Another Issue That Dave Schultheis Didn't Think Through

The Denver Post reports that Senator Dave Schultheis is objecting to the Colorado Department of Transportation spending $15,000 for Spanish language seat belt ads.

"All these ads are going to do is provide one more assimilation off-ramp for new arrivals," Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, said today. "Bilingualism in our buckle-up ads — just like bilingualism in our schools — will only encourage the further balkanization of our culture, reduce the pressure on new immigrants to learn English and make it harder in the long run for immigrants to become Americans."

While I am not in favor of bilingualism in schools, I think that bilingual seat belt ads are a good, cost effective idea.

The department is holding a press conference to announce the TV ad campaign, its first ever Spanish ad campaign, on Tuesday. According to agency spokeswoman Stacey Stegman, 23 percent of all fatal-accident victims last year were Latino.

And of a total 80 Latinos who died in accidents last year, 59 were unbuckled.

"It's clear that expanded efforts are needed to increase safety-belt use within the state's Hispanic community," Stegman said.

The department said the ad campaign is aimed primarily at Latino men and urges them to protect themselves and their families.

[ Stacy ] Stegman said the ad cost about $15,000 to produce, and the agency hopes Spanish TV stations will run it for free.

Federal law says that anyone who shows up at an emergency room must be treated even if they don't have insurance.  If any of these 59 unbuckled Latinos were uninsured and lived long enough to get to an emergency room, and the odds are that some did, it cost Colorado insurance payers much more than $15,000 to treat him before he died.

We all pay for those "free" emergency room visits.

Spending $15,000 on effective bilingual safety ads has the potential to save a lot of money if it keeps even one uninsured Hispanic accident victim out of the hospital.  Ineffective ads in any language are a waste of money.

This is just another situation where Dave Schultheis allowed his poorly concealed prejudice against Hispanics to color his judgement.  

This kind of stuff hurts ALL Republicans because it makes Hispanic voters think we share Dave Schultheis" open prejudice.  In 2004 44% of Hispanics voted Republican.  In 2008, that number was down to 32%.  Dave Schultheis won't care if it drops another 12 points.