Blog For Arizona

Boehner & the White Man’s Party Prepare to Kill Immigration Reform

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Knuckle-dragging Republicans in the US House of Representatives have said that they will NOT– that is NOT with capital letters– pass an immigration “reform” bill that includes a path to citizenship for 12 million immigrants living in the US.

After all, the Republican Party’s corporate masters are making big bucks exploiting and imprisoning undocumented workers; I guess their motto is: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” For big business, immigration ain’t broke (except that they would like easier access to  cheap, skilled labor from India).

The US Senate’s much-celebrated bill did have a path to citizen (plus lots of other stuff the Democrats agreed to in order to get a handful of Republicans to vote for it.)

In the spirit of full disclosure, I didn’t like the US Senate’s version of Immigration Reform for multiple reasons. Read them and more about the White Man's Party after the jump.

The White Man's Party moves to kill comprehensive immigration reform

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Last week I posed the question, Is the GOP becoming the White Man's Party?, based upon a provocative series of articles by Sean Trende at Real Clear Politics arguing that the GOP does not need to improve its appeal to Latino voters as much as it needs to improve its appeal to the "missing white voters" of its base.

Today we know the answer to the question: the GOP has dramatically shifted to the position that the House does not need to take up comprehensive immigration reform any time soon, and the GOP should focus on appealing to the "missing white voters" of its base.

The "Pinky and The Brain" of movement conservatism intellectual thought, Weekly Standard editor William Kristol and National Review editor Rich Lowry -- two of the most influential conservative voices in media -- co-signed an editorial today in The Weekly Standard urging House Republicans to "kill the bill."

Governor Bobby Jindal, the self-styled "Brain of Baton Rouge," who famously advised the GOP that it has to "stop being the stupid party" earlier this year, penned a column today for the National Review on immigration reform entitled “Botching immigration again,” in which he also comes to the conclusion to "kill the bill" (without saying so directly).

Is the GOP becoming the White Man's Party?

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Crazy Uncle Pat Buchanan was a firm believer in the GOP Southern Strategy of appealing to the racism of white voters against African-Americans when he worked for Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. The Southern Strategy is sometimes referred to as "white grievance" against federal enforcement of civil rights laws for African-Americans and intervention on their behalf, including the passage of the Voting Rights Act. It is a political strategy of racial polarization.

Back in May, crazy Uncle Pat Buchanan wrote an article calling for a new Southern Strategy against Latino voters. Pat Buchanan Calls For 'Southern Strategy' Against Latinos, Immigrants:

In an article published by the website World Net Daily last week, Buchanan describes increased black voter turnout and Latino demographic growth as a “crisis for the Grand Old Party.” To combat it, the conservative pundit implies that the Republican Party should adopt a new version of the “Southern Strategy” revolving around immigration.

At the time, the commentariat largely dismissed this as just crazy Uncle Pat spouting off his usual racist ranting again.

Trends and factors that could affect Arizona's economy

By Karl Reiner

The global consumption of energy has grown by 30% during the past 10 years.  Almost all of the increase was in the developing nations.  Due to conservation and increases in efficiency, energy demand appears to have stabilized in the developed countries. Economic growth drove the increase in usage in the developing lands.  The developing countries now consume a larger share of the global energy supply than the developed nations.

 

President Obama's statement on Senate passage of immigration reform

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

From the White House: Statement by President Obama on Senate Passage of Immigration Reform:

Statement by President Obama on Senate Passage of Immigration Reform

Today, with a strong bipartisan vote, the United States Senate delivered for the American people, bringing us a critical step closer to fixing our broken immigration system once and for all. 

I thank Majority Leader Reid, Senator Leahy, Senator Schumer, and every member of the ‘Gang of Eight’ for their leadership, and I commend all Senators who worked across party lines to get this done.  

The bipartisan bill that passed today was a compromise.  By definition, nobody got everything they wanted.  Not Democrats.  Not Republicans.  Not me.  But the Senate bill is consistent with the key principles for commonsense reform that I – and many others – have repeatedly laid out. 

If enacted, the Senate bill would establish the most aggressive border security plan in our history.  It would offer a pathway to earned citizenship for the 11 million individuals who are in this country illegally – a pathway that includes passing a background check, learning English, paying taxes and a penalty, and then going to the back of the line behind everyone who’s playing by the rules and trying to come here legally.  It would modernize the legal immigration system so that it once again reflects our values as a nation and addresses the urgent needs of our time.  And it would provide a big boost to our recovery, by shrinking our deficits and growing our economy.

Today, the Senate did its job.  It’s now up to the House to do the same. 

'Gang of Eight' comprehensive immigration reform bill approved by U.S. Senate

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

This afternoon the U.S. Senate passed the "Gang of Eight" comprehensive immigration reform bill. Steve Benen reports, Senate approves comprehensive immigration reform, 68 to 32:

Following months of bipartisan negotiations, the U.S. Senate easily approved landmark immigration legislation with a 68-to-32 vote. In recognition of the seriousness with which Senate leaders took the issue, members took the unusual step of voting from their desks.

In the end, 14 Senate Republicans joined Senate Democrats in support of the proposal. Despite the so-called "border surge" and other provisions secured by GOP senators, 32 of the 46 Senate Republicans -- about 70% of the caucus -- still voted against the bill. (In 2006, 21 GOP senators voted for comprehensive immigration reform, suggesting, despite electoral pressures, the party is slowly becoming more hostile on the issue, not less.)

Immediately after the Gang of Eight's bill was approved, Dream Act kids in the Senate gallery could be heard chanting, "Yes we can."

John Nichols: US Needs 3 Constitutional Amendments to Save Our Democracy (video)

by Pamela Powers Hannley

One hundred years ago, at the dawn of the last American Progressive Era, the United States was a very different place– a place of inequality, discrimination, and wealth disparity, author and historian John Nichols told a gathering of Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) in June.

Although slavery had been abolished in 1865 (#13), the rights of citizens were established in 1868 (#14), and the right to vote for all men was established in 1870 (#15), the majority of Americans could not vote.

At the turn of the last century, women and adults 18-21 years of age were barred from voting, and because of racist, state-level machinations and poll taxes, many African Americans and poor Americans of any color also were kept from voting. In addition, citizens didn’t have representation in the US Senate, since Senators were chosen by robber barons in back room deals (not elected by the people).

This sounds all too familiar, doesn’t it? Are Republicans trying to take our country back to 1900? Consider these current scenarios:

• The passage of voter suppression laws in Arizona and at the state level nationwide,
• Today’s supreme court decision striking down the formula that guides the Voting Rights Act of 1965,
• Ownership of the US Senate, the House of Representatives, and most state legislatures by the military-industrial complex and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC),
• The ongoing war on women and minorities.

The energy and activism of the Progressive Era (1900-1929) brought many positive changes and new Constitutional Amendments; it’s up to those of us in the New Progressive Movementto fight back against new regressive and discriminatory laws to save our country. 

Videos and details after the jump.

