Lincoln, Obama, Land of Immigrants and Equality for All!

My husband and I saw the film “Lincoln” this week. It was a story I thought I knew from History class. Lincoln freed the slaves. He was assassinated by John Wilkes Boothe. We had a civil war. The North won. The slaves were freed.

We’ve read countless books and seen countless movies about Lincoln and the Civil War. My husband has seen and loved most of them. He loved Gettysburg and I loved Gone With the Wind. We walked into “Lincoln” expecting the same. We were wrong.

We were stunned and amazed by the film. While the acting was brilliant, this film also told a new story. “Lincoln” focused on the politics of the time which is very similar to the politics of today. Do you remember the saying “The more things change, the more they stay the same?” This movie epitomizes this. While party names have changed, the politics have not.

In Lincoln’s time, politicians in the southern states advocated inequality. The rich and the powerful southerners (Big Business) advocated the use of Slaves to work the land and expand their businesses. The Northern Liberal/Humanitarians opposed Slavery and instead advocated Equality for ALL and a fair wage for workers. The Northern Liberal/Humanitarians voted President Lincoln into office.

The heart of the film is Lincoln’s fight to find the votes to pass the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery. In 1864, Lincoln realizes that as the South was tiring of war and the war was about to come to an end, it was urgent that the 13th amendment be passed before the war ended. His point was cleverly illustrated when he asked citizens who supported passing the 13th amendment why they supported it. They responded “to end the war.” He asked them if they would support passing the bill if the war ended. They said no. He asked them why. They said, “Well, you know. Ni—ers.” Their answer convinced his Secretary of State, William Seward, that Lincoln was right. They needed to move forward with passing the bill immediately.

Lincoln also discussed with Seward his belief in States’ rights, however sometimes, States were wrong and there were times when Federal law must rule. Abolishing Slavery – or any time State Laws promoted Inequality – were times when Federal Law must step in.

While Lincoln was a great orator, prolific in fact, it wasn’t his words that passed the 13th Amendment. It was his negotiation skills and behind the scenes tactics that passed the bill. While I’ve heard of these tactics, I didn’t know they were used to pass this bill. Lincoln used some shady characters to coerce and in some cases buy votes. This was nasty business, but this bill was important and no tactics were too low.

The opposition continually challenged Lincoln, using unscrupulous tactics, often misrepresenting his words and his actions. They insisted that states had the right to rule as they wanted. Lincoln’s Mission was to support the message of our Founding Fathers that All Men, including Blacks/Minorities, are Created Equal and no State Law could deny them that right. President Lincoln often quoted the words of Thomas Jefferson.

While the Slavery argument had been going on for decades, the Southern States seceded from the Union just weeks after Lincoln was elected – before he was actually sworn in on March 4, 1861. A month later, April 12, 1861, Civil War was declared.

On January 31, 1865, the 13th Amendment was passed by the House. General Lee surrendered at Appomattox on April 9, 1865. On April 15, 1865, President Lincoln was assassinated – a direct result of the passage of the 13th amendment. On May 9, 1865, the Civil War ended.

The President was killed because the Southern states were angry and remain angry – to this day --- that the 13th amendment was passed, slavery ended and President Lincoln ensured that Blacks and ALL Minorities are EQUAL under the Laws of our Land.

After watching this film, I thought of Lincoln and other Presidents like him. Roosevelt, Kennedy, Carter, Clinton and Obama have faced EXTREME adversity by the SAME groups that advocated against Lincoln for the SAME reasons --- All Men Are Created Equal! .They claim it is about States’ rights. The reality is, they do not accept the argument that ALL PEOPLE are created equal.
We are a Land of Immigrants, Yearning to Breathe Free. ALL PEOPLE -- ALL OF US are EQUAL and have the right to seek to achieve the American Dream.

As we move forward in our society, and as our President Barack Obama moves forward to pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform and the Dream Act, it is imperative to understand, we are STILL fighting the same fight and we MUST support OUR PRESIDENT as he struggles to pass these very difficult laws into fruition.

The Cultural Divide: Election 2012 - Your Vote Will Determine Our Future

Thank You Mr. President for New Dream Policy! Meanwhile - Romney/Rubio are getting Nailed by their ANTI Latino Supporters!

First, Thank You Mr. President for standing strong against Republican zealots who oppose the Dream Act. We know that in 2010 you strongly supported and pushed forward "The Dream Act" and ALL Republicans and 5 turncoat Dems voted it down.
Now, you used your own powers to bring forward this Dream Policy. Thank you! The Policy, as detailed on the Homeland Security website, allows young Dreamers to gain legal status. While this policy is not the Dream Act, it will afford us time to continue to petition Congress to pass the Dream Act. It will also provide us time if the Republican Supreme Court allows the racial profiling provisions of sb1070 to be enacted. All American Latinos in Arizona should be very afraid if the Republican Supreme Court allows these provisions to be enacted. As a popular Republican radio pundit has been saying "It's not racial profiling if you fit the profile." We all know what that means in Arizona as Arpaio and his masked volunteer goons so clearly demonstrated in quiet Latino towns. Let us all be vigilant in these very trying times. Let's stand strong and respond with our votes.

