The Other Castro Brothers

Mason City, IA – In 2004, a little known senator from Illinois by the name of Barak Obama gave one of the keynote addresses at the Democratic National Convention. His speech, especially the famous passage from it “there is not a black America or a white America, but the United States of America…” helped shoot him to almost instant fame, and the presidency four years later.

In 2012, the democratic mayor of America’s seventh largest city, San Antonio Texas, was asked to give the keynote address at the same convention. The then thirty-seven year-old Latino, Julian Castro talked about his past, and his grandmother, who, on the day he and his twin brother were born, entered a menudo cook off, and paid their doctor bills with her winnings of three hundred dollars. He spoke of beginning with education, and giving everybody a chance, with "investment."

Everyone loved him, giving him more twitter mentions then just about anyone else at the convention. He spoke of how America is supposed help everyone reach their dream, and that government is to be sure that we are the land of equal opportunity.

Now, Julian is being talked about as a possible vice presidential, or even, some whisper, presidential candidate for 2016. His twin brother, Joaquin, is a freshman congressman to the United State House of Representatives. Both have now become symbols in the democratic party of what the new era looks like. Ethnic, young, and full of ideas.

Of course, both are pro-gay and pro-abortion. Julian saying in his speech in 2012 it does not matter "who you love." He has kept up this theme since then in other speeches and talks. They also appear to have little or no interest in making government smaller, talking instead giving everyone a fair share, etc.

Last Wednesday Julian’s nomination to the president’s cabinet, as the new secretary of housing and urban development, was passed by a super-majority in the senate, not including Ted Cruz, who voted against him.

But the Castro brothers seem to have their fingers in many pies all at once. According to a story put out by Bloomberg News last year, the twin brothers have come up with a plan they think will make Texas a democratic state once more. Although Republicans have won every single one of the last one hundred and more state wide elections, the brothers think through hard work and getting the Latinos to vote, (possibly for a president like them) they might get it to work, not in 2016, or 2018, or perhaps even 2022, but beyond.

They are young and ambitious, not yet forty, and already going places. Both are Roman Catholic. Only Julian is married, although Joaquin maintains he is the better looking one. They, unlike many, have a plan.

The brothers just might pull off their ideas of turning Texas democrat again, like it once was. States allegiances shift. For a long time the South was Democratic, now it is majorly Republican. Other states have, precincts, and cities have shifted back and forth over the years.

Part of Mitt Romney’s argument was that he had saved the Olympics, and should be allowed to lead America. If the Castro brothers can save Texas for the democrats, one or other or perhaps even both of them may feel that they should be handed the white house.

Andrew C. Abbott