Ever since Barack Obama took office Latinos have been pounding on his door. It seems to me that President Obama could hear them, after all they have been vocal enough. The problem was, the general feeling of dislike for Latinos by the majority. Keep in mind, the President is the President of the United States, not of just the Latino community, the gay community, the African community or of women. However, it sure seems like the groups I just mentioned were much more valued than the Latinos.

I suppose that if you’ve been depreciating something for years, it simply loses it’s value. If you bought a brand new car and over the years you allowed people to walk by and hit it with a bat, plug some buckshot into it, broke the windows and keyed it, and on top of that, from the day you bought it, you claimed it was a gas hog that cost you dearly, that it was draining your budget, it was inefficient, it smelled, it looked ugly and you just couldn’t stand it’s color, it would surely depreciate. It just wouldn’t have the value that other same model cars of a different color might have, now would it?

The same is the case with Latinos throughout the United States. Especially immigrants! After years of beating them up, defaming them, frowning at the color of their skin, calling them disease carriers, lazy, job thieves and leeches, to name a few, the Latino has been devalued.

This is akin to the 1700′s, when slave owners wanted to count their slaves in order to broaden their representation in congress. The more populous the state, the more representation in congress. They found themselves with a dilemma. These were slaves! Their white slave owners didn’t treat them or consider them to be a man. They were simply sub human beings, that if rated at all, would rate on the lowest rung of the social ladder. They were used to create profit for the wealthy white plantation owners.

I suppose I’m starting to sound a bit militant, using words like white masters and black slaves and stirring up the ugly history we all want to forget. I’m simply trying to put into perspective the reasoning behind the desire to determine the value of a “sub human.” Well, after a knock down drag out fight, congress, in order to appease the wealthy white slave owners, decided to value these slaves as 3/5 of a man, changing the dynamics of the representation these slave owners received, and allowing them to further profit financially from their black skinned property.

Fast forward to modern times and examine the much depended on immigrant labor and what many of us call the modernized slave labor force that responds in a very similar way to their white employers.

In 2010 the U.S. Census was heavily banked on by local, state and federal government entities. The census is a decennial financial windfall for state and local governments.

An astounding $340 million dollars was spent to promote the U.S. Census in 2010. Everyone tried to get a piece of the pie. The local radio and television stations were littered with ads promoting the census. More importantly, and related to this article, the Spanish language media was all over it. The ads targeting Latinos, and specifically undocumented Latinos, were trust specific. They assured the Spanish language viewer or listener that their information would be kept completely private and confidential. The modern undocumented immigrant who they were targeting and enticing to participate, has traditionally had zero trust in a local and federal government that has been part and parcel to their exploitation as this country’s labor force.

The Census Bureau used truckloads of propaganda material, like trinkets, placards, backpacks, handbags, etc., all with the U.S. Census prominently displayed. The material was given away at stores frequented by Latinos and immigrants. People love giveaways, and immigrants are not an exception.

I would venture to say that very few of these immigrants were aware of the U.S. Census’ betrayal of trust during the 1940′s census campaign involving the Japanese Americans, who by virtue of their participation were rounded up and thrown in concentration camps after the Census Bureau gave specific information as to their addresses and ethnicity to the Secret Service. Had they known this, I imagine, the census, to these modern day Spanish speaking immigrants, would have been akin to being willing participants in their own deportation process.

The hype to participate in the census reached a crescendo as the anti-immigrant crowd argued that the census should not taken into consideration “illegals” who had no right to be here. On the other hand, the pro-immigrant groups for the most part, pushed for an absolute enumeration of the undocumented community, arguing that they wanted that representation in congress, new congressional districts, and the federal funds that would be distributed upon determining the amount of immigrants, mostly Latinos that are hiding in the shadows.

The undocumented immigrant community was railroaded by their own “advocates.” They were told that their children would have better schools to attend with the money that would be given to their communities, that they would have better roads to drive on, and that they would have a better infrastructure with the additional funds. Very few of us opposed these snake oil salesmen who profited from the census as they sold the immigrant community an elixir that would not only, not work, but they wouldn’t even get a chance to sip, in most cases.