Governor Brewer calls wasteful 'border surge' a 'victory for Arizona'

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I posted about the "border surge" amendment from Sens. Bob Corker (R-TN) and John Hoeven (R-SD) to the "Gang of Eight" comprehensive immigration bill last week. The price for GOP nativism and racism: $30+ billion wasted dollars. As Chris Hayes pointed out:

Now when you were evaluating -- you right now watching this -- the American
voter, the American citizen, the American taxpayer, you`re thinking: is
this a smart way to spend money?

I would like you to keep in mind these two important things. The Migration
Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank, found that in 2012 we spent $18
billion on immigration enforcement agencies, a 43 percent increase from
2006. Here`s the kicker. That $18 billion, that`s more than we spent on
all other law enforcement agencies combined by 24 percent.

And do you happen to know what the net migration between Mexico and the
United States currently is? It is zero. Zero.

The price for GOP nativism and racism: $30+ billion wasted dollars

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Tea-Publicans love to rail against government spending, the federal deficit, and the national debt, and loudly proclaim that they are fiscally conservative. Bullshit.

Ronald Reagan quadrupled the national debt in eight years. George W. Bush doubled it again during his eight years, and left office with the economy cratered from the worst economic catastrophe since the Great Depression.

These "deficit peacocks" like to preen that they are against wasteful government spending, except when they are not.

The latest example: the border security "surge" proposed by Tea-Publican Senators Bob Corker and John Hoeven to secure more votes in the U.S. Senate for the "Gang of Eight" comprehensive immigration bill. They propose to waste $30 billion dollars or more to buy off nativists and racists in the anti-immigrant wing of the GOP -- a dubious proposition -- hatred is priceless; it defines who they are, and is their only reason for living.

MSNBC host Chris Hayes did an impressive job laying out the particulars on his program All In on Thursday evening. Transcript Thursday, June 20:

in order to stabilize and further build support from their side of the
aisle, Republican Senators Bob Corker and John Hoeven struck a deal with
the gang of eight, a deal that suddenly makes comprehensive immigration
reform seem more possible, more likely to actually happen than it has in
weeks.

That is the progress. That`s progress. It`s excellent news. And it`s
also infuriating because of how they are luring Republicans into the fold.
Corker and Hoeven have an amendment where they are calling for a border,
quote, "surge."

The 'Gang of Eight' comprehensive immigration bill is taking shape

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

It increasingly appears as if a compromise on additional border security has now been worked out by the Gang of Eight" in the U.S. Senate, and the comprehensive immigration bill is taking shape. Ed Kilgore at the Political Animal blog writes, Big Moment in the Senate on Immigration?

it looks like the Gang of Eight (and the largely Democratic coalition of senators supporting them) are going to announce a new border enforcement “compromise” that will be attributed to Republicans Bob Corker and John Hoeven. It basically involves massive new spending on border control agents and fence-building that would occur before newly legalized immigrants can get on the famed “path to citizenship.” But it doesn’t embrace a “hard trigger” of border enforcement netrics, as conservative typically want, and also doesn’t hold up the initial legalization of undocumented immigrants, as most Senate Republicans voted for just last week in the Grassley Amendment.

In effect, this is pretty much the Gang of Eight’s border enforcement provisions with congressionally prescribed steps for improving enforcement (not just leaving it up to DHS) and a very large bag of money (and you can probably thank CBO’s positive report yesterday on the fiscal impact of immigration reform for making that feasible).

In Which I Prove To Be Smarter Than The Talking Heads on MSNBC

By Tom Prezelski

Re-blogged from Rum, Romanism and Rebellion

 

Lets make it clear that, contrary to the impression one gets from MSNBC, Speaker John Boehner is not a hapless idiot. He is a politically savvy and sincerely pragmatic guy who suffers from the lack of good material in his caucus. While he is no Sam Rayburn or Henry Clay, he is also no Andy Tobin, and under slightly more favorable circumstances, he might be known as a competent manager of the legislative process. One does not get to be in his position by being a doofus.

What has had MSNBC personalities particularly animated over the last 24 hours is the possibility that Boehner may invoke the so-called “Hastert Rule” regarding the immigration bill and increasingly strident rhetoric from The Professional Right on the issue. The concern is that the House will either pass its own bill, or amend the Senate bill to the point where it is unrecognizable. This, they believe, will kill the possibility of reform, a notion based on a misunderstanding of the process.

Senator 'complete the danged fence' just voted against it

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Senator John McCain is a chameleon who changes his positions to the ever-changing political landscape. His only principle and conviction is his own political survival.

Senator "comprehensive immigration reform" in 2007 said he would vote against his own bill when he ran for president in 2008. By 2010 when he ran for reelection to the U.S. Senate, he was Senator "just complete the danged fence" (video below the fold).

Today, McCain just voted against himself from 2010. Senate rejects Thune amendment requiring 350 miles of border fencing:

[A]n amendment from Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) would have prevented the government from granting provisional immigrant status until the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has built 350 miles of Southern border fencing. Another 350 miles of fencing would have to be constructed before those with provisional legal status could apply for a green card.

Thune's amendment needed 60 votes to pass. Republican Gang of Eight Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), John McCain (Ariz.), Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Jeff Flake (Ariz.) voted against the border fence amendment, while Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Mark Pryor (Ark.) voted for it.

The Senate voted 39-54 on Tuesday to reject the Thune amendment.

Tea-Publicans against democracy threaten comprehensive immigration reform

Posted  by AzBlueMeanie:

The TanMan, Weeper of the House John Boehner, the "Worst. Speaker. Ever.," is signaling to the Tea Party terrorists holding him hostage that he will not allow the immigration reform bill to come to a vote in the House unless "a majority of the majority," i.e., the infamous Hastert Rule, is met.

Why do Tea-Publicans hate democracy? The Hastert Rule is a GOP Caucus rule that operates much like the hated cloture rule (filibuster) in the Senate, which allows a tyranny of a minority to thwart the will of the majority in that chamber. It is undemocratic and an abuse of process. Boehner: No immigration bill without most of GOP support:

House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) privately reiterated to colleagues Tuesday that the House will not vote on an immigration reform package that doesn’t have the support of a majority of Republicans.

The comments came as some of the most conservative GOP lawmakers and well-financed outside conservative groups are seeking to change internal House GOP rules that would block legislation from the House floor that does not have “majority-of-the-majority” support.

Comprehensive immigration reform bill advances to debate in U.S. Senate

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The "Gang of Eight" comprehensivie immigration reform bill is finally being debated in the U.S. Senate today. I love the caption Ed Kilgore at the Political Animal Blog gave his post on the subject, Slouching Towards Bethlehem (a reference to W. B. Yeats' poem Second Coming: "And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?"):

Mitch McConnell signaled early on that there would be no leadership-backed filibuster against initial consideration of the bill, in part because quite a few GOP senators who will likely vote against the final product also want to claim they support immigration reform generally, and/or hold out hope the bill will be amended (i.e., gutted) to incorporate their views.

In fact, the "Gang of Eight" comprehensive immigration reform bill passed its first cloture vote tests today: the motion to proceed to a vote on whether to proceed to a floor debate passed 82-15, and the subsequent motion to proceed to a floor debate passed 84-15. (This is the Senate people). Now the real debate begins.

