Your racist uncle thinks Latinos and Asians and other assorted immigrants are only good for Taco's, General Tso's Chicken and other assorted food court delicacies. Your racist uncle is, like always, wrong.
"Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians are a political and economic powerhouse in Florida contributing much more than food, language, and culture. They are part of the very engine that keeps the state running strong," says the The Immigration Policy Center.
In fact with out these groups, we'd be pretty much SOL. Here are some handy bullet points provided by the policy center to show you just how wrong your racist uncle is:
- Florida's immigrant workers pay an estimated annual average of nearly $20 billion in taxes.
- Latinos in Florida wield over $100 billion in consumer purchasing power and own 1-in-6 businesses in the state.
- Asian-owned businesses in the state generate sales and receipts worth $11.2 billion annually.
- Immigrants account for nearly 1-in-5 Floridians and nearly half are eligible to vote.
- Latinos in the Sunshine State accounted for 14% of voters in the 2008 election cycle.
America, of course, has always been a country of immigrants and diverse backgroungs, so this isn't really surprising.
