Latino Congreso sets 2008 agenda

Latinos can determine the presidential race in the key battleground states of Florida, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada, as well as congressional races in 20 states that can change the political direction of the country, said Antonio Gonzalez, president of the Southwest Voter Registration Project, in opening the 2nd National Latino Congreso.

The gathering was convened by 10 national Latino organizations and hundreds of state and local groups from 22 states.

“We are going to mobilize massively to reach record levels of the Latino vote” on the key issues of immigration reform, the war, greening cities, health care and climate change, declared Gonzalez. “We have big issues not only as Latinos but as citizens of the world,” he said.

Over 50 workshops reviewed about 100 policy resolutions.

Helping prepare positions on the Iraq war were Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), who chairs the congressional Out of Iraq Caucus, former California state Sen. Tom Hayden, United for Peace and Justice organizer Judith Le Blanc and Lydia Lopez of Latinos for Peace.

“America: not another nickel, not another dime, not another soldier, not this time,” Waters declared to a standing ovation. She drew another ovation when she called for African American and Latino unity.