I've also been reading many hate filled comments on various news sites that are discussing President Obama's policy change. It is clear that all those that hate our President are particularly up in arms right now. This policy is making them more angry at our President and it is also getting them angry at Romney and Rubio for not shouting down our President. We all know that Romney and Rubio are attempting to pander to the Latino Vote. Even though Romney said during the Republican debates that he would Veto the Dream Act if it were enacted under Obama. He and Rubio have changed their tune lately and have said they "may" propose a watered down version of the President's Dream policy. Of course we all know their fake dream act would never have come to fruition because their hate-filled backers would never allow it. Now we see proof positive in the many news articles on-line about this story. I've also been reading the website of the Hate Site Alipac. They are extremely angry at both Romney and Rubio for not attacking the President and Latinos right now.
I hate reading these websites or the comments sections because that is where these zealots pour out their true feelings. They call us "cockroaches" and they claim we are from "3rd world countries."
That reporter from Europe was rude to our President during his news conference. He must have been a White Nationalist, rudely interrupting our President during his news conference. If that biased reporter does not like our President or our policies, he should move back to Europe where he came from.
We are a free society in America. We are the Land of the Free, Home of the Brave where each of us, of any color, of any ethnicity, are able to achieve the American Dream. I say "THANK YOU Mr. President for again standing strong in the face of adversity."

While Repubs Argue About Economy, Statistics PROVE Obama has ADDED Jobs and Improved Stock Market

Just look at the Jobs Report. Bush LOST jobs and Obama has remarkably improved jobs since the Republicand Devastation!

Just look at the Stock Market! It goes up under Democrats and drastically DOWN under Republicans! No one can deny the FACTS!

What are the Flaws of the Secure Communities Program? Who Is Deporting Who and Why?

As initially proposed, the Secure Communities Program should have worked. During these times of War, our Law Enforcement groups within Federal, State and Local communities should work together and they should search out and find dangerous and felonious criminals. They should utilize technology to help them to this end. The program should have been implemented flawlessly, with a focus on targeting felonious criminals. It was not. It was developed and introduced during the Bush Administration, broad-brush, with the focus of using technology for Deportation.

I’m a bit curious about the intent of the developers of the program. Were they taking into consideration the political agendas of the many local law enforcement agencies with “right wing” perspectives? Did they consider the potential for racial profiling? Did they consider the cost of the mandatory 48 hour holds and who would pay for these costs? Did they take into consideration the inaccuracies of IAFIS and the impact of misidentifying innocent (primarily Latino) citizens of wrong doing resulting in wrongful incarcerations? Did they plan for the expansion of costly private prisons?

It appears they did not effectively prioritize the program to focus on Felonious Criminals. Instead, the program has resulted in a very costly program with the end objective of Mass Deportation of all Undocumented Immigrants while Racially Profiling a high rate of innocent Latino Citizens.

In the summer of 2011, the President attempted to make corrections. He attempted to reprioritize the program to focus on Felonious Criminals. His efforts are facing extreme resistance by the Republican Party. The Republican base, particularly the Tea Party advocates, are pushing for Mass (voluntary) Deportation of the 11M here and they are using “Secure Communities” as their method of accomplishing their goals, all under the cover of protecting our country from terrorists. Their colleagues in various Hate Groups are demanding “Attrition through Enforcement.” Kris Kobach from the hate group FAIR and author of sb1070 is a surrogate for Mitt Romney. He has been a key spokesperson for stronger deportation measures. He is the author of many of the Anti Immigration Reform bills currently being advanced at the State level, in Republican governor states.

The problems with the “Secure Communities” program are primarily the fault of Republicans. Although some of the blame falls on the Obama Administration. They were too trustful in believing they could correct the abuses of the program with a statement, letter or ruling. They have been too slow in stopping the most abusive, corrupt sheriff in the History of America. Arpaio's racial profiling has continued. Congress has not moved forward in pushing Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

I am a strong supporter of our President and I do believe there are solutions to these problems. My recommendations to our President and his Administration in his 2nd term are as follows:

1. Indict Joe Arpaio. You have the evidence. Do it now, not only because he should be held responsible for all of his abuses, but his indictment will serve as a symbol to all abusers of power who blatantly racially profile. They too will be held accountable for their crimes.

