Pombo is not Hispanic:: The difference that may sink him

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Saturday November 04, 2006 · 8:36 AM PST

2006/11/04 · 08:36

On thing that many people forget is that Pombo is not Hispanic, though there is a resemblence in the sound of the name. Pombo, for those who have not looked it up, means "pigeon" in Portuguese. Being Portuguese in the San Joaquin Valley is a very different experience from being Spanish. The difference are more of class than of national origin. The dairy industry, largest in the US, is dominated by Portuguese farmers. 4 of the 6 US representative from the area claim enough Portuguese ancestry to comprise the Portuguese Caucus in Congress. Even the County Supervisor from Pombo's home district is his neighbor, a relative and a Portuguese dairyman, Leroy Ornellas.

This is not the status of the Hisapnics. Hispanics are all looked at as probably illegal aliens. They have different job, they listen to different radio stations, they read different newspapers. The live a different life. The question is, how will they vote?

This is as much about the rest of us vs. the developers as was The Milagro Beanfield War. This developer, land owner, ordinary citizen conflict is just as prevalent in Tracy, CA today as it was in Milagro (Spanish for Miracle). The editorial in today's Tracy Press calls for a change in diretion and a change in the City Council of Tracy. They endorsed Celeste Garamendi for mayor along with two associated council members. The Garamendi and Pombo families have fought ever since Pombo beat Patti Garamendi to gain the seat he now holds. But this goes deeper, right to the center of the conflict that will determine the future of the West. Will big money developers control our destiny with false promises and ticky-tacky developments behind failing levees? The race for Pombo's Congressional seat and the Mayor's race in Tracy are just one skirmish in a larger fight pitting developer vs. homeowner vs. farmer, one that we must find a way to win.

The McNerney Campaign is in need of its own Milagro. They need Spanish speaking volunteers to help GOTV. They are brining in Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner to gain attention. Maybe they should have brought in Edward James Olmos and Salma Hayek. If you are in the area and speak Spanish, or have friends who speak Spanish...

Whether you speak Spanish or English, please come to the Oakland Phone Bank this weekend and call voters for Jerry.
SATURDAY: 9 am to 9 pm
SUNDAY: 9 am to 9 pm
MONDAY: 1-9 pm
ELECTION DAY: 8:30 am to 8 pm
We need you to fill all of our lines, ESPECIALLY on Election Day! You can come any time and stay for as long as you like -- hopefully all day if you're feeling the spirit.
To RSVP in two minutes, go here:
http://www.jerrymcnerney.org/...
Just click on "Oakland -- East Bay for McNerney"

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Pombo is not Hispanic:: The difference that may sink him

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