0.1 Preface  (Page 2/7)

This rise is demonstrated in the increasing Hispanic vote, compared by both parties in state and municipal elections, and even federal T. Calvo Buezas, “Ronald Reagan, Partidos Políticos y la minoría hispana en Estados Unidos”, en Revista de Política Comparada , Universidad Menéndez Pelayo, núm.5, 1981, págs. 177 – 198. See also “ploítica hispana en los Estados Unidos”, en “La dimensión hispana”, en Cuadernos de la Escuela Diplomática, nº 26, Madrid, 2004, pp 91-99. . Here, numbers are power, and “one man, one vote” favors Hispanics positively, and turns them –although they are socially despised, underestimated, poor, and some even exploited– into a “political power,” coveted by the Parties in struggle. There are more Hispanics all the time; more are registered, and exercise their vote. And on the other hand they are more diversified–not only economically and ideologically— but also in their preference of the different Parties. With the failed dream of the Ethnic Political Formation, la “Raza Unida Party” during the 60s and 70s, the Republican Party is growing in popularity among Hispanics, although Latinos continue to mainly vote for the Democratic Party.

The 60s and 70s are long gone, in which the Democratic candidate, such as John Kennedy obtained 90% of the Hispanic vote: in 1976 Democrat J. Carter obtained 81% of the Hispanic vote, and the republican Gerald R. Ford 19%; nevertheless in 1980, Carter obtained 17% and Republican Ronald Reagan obtained 25%. The vote for the Republican Party has increased since then, particularly with the Cuban vote and a "Latin enterprise elite" in the United States. Success on all fronts, including the takeover of power at the state and municipal level in Florida, especially Miami (the clearest example, though the same can be said at the regional level), of the ascending political power of Hispanics in the United States. Here is the title to a Spanish newspaper in 2004: “The battle for Florida. Bush and Kerry are convinced that the elections are won in the peninsula of the South” (El País, April 22, 2004). And in Florida, the Cuban-Americans have a lot to say about this.

In the most recent 2008 elections, Hispanics went to the polls to vote in record numbers. Their votes were increased by 25% over the 2004 elections. Hispanics mobilized in voting blocks for the Democratic party in states across the country and threw 67% of their votes to Barak Obama (Preston, New York Times Reader 2.0, November 6, 2008)

The greatest hispanic political power: its demography and cultural singularity

What I wish to emphasize here is what I have been insisting on for many years, from my doctoral thesis on Chicanos in January of 1976, and have continued in my following publications My publications about Hispanics, among others, are the following: T.Calvo Buezas, Los más pobres en el país más rico: clase, religión y etnia en le movimiento campesino chicano (Editorial Encuentro, Madrid, 1981), “Nación, Imperio y Lengua: el idioma español en los Estados Unidos”, en Revista Española de Antropología Americana, nº XI, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, 1981. “Hispanos en Estados Unidos y Cultura”, en Las Culturas Hispánicas en los Estados Unidos de América, Asociación Hispano-Cultural Norteamericana, Madrid, 1978. “Ronald Reagan, Partidos Políticos y Minoría Hispana en Estados Unidos”, en Revista de Política Comparada, nº 5, Universidad Internacional Menéndez y Pelayo, Madrid, 1981. “Puertorriqueños y Otros Hispanos: Integración y Desigualdad en una ciudad neoyorquina”, en Revista Española de Antropología Americana , nº 14, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, 1984. “Cooperación Académica, Universidad e Investigación: Programas Especiales para Hispanos”, en R. Cortina y A. Moncada (coods.) Hispanos en U.S.A. ICI, Madrid, 1988. “Una mirada antropológica a los Hispanos de EE.UU. desde hace más de 25 años (1973-2002)”, en J.L. Ponga y M. F. Rice (Coords), Beyond Our Borders , Universidad de Valladolid y Universidad de Texas, Valladolid, 1993, pp-533-556. (T.Calvo Buezas). Muchas Américas. Cultura, sociedad y política en América Latina , (Ediciones Universidad Complutense/ICI, Madrid, 1990).(T. Calvo Buezas y M.J.Buxó, (Eds.) Cultura Hispana de los Estados Unidos de América, Madrid, Ediciones Cultura Hispánica, 1990. .