2. Strengthen and Fine Tune/Streamline “Secure Communities” and change the name to “Secure America.” We all want the program to identify and deport dangerous felonious criminals. Work with local law enforcement to focus on Felonious Criminals (L1s) only. You will save Billions by streamlining the program plus you will speed up the process of deporting the Felonious criminals. Get a top 100 list – 2 decks of cards. Find them. Deport them. You would do more to protect America by chasing after the criminals and NOT the workers or the students. All of these saving will allow you to foot the bill for the holding of these felonious criminals.

3. Include America in on the conversation. Talk about Arpaio, the racial profiling, the Felonious Criminals, the costs – with no one willing to pay. You will get an argument from Republicans, but it is time to talk about it. We will help you. We will also ask the same questions to Republicans, to Romney. We will ask him “Do you support Racial Profiling?” “Do you support Arpaio’s abuses?” “Do you support Mass Deportation?”

Mr. President, we Latino Americans can help you in metamorphasizing this program to improve Security across America, significantly reduce costs and put an end to Racial Profiling. In your second term, we will not only support you but we expect you will pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform and hold racial profilers accountable for their actions.

Re-Elect President Obama in 2012 - Register to Vote!

President Obama FINALLY supporting measures to ONLY target Felonious Criminals! Will Stop Deporting DREAM Students and Workers!

At Last! As I've long suggested to our President: STOP Targetting DREAM Students and workers for Deportation. Focus the Deportations ONLY on the Felonious Criminals! IF this policy is successful, then we will Finally see an Accomplishment towards POSITIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM! We at ITWAMA will keep you posted on the Progress!
CNN Reports: Administration says it will conduct case-by-case review on deportation
Washington (CNN) -- In a move that could shake up the U.S. immigration system, the Department of Homeland Security is going to begin reviewing all 300,000 pending deportation cases in federal immigration courts to determine which individuals meet specific criteria for removal and to focus on "our highest priorities." DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said the review will enhance public safety. "Immigration judges will be able to more swiftly adjudicate high priority cases, such as those involving convicted felons," Napolitano wrote Thursday in a letter to assistant majority leader Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, and 21 other senators including Indiana Republican Richard Lugar.

In April, Durbin and Lugar sent a letter to Napolitano asking her to stop deportations of immigrant students who could earn legal status under the the DREAM Act -- legislation that would give children of illegal immigrants a path to citizenship through military service or college education. Napolitano said the Obama administration has frequently pointed out "it makes no sense to expend our enforcement resources on low-priority cases, such as individuals... who were brought into this country as young children and know no other home."

Officials say immigration court dockets are clogged, putting public safety in jeopardy, costing money, resources and time. They want to see DHS enforcement resources diverted from illegal immigrants who don't have criminal records to individuals who pose a threat to public safety and national security. A senior administration official, who requested anonymity because details of the policy change had not yet been announced, told reporters 79% of deportations involve people without a criminal record -- people who have just entered the country illegally or had been previously deported and re-entered.

Napolitano said the new policy change would not negate reforming immigration laws and "will not alleviate the need for passage of the DREAM Act," which would give legal status to illegal immigrant students who attend college or join the military. She added, "President Obama has called the DREAM Act the right thing to do for the young people it would affect, and the right thing to do for the country."

But the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) (the group the ADL says is RACIST!), which advocates changing policies to decrease the number of immigrants coming to the United States (aka MASS Deportation), said in a statement on its website that the action by the Obama administration "amounts to an administrative amnesty and a sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration policy without approval by Congress."

FAIR President Dan Stein said in the statement, "In essence, the administration has declared that U.S. immigration is now virtually unlimited to anyone willing to try to enter and only those who commit violent felonies after arrival are subject to enforcement." Under the new process, a DHS and the Department of Justice working group will develop specific criteria to identify low-priority removal cases that should be considered for prosecutorial discretion, including cases with minors, the elderly, pregnant and nursing women, victims of serious crimes, veterans and members of the armed services and individuals with serious disabilities or health problems.

Durbin expressed support for the Obama administration announcement, saying in a written statement that it was "the right decision" specifically as it relates to students. "These students are the future doctors, lawyers, teachers and maybe, senators, who will make America stronger," Durbin stated. "We need to be doing all we can to keep these talented, dedicated, American students here, not wasting increasingly precious resources sending them away to countries they barely remember." Durbin's statement added that when reviews of individual cases result in cases being closed, those individuals "will be able to apply for certain immigration benefits, including work authorization." Durbin's statement did not elaborate on that aspect of the policy change, beyond saying such applications for benefits would be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

The National Day Laborer Organizing Network, an organization advocating improved rights for day laborers, praised the move. "The administration had earned the President the title of 'Deporter-in-Chief.' We hope the statement today announcing review of the current caseload of victims of indiscriminate enforcement is carried forth," the group said in a news release.

Debt Ceiling Raised, but at What Cost? Our President & Dems Bent Over and took the Satan Sandwich! Mr. President Stand Strong or Step Aside!