What they didn’t tell the undocumented Immigrants is that since they don’t have a drivers license, and because they run a risk in just driving on the roads, they would not benefit from better roads. Those roads could very well lead to their deportation after being stopped and asked for their papers. Not only that, if deported, their children in all likelihood would have to join them in their native country, and they certainly would not enjoy that better education they were promised. The only benefit that was received, was for the politicians and the pseudo Latino activists and pseudo Latino leaders that sought additional congressional districts and funding to be distributed on their pork barrel projects which in most cases would not even get to the average Joe, let alone the undocumented Immigrant.

I think you would agree that the 2010 U.S. Census was very much like what occurred in 1787 with the three fifths compromise. What everyone considered and considers to be an unwanted sector of the general populous is used for political and financial gain.

Enter SB1070 in the same year as the census, and you not only had an outright hatred for the “illegal” a term coined by the racist, Tea Party members and Nationalists. You had a desire to violate the rights of those who looked like they might be an “illegal.” The concept behind SB1070 was to put a band aid on a border issue by pursuing those that might appear to fit the “look” of an “illegal border crosser.” Just about every one of the state house members that voted to pass SB1070 stood up and said they didn’t think it would resolve the border issue, but, it was a start.

With SB1070 under scrutiny by the District Court of Arizona and eventually the U.S. Supreme Court, Latinos were depreciated more and more. I remember having a chat with more than one Tea Party activist that said they had no problem with people being stopped based on what they looked like, if they fit the bill. They explained it by saying, “if you aren’t here illegally, then you got nothing to worry about.” One fair haired blue eyed gentleman in his fifties said, “well, if you’re looking for oranges, you go to the orange orchard, not the apple orchard.” To me it was obvious, the violation of a U.S. Citizen’s rights by and through racial profiling was A okay with supporters of SB1070, further depreciating the Latino, documented or not.

By the time 2012 rolled around, the Republican debates were littered with attacks on Latinos, U.S. born children of undocumented parents offensively called anchor babies, and the “Dreamers”, kids brought at a young age by parents who arrived seeking to fill those jobs most of us wouldn’t dare work.

As soon as the Republican primary ended, the prevailing candidate Mitt Romney, did an about face. After taking a look at his dismal standing with the Latino community, he began floating the idea of a Dream Act. He partnered with a “Latino” and banked on Latinos having short memory syndrome. The problem with his strategy is that Marco Rubio son of a Cuban Immigrant doesn’t completely qualify as a Latino in the eyes of many Latinos. You see a Cuban and a Puerto Rican would never be in the dilemma that a Mexican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Honduran etc. would be in. The wet feet, dry feet policy that the U.S. has for Cubans provides for a fast track to permanent residency and U.S. Citizenship. So as Romney struggled to sell Rubio as a Latino, and Rubio struggled to sell his fictitious Dream Act, President Barack Obama made his move.

President Obama granted a reprieve for kids who had been brought to this country by their parents at a very young age. By and through an executive order Obama made it clear, these kids would not be subject to deportation. Almost one year to the date from his change in prosecutorial discretion by and through a memorandum issued by Immigration & Customs Enforcement director John Morton, Obama lowered the boom on the Republicans.

The race was on! The Latino vote was the most desired vote. It was the game changer. All of a sudden that same sector of the community that had been devalued, kicked around, called names, and frowned upon, was a high value pawn in the political game. Without a large percentage of the Latino vote, a candidate can’t win the presidency of the United States.

Ten days later the Supreme Court rules the majority of SB1070 unconstitutional and allows the show me your papers portion to take effect. Once again, Obama comes to the rescue of the Latino and the undocumented immigrants which form an integral part of our Latino communities. Obama strips Arizona law enforcement agencies of their 287g certification rendering them helpless in trying to verify the legal status of a person who may fit the “look” of an “illegal immigrant.” Not only does Obama strip law enforcement of their 287g, he goes one step further in ordering that those determined to be unlawful Immigrants will not be picked up unless they have committed a felony. Essentially granting your average undocumented immigrant that is not a felonious criminal freedom to continue washing your cars, cleaning your houses and mowing your lawns.

So while my colleagues, the Immigrant activists complain about President Obama, it appears, it’s Obama that has done the most for Latinos and the undocumented community.

Although I don’t think our value as Latinos will bounce back overnight, I think this is certainly a start to making us whole again.

