ICE Has Changed Strategy Under the Obama Administration

With Comprehensive Immigration Reform next on the National Agenda, it is important to understand how ICE has changed its strategy under the Obama Administration:

1. Target Felonious Criminals instead of Workers

2. Rigorously target Exploitive Employers to stop them from establishing and maintaining exploitive worksites, thereby eliminating the need for inhumane workplace ICE Raids and costly, inhumane detention centers.

3. Reward Employers for using e-verify.

These changes have been effective in enforcement, reducing crime, increasing safety, while being humane. We can expect more of the same with any Immigration Reform legislation under the Obama administration.

1. Targeting Felonious Criminals:
SEATTLE — Deportations of illegal immigrants with criminal records from Alaska, Oregon, and Washington this past year spiked by nearly 40 percent, while overall removals dropped for the first time in five years, according to new data released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The data, from October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009, shows that 10,793 people were deported from the Pacific Northwest, a drop of 117 compared to the previous year.
That marks the first time in the last five years that deportations from the Northwest have dropped. Deportations had increased from more than 4,000 in 2005 to nearly 11,000 in 2008.
But removals of people with criminal records went from more than 3,100 to nearly 4,500 between 2008 and 2009 — a jump of 39.7 percent. Since 2005, criminal removals have more than doubled.The data "illustrates pretty vividly the priority we're placing on the removal of criminal aliens," ICE spokeswoman Lorie Dankers said. "We believe it's the best way to enhance public safety."

2. Targeting Exploitive Employers

WASHINGTON — Immigration enforcement officials said Thursday that they were expanding a program for auditing companies that hired and exploited illegal immigrants and had notified 1,000 companies this week that they would have to undergo such a review. John Morton, who heads Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, announced the new initiative, saying it was part of the administration’s plan to deal with companies that hire illegal workers. “ICE is focused on finding and penalizing employers who believe they can unfairly get ahead by cultivating illegal workplaces,” Mr. Morton said.

3. Reward Use of E-Verify

Janet Napolitano, the secretary of Homeland Security, urged American consumers to favor companies that make efforts to ensure that they do not hire illegal immigrants. To that end, Ms. Napolitano said that her department was permitting companies that use a new computerized system to check the legal status of employees to feature a special logo on their products and ads saying “I E-Verify.”The E-Verify campaign allows employers to match a prospective candidate’s name against a database that combines several government lists, including Social Security, passport and border information. The first audit conducted by ICE covered 654 companies and resulted in the filing of formal notices to seek a fine from 61. ICE officials said they were considering seeking fines from an additional 267 companies from that first audit. An audit consists of ICE officials checking each worker’s Employee Eligibility Verification Form, known as an I-9, to determine what steps were taken to confirm the person was eligible to be hired. If irregularities are found, the companies may then be fined for lax monitoring. The strategy is part of the Obama administration’s effort to reduce illegal immigration by forcing companies to fire unauthorized workers rather than by conducting raids at the workplace, actions that are often accompanied by great personal trauma, including deportation and the dividing of immigrant families.

DHS's Border Surveillance Program: Does it Work? Is it Big Brother? Or are we again allowing a Contractor to serve as Big Brother?

Recent news reports suggest the US Border Patrol has secured new technology that has the ability to "see" for up to 10 miles away and scan 180 degrees in about 10 seconds." The hype says "the system detected about 40,000 potential undocumented immigrants in the last three months of 2008." The key word here is "potential." In reality, the system has many bugs. Reports indicate it cannot tell the difference between a human vs a prairie dog. For $500,000 a tower, you would think the technology would better serve the Department of Homeland Security.

On the other hand, many on the ANTI side are opposing the new technology, especially the unmanned drones. They are saying this type of technology is one step away from "Big Brother." Who is to stop DHS from spying on good ole US neighborhoods they wonder.

I am a bit torn on the subject.

I agree that in this age of potential terroristic threats, we do need security on all borders, ports and terminals. I say ALL because we should not focus on just the southern border, but all borders, ports and terminals!

I also agree that we should use technology vs a 2000 mile border fence. I don't believe we should give our civil liberties away, however. So, who is to say what is the right answer?