The Debt Ceiling has been raised. Congress has passed the bill, rife with homage to the insane Tea Party Republicans. Our President has bowed down to their demands. He lost command of the dialogue. He AGAIN has conceded to the "right of Center."
In this bill:
. Tax Cuts for the Rich are continued!
. We will see massive Reductions for the Poor and Middle Class.
. No extensions for the Unemployed.
. Possible impact to Medicare and Unemployment

The idiotic Tea Party is still upset. Those white haired, medicare recipients are STILL insisting on Voting NO to the Bill. These zealots advocate even more Reductions in Medicare and Social Security. These zealots who are ON SS and Medicare DO NOT HAVE A CLUE of what they are asking for.. instead they are being led blindly by their Tea Party Leaders, the Koch Brothers, who wrote their agenda:
1. Continued Tax Cuts for the Rich
2. Continued Outsourcing Overseas
3. the END to Regulations
4. the END to the Minimum Wage
and to FUND their demands, put the cost on the Lower & Middle Americans by:
1. End Medicare and Social Security
2. End Education as we know it today
3. Continue Guest Workers while Mass Deporting those 12M here!

If we let the TeaParty/Republican extremists win, we are DOOMED to having only two classes of Americans, the very Rich, and the very Poor. We will be like apartheid South Africa.
The Tea Party extremists are too ignorant to know what they are asking for!

I am worried that our President is too weak to FIGHT the extremist Right Wing! He keeps giving in to their demands. What are WE Loyal Americans of ALL ethnicities to do??
I believe we need to send a message to our President.
Ask him to stand STRONG to OUR CAUSE! Otherwise, if he insists on Staying Weak and bending over to the Extremist Right Wing, he must step down. Step down and support someone who can take up the reigns of WE THE PEOPLE!

Mr. President! Stand Strong! Stand Firm!
or
Step Down!
Allow Hillary Clinton to take the reigns for WE THE PEOPLE!
For now, Mr. President, WE THE PEOPLE are Behind you.
However, IF YOU ARE NOT UP TO THE CHALLENGE, STEP DOWN and ALLOW HILLARY TO STEP IN!

President Obama Meeting with Key Senators to strategize Immigration Reform

President Obama to meet with key senators on immigration next week!
AP Reports:
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama plans to focus attention on immigration next week by meeting at the White House with two senators crafting a bill on the issue. White House spokesman Nicholas Shapiro said Obama will meet with Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina on Monday. The president is "looking forward to hearing more about their efforts toward producing a bipartisan bill," Shapiro said Friday. The meeting will be the first Obama has had with Schumer and Graham on the proposal they are developing since they began focusing on it last year.

Immigration has taken a back seat to the economy and health care on Obama's agenda since he took office just over a year ago. Immigrants and their advocates — promised by then-candidate Obama that he would tackle the issue in his first year as president — have been growing frustrated by the inaction. Several community groups planned to vent some of that frustration in a news conference Monday in Washington. The groups also are trying to organize tens of thousands of people from around the country for a March 21 demonstration in Washington.

"The president's commitment to fixing our broken immigration system remains unwavering," Shapiro said.

Racist Teabaggers Fundraising eMail Shows President Obama as a Pimp!

The extremists in the Conservative/Republican Teabagger Movement are at it again! This time they have sent out a fundraising email showing our President Obama as a Pimp! Despicable!

TPM Reports:

A Tea Party group whose founder already has been in hot water for holding a sign that referred to taxpayers as "niggars" has doubled down on racist appeals.

TeaParty.org, a Houston-based group founded by Dale Robertson, yesterday sent an email fund-raising solicitation, obtained by TPMmuckraker, headlined "Obama Pimping Obama-Care, One Last Time!" This photograph -- showing the president as a stereotypical African-American pimp, sporting a pencil-thin mustache and a zebra-striped, fur-brimmed fedora, complete with a feather -- illustrated the theme.

It asks readers to send faxes to Congress, and to donate to TeaParty.org. And it contains an exhortatory quote from Robertson, identified as the group's "President/Founder": "I am greatly encouraged with the progress of the Tea Party, but our work has just begun!"

The Obama's Celebrate "Fiesta Latina" at the White House

The White House hosted “Fiesta Latina” last night, and were joined by Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Gloria Estefan, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Eva Longoria Parker, George Lopez, and Jimmy Smits, among many others. As part of their ongoing series of parties and events at the White House, the Obamas hosted a Latin music celebration (or, "Fiesta Latina") on Tuesday night. The performers included Gloria Estefan, Marc Anthony, Jose Feliciano, Los Lobos, the New York bachata band Aventura, the Mexican singer Thalia, among others.

Obama said a few words to the audience, then proceeded to bring the whole family up for some impromptu salsa.

ACORN Video Racist O'Keefe in Black Neighborhoods Ridiculing Minorities in "Bailout Prize Patrol!" Then to Planned Parenthood Targetting Black Babies!

