Editorial:
What gives politics a bad name? It is the politicians. A good example of this was just this past week when several Latino elected “leaders” endorsed Nathan Fletcher for mayor! The assumption being that because these are Latino “leaders” Fletcher is the best choice to represent the Hispanic community!
As we read the press release, we found ourselves scratching our heads as we tried to recall exactly what Fletcher has done in the past that would recommend him as the best choice for the Hispanic community. Frankly, we couldn’t come up with much.
What baffled us even more was that same day (Thursday, Sept 5) that these Latino “leaders” were endorsing Fletcher, David Alvarez, the only elected Hispanic on the city council, announced his intention to run for mayor.
Alvarez represents the Hispanic 8th District. Didn’t any of these Latino “leaders” talk with the only Hispanic on the city council before throwing their support behind Fletcher? And doesn’t it make sense that a Hispanic representing a Hispanic district would be a better representative for that community?
These “leaders” should endorse the best person they feel would represent the city, we don’t have a problem with that. We do have a problem with the fact that they are identifying themselves as Latino “leaders” and are saying to the Hispanic voter that this candidate is the one candidate who will, once in office, represent their interest and work on their behalf, and that the Hispanic community would be a priority to him.
Fletcher is an intelligent, nice person, but his work on behalf of the Hispanic community is almost non-existent. We looked up his record as Assemblyman and went through all the bills he sponsored, all his press releases, and all the news stories about Fletcher and we didn’t find one mention of the Hispanic community or any of their issues during his term as Assemblyman.
We read where the Latino “leaders” cited his recent support of the janitors, his support of the DREAMERS, and his work as with the San Diegans United for Comprehensive Immigration Reform where Fletcher is listed as Chair, as their reasoning to support him. You can read the Open Letter from Union representative on this on the editorial page, which does a pretty good job of discussing Fletcher’s support of the janitors.
When Fletcher’s had a chance to support the DREAMERS he voted against them both times in 2011 when he voted against private scholarships act and the state financial aid act. So his support of the DREAMERS is mere rhetoric.
In regards to the San Diegans United for Comprehensive Immigration Reform we looked that up and it basically consists of a web page that was created in March 2013, the month Fletcher and Lorena Gonzalez announced the groups’ creation. There was also a Twitter page and a Facebook page. All three internet pages show activity in March and in April and nothing after that.
For all intents and purposes, the organization is dead after one short month. Basically an organization created for political purposes only!!!
So the next time you run into Juan Vargas, Ben Hueso, Lorena Gonzalez, Mary Salas, Humberto Peraza, Jose Preciado, Olga Diaz, ask these “leaders” whose interests they are looking out for, Nathan Fletcher’s, their own, or the Hispanic community’s?