However, nothing will take away the pain that we have endured, the dirty looks, the filthy names, the inferior treatment for us and our children. As a child bussed to all white schools as part of the desegregation of America, I have been enduring this pain and abuse for many years.

A word to the wise, we Latinos don’t suffer from short memory syndrome, but as good Americans we are willing to forgive, and when we become the majority, I promise you, we will not treat you, the way you have treated us.

Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and W60 AM Radio, Los Angeles, San Diego and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen in Arizona. Carlos Galindo is President and founder of the Immigrant Advocacy Foundation, Inc.

http://www.carlosgalindo.com

I think the obvious answer is yes. Well, let’s clarify what president I’m referring to. I’m in fact referring to Russell Pearce, Arizona’s senate president. According to Pearce, in a letter sent out to his supporters, he calls himself the senate Tea Party president. What an absolute joke. This man is like a leech on an a jack-ass’ arse. He’ll bleed anything around him so long as he can survive and fill his spineless body with that much needed blood.

In a recent email to Pearce & Brewer supporters, Janice K. Brewer, Arizona’s 22nd governor, didn’t just ask, but plead for money for her boss hog of the state of Arizona. We all know what this is all about.

It’s obvious Jan Brewer is stepping up to the plate for Pearce because she owes him big time. After all it was his anti-immigrant legislation SB1070 that propelled this inept, ex secretary of state, and worthless ex legislator to the top. Brewer has never denied it. Brewer is in fact the “sitting” governor of the state of Arizona, and that’s about as far as it goes. She is allowed to sit on the throne, but Pearce is actually our defacto Arizona governor. Pearce made his position very clear during a Sunday Square Off interview in which he said he was a co-partner in running this state and that, according to Pearce, “you can’t ignore the fact that senate bill 1070 had an impact on the governor’s race.” Anyway you want to spin that comment, politically it means one thing, you owe me big time guv.

So now that Pearce is in trouble, well, let me rephrase that, now that he has been placed in the predicament of a hasty election in November, Janice is groveling for money for her “dance partner”, of course he’s taken the lead as any self respecting chauvinistic Tea Party politician would in this political tango.

Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive the people of Arizona using false statistics and fear mongering while maintaining an intimate relationship with the corporate corrections giants. Maybe Pearce can turn to them for funding, after all, he’s made them a pretty penny in Arizona. Perhaps he can get some more bowl tickets and auction them off to not just the highest bidder, but the most racist of the bidders.

In any event Jan Brewer’s intervention in the upcoming November 8, 2011 election is barefaced and unapologetic, after all, she owes a debt. It’s quid pro quo time and Pearce has called in his chips, and Brewer has diligently responded like any cheap ballerina would with, what’s your song of choice Mr. Pearce? (make sure you read that with a southern drawl)

Pearce takes the lead in this political tango

Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com

Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM and every Saturday from 9-11 AM on KXXT 1010 AM Phoenix or via the web on www.nospinonair.com

Victoria Falcone-Camey asked:

Carlos what do you think about those saying no support for Obama until he stops deporting?

My response may make some of you angry, but at least you know I am honest. I say what many of you think, but are not willing to say. By the way, the Rethuglicans need not jump on board. You are what’s wrong with Arizona and the United States.

So here is my response to the aforementioned question:

It’s the typical shoot yourself in the foot mentality. Let’s see what’s the alternative? Romney? Nah, don’t think he’ll stop the deportations! Oh, I know, Herman Cain, oh…he is afraid of Muslims and he said they shouldn’t permit birthright citizenship for children of undocumented parents, Ron Paul said the same! So he’s not the guy! Should I go on?

We all know there won’t be opposition from the Dems in the primary, so……. It’s Obama and whomever the Rethuglicans nominate. So would we want any of those thugs sitting as Commander in Chief. Will they stop the deportations? NO….We know how much the GOP uses the undocumented people issue to rev up their base!

All these nay sayers are hurting because of what is happening to our people. I am too. Believe me I advocate every day and have been arrested and threatened and my wife was even assaulted, However, I’m a pragmatist while still allowing myself to dream at least a little. These nay sayers that claim they won’t support President Obama should just stop with their support of the Rethuglicans! Oh, did I say that out loud?

Any negative feedback for President Obama lends credibility to the right’s complaints and fuels the fire. It’s time the Dem lights and the failed leaders shut up! They didn’t do a damn thing when Bush was in office! Most of these policies, including the “secure communities” program were put in place under Bush’s administration.

