Not a lot of love for Obama at last night's Hispanic networking hour

(My new American Thinker post)

For a few years, I've been attending a monthly Thursday night Hispanic networking event.  It's fun, the food is great and it allows me to hear directly from fellow Hispanics about the state of the country.

A could of years ago, this was a predominantly Obama crowd.  I'm not talking about "the demigod status" but he was clearly loved here.  I usually found myself among the smaller crowd who had voted GOP.

I would often hear this:  "Cubanos Republicanos"!  Or, their way of saying that we Cubans vote GOP.  (That's true. Most of us do!)

What a difference a few months can make.  What I saw Thursday night is consistent with the Pew Poll that just came out this week. It reported that support for President Obama among Hispanics has dropped to 47%.  

Tonight I heard a lot of disenchantment and dissatisfaction.  This is a sample of what I heard:

"Se esta ahogando" or "He is drowing". 

I asked my friend:  Do you think that he is in over his head?

"Absoluto"!   (Absolutely)

A lady was more profound and thoughtful.  She said that Hispanics made the mistake of falling for the guy who promised too much without considering how difficult change is.  She went to say that Hispanics fell for the cult or the problem that so many of our countries of origin have had to deal with.

A young man was angry.  He said that "Obama nos uso"  (Obama used us), or a reference to the importance of the Hispanic vote in the election and reelection.

To be sure, this was not a scientific survey nor am I moonlighting as Zogby or Gallup.  However, there is something happening and it's not good for Wendy Davis and the Democrat ticket in Texas.

The Democrats' worst fear is that Hispanics will stay home.  It looks like they will.  They are not ready to file divorce with the Democrats but we could see a state of separation coming.  And it could be a long separation, at least long enough after November 2014!

P. S. You can hear CANTO TALK here & follow me on Twitter @ scantojr.

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Let's not forget that Argentina is a first rate mess too

(My new American Thinker post)

We've been focusing on the violence in Venezuela, the street confrontations and Cuba meddling with special forces.  

Let's not forget another country - Argentina.   
It is the 3rd largest GDP in Latin America, behind Brazil and Mexico. 

The US exports $16 billion and imports $6...or a nice $10 billion surplus:

"The top export categories (2-digit HS) in 2012 were: Mineral Fuel (oil) ($2.5 billion), Machinery ($1.9 billion), Electrical Machinery ($880 million), Organic Chemicals ($794 million), and Plastic ($568 million).  
U.S. exports of agricultural products to Argentina totaled $164 million in 2012. Leading categories include: planting seeds ($26 million), feeds and fodders ($10 million), and snack foods ($9 million)."

My point is that Argentina is an important country, as the above figures suggest.  There are obviously lots of US jobs at stake anytime that your exports are that high.  

Normally, our friends in Argentina are getting ready for the upcoming World Cup every 4 years. Why not?  They have a great team and won the Cup in 1978 and 1986.   They are once again ranked high and a clear favorite for the 2014 Cup.

However, Argentines are talking about prices and the general chaos of their country's economy.   We saw this in The New York Times:

"Diego Gómez scurried around the food market, a labyrinth of bustling stalls in a gritty neighborhood far from the elegant avenues of central Buenos Aires. He did not stay long.
“My salary isn’t enough for anything,” said Mr. Gómez, 58, a blacksmith and father of four who earns less than $800 a month. After a few modest purchases, he left the market and headed home.
“It’s unfair that we suffer,” he added, referring to the increase in prices that followed a 19 percent devaluation in January of Argentina’s currency, the peso, which sent shock waves through emerging markets.
Mr. Gómez’s situation is common in Argentina as residents grapple with one of the world’s highest inflation rates, tilling the ground for social unrest, including a strike by schoolteachers and police sit-ins that led to widespread looting.
“Society is fragile; everything is hanging by a thread,” said Carlos F. De Angelis, a sociologist at the University of Buenos Aires who specializes in public opinion. “Inflation is the No. 1 concern.”

The article above confirms what my friend from Argentina told me Sunday afternoon. 
He said that his family is screaming on the phone.  They are not screaming anything nice about the Fernandez government, an administration that has tilted left and is now paying the consequences.

Let's keep an eye on Argentina.  A collapse would be very hard on other Latin America countries.

P.S. You can hear my chat with Fausta Wertz about US-Latin America & follow me on Twitter @ scantojr.

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Tags: Argentina  To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the My View by Silvio Canto, Jr. Thanks!