Nuns on The Bus with Congressman Raúl Grijalva

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Please join the Office of Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva for and informative event on immigration reform in conjunction with Nuns on the Bus:

 

NETWORK's Nuns on the Bus Is Coming to Tucson

to Support Commonsense Immigration Reform

 

We need immigration policies that reflect

our values, not our fears.

 

Also, learn how immigration affects the lives of Native Americans,

specifically the Pascua Yaqui and Tohono O’Odham Nations.

 

Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva & Nuns On the Bus

Public Forum on Comprehensive Immigration Reform

and Native Nations

 

Tuesday, June 11, 6 PM

Pascua Yaqui Nation, Albert D. Garcia Justice Center

7777 S. Camino Huivisim, Bldg C 

 

This year, they are traveling across the United States – 6,500 miles over 15 states – 53 events in 40 cities – standing with immigrants, faith-filled activists, and Catholic Sisters who serve immigrant communities.

For More Information on This Event:

Contact Ruben Reyes, (520) 622-6788, [email protected]

  

For More Information on NETWORK’s Nuns on the Bus: www.nunsonthebus.org

  

NETWORK’s Nuns on the Bus is a campaign of NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby which was founded by 47 Catholic Sisters more than 40 years ago.  www.networklobby.org

Arizona Freshmen Vote Against It Before They Vote For It

Posted by Bob Lord

I'm reminded of that old Britney Spears song "Oops, I did it again" or perhaps Ronald Reagan's "there they go again."

Last week, prior to passing a Republican-backed Homeland Security funding bill, the House voted on an amendment proposed by immigrant hater Steve King of Iowa to remove protections for children of illegal immigrants, previously authorized by President Obama. 

Our three freshmen, Barber, Sinema and Kirkpatrick voted no. Only three Democrats voted yes, but the amendment passed.

OK, makes sense so far.

Then the amended bill was put to a vote.

And our three freshmen voted for it, immigrant bashing provisions and all. The overwhelming majority of Democrats voted no, but 25, including our three freshmen, joined Steve King and his friends. 

I can just hear them touting their "independence" and their "bi-partisanship" now.

Pardon me while I gag. 

So, I wonder, if asked about this vote by their base, will they explain how they voted against it before they voted for it?

Nuns on The Bus in Arizona

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Nuns On The Bus Tour for comprehensive immigration reform is coming to Arizona. Go to Nuns on the Bus - Network for more tour information and to RSVP.

Date	Type of Visit	Place
Jun 11, 2013 (10:00 AM)	Voices from Annunciation House	Casa Vides 325 Leon St, El Paso, TX 79901	RSVP
Jun 11, 2013 (Noon)	Lobby Visit	Office of Congressman Steve Pearce 570 N Telshor Blvd, Las Cruces, NM 88011	RSVP
Jun 11, 2013 (6:00 PM)	Event Sponsored by Rep. Grijalva's Office	Albert D. Garcia Justice Center/Building C, Pascua Yaqui Nation 7777 S Camino Huivism, Tucson, AZ 85746	RSVP
Jun 12, 2013 (9:30 AM)	Kino Border Initiative Event	On the Border West Street and International Street, Nogales, AZ	RSVP	More Info
Jun 12, 2013 (3:00 PM)	Lobby Visit	Offices of Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake 2200 and 2201 E Camelback Rd (meet at the corner of 22nd St & Camelback Rd.), Phoenix, AZ 85016	RSVP	More Info
Jun 12, 2013 (6:00 PM)	Friendraiser	St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Sonntag Pavillion 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85013	RSVP	More Info

*All events are open to press, unless otherwise noted.

Tea-Publican Congress votes to deport the DREAMers

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

All that talk earlier this year about the GOP rebranding and learning its lesson from the 2012 election by reaching out to Latino voters was just that -- talk. Actions speak louder than words. And today, the Tea-Publican Congress voted to deport the DREAMers. House Republicans Booed As They Vote To Deport DREAMers:

To a chorus of boos from the gallery, House Republicans voted 224-201 on Thursday to approve an amendment that defunds the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The amendment, from Rep. Steve King (R-IA), undercuts the flexibility that allows the Department of Homeland Security to halt deporting DREAMers and instead focus on people convicted of crimes.

After the vote, the House Hispanic Caucus tweeted,”House Republicans just voted to treat DREAMers and undocumented spouses of servicemembers in the same way as violent criminals.” Only six Republicans voted against the measure.

King, a virulently anti-immigrant [nativist] congressman, has already announced his intention to undermine any immigration reform effort. When Republicans last held a vote on a similar King amendment, it passed 238-175, with four Republicans voting against it.

But this time, the vote occurred at exactly the same time the House means to march forward on an immigration reform bill that would give DREAMers permanent legal status.

The complexities and economics of Arizona's border relationship

By Karl Reiner

Although it is of little concern in the state capital, Arizona's exporters had a good first quarter of 2013.  U.S. merchandise exports to Mexico totaled $53.5 billion, an increase of $487 million over the same period last year. Texas was the leading state with $24.16 billion, followed by California, Michigan and Louisiana.  Arizona ranked fifth with $1.65 billion, up $132 million over the previous year's first quarter.

Mexico's stock market hit an eight-month low in May.  Sluggish sales to the U.S. (Mexico's largest export market) during the first quarter of 2013 slowed the economy.  Mexico's economic growth forecast was reduced to 3.1% from 3.5%.

Sen. Marco Rubio prepared to blow up comprehensive immigration reform

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I have said before my theory is that Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) wanted on the "Gang og Eight" so that the GOP could have a Latino blow up the negotiations on comprehensive immigration reform. This way the GOP can say "See! A Latino is opposed to the legislation, not just us old white guys," as if using a token Cuban-American is going to insulate the lily white GOP from the electoral backlash of Latino voters nationwide.

It appears that we may now have arrived at the point Marco Rubio is preapred to blow up the negotiations on comprehensive immigration reform. Marco Rubio: I will vote against my own immigration bill unless changes are made:

Sen. Marco Rubio, the leading Republican behind the Gang of Eight comprehensive immigration reform bill, says he will not vote for the legislation he helped write and has staked his political future on, unless substantial changes are made before final Senate consideration.

So Who Was This Pablo de la Guerra, Anyway?

By Tom Prezelski

Re-Blogged from Rum, Romanism and Rebellion.

I try to make a point not to read the Arizona Republic for a variety of reasons, but David Safier’s post over here prompted me to check out yesterday’s eloquent op-ed by Senator Alfredo Gutierrez.

Because I am a masochist, I checked out the comments and found them to be mostly positive. The exception would be a thread started by former State Senator Jack Harper, who disparaged Gutierrez as a “race baiter,” though his own record as a demagogue gives him little room to criticize anybody, particularly given that Gutierrez has far more to show for his legislative career than the clownish Harper does. Predictably, this prompted a number of comments citing the same out-of-context quote that always gets repeated by his detractors whenever Gutierrez makes a public appearance these days. Of course, this all helps prove Gutierrez’s point.