These pseudo leaders and pseudo activists ran their non-profits, marched people in the streets and refused to register them to vote. Then they expected to bully their way through the political system. For years they profited from the oppressed who yearn for CIR. They have failed to properly lead and meet the needs of our beloved undocumented friends and family members. They didn’t stop to realize that the Blacks were in line, the gays were in line, the people demanding health care were in line, the Dems with power who supported Obama were in line. Everyone had and has had their hand out. No! They’ve had their fists out! They have been pounding it, insisting they will bail out on any support for President Obama if he doesn’t cough up what they want.

Victoria, just stop and think, if each state would have had the proper leadership, and had they been pragmatists when they saw what Bush was doing and how Immigrants were being used as scapegoats, they could have and should have prevented this attack at a state level.

However, you see these same activists in bed with the police chiefs who are more harmful with their police forces than Joe Arpaio! Daily they detain and arrest our people for things that are absurd, e.g. broken tail lights, broken windshields etc. They then take them to the local jail for processing through the 287g program. You have never seen these pseudo activists or pseudo leaders go after the local politicians, such as the mayors who hold hands with these police chiefs. They don’t go after the city council members who pass city rules that deny the acceptance of the matricula consular as an alternative identification to present to police officers, like they did here in Phoenix many years before the actual matricula law was passed this legislative session.

No Victoria, this is a much more complex issue. The local pseudo leaders and activists in each state and each “Latino” organization like to point fingers and yell at President Obama.

In the end, it diverts attention from their failed leadership.

In solidarity,

Carlos E. Galindo

What's your option? A Rethuglican?

Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com

Let me start off by weighing in on the question, I’m fully convinced that many women are qualified to serve as President of the United States.

Having said that, I sincerely feel that the United States is not at all ready for a woman to serve as commander in chief. Just looking at the bigotry and acceptance of bigoted slurs appropriated nowadays in the United States under the premise of free speech, sets the tone for the behind the scenes conversations that are taking place within smoking clubs, on the golf course and at elite dinners in Washington and other key cities where the good old boy system is alive and thriving.

The glass ceiling may have been lifted just a tad from the days in which women were seen insisting on their right to suffrage, well, okay, so the ceiling was raised considerably, however, the fact is, it still exists. The glass ceiling has never been removed. This continues to be a mans world and the elite power players continue to be men.

Once again, I’ll reiterate, I completely believe that women are equal to men and should have every right to engage fully in the political process and should not be limited to congressional, senatorial or gubernatorial positions.

You might be thinking, well if a black man made it into the White House, then why not a woman? The reality is, that at least on paper, African Americans obtained the right to vote 53 years before women obtained full suffrage, and as we all know, an African American man has actually made it to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue before a woman, as a matter of fact the only two viable candidates for the presidency of the United States in 2008 was a woman and an African American man vying for the Democratic party nomination, which is the only party that had a chance to win the presidency given the disastrous Bush administrative fiasco.

I wholeheartedly believe that colorful and boisterous characters with very little depth and even less knowledge on the issues, like Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann have in fact hurt women’s advancement in politics, further advancing the flawed concept that women have to be cosmetically appealing and ditzy to attract the attention of the bored and unengaged voter.

I have seen some very bright women in my time. One of those women was Benazir Bhutto, a Harvard graduate who spoke volumes with just a few well chosen words. Bhutto was able to obtain the ultimate prize in a country dominated by men and backwards ideas. There are many such, bright women, here in the U.S., that could easily lead this country. The problem is the good old “boy” system will not allow their political career to flourish, nor are they willing to allow the breaking of that glass ceiling once and for all.

Given the aforementioned, Michele Bachmann might as well hang up her boots and focus on her shallow congressional career. The only thing she’s got going for her is the Tea Party, and that’s not enough to defeat the GOB system or the GOP hierarchy.

Women marching for suffrage

Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com

Straight Talk with Carlos Galindo airs every Friday night on The JOLT 1330. Progressive talk with a kick!

We will share the link to each show as we podcast it.

In this episode I start off with talking about my passion and why I yell and why progressive talk has failed time & time again! LACK OF PASSION!!!

