Latino Vote and the GOP

How convenient of Chahin, in singing the praises of Republicanism, to have overlooked the disgusting, outrageous, depraved and egregious, calculated un-American activities of the Orange County Republican Party in hiring and stationing uniformed guards in and near polling places in Santa Ana (in the 72nd Assembly in 1988) to harass, vex, annoy, intimidate and otherwise impede and attempt to deprive primarily Americans of Mexican descent from the free exercise of our most venerated of American legal rights--the right to vote! This, I believe, is Republicanism at its collective best--its worst!

Republicans Ronald Reagan and George Bush meddled in the internal affairs of Central America under the guise and ruse of bringing democracy to the region. Yet, domestically, the Reagan-Bush Republican U.S. Department of Justice did nothing to address and end terrorism or promote and ensure democracy when similar, but domestic, Republican-sponsored terrorism and attempted disenfranchisement of Americans reared its ugly head in Republican-rich Orange County.

“Republican principles” is an oxymoron. As an American of Mexican descent of several generations, a Latino and a registered Democrat, I can reasonably conclude that the Republican Party is the party of special-interest groups and that we Chicanos are not one of those sought-after, Republican-courted special-interest groups.

So excuse me if I want nothing to do with fascist Republican politics.

GEORGE C. BALDERAS

Corona