Is it Time for a Political Tequila Party?

By Michael Lopez

When Blogamole first heard about this story, we thought it was a joke. Do disenchanted Latino voters across the country really want to launch a Tequila Party? In the same way that the Tea Party formed its own movement within the Republican realm, rumors are flying that Democratic Latinos may form their own sect, too.

Although he didn't come up with the concept, Fernando Romero, president of Nevada’s Hispanics in Politics, recently told Fox News Latino that support for a Tequila Party movement is growing fast in his home state:

“We don’t have immigration reform. And by the looks of it, it isn’t going to happen. We were impressed, like I think everyone else was, by the strength the Tea Party showed. And we thought, ‘Why not do, basically, the same thing?”

Why? To begin with, the Senate's failure to pass the DREAM Act last September was a major blow to immigration reform activists. We all knew conservative Republicans would vote against the measure —  which would allow undocumented immigrants who are under age 30 and came to the U.S. as children to remain in the country pending two years of college or military service — but some Latinos felt disappointed with Democrats, too. Could the Dems have fought a little harder? It depends who you ask. Some Dems, including President Barack Obama, are trying to push the bill through Congress before the end of the year, but it continues to be an uphill battle.

Then, there’s that other situation in Arizona. The state stirred up tons of controversy this summer when it passed SB 1070, an anti-immigration law that made it a state crime for non-U.S. citizens to be there without their papers and cracks down on anyone who shelters illegal immigrants. Although a judge issued a federal injunction to block the most controversial parts of the law, many Latino voters felt their voices were ignored throughout the legislative process. And don’t get us started on Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s “illegal alien hunting posse.”

In all honesty, the Tea Party may not be the best political role model to follow. In case you forgot, they were the strongest supporters of SB 1070 and have taken strong stances against amnesty for undocumented immigrants. Plus, is it really wise to call it a Tequila Party? We love Cuervo as much as the next blog, but if you want to be taken seriously in Washington, that may not be the best name for your cause.

So, while we definitely agree that it's time to tackle these big issues, we don’t think you need a kitschy name or polarizing spokesperson to do it. Learn about the issues and hit those politicians where it hurts — at the voting booths!

What do you think of forming a Tequila Party? Sound off below or @MTV3!

Tags Cultura, Deep Thoughts, Politics, SB 1070, Tea Party, Tequila Party, the DREAM Act