The Hispanic and Latino community is already playing a crucial role in my campaign. I hope you'll join us. And the issues that concern your community are close to my heart.

My respect for the Hispanic and Latino community is based on experience. I learned to speak Spanish when I lived in Latin America. In the 1990s, I worked with Latin America leaders, as the head of the United States Southern Command. During that time, we eased the handover of the Panama Canal and moved the Command base to Puerto Rico.

Through my 34 years in the armed forces, I served with outstanding Hispanic and Latino men and women. And I defended affirmative action because I saw that opening the doors of opportunity strengthened our armed forces and our society.

My daughter-in-law, Maria Astrid, was born in Colombia. She just gave birth to a baby boy, Wesley Pablo Clark Oviedo. Astrid and my son Wes will raise my only grandson to take pride in his Hispanic heritage. In a sense, the future of my family is Latino--and so is the future of our country.

Today, we face formidable challenges. Over the last three years, America has lost three million private sector jobs and 3.8 million more Americans are going without health care.

Together, we can build a better America. We can make our tax system fairer, simpler, more progressive and more pro-growth through my Families First Tax Reform plan. My plan will cut taxes for 31 million working families. The typical tax cut will be $1,500.

We can create jobs, including the manufacturing jobs that are critical to our country's future, by investing in job creation. We can revitalize education by providing preschool for all four-year-olds, giving teachers the funds they need, and granting students $6,000 for the first years of college. We can provide health care for 30 million uninsured Americans - including every child. And we can reform immigration, based on the core principles of economic security, access to legalization and family reunification.

Americans deserve a leader who will make the right choices on the economy, education, health care, national security, immigration and relations with Latin America. You deserve a leader that understands and cares about your community and its issues. I am committed to moving beyond "palabras" (words) and giving you "hechos" (actions).

You can make a difference in the election. Juntos podemos. Together we will win.

¡Gracias!

Sincerely,

Wesley K. Clark
General (ret.), US Army