File this one under “WTF?” — the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute has decided to bestow a public service award upon Congressman Mike Pence (R-Indiana). Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart stated that the award Pence was given the award for “his extraordinary sensitivity toward and friendship with the U.S. Hispanic community.”
Even Roll Call reports that Pence himself did not know why he was receiving the award. Pence hasn’t been involved in any of the bi-partisan immigration efforts.
So I checked out the On the Issues page for Mike Pence to learn more about what he has done for the Hispanic community. I was particularly interested in his civil rights record:
- Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation. (Nov 2007)
- Voted YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman. (Jul 2006)
- Voted YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent. (Dec 2005)
- Voted YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage. (Sep 2004)
- Voted YES on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance. (Sep 2004)
- Voted YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration. (Jun 2003)
- Supports anti-flag desecration amendment. (Mar 2001)
- Require “Privacy Impact Statement” on new federal rules. (Apr 2002)
- Rated 7% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
- Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
- Rated 22% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance. (Dec 2006)
- Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage. (Jun 2008)
On Immigration, On the Issues shows the following:
- Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
- Voted YES on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment. (May 2004)
- Voted YES on extending Immigrant Residency rules. (May 2001)
- Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration. (Dec 2003)
- Rated 92% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance. (Dec 2006)
- Declare English as the official language of the US. (Feb 2007)
Finally, I found The Americano interview of Congressman Pence.
What do you think? Is Congressman Pence worthy of a leadership award for his contributions to our community? Or is the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute so stupid that it just wants to give an award to anybody who breathes?
9 responses so far ↓
1 Anna // May 20, 2010 at 11:31 pm
CHLI is a right wing, conservative organization, and like all organizations of that persuasion, it’s a joke. They don’t represent most Latinos.
2 stephen // May 21, 2010 at 5:44 am
and where is there call to move MLB all star game? WTH is going on with these guys?
3 tomas // May 21, 2010 at 7:11 am
great post – thanks for the laugh
4 Michaelr // May 21, 2010 at 11:21 am
This group doesn’t represent any political value to the Latino Community as a whole. They are simply a front for Wal-Mart, Ford, Coca Cola, and Coors, and those companies efforts to exploit and marginalize the Latino Community. And like the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, they are there to serve themselves.
5 theKaiser // May 21, 2010 at 2:13 pm
Why would a minority non-profit formally celebrate its relationship with a Congressional representative with Teabag sympathies? Who are these f#$&en coconuts? And have they no shame?
6 Chicano future tense // May 21, 2010 at 4:40 pm
Poster “Michaelr” makes a great point which I heartily agree with which is that organizations such as CHLI and the CHC (to a greater or lesser extent) do not represent political value to the Latino community as a whole.Specifically in the case of CHLI such groups are in actuality corporate flunkies,shills and ringers whose primary role is to market and reap obscene profits for the corporations at the expense of and irregardless of the health,social and spiritual welfare of Latinos.
That is why IMHO it is critical to the political development and advancement of Latinos for them to have a thorough understanding and analysis of the role that corporations play on a global scale in eroding and attacking democracy and freedoms both within the USA as well as the entire world by fomenting wars,corruption,social unstability and violence through fascistic control mechanisms.
Benito Mussolini the father of modern fascist doctrine made famous the following quote regarding Corporatism..
“Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power”
Benito Mussolini
7 El Cholo // May 21, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Listening to this hypocrite (Mike Pence) spout the same old duplicitous rhetoric the GOP has been calling core values to the American taxpayer, tells us how self-serving CHLI is. Hearing Mike Pence openly lie about his opinions concerning Hispanic Americans shows us how phoney CHLI is about their mission. CHLI is just another profiteering organization exploiting its own community.
8 DoctorH // May 24, 2010 at 3:35 pm
It just goes to show you the lack, and in many cases the total absence of leadership within the Latino community. All these non-profit organizations supposedly representing the Latino community are in the profiteering business, selling themselves to sell out their brothers, sisters, and relatives to Corporate America. CHLI is a good example, and CHC isn’t much different.
9 Pablo // May 27, 2010 at 10:21 am
Wow. Good catch. I missed this. Maybe they’re courting Republicans-on-the-fence and this is the deal-sweetener for later on.
Either way, seems a thin bestowal that, if left so-poorly substantiated, diminishes the award itself.
Leave a Comment