We move on to cover Arpaio’s most recent workplace raid. Interviews with Arpaio and some pro Arpaio goons outside the Old Spaghetti Factory in Phoenix where the raid occurred.

We also extensively cover Andrew “The ACORN killer” Breitbart’s attempt to blackmail Anthony Weiner and subsequently his violation of a contractual agreement. (Audios are included)

We finish the show with a chat about David Abie Morales of the Three Sonoran’s support for the Tequila Party and attack on the Democratic party. We also praise Senator Steve Gallardo for not having sold out to the right by having refused to go to speak at the Tequila Party event that was launched in Tucson. In reference to David Abie Morales, it’s been very disappointing. I’m still in shock. I have coined it, the story of two activists, one stayed left, the other went right.

Listen via the link below:

The Activist that stayed left is on the left, the "other" is on the right and the middle one is Sen. Steve Gallardo, who refused to go speak at the Tequila Party fiasco.

In 2009 I read a short statement to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. At that time I unequivocally stated that Arizona’s economy would continue going into the ditch if the attack upon their low skilled labor continued. I have continually asked the question, when will national economists provide reports or statistics reflecting the true detrimental economic impact on Arizona created by it’s failed immigration policies?

Whether on my radio show or in my writings I have always used a clear and very basic example to illustrate what is happening to Arizona. “The house of cards will always collapse when you pull the bottom card out.” So it has been, as we have watched in horror, as Arizona’s lawmakers create laws that lend credence to an attack upon the very foundation of Arizona’s economic infrastructure, our low skilled labor force comprised in majority of undocumented Immigrants.

Being a first generation Immigrant, business owner and a member of Arizona’s media has permitted me to better understand the plight of the immigrants, and of course, the value of the immigrants. I fully understand their buying trends, their most intimate fears, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.

As the attack upon those Immigrants via a racial hyped and politically charged populous commenced, I started to see the change in purchasing patterns and a tightening of the financial belt by the Immigrant community. It’s common nature to hoard or bank money for a rainy day or difficult times. Immigrants however, are a very financially astute community. They are certainly savers, and, they are consistent spenders when the economy permits it. They understand the importance of savings, be it for those difficult times that no one can foresee, or for that all expected and dreaded time in which they or a family member may face deportation and ultimately a high bond while sitting in the holding cell at the Immigration & Customs Enforcement building.

There is no doubt that we have all observed a mass exodus since the “attack” began. Senate President Russell Pearce proudly calls it attrition by enforcement. After the initial wave of laws I started to see the results of Arizona’s irresponsible legislation and aggressive law enforcement policies. Arizona’s failure to understand the complexities involved in embracing the Immigrant community while balancing the enforcement of existing laws that serve to protect our communities has been glaringly evident. I think we all understand that we can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. Arizona desperately needs to know how to balance for the good of Arizona.

Recently we observed a slight change in Arizona’s fiftieth legislature when they overwhelmingly shot down five harsh immigration laws as a result of constant protests at the Arizona State Capitol by people of all walks of life and all colors of skin, that, coupled with a letter that carried a resounding no from CEO’s of huge corporations caused Arizona’s legislature to take a step back, or should I say, a step towards the center regarding the current Immigration policies.

Just a short two weeks after some of the more aggressive bills proposed by Arizona’s fiftieth legislature were shot down, a report from Center for American Progress and the Immigration Policy Center titled “A Rising Tide or a Shrinking Pie” has been released. A clear and concise outline of the value of the Immigrants in Arizona and the the devastating impact their absence will have on Arizona.

The report for me is just a confirmation of what many of us that have no voice in Arizona fiftieth legislature have been aware of for many years. Perhaps as more organizations churn out the undeniable facts and the statistics continue to pour in, Arizona will turn the corner on Immigration and embrace those who built the roads Arizonan’s currently drive on, those who built their houses they sleep in every night, picked the vegetables and fruits they enjoy with their families every evening and those who cook those delicious meals they devour on their lunch hour daily.

Until then, I will continue in resistance at the Arizona State Capitol lending a voice and lobbying for those who have no voice or representation within Arizona’s fiftieth legislature as I have been for the last 32 days straight.

Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com

Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com

As I watched Senator Kyrsten Sinema on Sunday Square Off this morning I quickly put on my rubber boots and prepared to listen to this supposed round table debate between A Republican, Rep. John Kavanagh (R) District 8 and Kyrsten Sinema (D?) district 15. Chip Scutari of Scutari & Cieslak a public relations firm sat in the physical middle, but as is customary with Sunday Square Off the guy sitting in the middle always leans right ideologically.

The first issue to come up was the counterclaim filed this last week by the state of Arizona in which the Governor & her Puppet ex Superintendent of Public Education and now State Attorney General Tom Horne named the federal government as counter-Defendants in the original claim filed by the feds against Arizona and it’s anti-Immigrant legislation titled SB1070. As I watched Kavanagh verbalize his support for the counter claim with his never diminishing New York twang, I couldn’t help but remember the several run ins he and I have had in which he has stood his ground on the issues he supports. Failed ideology and all, Kavanagh will not deviate from his anti-Immigrant stance. I’m certain Kavanagh, a retired New York Port Authority cop from Queens arrived to Arizona with a frustration pent up from not being able to openly attack Immigrants in New York (spoken with an accent), and decided he would use Arizona’s Immigrant population as his whipping boy. Kavanagh makes no bones about being a staunch supporter of any law focused on attacking Arizona’s Immigrant population.

On the other hand as I watched Kyrsten Sinema once known as a staunch supporter of Immigrant rights and defender of the underdog, I couldn’t help but notice how she carefully crafts her words to make sure she doesn’t deviate to far to the left, lest she alienate some potential Republican voters. Hell, Sinema is just now working on wooing the right to her corner with bills like her very own sponsored SB1225. Her anti-Immigrant legislation helps Sinema start to change her über liberal image and slowly peel off some of that Democratic clothing in a slow and revealing political strip tease. It may be sexy and alluring to the right but it certainly has some on the left and most in the pro-Immigrant corner in an uproar. This newly revealed Sinema clearly displays her political opportunism and her desire to do whatever it takes to get the ultimate prize. She has her sights set on the big picture and she isn’t going to allow her traditional stance on Immigration and liberal issues get in the way of her political achievements.

As the debate shifted on Sunday Square Off to the 14th amendment and the Republicans efforts to change the birthright citizenship aspect of the amendment at a state level, I watched Sinema argue that the legislation had no legal merit and that some people think it’s just bad for business. Having a legal mind I can fully understand arguing something from a purely technical aspect as to whether or not this type of legislation or any lawsuit that it may invoke has legal merit or would ultimately have the potential of prevailing in our highest courts, but that’s not the Sinema of yesteryear. At no time did Sinema bring up the humanitarian or the mean spirited aspect of the bill, nor did she point out the fact, that this, Arizona’s 50th legislative session is saturated with anti-Immigrant bills that clearly serve just one purpose, that is to pursue those low skilled laborers that Arizona’s businesses so desperately need to stay in business and to at least allow Arizona’s economy to churn at a snail’s pace as it has since Arizona’s focus shifted to Immigrant hating.

As I rewound the Sunday Square Off recording time and time again in order to make sure I was properly analyzing what I was interpreting as three Republicans slightly deviating from a common point of view, I heard Sinema end the show by stating “Actually, I love Russell, we get along very well, not always on policy matters, but on personal matters we do.” Sinema was referring to self proclaimed Senate Tea Party President Russell Pearce. Wow! Kyrsten Sinema loves Russell Pearce!

Look, let me clarify, I’m well aware that attorney and legislators of which Sinema is one and the same, often take up the roles of Wolf & Sheepdog also known as Ralph E. Wolf and Sam Sheepdog. If you’re as old as I am you’ll remember the cartoon series based on “Don’t give up the sheep”, ironically named and appropriately coined while we’re referring to Sinema. In the cartoon Ralph E. Wolf and Sam Sheepdog clock in every morning, say their hellos, and chase each other around, beating each other up, and at the end of the day they clock out saying their goodbyes and wishing the other well.

However when we are talking about 2011 Arizona you would not expect to see and hear the supposed lead defender of Immigrant and gay rights and highest profile “liberal” swapping saliva with the most high profile anti-immigrant nazi-hugging nativist Republican in Arizona.

Well, one thing is for sure, I sure hope Sinema hurries up and finishes that political strip tease. Anyway, some of us know what’s underneath, and it ain’t pretty!

Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/www.carlosgalindo.com