The other down side of the story is that we are allowing one vendor, Boeing - as SBInet, to manage the project. This raises the question, are we contracting away our nation's security to the highest bidding contractor? Remember the bad experiences we've had with Blackwater and Halliburton.

My only hope is the new DHS, under Janet Napolitano, will be open enough to let us every day Americans know what is going on and have the ability to provide our input on whether policies are working or not working. Additionally, she should prevent this program from turning into "Big Brother."

Since it appears this program is well underway, all we can do at this point is wait and see.

References:

40,000 Undocumented Immigrants Detected By New Border System (hype)

Proposed SBInet Texas Mobile Project

Why “Open-Borders” makes for bad neighbors

SBInet , Boeing wikipedia

McCain, President of Schooner Tuna, Politicizes the Bailout Problem! Cutting and Running from Debate on Friday!

John McCain came out today and said he is stopping his presidential campaign. I think we should honor his decision and allow him to cut and run from running for President.

McCain certainly is an odd duck. This morning, Obama called him and asked him to join him to issue a joint statement, knowing they agree in principle in how they wish to support the Bailout crisis. In short, the two agree on:

1. Setting up an independent, bi partisan board to provide oversight for the 17B.

2. American Taxpayers treated like investors (like Buffet). The $$ will be paid back.
3. Help people stay in their homes
4. Not one dime to CEOs who got us in this Mess. (No welfare for Wall St execs)

McCain returned Obama´s call this afternoon and was in agreement. He mentioned the thought of stopping the campaign. Obama thought the American Public deserves to be informed with the election so close. They deserve the debates. No decison was made on this, however, they still agreed to a joint statement.

McCain Cut & Run for the media, backing out of the bi partisan statement for the Good of the Country and instead chose to make a "Hail Mary" pass to try to save his deteriorating numbers in the polls. What a Disgrace! When McCain made his announcement, he reminded me of the guy who played the President of Schooner Tuna in the movie "Mr. Mom" Remember the commercial gimmick they used to convince people to buy more tuna? Mrs. Mom (Terri Garr) convinced Schooner he could sell more tuna by showing people “we care." In the commercial Schooner read the prepared statement in front of an American flag with “Glory, Glory Hallelujah” echoing in the background. Schooner said, “during this period of economic crisis, Schooner will drop the price of each can of tuna 50 cents. When these difficult times are over we will return to our regular pricing, but until that, remember, we’re in this together.” As Mrs. Mom puts it, this marketing campaign was a return to Americanism when Americans need it most and you will sell more tuna! While the ad company was initially skeptical by her recommendation, they quickly changed their minds when Schooner said, "I love this Shxx!" That´s McCain! The schmoozer! He is using this crisis to SELL More Tuna! To Sell Himself!! All on the backs of the American People! Shame on Him!!

As Dave Letterman says, "I think someone's putting something in his metamucil."

McCain´s Policy "CHANGE.....The Subject!"

Is the REAL REASON to delay the VP debates next week with Palin? We know she won´t talk to the press. Now she has an excuse NOT to Debate!! Ahhh! Now we see the Root Cause!!

The Bailout, the Economy and Immigration! Why the Republicans are Primarily Responsible!

As I have written in previous blogs, Immigration is not the root cause of the economic disasters our country faces today. The Primary Issue is the Global Economy. Lupita, an old friend of many of the members of this blog said about the US economy, "Our economy is just an illusion of economic growth. Big business has partnered with the Administrations from Reagan forward to develop a method to expand our labor force, push wages down and increase corporate profits." She often predicted we would face economic disasters due to our greed. Lupita´s words came back to haunt me this week as I saw news of the bailouts.

Here are the recent headlines of this crisis:

U.S. Drafts Sweeping Plan to Fight Crisis

Treasury Announces Plan To Buy Troubled Mortgage Assets

"WASHINGTON -- The federal government is working on a sweeping series of programs that would represent perhaps the biggest intervention in financial markets since the 1930s, embracing the need for a comprehensive approach to the financial crisis after a series of ad hoc rescues. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson announced plans Friday to quickly set up a "bold" government program to take over troubled mortgage assets from financial institutions, along with other efforts to step up the purchase of mortgage-backed securities. "The federal government must implement a program to remove these illiquid assets that are weighing down our financial institutions and threatening our economy," Mr. Paulson said in prepared remarks for a press conference."

