I think it is the beginning of something. You have the foundation for a new kind of Hispanic politics. |
It has the potential to be a foundation for expanded voter turnout and other forms of civic activism but that will require more than just a single weekend or a single week of activism. |
It's very rare that Latinos are the deciding force in an election. |
My sense is that this movement, or whatever it is, is building, and it's trying different things. |
The argument that this is going to lead to some immediate gain in electoral power, I think, is vastly overstated. |
The more dramatic effect was in 1998 and 2000. There was a growth in Latino and Asian- American registration rates and a maintenance of the higher levels of voter participation. |
There was an increase in 1994 in Latino voting. |
To have a long term political influence the leaders of this movement need to translate the anger and hope that people are expressing in the streets into a concrete set of proposals for change. |