Mexican American Democrats
Guests Blandina Cardenas Ramirez and Richard Moya discuss the record and achievements of the two democratic presidential candidates: Jimmy Carter and Sen. Edward Kennedy. Host Linda Fregoso first offers some background on Mexican American voting trends and explains that 1960 was the first year politicians began to court their votes. Since then Mexican Americans have had a critical role in electing democrats to office. The democratic presidential campaign between incumbent Carter and Kennedy has divided the Mexican American vote.
Cardenas Ramirez, who Carter appointed to run the administration for Children, Youth and Families, is a member of Carter’s reelection campaign and defends his record towards Latinos. She explains that Carter has allocated more money than ever for educational programs for impoverished children. Moreover, Cardenas explains that Carter has appointed more Hispanics to office than any other administration and his appointees, like Leonel Castillo and Joe Bernal, have been well-known and respected leaders of the community. She argues that these appointees, and specifically those within the judicial system, will best be able to support the rights of Mexican Americans and pursue violations of their human rights in the courts.
Fregoso next interviews Travis County Commissioner Richard Moya who supports Kennedy’s bid for the nomination. Moya explains that Kennedy has a clear commitment to appointing Hispanics to significant posts. Moreover, he has a strong record for helping minorities, which includes supporting bilingual education. He hopes that Kennedy would handle case of police brutality more effectively than Carter. Moya then dismisses claims that Kennedy’s personal life might affect his chances of election. He believes that more Mexican Americans support Kennedy and believes that many Mexican American leaders are disenchanted with the Carter Administration.
KEYWORDS
Administration for Children, Youth and FamiliesAlicia Chacon
“Viva Kennedy” campaign
Ben Reyes
Bilingual Education
Blandina Cardenas Ramirez
Carter-Mondale campaign
Chappaquiddick
Children
Civil Rights Movement
Comprehensive Employment and Training Act
Democratic Party
Education
Edward Kennedy
Gonzalo Barrientos
Health
Hipanic Politicians
Houston, Texas
Hubert Humphrey
Human Rights
International Year of the Child
Jimmy Carter
Joe Bernal
Joe Campos Torres
John F. Kennedy
Jose Cardenas
Judge Gustavo de Anda
Judge Hipolito Garcia
Latino Democrats
Latino Voting Block
Latinos in the Judicial System
Leonel Castillo
Los Angeles
Mexican American Democrats (MAD)
Mexican American Human Rights Violations
Mexican Americans in the Federal Government
Miami
Migrant children
Migrants
New Mexico
New York
Nixon
Personal lives of Politicians
Police Brutality
Poll Tax
Poverty
Retention rates for Latino Appointees
Richard Moya
Richard Moya
Santos Rodriguez
Texas
The Carter Administration
Tony Canales
Travis County
Undocumented Children