GregsOpinion.com

A.S. Medellin, Political Action Chair, La Raza Unida; and a Dem activist/consultant.

During a time in which most of the ills affecting Houston, Texas, and America are being blamed on Mexican and other Latino immigrants (and even native Hispanic Americans who just get blamed for being brown and in town), it is not surprising that a measure to tax politically defenseless immigrants in exchange for health care, while not taxing any other indigent population, would be proposed. That it was proposed by someone (Commissioner Sylvia Garcia) who has achieved her political stature on the backs of Latino and Chicano activists that have supported immigrant rights and other human and civil rights causes is quite surprising, as well as insulting to the community.

There is no doubt that health care in America is in a crisis. HMOs, physicians, and drug companies have fleeced Americans and immigrants with increased consumer costs, while shoring up their political strength with an endless flow of cash to political campaign accounts. Not only are their profits increasing, so are their contributions to politicians! Those of us involved in progressive causes know exactly what the cause of this health care crisis is, and it certainly is not the immigrant population. It does not take much sense to know it is Latino immigrants that have been targeted by conservatives and that they blame immigrants for national security issues, instead of those actually performing terrorist acts (i.e., 19 Saudis that brought down the towers!). This proposal only serves as a threat to American human rights, as well as to the health security of our city, state, and nation. Worse, this proposal only lends conservatives more ammunition with which to attack Latinos (U.S. and immigrants).

Commissioner Garcia has shown Latinos and progressive voters that she is more willing to blame a defenseless population for the health care crisis in Harris County, Texas and America, instead of attacking the root causes--wealthy health care special interests. She has, in effect, scapegoated a group of people (of color) in exchange for gaining political favor among the rich and powerful, such as Rob Mosbacher and neo-conservative Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. In other words, she may as well get it over with and announce her political intentions in proposing such a mean-spirited and ineffective tax on poor, uninsured families of color.

Garcia's proposal is an affront to immigrant families who already inject billions of dollars into the Houston, Texas and American economy, while never failing to shirk their family responsibilities by sending money home to their spouses and children. How dare she try to make a fast tax buck from people that already pay their fair share. I would venture to say that Latino immigrants exhibit "family values" and patriotism much more that most citizen families, as they do not financially abandon their own families and still inject billions of dollars into two (2) national economies!

To date, Garcia has sold her plan to conservative Gringos (bad Anglos) that have never cared much for immigrants, or Latinos, in general. Her next step is to sell it to a local member of the Texas House of Representatives to file as a bill during this legislative session in Austin. Tell Garcia, the Hispanic and the Houston contingent of elected officials to not endorse, support, or even lend attention to this proposal that will only gain favor among those that want to limit opportunities for people of color. Better yet, let's tell our local Democratic Party to censure Garcia! In the end, Garcia is only legitimizing the hate and scapegoating Latino immigrants and citizens have endured for centuries and continue to endure. Democrats are better than that!