I tend to agree with Lupita. The blame for this economic downfall is Greed, good old fashioned American Greed! Here is my view of why we are in the mess we are in. From 2002 to 2007, countless mortgage companies, many of them "no-name", mailed me and everyone else I know mortgage offers. "Refinance Now!" read the headlines. TV and Radio ads heralded the same "Refinance Now!" Remember the annoying Ditech commercials? Everyone was pushing these loans. I remember my daughter in law speaking of a friend of a friend who was in the mortgage game and selling mortgages from her house. She said anyone could afford a house now and if we were ever in the market for a new mortgage or refinance, they would get us a good "deal." (Everybody and their brother had a friend of a friend like this pushing and pushing these predatory loans).

I also remember a peer from work who lived in a pricey California neighborhood. She and her new husband decided to purchase one of those "interest only" loans for her very pricey $400K, 2B condo. I asked how she could do that. Why didn´t she try to move to a more affordable location. She said her mortgage person persuaded her it was affordable and with property being so valuable in that area, reselling would be easy. I told her I was nervous for her and I would never buy a home without a conventional mortgage. She called me a worry wart. Now I think about her and that balloon mortgage. How many others are foreclosing now because now they can´t refinance their ballooned mortgages and they can no longer afford their tripled or quadrupled monthly rates?

I remember the phone calls from the telemarketers. They were relentless in trying to sell, sell, sell these new mortgages. My mailbox was always full of offers. Again, this started in 2002-2003. I ask everyone to use their own memory on when these changes happened. Don´t rely on someone else who wants to scapegoat.

Why is it important to remember what happened and the timing? Because then you can pinpoint for yourself who is primarily accountable. (besides our greedy selves).

Politicians from both sides are busy trying to point fingers at one another. The most ludicrous accusations were from Republican politicians who pointed to legislation from the Clinton era stopping the heinous act of "redlining." Redlining, for those who may not know, is the practice of denying or increasing the cost of services to residents in certain, often racially determined, areas. The most devastating, mortgage discrimination. So the right wing nuts try to point to the anti-redlining legislation as the root cause. Ludicrous.

If one were to point towards any legislation that most contributed to this turn of economic events they would point to the "Commodity Futures Modernization Act of 2000." This legislation provided certainty that products offered by banking institutions would not be regulated as futures contracts. This law creates a LOOPHOLE for many GOP cronies (e.g. Enron) which exempts most over-the-counter energy trades and trading on electronic energy commodity markets. The "loophole" was drafted by Enron Lobbyists working with Senator Phil Gramm (Sen. McCain´s best friend) seeking a deregulated atmosphere for their new experiment, "Enron On-line". The act specifically banned regulation of credit default swaps. These unregulated instruments, insurance policies against default on risky investments like mortgage backed securities.

This is very important to understand. Mortgage companies were NO LONGER REGULATED nor were they accountable for risky mortgages. They often sold these "risks" to foreign lenders.

HR5660 and S.3283 were introduced in December 2000 by Republicans: Sen Phil Gramm, Sen Charles Hagel, Sen Peter Fitzgerald Rep Tom Ewing, Rep Tom Bliley, Rep Larry Combest, Rep James Leach, with some Dem support including Rep LaFalce and Sens Harkin and Johnson. These bills were NEVER debated in the House or the Senate. Since then, several attempts have been made to overturn them. While these bills were championed by the Republicans, they did have some support by some Democrats, so we cannot point blame at one party. Since then however, several attempts (championed by the Dems) have been made to overturn this act. In fact, an attempt to repeal the policy was vetoed by President Bush in 2008.

However, beyond legislation, the plain facts are, the primary root cause is Greed and Corruption. Here is what Robert Reich said about Fannie and Freddie:

Fannie and Freddie, as Predicted

"Apologists will say that Fannie and Freddie exist to make housing loans to low-income Americans, so it was inevitable that the two giants would get caught in the quagmire of the housing burst. But the fact is, Fannie and Freddie -- and the executives who ran them and still run them -- have been out to maximize profits. Period. Just the same as every other mortgage and investment bank. High-risk sub-prime loans offered a higher rate of return, so Fannie and Freddie went into them big time. And because of the implicit government guarantee, Fannie and Freddie could take on even more risks and make even more money. Until now. It's another case of socialized capitalism, folks. The largest, yet. Along with making lots of money for investors and their executives, Fannie and Freddie corrupted our political process. They blocked any attempt to reign in the risks. Their lobbyists were and are the most sophisticated and among the most ubiquitous in Washington."