Senator Gutierrez mostly discusses his personal experience growing up in Miami (not Globe), one of the central Arizona Copper camps that birthed so much of the state’s Mexican-American political leadership from the 1970s to the 1990s. Along the way, he makes a passing reference to a “wealthy Californio” of the 19th century named Pablo de la Guerra. Though de la Guerra is tangential to the story that Gutierrez is telling, some elaboration is called for.

Nuns On The Bus Tour in Arizona

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Nuns On The Bus Tour for comprehensive immigration reform is coming to Arizona. Go to Nuns on the Bus - Network for more tour information and to RSVP.

Date	Type of Visit	Place
Jun 11, 2013 (10:00 AM)	Voices from Annunciation House	Casa Vides 325 Leon St, El Paso, TX 79901	RSVP
Jun 11, 2013 (Noon)	Lobby Visit	Office of Congressman Steve Pearce 570 N Telshor Blvd, Las Cruces, NM 88011	RSVP
Jun 11, 2013 (6:00 PM)	Event Sponsored by Rep. Grijalva's Office	Albert D. Garcia Justice Center/Building C, Pascua Yaqui Nation 7777 S Camino Huivism, Tucson, AZ 85746	RSVP
Jun 12, 2013 (9:30 AM)	Kino Border Initiative Event	On the Border West Street and International Street, Nogales, AZ	RSVP	More Info
Jun 12, 2013 (3:00 PM)	Lobby Visit	Offices of Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake 2200 and 2201 E Camelback Rd (meet at the corner of 22nd St & Camelback Rd.), Phoenix, AZ 85016	RSVP	More Info
Jun 12, 2013 (6:00 PM)	Friendraiser	St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Sonntag Pavillion 350 W Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85013	RSVP	More Info

*All events are open to press, unless otherwise noted.

'Nuns on The Bus' for immigration reform coming to Arizona

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The “Nuns on the Bus” are revving up their engines for another national campaign, only this time the Catholic sisters are taking their mobile platform for social justice along the country’s Southern border to push Congress to pass immigration reform. Nuns on the Bus - Religion News Service:

“The ‘Nuns on the Bus’ is going on the road again!”

“This time we’re going out for common-sense immigration reform,” Sister Simone Campbell said to rousing applause.

Details of the latest tour are still to be announced, but the bus trip is expected to start at the end of the month, beginning in New York and winding up in California by way of Florida and the U.S. border with Mexico.

Nuns on the Bus - Washington, DC - Organization | Facebook

Campbell believes the right moment and the right issue are coinciding again, and like many longtime immigration reform advocates she is willing to back the current bill despite reservations.

“We want to amend it, yes, but we want to pass it. We don’t want to nitpick it to death. That’s what we did in 2007,” she said, referring to the previous attempt to overhaul immigration, which ended in failure.

Federal Judge enjoins racial profiling by crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio and his MCSO

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Remember when crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio, Sheriff of Maricopa County, told his ardent critics who accused him of having a policy of unlawful racial profiling of Latinos to "prove it" in court? Be carfeful what you wish for, old man.

Today, U.S. District Court Judge G. Murray Snow specifically found from the evidence presented at trial that the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office has a policy of unlawful racial profiling of Latinos, and issued an order enjoining that policy, with a 142 page Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law. (.pdf). Awesome!

If you don't have time to read 142 pages, Stephen Lemons at the Phoenix New Times has his celebratory take, Joe Arpaio's Doomsday: Arpaio Loses ACLU Civil Rights Lawsuit, MCSO Enjoined from Racially Profiling Latinos:

U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow just handed the ACLU, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the law firm Covington & Burling, all Latinos and everyone who has strived for justice in Maricopa County a reason to celebrate over the long holiday weekend by ruling against Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the big Melendres v. Arpaio racial profiling lawsuit.

Essentially, Snow found that the MCSO does engage in racial profiling and discrimination, and he has ordered it to stop.

'Gang of Eight' immigration reform bill advances in the Senate

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

It has often been said that people do not want to see the "sausage making" process of legislation, and nowhere is that a truer statement than with the "Gang of Eight" immigration reform bill.

After multiple attempts by Tea Party senators to add "poison pill" amendments to kill the bill -- all defeated -- there was a death-defying friendly amendment offered yesterday by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) to treat gay partners equally under federal law for immigration purposes. Tea-Publicans howled that this was a deal breaker, and Sen. Leahy eventually withdrew his amendment.

Of course, Advocates were outraged at lack of LGBT protection in immigration bill. This is a timing problem. This bill needs to move forward in the Senate now. The U.S. Supreme Court is not expected to rule on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) until June. Should the Court strike down DOMA, as most court observers anticipate, it would remove the obstacle to treating gay partners equally under federal law. The immigration bill will still be going through the "sausage making" process, and may be amended to respond to any Supreme Court ruling. Patience and perseverance are virtues in the "sausage making" process.

So it is good news that the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday approved its final mark-up of the comprehensive immigration reform bill on a vote of 13 to 5. Senate panel approves sweeping immigration reform bill:

After five days of debate over dozens of amendments, the Judiciary Committee voted 13 to 5 in support of the bill, with three Republicans joining the committee’s 10 Democrats. The legislation emerged with its core provisions largely intact, including new visa programs for high-tech and low-skilled workers and new investments in strengthening border control.

“The dysfunction in our current immigration system affects all of us and it is long past time for reform. I hope that our history, our values, and our decency can inspire us finally to take action,” committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) said. “We need an immigration system that lives up to American values and helps write the next great chapter in American history by reinvigorating our economy and enriching our communities.”

So how's that GOP rebranding working out?

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

On Sunday, the Arizona Republic for some reason felt compelled to publish a guest opinion (and video) by the disgraced and recalled former Senate President, Russell Pearce, writing on behalf of his anti-immigrant nativist hate group, BanAmnestyNow.com.

Pearce discloses a continuing working relationship with the anti-immigrant nativist hate group,  Federation of American Immigration Reform (FAIR), whose lawyer Kris Kobach wrote SB 1070 for Pearce.

Pearce also cites the widely discredited Heritage Foundation report (.pdf) released last week, which was drafted, in part, by Jason Richwine, who subscribes to the controversial "science" of hereditarianism and eugenics. Richwine was forced to resign from the Heritage Foundation on Friday, presumably after Russell Pearce submitted his guest opinion to the Republic.

Ol' Russel writes, Immigration tug-of-war: Reform effort is a sham:

The 3-year-old Senate Bill 1070, America’s toughest anti-illegal immigration law, has had a dramatic impact on Arizona. We are a better place.

* * *

According to information from the Federation of American Immigration Reform, Arizonans pay $2.6 billion per year to educate, medicate and incarcerate illegal aliens. According to the Heritage Foundation, the billions we pay today are but one-third of our eventual tab a decade from now if the “Gang of Eight” immigration bill becomes law.

* * *

However, despite the many advances we have made, the burdens of illegal immigration still are too high. This is why I call upon my fellow citizens to join me in opposing the latest amnesty/citizenship bill. The group of eight U.S. senators’ legislation (including Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake) risks America’s financial and national security. This bill is the epitome of everything that is wrong, backward and corrupt in Washington.

