Sign or Veto

I think the Governor is showing good judgment in his consideration of legislation this year.

This morning I had coffee with a very good friend who has a long time history of activism in Hispanic affairs. Back in his most active phase it was called Chicano affairs. Now you might argue it is Latino affairs. The word stuff always evolves.

Anyway, he doesn't want the Governor to sign the bill that would set up the Hispanic Affairs Dept. in state government. He feels that it would 'ghettoize' the great progress made in the last 30 years. I agree with him. Despite the fact that a few activists now call for such a department, that is all that it really is. Just a few activists. They are well intentioned and maybe living in the past a bit. They are good at threatening the Governor if he vetoes the bill but most Hispanics are pretty apathetic about such a department. They are to busy trying to succeed in a tough economic era, like everyone else.

I hope the Governor does veto the bill, but I realize he will be damned both ways. It is a tough decision. Finally, if we need to do anything in the way of new Cabinet departments in state government it might be in the area of Legal Justice (for all) and Immigrant affairs. That is an area that needs scrutiny.