On Fannie & Freddie Accounting Gimmicks

Accounting gimmicks first came to light at Fannie and Freddie in 2003, at which time Fannie's and Freddie's former CEOs were sacked. Why, then, did they continue for another five years, even under new CEOs, even after policymakers first learned of them? Three reasons: (1) Top executives and shareholders continued to profit from them so there was no incentive to stop them, (2) everyone involved kept expecting home values to continue to rise -- or, when they fell, rise again soon enough -- to make up for the accounting shortfalls, and (3) Fannie and Freddie continued to be in bed with Congress and the administration. Democrats and Republicans alike have been complicit in this outrage.

Now, we are told, we have no recourse but to rescue these companies, otherwise we risk a Depression far worse than the Great Depression of the 1930s. The $700B plan Secretary Paulson is championing should be reviewed by every American. This Rescue Plan will bill the American Taxpayers trillions of dollars. This bail out for $700 BILLION dollars (probably trillions) our children and our grandchildren will be in debt for the next several decades. Additionally, the initial draft of this proposal is only bailing out the companies and their investors, NOT the citizens with mortgages. The Dems are asking that the citizens (who took these risky loans) be bailed out as well. The plans are being put in place now. We ALL should study them so we know what we are asking our grandkids to support.

Final Note:

I find the timing of these events incredible. These crises happen just months before the end of the Bush Presidency. He is bailing out his friends and his cronies now, before the Republicans are out of office. How many more of these type of coincidents will we see?

Bush Legacy:

1. Mortgage Co. Bailout

2. Gas prices through the roof ($5)

3. Nafta-Cafta extended to other countries

4. (I am sure there are many more... we should start a list.)

References:

Commodity Futures Act

Redlining

Robert Reich´s Blogs

U.S. Drafts Sweeping Plan to Fight Crisis

Book Review: "Obama Nation" is an Abomination! Another Swift Boat Attempt, Full of Lies!

The Right Wingers are at it again! They swift boated John Kerry. Now, with the abomidable rag, "Obama Nation," they are looking to swiftboat Barack Obama. Jerome Corsi, the swift boat author, wrote the pack of lies in "Obama Nation." What type of author credits does Corsi have? He writes for the extremist, right wing, ANTI rag, "Worldnet Daily." He may as well be writing about Martians on the Moon. This so called author is a hate merchant. The timing is meant to be the August - October surprise. He is nothing but a Swift Boat Liar!! Anyone who buys the book is looking to purchase racist Lies!! Corsi, who helped put Bush and Cheney into the White House, was responsible for the swift boat campaign. The American people will NOT allow this to have an impact on our November election. I predict this book will only be purchased by the right wing, racist smear lovers who have this mindset anyway! It will change no ones minds.

As Media Matters reports:

In the preface of his recently released book, The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality, author Jerome Corsi writes: "My intent in writing this book, as was the case in coauthoring Unfit for Command (Swift Boat book against Kerry), is to fully document all arguments and contentions I make, extensively footnoting all references, so readers can determine for themselves the truth and validity of the factual claims." Indeed, Corsi's comparison of the two books seems quite apt: Just as Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry contains false and baseless attacks on Sen. John Kerry's military service, a Media Matters for America review finds that Obama Nation similarly contains numerous falsehoods about Sen. Barack Obama. Media Matters previously documented false and baseless charges Corsi made in Obama Nation about Obama's positions on the Global Poverty Act of 2007 and nuclear weapons. Media Matters also pointed out false statements Corsi made while discussing the book with Fox News host Sean Hannity, concerning Obama's position on abortion and Obama's memoir Dreams From My Father (Crown, 1995).

Media Matters goes on to cite over 80 falsehoods in this book. I recommend that all "truth minded" people NOT purchase or read this pack of lies. If you do, remember the author and his history of lies all in pursuit of selling more books! So much for McCain´s and the Republicans commitment to run a "Clean" campaign!!

Soap Opera Politics Vol 1 Issue 14: Immigration Issues Coming to A Head in the Political Debate! Sleeping Giant Awakens!