Heritage Foundation jettisons white supremacist autthor of its immigration study

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Oh, like no one saw this coming. Heritage Foundation fellow Jason Richwine, who subcribes to the controversial "science" of hereditarianism and eugenics, long championed by white supremacists and segregationists, is out of a job today. Maybe the Aryan Nation or the KKK have a job opening.

Think Progress reports, Author Of Heritage Immigration Study Resigns Amid Racism Scandal:

Jason Richwine, a coauthor of the Heritage Foundation’s report on the cost of the current immigration bill, has resigned after it emerged that his graduate dissertation on immigration was premised on the idea that Latinos were less intelligent than whites.

The controversy, which began after The Washington Post’s Dylan Matthews unearthed the dissertation on Latino intelligence, forced the conservative think tank into emergency damage control for the remainder of the week, when it emerged that Richwine had ties to extreme anti-immigration groups. On Friday afternoon, Heritage announced that Richwine has resigned. Heritage’s statement:

Jason Richwine let us know he’s decided to resign from his position. He’s no longer employed by Heritage. It is our long-standing policy not to discuss internal personnel matters.

Immigration reform bill begins markup in Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

On Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee will begin marking up the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, the bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill from the "Gang of Eight."

301 amendments have been filed, setting the stage for extended debate. Senate immigration bill brings flood of amendments:

About two-thirds of the 301 proposals came from Senate Republicans, including measures to grant Congress more authority over security along the border with Mexico, to require illegal immigrants to provide DNA samples before gaining legal status and to reduce the number of undocumented workers who would be eligible to pursue citizenship.

The amendments reflected the desires of many GOP lawmakers, who say that they will support only a comprehensive overhaul that puts a higher priority on law enforcement along the border and in the workplace. The Senate Judiciary Committee will begin considering the amendments Thursday, and the fate of the 844-page bill will be tested by a process that is likely to stretch through several days of hearings in coming weeks.

* * *

Although Democrats have generally been more supportive of the bill, they offered dozens of amendments, including two from Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (Vt.) that would allow same-sex foreign spouses and partners of U.S. citizens to apply for visas. Republicans have said that they will not support any comprehensive bill that includes gay rights protections.

Author of Heritage Foundation report subscribes to the controversial 'science' of hereditarianism and eugenics

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

It appears that the Pioneer Fund and its support for the "study and research into the problems of heredity and eugenics in the human race" and "into the problems of race betterment with special reference to the people of the United States," still has influence in the 21st Century. For a lengthy backgrounder on this subject, see History of the race and intelligence controversy - Wikipedia.

The Heritage Foundation released its long awaited report this week for the stated purpose of defeating the "Gang of Eight" immigration reform bill (and thus it is a political document). The report was written in part by Jason Richwine. Dylan Matthews at Ezra Klein's Wonkblog introduces us to Mr. Richwine, Heritage study co-author opposed letting in immigrants with low IQs:

Jason Richwine is relatively new to the think tank world. He received his PhD in public policy from Harvard in 2009, and joined Heritage after a brief stay at the American Enterprise Institute. Richwine’s doctoral dissertation is titled “IQ and Immigration Policy”; the contents are well summarized in the dissertation abstract:

The statistical construct known as IQ can reliably estimate general mental ability, or intelligence. The average IQ of immigrants in the United States is substantially lower than that of the white native population, and the difference is likely to persist over several generations. The consequences are a lack of socioeconomic assimilation among low-IQ immigrant groups, more underclass behavior, less social trust, and an increase in the proportion of unskilled workers in the American labor market. Selecting high-IQ immigrants would ameliorate these problems in the U.S., while at the same time benefiting smart potential immigrants who lack educational access in their home countries.

Jim DeMint and the Heritage Foundation try to kill immigration reform

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Tea Party darlin', former Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC), now pulling down big bucks for his conservative demagoguery at the Heritage Foundation, has an op-ed in the Washington Post (where else) this afternoon, What amnesty for illegal immigrants will cost America (note the code language to the nativist base) claiming that:

An exhaustive study by the Heritage Foundation has found that after amnesty, current unlawful immigrants would receive $9.4 trillion in government benefits and services and pay more than $3 trillion in taxes over their lifetimes. That leaves a net fiscal deficit (benefits minus taxes) of $6.3 trillion. That deficit would have to be financed by increasing the government debt or raising taxes on U.S. citizens.

* * *

Given the U.S. debt of $17 trillion, the fiscal effects detailed in our study should be at the forefront of legislators’ minds as they consider immigration reform.

Ummm, sorry, but no. By now any rational intelligent human being should know that one does not give any credence to anything produced by the Heritage Foundation. Ever. Especially now that a demagogue like Jim DeMint is at its helm.

Greg Sargent writes in The right’s last stand against immigration reform?:

The Heritage Foundation has just released its long awaited report supposedly documenting that the path to citizenship in the Gang of Eight immigration reform compromise will sock the taxpayer with a multi-trillion-dollar bill. You cannot overstate how much opponents of reform have staked on the hope that this report will be the magic bullet to kill the proposal. This is the report that’s supposed to send House conservatives running away, never to return.

U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal of Alabama anti-immigrant law

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The ALEC model legislation for the anti-immigrant crusade of Kris Kobach, legal counsel with the Immigration Law Reform Institute, the legal arm of the anti-immigrant Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and the author of Arizona's SB 1070, is losing in court. Federal courts have made it clear that federal law preempts the field in immigration law. Only federal gov't, not states, can enforce immigration laws, Supreme Court says:

The Supreme Court made it clear Monday that enforcing immigration laws is reserved for the federal government, not the states.

By an 8-1 vote, the justices rejected a request from Alabama to revive part of a 2011 law designed to drive out illegal immigrants. That year saw a wave of new laws in Republican-controlled states where lawmakers decried perceived federal inaction. Alabama's was deemed the toughest.

State officials said if federal authorities were not going to arrest illegal immigrants, their police would take on the task.

But the Obama administration went to court to challenge these laws, arguing that federal immigration policy trumped state efforts. The administration said it was targeting criminals, gang members and smugglers, not the millions of otherwise law-abiding but undocumented immigrants who live and work in this country.

The administration won a major victory last year when the Supreme Court struck down most of Arizona's immigration enforcement law, known as SB 1070. In a 6-3 decision, the justices agreed that Washington, not the states, gets to decide how to enforce the immigration laws. The opinion rejected the idea that states could make immigration violations a crime under state law.

Border policy myths, realities and faulty assumptions

By Karl Reiner

Gov. Brewer recently asserted that Arizona's controversial SB 1070 served as the catalyst for the creation of the immigration legislation now in Congress.  Although much of SB 1070 was set aside by the courts, the governor believes the law, costly legal fights and publicity helped start the momentum that led to the current bipartisan immigration proposal.

The governor has a point because the SB 1070 effort was not a low cost affair.  The publicity it generated saddled Arizona with a mostly negative reputation.  In far away Washington, Congress would have been aware of the SB 1070 tempest.  It could have encouraged senators to consider moving on immigration legislation.  

