Sunday, Barack Obama spoke to about 2,000 members of the National Council of La Raza, a Latino civil rights group meeting in San Diego, saying he planned to give tax credits to small businesses which offered their employees health insurance.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the Democratic presidential candidate spoke about the importance of Latino voters and said that, in case he would get elected, he would give his support to some immigration laws, in order that the over 12 million illegal immigrants will get citizenship easier.

Barack Obama also said that he would fix the nation’s public schools and would try to offer universal health care to the nation. Regarding the tax credits, the Senator said he would give a credit of about 50% premiums paid by small businesses on behalf of their employees.

“We know that small businesses are the engines of economic prosperity in our communities, particularly Latino communities,” said Obama and his plan is to “help more employers provide health benefits for their workers,” reported the Los Angeles Times.

The Latino community is very important in the election and both candidates tried to show their support. Senator John McCain made some ads in Spanish and English featuring his Latino roommate at the U.S. Naval Academy. Obama said that the Arizona senator “abandoned his courageous stance” because of the conservative GOP voters, adding that it was time “for a president who won't walk away from something as important as comprehensive (immigration) reform just because it has become politically unpopular,” the San Jose Mercury News.

According to a Gallup poll Obama lead over John McCain among Latino voters with 59%. New York Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was more popular among Latino voters and Barack Obama acknowledged in his speech that the tax credit idea was hers.

While John McCain hopes to get 40% of Latino voters, Barack Obama wants to get 30% or less. Both candidates are aware of the importance of the Hispanic vote.