The Immigration issues are coming to a head. Various politicians are taking sides, PRO vs ANTI, pandering to either side of the political debate. Some States are instituting restrictionist laws. The supporting politicians are backing these unenforceable laws purely for political gain.
Case in Point: Matt Blunt, the unpopular and defamed boy Governor of Missouri. Severely unpopular, he desperately signed a bill promoting sanctions against “community leaders” while providing employers relief, pandering to the ANTI racist extremists. His political opponents (Talboy) publicly chastising him for the error of his ways. (and rightly so) Meanwhile, the Presidential candidates are staying amazingly neutral. Then, in Oklahoma, home of Randy Terrill´s HB:1804, Workers and Businesses are leaving in droves. Litigation is blocking any future immigration restrictions. This is due to the Latino groups being energized into action. No More Racial Profiling! No more demonizing of ALL Latinos!
As AOLNews reports:
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) - Vowing to become more politically active, Latino groups Monday praised a federal judge's decision to block enforcement of parts of a state law that targets illegal immigrants and promised to support state lawmakers who have opposed the measure. A coalition of Hispanic organizations said momentum against the law, House Bill 1804, is building seven months after parts of it went into effect. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Robin J. Cauthron issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting enforcement of other provisions scheduled to go into effect on July 1."Countless thousands of families have been separated, torn apart," said the Rev. Victor Orta of the Coalition of Latin American Ministers. He said the anti-immigrant law and its harsh penalties sends a message that immigrants are not wanted in the state.
"This must stop. Enough is enough," Orta said.
Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, author of HB1804, has said he was disappointed but not surprised by Cauthron's ruling, which he labels "a blatant act of judicial activism" and predicted an appeal if the ruling is made permanent.
Franco Cevallos of the Hispanic Action Coalition said the law's effect on Oklahoma's economy "has been catastrophic.""Hundreds of stores have closed their doors permanently. Houses have been abandoned," Cevallos said. He said Latino workers are skilled and hardworking and "are the energy behind the motor that sustains the economy.""Their presence in the state has proven to be good for the economy," Cevallos said.Coalition members said Latino organizations are conducting citizenship and English courses for Hispanic immigrants and have registered as many as 17,000 Hispanic citizens to vote.
"There will be more Hispanics going to the polls in November than ever in the history of Oklahoma," Orta said. "And thousands of us can influence non-Hispanics to vote."We will see a difference. There will be a change in Oklahoma (and the US)," Orta said.

Happy 4th! Let Freedom Ring!!

Founding Fathers´ Quotes:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." The Declaration of Independence

“This involves the great question as to the right of expatriation, upon which so much has been said in this cause. Perhaps it is not necessary it should be explicitly decided on this occasion; but I shall freely express my sentiments on the subject. That a man ought not to be a slave; that he should not be confined against his will to a particular spot, because he happened to draw his first breath upon it; that he should not be compelled to continue in a society to which he is accidentally attached, when he can better his situation elsewhere, much less when he must starve in one country, and may live comfortably in another: are positions which I hold as strongly as any man, and they are such as most nations in the world appear clearly to recognize.”
Supreme Court Justice James Iredell, Talbot v. Janson, 1795

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Bill of Rights - Ammendment I

John F. Kennedy´s Inaugural Address:

"In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shank from this responsibility - I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavour will light our country and all who serve it -- and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own."

Martin Luther King´s "I Have a Dream":

"I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."….I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today…This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring." And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from every hill .. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, every color, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

BREAKING NEWS: Soap Opera Politics Vol 1, Issue 11: McCain Woos Latino Voters Like his Last Secret Mistress!!

McCain is secretly wooing Latino Voters, after dark, hidden from the news media, like an ashamed mistress!! If he is so ashamed, why does he bother to make the effort?

From YahooNews.Com

WASHINGTON, June 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- John McCain held a town hall meeting with Latinos in Chicago, Illinois (late) last night, but unlike all of his other town hall meetings, this one took place behind closed doors. One hundred pre-screened Latinos were bused in to Chicago for the meeting, but community leaders like Eluid Medina, who heads a neighborhood networking group, were kept out according to a news report. Medina told Diario Hoy that a conversation on the challenges Latinos face, "can't be partisan, the problems affect us all as a community and the meeting should have been open."

