The Democrat and Republican Parties talk about the impact of the Latino electorate. But it doesn’t exist.

And if the past two presidential elections are any indication, Hispanic voters will sit out the next election in November of 2016—again.

The media are hyping the current immigration debate among presidential candidates. News organizations speculate about how much harm the GOP is inflicting on itself as White House hopefuls argue how to deal with millions of persons who are in the United States illegally.

The first two Republican presidential debates have included loaded terms like “amnesty,” “illegals,” “sanctuary cities,” “anchor babies,” and “securing our borders.”

If we are to believe the media, and leading columnists and political pundits, conservatives are driving America’s Latino voters into the arms of the Democrat Party.  Hispanics, the narrative goes, will vote in large numbers for the eventual Democrat presidential nominee.

But the truth is, Latinos—in large numbers—won’t vote at all.

In 2012, 58 percent of eligible American voters cast ballots, down from 62 percent four years before.

Blacks had the highest turnout of any racial or ethnic group (67%). Whites were next at 64 percent, but fewer than half of Latino (48%) and Asian voters (47%) went to the polls.

Neither Democrats nor Republicans can afford to be a party of exclusion. A democratic society says that all citizens and voters enjoy equal political rights and opportunities. That includes the choice to vote or not. And the majority of American Hispanic and Asian voters have decided not to participate.

Yes, Latino Power is a myth. The reality lags far beyond the potential. Don’t expect that to change in November 2016. And don’t let the media narrative fool you.