O'Keefe, of ACORN Video fame, has a LONG HISTORY of "gotcha" videos (selectively editted) targetting and ridiculing blacks/minorities. In this video, he targets Black Neighborhoods for his Video Ridicule. You can SEE O'Keefe saying to himself "Stupid nxxxxx!" Look at him!

In this next STING, he targets Planned Parenthood centers and Offers to give a donation if there are "less Black Kids out there."

These videos go to show you what a RACIST, DESPICABLE, SPOILED BRAT THIS O'KEEFE IS!! Additionally, you can see how heavily this video was editted. We never heard the caller call himself by name, yet we hear footage of the receiver calling him David. My question, "What was editted out??" These are RACIST, RACIST videos and it is very clear, O'Keefe only shows what he wants us to hear!

Orly Taitz and Birthers Losing It, Going Coo-Coo In Court!

Orly Taitz made a fool of herself in court this week. She is the nutty lawyer who keeps saying President Obama was born in Kenya, not Hawaii and all of these nutty teabagger birthers believe her.

In court this week, the Judge let her have it. Judge Land tossed the suit as frivolous, granted the defendants (the US Army) court costs and warned wacko birther attorney Orly Taitz that if she brought another such suit into his court she would face legal sanctions.

How did Taitz respond to the Judge's reprimand? Taitz told the folks at Talking Points Memo that Judge Land is “a typical puppet of the regime — just like in the Soviet Union” and that “somebody should consider trying [Land] for treason and aiding and abetting this massive fraud known as Barack Hussein Obama.” This wacko will never learn!

Reverse Border Security: Napolitano Does It Right!

Janet Napolitano, President Obama's head of Homeland Security, has made a shift in Immigration policy. While Border Patrol Agents are still assigned to stopping drugs and illegal immigrants from entering the United States, hundreds of additional agents are being redeployed to stop the weapons and cash that flow into Mexico.

In a speech before the newest agents arriving in Laredo, TX, Napolitano said, “You know, early this week I met with President Obama, and this morning I met with President Calderón of Mexico, and you guys are at the cutting edge of something new we’re trying to do to make the border safer.”

Ms. Napolitano’s initiative to send an additional 360 agents to the 2,000-mile border with Mexico, announced two weeks ago, is intended not only to respond to growing concerns about national security, she said, but also to change the way Americans view the threat.
“We understand that this port needs to move, that time is money, especially when it comes to trade,” said Ms. Napolitano, standing in the shadow of a line of tractor-trailers that extended as far as the eye could see. “But from now on, when trucks come into this port, they are going to see something they haven’t seen before, and that’s southbound inspections.”

Ms. Napolitano rarely uses the word terrorism, and she has said she does not intend to practice the “politics of fear.” She has said her agency will devote as much attention to preparing for natural disasters as for “man-caused disasters,” her euphemistic term for terrorism. She made public her disapproval of an immigration raid of a mechanics shop in Washington State, freed the immigrants who had been detained, and gave them work permits. Her actions sent a signal that future enforcement would focus on employers who rely on illegal immigrants, rather than on the workers.
While on the border, Ms. Napolitano has essentially turned previous policies upside-down, warning Americans that what leaves the country is as much a risk to their security as what comes in.
Ms. Napolitano has begun making changes at Homeland Security and revealed how some of her own views have shifted since she took her new job. Ms. Napolitano was once a leading opponent of the Bush administration’s decision to build some 600 miles of fencing along the border. In an interview, she said she had come to see that the fence has “helped us get operational control of some areas.” As governor, she was among the first to call for the deployment of the National Guard to help stop smuggling. Now, she said, “minds were open” to a request for troops from Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, a Republican. But she said she wanted Mr. Perry to explain how the troops would be used.

During her visit in Laredo, Ms. Napolitano learned that the heightened border security southbound into Mexico might already be yielding results. A few hours before her arrival, the authorities conducting southbound inspections stopped an American couple and a 5-year-old child in a car carrying 10 grenades, nearly $122,000 in cash, a barrel for a sniper rifle and a cache of high-caliber ammunition, officials said.
The man told the authorities that he was a former Marine and that he had obtained the weapons from a military friend linked to drug smugglers in Michigan, officials said. Climbing aboard her airplane to return to Washington, Ms. Napolitano boasted, “We said we were going to do this, and we’re doing it.”
References:
A Shift to Make the Border Safe, From the Inside Out

Open Letter to Janet Napolitano from American Latina: Stop Drug Cartels, Leave Innocent Workers Alone!!

An Open Letter to Janet Napolitano,

I am an American Latina.

We know and understand the history of Immigration into our country over the last 100 years.

I strongly support you protecting our border. However, please target your resources. Please utilize them to:

. stop the drug cartels from bringing drugs into our country

. stop the drug cartel violence in all Border Towns.