McCain´s closed-door town hall meeting with a pre-screened audience comes as recent polls show John McCain has a problem with Latino voters. A recent NBC/WSJ poll "showed Hispanics breaking for Obama 62%-28%" and "a new survey of 800 Latino voters from 21 states finds that 60% of them plan to vote for Obama versus 23% for McCain."

America Evolves "Multi-Racially" and America asks: "Is Barack Obama black or multi-racial?"

Happy Father´s Day and Happy Family Day!! What a beautiful day we have today in our Beautiful USA! Today´s post is about Families!
As I have shared on many occassions, America is continuing to evolve to a multi-ethnic nation. My family, like so many American families, has many ethnic roots, inluding: Latino, Native American, Northern European, Asian, African American and Middle Eastern.
The U.S. Census Bureau, citing "the racial and ethnic makeup of our country has significantly changed since 1977", changed their ethnicity categories in 2000. They added the “multi-ethnicity” option.
As the Census Bureau reports:
The most profound change to the question on race for Census 2000 is that respondents are allowed to identify one or more races to indicate their racial identity. There are 15 check box response categories and 3 write-in areas on the Census 2000 questionnaire, compared with 16 check box response categories and 2 write-in areas in 1990. The three separate identifiers for the American Indian and Alaska Native populations (American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut) used earlier have been combined into one category - - American Indian or Alaska Native - - with instructions for respondents who check the box to print the name of their enrolled or principal tribe. The Asian and Pacific Islander category has been split into two categories Asian, and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. There are six specified Asian and three detailed Pacific Islander categories shown on the Census 2000 questionnaires, as well as Other Asian and Other Pacific Islander which have write-in areas for respondents to provide other race responses. Finally, the category Some Other Race.. has a write-in area.

CNN Reports: The 2000 U.S. Census was the first time Americans were allowed to identify themselves as "multiracial," and more than six million people checked more than one box in the race and ethnicity category. Included in the multiracial category is the Democratic presumptive nominee, Sen. Barack Obama. With a white mother from Kansas and a black father from Kenya, Obama is the nation's first biracial candidate for president.

Soap Opera Politics Vol 1, Issue 10: Obama will join McCain at NCLR (La Raza) Convention to Court Latino Voters! Si Se Puede!

Will wonders never cease? Obama and McCain will both be attending and pandering for votes at the NCLR (or as ANTI´s say "La Raza") Convention next month. Wow!! I guess this means the ANTI side will boycott voting next November. Wow de Wow!!

By Leslie Berestein
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
June 10, 2008
SAN DIEGO – Presidential candidate Barack Obama will travel to San Diego next month to join opponent John McCain in speaking at the annual convention of the National Council of La Raza, the nation's largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization. Both senators are expected to address immigration and other issues pertinent to Latino voters, NCLR President Janet Murguía said during a visit to San Diego promoting the convention. Obama's plans were announced yesterday; McCain had agreed earlier to address the convention.

The fact that both candidates will attend “speaks to a number of things, not only to the importance of the Latino vote, but also to the importance of this region and this state,” Murguía said during a news conference. Afterward, Murguía said she expects a historic turnout of Latino voters in November, many to counter what they see as anti-immigrant political rhetoric, but also drawn by issues such as the foreclosure crisis and health care. On the immigration front, both senators have supported changes that immigrant advocates see as favorable. McCain once championed a temporary worker program but has since shied away from that stance. “Senator McCain will be in an interesting position,” Murguía said yesterday, regarding his appearance at the convention. “I think people will be interested to see where he still is on immigration.”
More than 20,000 people are expected to attend the convention July 12-15 at the San Diego Convention Center. Attendees will range from community leaders and elected officials, including speakers such as San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, to members of corporations, philanthropies and academic institutions.

Racist Limbaugh Calls Mayor Villaraigosa a "Shoe Shine Boy!"

