2006年VOA标准英语-Latinos in US May Become Potent Political

By Bill Rodgers
Washington, DC
26 April 2006
 
watch Latino Power report
 
  
  
The U.S. Senate is expected to again take up the issue of immigration reform. Some Hispanic immigrant advocacy groups are planning a one-day economic boycott¹ on May first - the latest effort to press Congress to soften² proposed measures against illegal immigrants.  Recent huge rallies across the country have galvanized the Latino community, raising the prospect³ that a powerful new political movement may be emerging from what is now the largest minority group in the United States.

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"Si, Se Puede - Yes, it can be done" has become the rallying cry for the hundreds of thousands of Latinos in the United States who have been demonstrating in favor of immigration reform legislation.  The rallies -- sparked by a House of Representatives bill that would make it a felony to be in the country illegally -- have galvanized Hispanics and could create a potent⁴ political movement.

"Today we March, Tomorrow We Vote", is a loud and clear message to politicians in an election year.
 

Mickey Ibarra  
  
Mickey Ibarra heads a government and public relations firm in Washington. "This is important -- the many demonstrations⁵ in so many cities. I think it is a turning point in the political maturation of the Latino community.  I think the challenge for the community now is to turn the successful mobilization of the community into voter registration⁶ and mobilization."

And this is the challenge: of the 16 million eligible⁷ Latino voters in the 2004 election, just seven million cast ballots⁸. 

Low voter participation⁹ has meant the nation's 41 million Latinos are under-represented in the political arena¹⁰, according to political scientist John Sides of George Washington University. 

John Sides  
  
"So even though Hispanics and Latinos are growing as a fraction of the American population -- the fastest growing part of the American population -- that has not translated into political power commensurate with that numerical strength."

The prospect of punitive¹¹ immigration legislation has brought together Hispanic Americans and undocumented workers for the first time in large numbers.  While it may not be the start of a civil rights movement, the issue clearly has motivated Latinos. 

Mr. Sides adds, "I think what it definitely is and what it definitely shows is that when a salient issue emerges that affects the lives of Latinos directly that they are ready to act on those interests and take it to the streets, and I think that sends a signal to policy makers¹² that this is not a constituency that is content to remain outside of the political arena anymore."

Senators are trying to reach a compromise on an immigration measure that would allow undocumented workers a path to lawful¹³ employment and eventual¹⁴ citizenship¹⁵ for some.  But a bill passed in the House focuses on border security and sanctions against the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants now in the United States. 

Working out the differences will be a challenge for the Republican Party, which controls both houses of Congress. Gains by the party in attracting Latino support could disappear, according to Mickey Ibarra who served as a senior advisor¹⁶ to former President Bill Clinton.

"Certainly, If Republicans are blamed, and from my point of view they have got a lot of exposure, if they are blamed for a law that would make 12 million workers felons¹⁷, I think the Latino community will end up outraged¹⁸ and they will point the finger at the Republican Party and they will punish them."

This happened in California in the mid-1990s, when Hispanics voted massively against Republicans after then-governor Pete Wilson supported a measure known as Proposition 187 that would have banned public services for illegal immigrants.

Those events in California may be on the minds of lawmakers as they work to shape immigration legislation.  This is an election year, and opposition¹⁹ Democrats²⁰ hope to regain²¹ control of Congress.  How Latinos vote could determine the election's outcome. 

1 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

2 soften   

v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和

参考例句：

• Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
• This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

3 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

4 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

5 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

6 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

7 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

8 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

10 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

11 punitive   

adj.惩罚的，刑罚的

参考例句：

• They took punitive measures against the whole gang.他们对整帮人采取惩罚性措施。
• The punitive tariff was imposed to discourage tire imports from China.该惩罚性关税的征收是用以限制中国轮胎进口的措施。

12 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

14 eventual   

adj.最后的，结局的，最终的

参考例句：

• Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
• Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。

15 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

16 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

17 felons   

n.重罪犯( felon的名词复数 )；瘭疽；甲沟炎；指头脓炎

参考例句：

• Aren't those the seats they use for transporting convicted felons? 这些坐位不是他们用来押运重犯的吗？ 来自电影对白
• House Republicans talk of making felons out of the undocumented and those who help them. 众议院共和党议员正商议对未登记的非法移民以及包庇他们的人课以重罪。 来自互联网

18 outraged   

a.震惊的，义愤填膺的

参考例句：

• Members of Parliament were outraged by the news of the assassination. 议会议员们被这暗杀的消息激怒了。
• He was outraged by their behavior. 他们的行为使他感到愤慨。

19 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

20 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。