. stop allowing 2000 weapons from flowing back into Mexico each day

We are not worried about AgWorkers or grandmothers on sewing machines, so please stop wasting your resources by racial profiling all Latinos as is often done during the ICE Raids in workplaces or by the 287(g) raids by people like Sheriff Arpaio.

Stop wasting money imprisoning children and families in heinous Detention Centers.

In short, please target the felonious criminals and stop chasing the workers.

We also advocate that you clear the current Immigration backlog which has resulted in increasing the rate of illegal immigrants, particularly those in pending status.

Sincerely,

Dee Perez Scott

A Concerned Citizen

Napolitano Says Fixing Immigration System a Priority
By Jeff Bliss and Nadine Elsibai
Janet Napolitano, President-elect Barack Obama’s choice for homeland security secretary, told a congressional panel this morning that fixing the “broken” U.S. immigration system would be a priority. As governor of Arizona, a border state, Napolitano called for the National Guard to help secure the Mexican border and she billed the federal government for state services used by illegal immigrants.
“I have walked, flown over, and ridden horseback along our southwest border,” Napolitano told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s hearing on her nomination. “I appreciate its vastness, as well as the grave consequences of our broken system,” she said. Napolitano, 51, would be integral in pushing legislation Obama supports to boost enforcement as well as opportunities for foreign workers.

Henry Kissinger Lusts for a New World Order!

Henry Kissinger has been an integral figure in U.S. foreign policy for decades. He is a German-born American. He served as Secretary of State in the Nixon administration and maintained powerful positions under the Ford and Reagan Administrations. He has also served as an unofficial political advisor for both Presidents Bush (H and W).

In 1994 Kissinger was quoted as saying: "The New World Order cannot happen without U.S. participation, as we are the most significant single component. Yes, there will be a New World Order, and it will force the United States to change its perceptions." (1994 World Affairs Council Press Conference)

Kissinger, a globalist, said last year in an interview with Charlie Rose (PBS), "There is a need for a New World Order. I think that at the end of this administration, with all its turmoil, and at the beginning of the next, we might actually witness the creation of a new order – because people looking in the abyss, even in the Islamic world, have to conclude that at some point, ordered expectations must return under a different system." So it was not a surprise when last week, Kissinger said during an interview on CNBC, "The president-elect (Obama) is coming into office at a moment when there is upheaval in many parts of the world simultaneously. You have India, Pakistan; you have the jihadist movement. So he can't really say there is one problem, that it's the most important one. But he can give new impetus to American foreign policy partly because the reception of him is so extraordinary around the world. His task will be to develop an overall strategy for America in this period when, really, a new world order can be created. It's a great opportunity, it isn't just a crisis."

In this last statement and in the youtube video, you can almost see Kissinger salivating at the thought! Especially when he says, "This is a great opportunity!"

Yesterday (1/13/09), Kissinger wrote this article to detail the premise he is clearly and adamantly advocating: The New World Order.

The Chance for a New World Order By Henry Kissinger (summary)

As the new U.S. administration prepares to take office amid grave financial and international crises, it may seem counterintuitive to argue that the very unsettled nature of the international system generates a unique opportunity for creative diplomacy... An international order will emerge if a system of compatible priorities comes into being. It will fragment disastrously if the various priorities cannot be reconciled. The nadir of the existing international financial system coincides with simultaneous political crises around the globe. Never have so many transformations occurred at the same time in so many different parts of the world and been made globally accessible via instantaneous communication. The alternative to a new international order is chaos.
The financial and political crises are, in fact, closely related partly because, during the period of economic exuberance, a gap had opened up between the economic and the political organization of the world.
The economic world has been globalized. Its institutions have a global reach and have operated by maxims that assumed a self-regulating global market. The financial collapse exposed the mirage. It made evident the absence of global institutions to cushion the shock and to reverse the trend. Inevitably, when the affected publics turned to their national political institutions, these were driven principally by domestic politics, not considerations of world order...International order will not come about either in the political or economic field until there emerge general rules toward which countries can orient themselves.
In the end, the political and economic systems can be harmonized in only one of two ways: by creating an international political regulatory system with the same reach as that of the economic world; or by shrinking the economic units to a size manageable by existing political structures, which is likely to lead to a new mercantilism, perhaps of regional units. A new Bretton Woods-kind of global agreement is by far the preferable outcome. America's role in this enterprise will be decisive. ..Not since the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy half a century ago has a new administration come into office with such a reservoir of expectations. It is unprecedented that all the principal actors on the world stage are avowing their desire to undertake the transformations imposed on them by the world crisis in collaboration with the United States. The extraordinary impact of the president-elect on the imagination of humanity is an important element in shaping a new world order. But it defines an opportunity, not a policy. The ultimate challenge is to shape the common concern of most countries and all major ones regarding the economic crisis, together with a common fear of jihadist terrorism, into a common strategy reinforced by the realization that the new issues like proliferation, energy and climate change permit no national or regional solution...This generation of leaders has the opportunity to shape trans-Pacific relations into a design for a common destiny, much as was done with trans-Atlantic relations in the immediate postwar period - except that the challenges now are more political and economic than military...The complexity of the emerging world requires from America a more historical approach than the insistence that every problem has a final solution expressible in programs with specific time limits not infrequently geared to our political process... An international order can be permanent only if its participants have a share not only in building but also in securing it. In this manner, America and its potential partners have a unique opportunity to transform a moment of crisis into a vision of Hope.