Sen. Jeff Flake now owns the dubious title of most disliked senator

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

In just three short months in the U.S. Senate, our boy Jeff Flake has managed to dethrone the Septegenarian Ninja Turtle, Mitch McConnell, as the most disliked senator among Americans. Getting caught lying to a grieving mother who lost her son to gun violence will do that. The Atlantic Wire reports, How Jeff Flake Became the Most Unpopular Senator in America:

Public Policy Polling, in their latest survey on the fallout of the recent vote on gun legislation, explains just how much people don't like Mr. Flake:

Just 32% of voters approve of him to 51% who disapprove and that -19 net approval rating makes him the most unpopular sitting Senator we've polled on, taking that label from Mitch McConnell.

Since December, it was hard to imagine anyone unseating McConnell because, according to PPP and despite the Kentucky Senator's internal numbers, the Senate Minority Leader was always' the old curmudgeon who represented the laughable state of America's hatred toward Congress.

* * *

So what happened to the junior Senator from Arizona? According to PPP's polling, conducted April 25-26 in the aftermath of the gun vote that killed legislation on background checks, it's blowback — Democrats and independent voters have really flaked on Flake:

Down with Drones: Protest at Ft. Huachuca Today

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Southern Arizona peace activists have organized a anti-drone protest outside of Fort Huachuca today, Monday, April 29.

Drones are a big deal in Southern Arizona. Ft. Huachuca, Davis-Monthan, Raytheon, the University of Arizona, and Cochise College-- all have a piece of the military industrial complex's drone pie, and if our esteemed US Senators have there way, more money for drones along the Arizona-Mexico border, more money for militarization of the border overall, and more money (and customers) for private prisons will be attached to "imigration reform" legislation.

Sorry for the late notice about this action, but here's the information from the organizers:

We invite you to participate in a day of peaceful  demonstration on Monday April 29^th, 2:30-4:00 PM at the Fort Huachuca Main Gate, Sierra Vista AZ   Since 2004 over 4,700 deaths are attributed to Dronestrikes, civilian deaths remain unconfirmed though unfortunately post-strike photos show many children are among the lost. We’re encouraging a coalition of community voices, faith based, political, sectarian, to express concern regarding the ethical, moral, spiritual implications of the use of drone technology in warfare and the equally problematic domestic privacy concerns.  Literature will be available but we encourage you to bring signs, share information, prayers, let your voice be heard.  Participation could make all the difference in bringing attention to this critical issue.

Help Us Make a Difference!! Thank You!  JOIN US!

May 1st Rally at the Arizona State Capitol

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Announcement from Mi Familia Vota, May 1st Rally!: International Workers Day:

Join:

AFL-CIO | Arizona Center for Empowerment | Arizona Worker Rights Center | Black and Brown Coalition | CASE | Campaign for Citizenship | La Campesina Radio Network | LUCHA | Mi Familia Vota | Promise Arizona | PUENTE | SEIU Arizona | UFW Foundation | Arizona Immigration Ministry/ Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix | Somos America | Unite Here | Arizona Dream Act Coalition | ACLU of Arizona | Organizing for Action | Border Action Network | UFCW | CWA

In a march of action for dignity and respect for all American workers through immigration reform.

It is time to stand united and fight together!

Who Is Homeland Security Watching? Off-the-grid Fertilizer Plant vs On-the-Grid Citizenry

by Pamela Powers Hannley

Last week was an outrageous news week for our country with the Boston Marathon bombings on Monday, the explosion at a Texas fertilizer plant on Wednesday, and the shoutout, manhunt, killing, and capture of the bomber brothers at the end of the week. Whew.

This Monday on MSNBC, Chris Hayes offered an interesting look back at these events. (Video link below.) During the week of the bombings, there was continuous coverage of the "terrorist attack" in Boston and continuous pundit chatter about terrorism, but relatively little coverage of the chemical plant explosion in West, Texas.

Apparently, workplace casualties caused by corporate neglect and lack of government oversight are not as sexy as pressure cooker bombers, even though, as Hayes pointed out, people are far more likely to be killed on the job than in a terror attack. Citing 2000-2010 data, Hayes reported that in that 10-year period, there were 3033 deaths from terrorist attacks, 60,394 workplace deaths, and 335,609 firearm deaths.

Given these statistics, it is ironic (and somewhat sad) to see what Congress has chosen to regulate. Not firearms and not workplace safety. They are working on further immigration regulations and further militarization of the border-- just in case some of those Mexican laborers might be terrorists.

In a stunning omission of oversight, Hayes also reported that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-- the same group that found the two Boston bombers in a matter of days-- didn't know the fertilizer plant in Texas existed! (Don't they know about Google Earth?)

Quoting Reuters, Hayes further reported that the plant had "1300 times the amount of amonium nitrate fertilizer that would normally alert DHS" and "100 times more than the Oklahoma City bombing."

So, who is DHS watching? Us. They're watching real people-- not corporate people. 

Watch Chris Hayes here: Willfully off the Grid

Rep. Raúl Grijalva on Senate immigration reform bill hearings

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Rep. Raúl Grijalva chastized Senate Republicans on Monday for using the Boston Marathon bombing to fight against comprehensive immigration reform. On Monday, Sen. Chuck Grasssley (R- iowa) threw a hissy fit trying to deny what he plainly said last Friday. POLITICO Tiger Beat on the Potomac reported, Terrorism enters immigration debate:

“We appreciate this opportunity to talk about immigration reform in light of all that has been happening in Massachusetts,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee Friday at an immigration reform hearing.

Raw Story reports, Rep. Raul Grijalva blasts Republicans for using Boston bombings to stall immigration reform:

“To prey on the raw emotions of the American people right now, after this tragedy in Boston, to prey on their insecurities and justifiable anger, to try to delay a bill, stall a bill so nothing is done, is nothing more than a tactic, and it’s very disappointing,” he said on MSNBC. “If you want to have security in this country, part of the package has to be comprehensive reform so the millions of undocumented people out there come forward, we know who they are, and you begin to cull who is eligible for a path to citizenship and who should not be here.”

Ted 'Calgary' Cruz to lead Tea Party opposition to 'Gang of Eight' immigration reform bill

Posted byAzBlueMeanie:

Well isn't this rich. . .

Sen. Ted "Calgary" Cruz (Tea Party-TX), was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. His mother was an American and his father was a Cuban refugee to the U.S. during the Cuban Revolution. Cruz's family moved from Canada to the U.S. when he was four years old.

Cuban refugees hold a special immigrant status under the Cuban Refugee Adjustment Act (1966). The law applies to any native or citizen of Cuba who has been inspected and admitted or paroled into the United States after January 1, 1959 and has been physically present for at least one year; and is admissible to the United States as a permanent resident.

The news media, which treats Hispanics as a homogenous and monolithic voting bloc, rarely ever reports that immigrants from Mexico, Central America and Carribean countries resent this "Castro Express Card" special immigrant status for Cubans. Cruz is unmoved by his own family's history of immigration.

