Secretary Perez Stumps for Barack Obama
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Secretary Perez Stumps
for Barack Obama
Thomas Perez, Secretary of the
Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and
Regulation and a nationally recognized civil
rights lawyer and consumer advocate, continued
his national efforts on behalf of Senator
Barack Obama by representing Senator Obama at a
town hall meeting on health care reform in San
Diego on July 13 as part of the annual
conference of the National Council of La
Raza.
NCLR is the largest Latino advocacy
organization in the nation, and the town hall
meeting followed a luncheon address by Senator
Obama in which he outlined his vision for
ensuring that Latinos can realize the American
dream.
Secretary Perez debated Senator John
McCain’s national policy director on the
candidates’ competing health care reform
proposals, as well as their competing visions
for assisting and empowering Latinos. The ranks
of the uninsured have swelled by seven million
on George Bush’s watch, and of the 47 million
people who lack health insurance, one third are
Latino.
In addition, Latinos comprise 40 percent
of the nine million children who lack health
insurance in
“Senator Obama has a comprehensive
plan to ensure that every person has access to
health care; he believes that every family
should have access to a family doctor,” said
Secretary Perez at the forum.
“Senator McCain voted twice in 2007
against a bill to expand coverage for uninsured
children.
He wants to continue the abysmal Bush
health care policies that have failed so many
Americans.”
On the candidates’ positions on
immigration reform, Secretary Perez again drew
a stark contrast between Senator Obama and
Senator McCain. “Senator Obama strongly
supports comprehensive immigration reform,
while Senator McCain has flip-flopped and said
that he would no longer support his own
immigration bill that he once co-sponsored with
Senator Kennedy. Senator McCain tries to talk
the moderate game, but on immigration reform,
health care reform, and so many other pressing
issues affecting Latinos and all Americans, he
is a Bush clone.”
Latinos are a critical voting bloc in
this year’s election and have the opportunity
to make a real difference, particularly in
swing states such as