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The phrase 'New World Order' was used by previous Presidents including Woodrow Wilson when he established the League of Nations concept and by the first President Bush in a speech about Global Prosperity. The term became famous when H.G. Wells authored a book with this title. The book was about a socialist, unified, one-world government.

In 1975, Richard Falk (famed American Professor of Int'l law) said: "The existing (world) order is breaking down at a very rapid rate, and the main uncertainty is whether mankind can exert a positive role in shaping a new world order or is doomed to await collapse in a passive posture. We believe a new order will be born no later than early in the next century and that the death throes of the old and the birth pangs of the new will be a testing time for the human species."

Some extremists are nervous of the term, "New World Order." The blogosphere is loaded with conspiracy theories (e.g. Alex Jones) about one world government and the end of days prophesies. Some extremists interpret biblical prophecy to foretell the establishment of a one-world government as key to the rise of the Antichrist.

The Far Right Wing nuts are already using the NWO Conspiracy line of attack against Obama. This includes: Rush Limbaugh, Ron Paul, Hannity and others.

As our New Administration is about to embark on a new age of Diplomacy to resolve our Economic, Global and Domestic issues, it is clear there are many that will provide advice and provide criticism. Obama and his Administration have quite a job ahead of them!

President Obama's Official Presidential Portrait

Barack Obama's office has released the new official presidential portrait. The photograph was taken by new official White House photographer Pete Souza, and marks the first time a presidential portrait was taken with a digital camera. Conservatives, please take note. He is wearing a Flag pin.

Obama Pledges Long and Lasting Friendship with Mexico!

President Obama & President Calderon met yesterday. Obama said, “The friendship between the U.S. and Mexico has been strong. I believe it can be even stronger.”
After the meeting, an Obama spokesman said Obama pledged to find ways to work with Mexico to:
. Reduce drug-related violence
. Stop the flow of arms from the U.S. to Mexico
. Improve Immigration Issues
. Improve NAFTA
. Support stronger labor and environmental concerns.

Obama is making plans for a second visit with Calderon later this month to continue these conversations.

Conservative Pundit Kondracke Predicts Comprehensive Immigration Reform May Pass in 2009!

