Latinos in the US Expect More from President Obama

Published in Argenpress
(Argentina) on 23 January 2013
by P.L. (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Eugenia Lucchelli. Edited by Mary Young  .
The Latino community expects more of President Barack Obama today after solidly supporting his bid for another four years as the leader who will determine the future of the United States.

In spite of promised immigration reform, the group has growing expectations with regard to the composition of the cabinet, which will set the tone for the government and the political diversity of the leader's base support — in which Latinos carry an important weight, according to sectors of the community.

After making public his designations of key positions within future Secretary of State John Kerry’s team — former Republican Senator Charles Hagel as secretary of defense and Jacob Lew as secretary of the treasury — all eyes are on the new people in charge, as well as those who have already announced their exit.

Among the latter group are Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, the only two Hispanics with ministerial positions in the cabinet and whose positions could remain in Latino hands, although the White House has yet to release any statement.

Those who are keeping their current positions include Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Health* Kathleen Sebelius, Attorney General Eric Holder, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Secretary of Housing** Shaun Donovan.

Eric Shinseki will also start his second term as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and it's about to be confirmed that Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu will all continue in their positions.

Vacancies with a similar status within the cabinet are administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, director of the Office of Management and Budget, trade representative, director of the Small Business Administration and chief of staff.

When addressing the situation, Executive Director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Arturo Vargas lamented the fact that with the exit of Solis and Salazar Latinos are no longer represented in the presidential circle.

“It seems like they are leaving us behind. We didn't expect it, since the president himself recognized the impact we had on the election,” said the Director.

Simon Rosenberg, founder of the New Democrat Network, nevertheless put his hopes on the fact that there might be Latinos in the next round of appointments — although he didn't venture to suggest names.

The truth is that there seems to be little opportunity for women and minorities in the new team, in spite of the fact that, if only white people had voted, the current leader would have lost the election to his Republican rival Mitt Romney, who received 59 percent of that sector's votes.

Nevertheless, Obama won with 93 percent of the African-American vote, 73 percent of the Asian vote and 71 percent of the Hispanic vote, together with 55 percent of women voters.

* Editor’s Note: Sebelius’s full title is Secretary of Health and Human Services.
** Editor’s Note: Donovan’s full title is Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.


La comunidad latina espera hoy más del presidente Barack Obama luego de apoyarlo sólidamente para que siga otro cuatrienio al frente de los destinos de Estados Unidos.

Pese a la prometida reforma migratoria, crece la expectativa de ese grupo por la composición del gabinete ministerial, lo cual marcará el tono del Gobierno y la diversidad política de la base de apoyo del mandatario, en la cual los latinos tienen un peso importante, estiman sectores comunitarios.

Luego de conocerse la designación para puestos claves dentro del equipo del senador John Kerry, como secretario de Estado, el exsenador republicano Charles Hagel, para Defensa, y Jacob Lew, como secretario de Tesoro, la mirada está puesta en los encargados que seguirán y en los que ya anunciaron su salida del entorno.

En este último caso están la secretaria del Trabajo, Hilda Solis y el secretario de Interior, Ken Salazar, los únicos dos hispanos con cargos de ministros en el gabinete y cuyos puestos pudieran seguir en manos latinas, aunque aún no hay un pronunciamiento de la Casa Blanca.

Los que se mantienen en sus plazas son la secretaria del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional, Janet Napolitano, la secretaria de Salud, Kathleen Sebelius, el procurador general, Eric Holder; el secretario de Agricultura, Tom Vilsack y el secretario de Vivienda, Shaun Donovan.

Además inicia el segundo mandato el secretario del Departamento de Veteranos, Eric Shinseki y están por confirmar la continuidad del secretario de Educación, Arne Duncan, el secretario de Transporte, Ray Lahood y el secretario de Energía, Steven Chu.

Otras plazas con rango similar a una posición dentro del gabinete son el administrador de la Agencia de Protección Ambiental, el director de la Oficina de Administración y Presupuesto, el Representante Comercial, el director de la Administración de Pequeños Negocios y el jefe de Gabinete.

Al abordar la situación, el director ejecutivo de National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, Arturo Vargas, lamentó el hecho de que con la salida de Solis y Salazar, no están representados en el entorno presidencial.

Parece que nos están dejando atrás. No lo esperábamos ya que el mismo presidente reconoció el impacto que tuvimos en la elección, dijo el directivo.

Sin embargo, Simon Rosenberg, fundador de New Democrat Network, está esperanzado en que durante la próxima ronda de nombramientos haya hispanos, aunque no se aventuró a sugerir nombres.

Lo cierto es que poco se ve para las minorías y las mujeres en el nuevo equipo, pese a que si solo los blancos hubieran votado, el actual mandatario hubiera perdido los comicios ante su rival republicano, Mitt Romney, quien recibió el 59 por ciento de ese sufragio.

Sin embargo, Obama ganó con 93 por ciento del voto negro, 73 por ciento del voto asiático y 71 por ciento del hispano, unido al 55 por ciento de las mujeres.
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