country would see more Hispanic representation if a large sector of Hispanic immigrants were not here illegally and could cast their vote. Furthermore, another prime problem that reverts to lack of education is that most Hispanics are not aware of the U.S. voting system and never vote in local, state or national elections because they do not know the process.
Overall, the success of a Hispanic candidate will also depend on U.S. citizens (not of Hispanic background) overcoming the somewhat negative stigma they may hold regarding the intentions of a Hispanic president. Immigration and border security are two prominent issues facing the United States…and will face whatever president that holds future office. However, a Hispanic candidate would most likely have to entertain and overcome charges that they would only focus on those two issues if elected president. Clearly, any presidential candidate, despite the race factor, would have to deal with a plethora of issues on their political plate ranging from stimulating the economy to global warming. Therefore, just as Senator Clinton can be charged with promoting women’s rights or Senator Obama can be labeled as a man out to the turn the White House black—reality suggests that any candidate that violates the traditional mold of past Heads of State will face scrutiny over their background and identity. Even Mitt Romney had his Mormon religion tossed into his lap during past debates. Therefore, unless U.S. citizens become less narrow-minded in these areas and open up to change, the traditional presidential mold will become the glass ceiling to the Oval Office.
So, I must ask, who is better to address the issues of border patrol and immigration? Should one of the largest issues facing America—immigration—be decided by a foreigner to the Hispanic culture or someone who knows and identifies with the individuals involved and experiencing the controversy? The argument I am presenting also holds ground in the abortion issue—who knows a woman’s body better than a woman herself?—But think, this argument makes sense. Overall, with the way Democratic candidates are chipping away at the color and sex barrier surrounding the White House during this election, the possibility does exist that America could be ready for un presidente en el casa blanca pronto.