Conservative Pundit Mort Kondracke (Fox News-Beltway Boys) says there is a strong possibility Comprehensive Immigration Reform may pass in 2009. The PRO Immigration Reformers have found their Sea Legs with their strong Latino Democratic showing in this year's election and are pushing their agenda with President Obama. Meanwhile, President Bush said one of his biggest failures was not pushing CIR strongly enough and he pandered to the Republican base with his workplace raids, mass deportation efforts and rigorous employment verification.
Kondracke said the ANTI Immigration Reformers will continue to push their so called "ANTI Amnesty" (Mass Deportation) platform, but to no avail. He believes if CIR is not passed this year, at least key Immigration issues, including Ag-Jobs plus, Reduction of the Immigration Backlog and passage of the Dream Act, may be passed in 2009. I agree with this list. In addition, I would add: an end to the 287(g) programs (e.g. Arpaio racial profiling) and the reduction of workplace raids/Detention Centers. For these two, there is no need for Federal legislation.
We will see if my predictions come true in 2009.
Reform Is Coming On Immigration, But Problems Remain
By Mort Kondracke
Given last year's election results, major immigration reform ought to pass in 2009 - but first, the incoming Obama administration has to decide what to do about some draconian policies put into place by the Bush administration. After failing to pass its own reform bill in 2007, Bush & Co. launched a policy of high-visibility workplace raids, mass deportation and rigorous employment verification designed to show that they were tough on illegal immigration. President-elect Barack Obama denounced the raids during the campaign, but canceling George W. Bush's policies could open the new administraton to charges that it's "soft" on enforcement - especially at a time of high unemployment among American workers...
The best solution - as even Bush officials acknowledge - is to pass comprehensive immigration reform that would control the U.S. borders; allow in a regular flow of immigrant workers, especially for agricultural jobs; and identify and legalize the status of otherwise law-abiding illegal residents and give them a chance to become citizens.
Bush acknowledged in an interview published Tuesday that, in retrospect, he erred in not pushing for immigration reform after his re-election and in trying for Social Security reform instead. His Social Security initiative failed and, by the time Congress got around to considering immigration reform, anti-immigrant groups and right-wing radio talk-show hosts had whipped the Republican base - and GOP Members of Congress - into a frenzy of opposition to "amnesty" and insecure borders, killing that initiative, too...
"But given that Congress has not passed it (Immigration Reform), the most important thing we can do is enforce the law the way it has been written, and therefore we've arrested record numbers of illegal aliens ... and we've deported almost 350,000 in the past year. That is a record." Chertoff also reported that he'd doubled the size of the Border Patrol, built nearly 500 miles of fencing along the Mexican border and increased "worksite enforcement actions" by 27 percent - all to reduce illegal immigration and restore lost credibility for the federal government.
Longtime immigration reform advocate Frank Sharry, now director of America's Voice, said that "Chertoff worked admirably" for reform, "but after it failed, what he did was disgraceful. He let the enforcement cowboys loose on residential neighborhoods, conducted those employment raids that mainly targeted helpless workers, not the employers, and terrorized the immigrant community," Sharry charged. He said, "the administration was heavily responsible" for the fact that Latino turnout jumped 40 percent in 2008 over 2004, and went from 56 percent Democratic to 66 percent. In 22 Congressional races where an "enforcement hawk" was running against an advocate of comprehensive reform, the reformer won in 20, according to America's Voice.
The election results have encouraged reform advocates to expect that Obama will push for comprehensive reform this fall. He's declared it a "top priority" of his administration and it was the focus of one of his transition task forces. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and various immigration groups are holding events this week to press the cause.
Precisely what a reform package should contain, however, is uncertain. Hispanic Members of Congress and most pro-immigration groups definitely want it to include a certain path to citizenship for illegal residents who have clean records and pay a fine. Others, like Rick Swartz, founder of the National Immigration Forum, thinks that - in spite of Democratic domination of the government and the party's promises - "amnesty" for up to 12 million illegal immigrants could still derail reform in Congress. He advocates an incremental policy of "Ag Jobs-Plus" - passage of a widely supported bill, sponsored by Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), to admit agricultural workers seasonally and let them earn green cards over a period of years, plus measures to reduce the years-long backlog of people waiting to join family members in the United States. Swartz's agenda also would include passing the DREAM Act, allowing 1 million students brought into the U.S. illegally as children to become citizens, and giving green cards to 600,000 or so holders of high-skill H-1B visas.
Because of massive job losses by American workers and opposition from the AFL-CIO, most reformers this year are willing to drop a provision in previous legislation allowing non-agricultural workers to enter the United States and eventually become legal residents.
The Obama transition team reportedly has recommended creation of a commission to recommend solutions to any issues not included in legislation the administration backs in the fall. Matters covered in legislation and left to the commission might depend on how strong 2010 election prospects are for Democrats from conservative states and districts.
Even though they were trounced in 2008, anti-immigration forces are still ready to agitate for expulsion (mass deportation) - not legalization - of illegal immigrants. And they have high U.S. unemployment operating in their favor. So, in spite of his promises and the vote in November, it will still take courage and political skill for Obama to figure out how to do the right thing, and do it.

Presidents Obama and Calderon to Discuss Border Drug Violence and Immigration Initiatives Tomorrow

As I previously reported, President Obama is meeting with Mexico President Felipe Calderon tomorrow, Jan. 12, 2009. Their lead topic of discussion: War on Drugs in Border Cities.

With violence spilling over the Mexican border into the U.S., President Calderon should have little trouble securing support for his battle against drugs when he meets with President Obama.

The U.S. leads the World in illegal drug use and gangs/cartels across the globe are fighting to be the primary drug provider. In fact, last month, the U.S. Justice Department called Mexican cartels the biggest organized crime threat to the United States, saying they are increasingly pairing up with the Italian Mafia and other gangs to control distribution in American cities.

Calderon, who has been praised by U.S. officials for deploying troops to fight cartels and capturing top drug kingpins, already won a multimillion-dollar anti-drug aid package from Washington last year. Obama supports that plan, known as the Merida Initiative, and promises to take up another cause that Calderon champions: stopping the smuggling of guns from the U.S. to Mexico, which the Washington-based Brookings Institute says has reached a volume of 2,000 weapons a day. Obama has said that "southbound" strategy will complement the "northbound" crackdown on drug trafficking.

Calderon is also expected to discuss making immigration reform a top priority. While it is doubtful the Obama administration will view Comprehensive Immigration Reform as a top priority this year due to Economic and War priorities, Calderon said he will press for better conditions for Mexicans in the United States, based on respect for their rights and may express concerns over stepped-up migrant raids. In other words, the end to Hate Crimes Against Latinos and the end of ICE Raid/Detention Center Abuses.

I will monitor the outcome of these meetings and report the results later this week.

Reference: Obama-Calderon talks to focus on Mexican drug war