Manu Raju at POLITICO Tiger Beat on the Potomac reports today that Ted "Calgary" Cruz will lead Tea Party opposition to the "Gang of Eight" immigration reform bill if it includes a pathway to citizenship. Ted Cruz v. Marco Rubio on Immigration:

The Texas freshman is sharply critical of the pathway to citizenship for the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants, a central part of the bipartisan bill that Rubio helped write. Cruz is weighing whether to aggressively oppose the immigration overhaul, a decision that could neutralize Rubio’s outreach to conservative activists in order to minimize their opposition.

GOP anti-immigrant nativists seize on Boston bombers to oppose 'Gange of Eight' immigration reform bill

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Talk about unfortunate circumstances and timing. Today was the first congressional hearing on the "Gang of Eight" comprehensive immigration reform bill in the Senate Judiciary Committee. The anti-immigrant nativists of the GOP "Know Nothing Party" seized on the events in Boston as a ready excuse to oppose immigration reform.

Based upon numerous media sources (I would urge caution given the shameful performance of the media this week), the "Boston Bombers" are 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev, believed to be a permanent legal resident, and his brother, 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, a naturalized U.S. citizen.  The brothers are Muslims and ethnic Chechens. NBC news reported that the two are believed to have lived in the U.S. since 2002 or 2003 after coming to the country with their family, possibly as refugees.

That news prompted conservative critics to drag the events in Boston into the immigration debate. POLITICO Tiger Beat on the Potomac reports, Terrorism enters immigration debate:

Immigration reform faces a new hurdle — the Boston terrorist attack.

Conservative opponents pounced on news Friday that the two suspects in the case, Muslim brothers and ethnic Chechens, are believed to be legal permanent residents.

* * *

“We appreciate this opportunity to talk about immigration reform in light of all that has been happening in Massachusetts,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee Friday at an immigration reform hearing.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill Introduced Today

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., two members of the "Gang of Eight," plan to brief President Barack Obama on the group's comprehensive immigration reform biill on Tuesday. Senators had originally planned a high-profile rollout of their measure, including a Tuesday morning news conference where they would be flanked by immigration reform advocates. But the group opted to postpone the event late Monday because of bombings at the Boston Marathon. Schumer, McCain Issue Summary of Immigration Bill - Roll Call:

The bipartisan group of senators working on an immigration overhaul proposal has released a 17-page summary of its bill, which includes a provision that will exempt the children of unauthorized immigrants from a $500 penalty charged to those seeking to have their status legalized.

[A Scribd copy of the 17 page summary is available here. Outline of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 (h/t Talking Points Memo).]

Under the bill, unauthorized immigrants may apply to receive legalized status, known as Registered Provisional Immigrant Status.

In order to be eligible, an individual must have immigrated to the United States prior to Dec. 31, 2011, and maintained a continuous physical presence since then.

Comprehensive immigration reform battle lines are drawn

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Beltway media villager meme for months now has been that the GOP will agree to comprehensive immigration reform after losing three-fourths of the Hispanic vote in 2012. The GOP allegedly has learned its lesson and now realizes that its ability to win national elections in the future depends upon appealing to Hispanic voters and understands the changing demographics of America.

Silly reporters, you don't understand how deep nativism and racism runs in America. it is America's original sin.

The only reason there has not been hysterical anti-immigrant opposition to comprehensive immigration reform up to now is because there has not been an actual bill around which to rally the opposition of the nativists and racists -- timing is everything in politics.

That is about to change this week. The Senate's "Gang of Eight" is expected to unveil its comprehensive immigration reform bill this week.

The "Know Nothing Party" anti-immigrant nativists and the Dixiecrats-cum-"solid Republican South" racists are now gearing up for battle. Time to fire up the anti-immigrant hysteria of hate radio demagogues and FAUX News Fraudcasting.

Sen. Marco 'Big Gulp' Rubio and poison pills

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The darling of the Tea Party -- and Beltway media villagers -- Sen. Marco "Big Gulp" Rubio (R-FL), did the "full Ginsburg," er "full Rubio" to his Beltway media villager sycophants, on the Sunday bobblehead shows today. Have water handy! Out: Full Ginsburg. In: Full Rubio.

I really don't get why this freshman back bencher and intellectual lightweight garners so much fawning by the Beltway media villagers. Maybe it is because he is as shallow and vacuous as they are, kindred spirits of sorts. Talk about the "dumbing down" od America.

Sen. "Big Gulp," a member of the Gang of Eight (what is it with senators and their need for gang membership?), decried the use of "poison pill" amendments he expects from his fellow Tea-Publicans on immigration reform.Then turning on hs heel, Sen. "Big Gulp" endorsed the NRA "poison pill" amendment to kill the bipartisan background checks agreement reached by Sens. Manchin and Toomey.

The only principle that Sen. "big Gulp" believes in is his own self promotion for consideration as a presidential candidate in 2016. This Tea Party punk should focus on how to be a senator first. He is definitely not ready for prime time.

The Dream is Now

by David Safier

I just watched the documentary, The Dream is Now, on MSNBC. Incredibly moving, filled with hope, sorrow and despair. I wasn't planning to watch it, but two minutes in, I couldn't tear myself away. The lives of the Dreamers followed by the film captured the human drama, and the waste of human potential, that's part of this whole "undocumented immigrant" fiasco.

I'm going to have to forgive the filmmaker, David Guggenheim, for his wrongheaded film, Waiting for Superman, which trashed traditional public schools and overpraised charters. He also made An Inconvenient Truth. Two out of three ain't bad, I guess, though I'd love to see him take a second, and better, pass at the story of education in this country. He's a skilled documentarian.

Watch for The Dream is Now when it's reshown on MSNBC or elsewhere. Even if you're solidly for the Dreamers and immigration reform, you should hear these voices and see these faces.

Go to thedreamisnow.org and sign the petition.

'Gang of Eight' reaches immigration reform deal

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Jamelle Bouie reports at the Washington Post, “Gang of Eight” reaches immigration deal. But will GOP take it?:

According to the New York Times, the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” has reached an agreement on a comprehensive immigration reform plan.

By and large, the bill doesn’t depart from the framework established by President Obama and seconded by Marco Rubio, among others. It establishes a provisional status for unauthorized immigrants who who pass background checks and fulfill other requirements, such as paying fines and back taxes to the federal government. It also requires them to wait ten years before they can apply for green cards, a change from Obama’s plan, which proposed an eight year wait.

This is broadly in line with public opinion. According to the latest poll from NBC News and the Wall Street Journal, 64 percent of Americans support a path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants, a number that jumps to 76 percent when a proposed pathway includes fines, penalties, and a background check. It should be said, however, that few Americans support the long timeline for citizenship —18 percent say unauthorized immigrants should be immediately eligible for citizenship if they have jobs, while 51 percent say they should be eligible have jobs and have been in the country for five years. Only 12 percent agree with the “Gang of Eight” that ten years is necessary before citizenship can become an option.

UPDATED with New Events: Progressives, Mark Your Calendars for April Events!

April3 Update: New events have been added for April 6 and 9.

It’s only April 1, but already there is an impressive line-up of progressive events taking shape this month. In addition to these educational events, there are multiple fund-raisers for candidates, parties, and causes in April.  The list below is not meant to be all-inclusive. (Check out Facebook and the Pima County Democratic Party calendar or the calendar on Blog for Arizona for other events-- including multiple opportunities to donate.) The Tucson events included here are all free and are related to one or more Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) core policy issues: economic and social justice, universal healthcare, clean elections, ending corporate personhood, clean environment, or ending the wars.

April 2: Community Vision for the Ronstadt Bus Center

The Tucson Bus Riders Union and the Primavera Foundation are sponsoring a community forum to gather Tucsonans’ ideas on what should be done with the Ronstadt Transit Center on Congress Street. For several years, developers have been eyeing the Ronstadt Center for demolition and relocation out of downtown. If you believe that it is important for a sustainable city to have a bus terminal downtown—near restaurants, retail shops, major employers, and the new street car line—come to this meeting at the Rialto Theater, beginning at 5:30. For more information, call 624-0312 or email [email protected] or go to the event’s Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/events/496939023698809/.

April 3: Solar Energy Efficiency vs the Status Quo

The Tucson Chapter of Drinking Liberally is sponsoring a joint presentation by Bruce Plenk, City of Tucson Solar Energy Coordinator, and Russell Lowes, Sierra Club Rincon Group Energy Chair and Research Director forwww.SafeEnergyAnalyst.org. The DL social hour begins at 6 p.m., with the speakers beginning around 7 p.m. on the patio of The Shanty. For more information, check out DL’s Facebook event http://www.facebook.com/events/104680899727634/.

More events after the jump.

The 'It's all about Marco' meme of the Beltway media villagers

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

You may have noticed in recent days an "It's all about Marco" meme emerge from the Beltway media villagers. Apparently we are to believe that comprehensive immigration reform rests solely in the the hands of this freshman Tea Party prima donna, Sen. Marco "Big Gulp" Rubio (R-FL), who already harbors fantasies about running for president (even after his universally panned response to the State of The Union Address).

So where did this sudden "It's all about Marco" meme come from? I bet you can guess, but Ed Kilgore at the Political Animal blog explains in All About Marco:

One of today’s more interesting items of Beltway gabbery comes from deep within the relentlessly beating heart of Tiger Beat on the Potomac (as Charles Pierce has unforgettably dubbed Politico). Yes, it’s an installment of Mike Allen and Jim VanderHei’s ultra-insidery column “Behind the Curtain,” and the subject du jour is Marco Rubio’s role in the development of immigration legislation.

Gerrymandered GOP Ghettos

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The gated country club communities of old white people occurs on a larger scale as well, the gerrymandered "GOP ghettos" of old white people in congressional districts. The New York Times' Charles Blow has an interesting commentary on this demographic problem. The G.O.P.’s Diversity Deserts:

Just a week ago, the Republicans issued their much-ballyhooed “autopsy” on why they lost the presidential election last year and how they might remedy their problems.

They concluded that their principles were fine; the problem was how they presented communicated those principles. Their witless wisdom is simply to tone down their rhetoric. They want to turn Teddy Roosevelt’s famous saying on its side: Talk softly but carry a big stigma.

The establishment Republicans’ push for a softer tone, however, is pure political scheming and has nothing to do with what most Republicans seem to fundamentally believe.

And many rank-and-file Republicans are adopting this two-faced tactic. A Pew Research Center report issued Thursday found that although most Republicans say that “illegal immigrants” should be allowed to stay in this country legally, most also believe that immigrants are a burden because they take jobs and health care, and they threaten American values.

National Council of La Raza's "National Latino Advocacy Days" in DC

by David Safier

I'm visiting DC as a tourist, and I stumbled, almost literally, onto a press conference for the National Council of La Raza's "National Latino Advocacy Days." Over 400 Latinos from 31 states came to DC to advocate for a comprehensive Immigration Reform bill. Though the conference room in the House of Representatives' Rayburn Building was packed and overflowing into the hall, most of the advocates were visiting the offices of Representatives and Senators talking about the need for comprehensive immigration reform.

Janet Murguia, president and CEO of NCLR, spoke about the urgent need for immigration reform that includes a path to citizenship. "The Latino community will not accept second class status," she said.

(From left to right: Janet Murguia, Esther Reyes, Elizabeth Perez, Mauricio Calvo)

Jeb Bush: the Goldwater Institute connection

by David Safier

Jeb Bush's presidential campaign is off and running with his new book, Immigration Wars: Forging an American Solution. He's doing the news and talk show circuit, saying No to a path to citizenship, unless an undocumented immigrant wants to go home and start over, and a hesitant Yes to legalized status, with a possibility of citizenship for young people brought here by their families.

The book is co-authored by Clint Bolick, Goldwater Institute's Vice President for Litigation. In the past, G.I. has been more libertarian -- more immigration-friendly -- than strictly conservative on the immigration issue. (I'll try to dig up statements made the Institute a number of years ago and post them.) G.I. stayed silent during the SB1070 debates. After the controversy died down a bit, G.I. claimed it was because there was disagreement in its ranks. I chalk it up to cowardice. G.I. lives on conservative contributions and it needs conservative legislators to carry its bills, so it decided silence was the safest way to keep its power and influence.

Jeb's connection with the Goldwater folks is nothing new. The previous Education Director, Matthew Ladner, was great friends with Jeb and now works for him at the Foundation for Excellence in Education, one of the conservative "education reform" groups pushing privatization. When he was governor, Florida and Arizona played educational leap frog, using legislation in one state to promote legislation in the other (You'll start with this bill, then I'll start with another bill, then you'll start . . .)

What does this mean? We'll see. It definitely means the Jeb/G.I. connection is worth watching to see the extent to which Jeb leans on Arizona's conservative/libertarian brain trust to craft his policies and strategies.

FLIP-FLOP-HALF-FLIP UPDATE: It looks like Jeb, who was for a path to citizenship before he was against it, is now kinda for it again, if it can be made to, you know, work without, um, encouraging, er, people to come here illegally, though we [cough] need to make sure we . . . Anybody know where I can find that bottle of water Mark Rubio left lying around?

I guess these guys didn't get the memo about how the GOP needs Latino voters

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I keep seeing reports that the GOP has learned its lesson from the 2012 election, and that it is now prepared to abandon its nativist/racist anti-immigrant bashing ways to appeal to the growing Latino electorate for future elections, or face extinction as a viable political party.

I guess these guys didn't get the memo. Willard "Mittens" Romney aka "Mr. Self-Deport," the GOP nominee for president in 2012, has not changed his position. Mitt Romney: No path to citizenship for illegal immigrants:

Mitt Romney, who blamed much of his loss in the 2012 presidential campaign on his and his party’s failure to connect with Latino voters, said Sunday that he remains opposed to providing a path to citizenship or even permanent residency to illegal immigrants.

“People who have come here illegally should not be given a special pathway to permanent residency or citizenship in this country merely because they’ve come here illegally,” Romney said in an interview with “Fox News Sunday” in his first public comments since the 2012 election.