Rush Limbaugh appeared on Fox News this week and insulted Los Angeles’ Hispanic mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Limbaugh said the first time he saw Mayor Villaraigosa he thought the Latino was a "Shoe Shine Boy." He was shocked to learn this Latino held such a high office and was, in fact, the Mayor of Los Angeles. Limbaugh repeated the same comment yesterday on his show.
I guess we should not be surprised by any outrageous, sexist or racist statements Limbaugh makes. As a reminder, some of Rush´s famous quotes include:
- Barack Obama a "Magic Negro."
- "I mean, let's face it, we didn't have slavery in this country for over 100 years because it was a bad thing. Quite the opposite: slavery built the South. I'm not saying we should bring it back; I'm just saying it had its merits. For one thing, the streets were safer after dark. "
- We're not sexists, we're chauvinists — we're male chauvinist pigs, and we're happy to be because we think that's what men were destined to be. We think that's what women want.
Limbaugh has made numerous outrageous remarks. These media zealots! They make a mockery of all Journalists.
Today, Penn Jillette was on Morning Joe. He joked and called Hillary the B word. Why are misogynistic insults ok? Why are racist terms ok? Have we degenerated to such low levels of communication that we view them all as ok? Are Sad Times Ahead?

Mixed Media Reports:
Hey, you know what's a riot? Comparing one of the country's foremost Latino politicians to "a shoeshine guy" because of his race.
A spokesman for Antonio Villaraigosa says the Los Angeles mayor is planning a statement in response to an ethnically-flavored drive-by served up by Rush Limbaugh yesterday.
Limbaugh recalled in a segment about Hillary Clinton, the right-wing radio blabber recounted meeting Villaraigosa, who became the first Latino to head his city's government in 130 years in 2005, when Bill Clinton introduced the two of them in a restaurant last year.
"I shook [Clinton's] hand, he left, comes back [with] the mayor of Los Angeles," he told listeners. "I thought it was a Secret Service agent, maybe a shoeshine guy. Turns out he gives me his card, I said, 'Oh, my gosh, it's the mayor of Los Angeles.'"
Oh my gosh indeed! He's just like a real-live mayor, but pigmenty. Who'd a thunk? Maybe Limbaugh will claim he was actually lampooning racist stereotypes, as Don Imus did after he called then-New York Times reporter Gwen Ifill "the cleaning lady." (Ifill's black. Get it?)
Update, 2:08 p.m.: Alex Nogales, president of the National Hispanic Media Coalition, says: "What can I tell you? It's the same kind of nasty, bigoted, racist type of comment that has become so prevalent in today's society, as practiced by Lou Dobbs, as practiced by [Sean] Hannity, [Bill] O'Reilly, [Michael] Savage -- all these guys who are appealing to a particular bigoted audience, and fanning the fires of bigotry and racism by doing these kinds of things without real concern about the consequences of their words. And the consequences are that these kinds of comments have helped in raising the rate of crimes against Latinos 35 percent in last three years." (He attributes that figure to the FBI.) "These guys have no civility in their makeup, no compassion, and very little intelligence when it comes to opening their mouths."

Soap Opera Politics Vol 1, Issue 8: Rev Wright & Obama

I am trying very hard to be neutral on this. Please share your views. I was hoping the Rev Wright controversy would die down and Obama and Hillary would have a nose to nose race to the finish. Then, at the convention, they would kiss (like the pix on the side of my homepage) and make-up, both be on the same ticket (either way) and they would bring all the Dems together for a win in November. A real kumbaya moment.

Now, I think Rev Wright may be disrupting my dream! Please let me know your thoughts. I am worried now about the Dem´s ability to elect a President in November especially given the obvious Black vs White divisiveness Wright appears to be creating. I am wondering whose side is Wright on? Could he be an undercover Right Winger?

Last Thursday. Rev Wright was on Bill Moyers on PBS. Yesterday he was on CNN speaking during an NAACP dinner. Today, he was speaking at the National Press Club. He is on every cable news Channel answering questions before the Press. He is everywhere!

First, Jeremiah Wright often speaks of himself in the 3rd person.

Rev Wright says he is descriptive when he speaks about racial injustice -- not divisive, as his critics say. Yet in his next sentence he says criticism about his speeches were not an attack on him but on the Black Church. He said the black religious tradition, despite its long history, is in some ways “invisible to the dominant culture.” He does attempt to bring the message together by saying, "this means rooting out any teaching of superiority, inferiority, hatred or prejudice and recognizing that each person is one of God’s children … no better, no worse. Only then will liberation, transformation and reconciliation become realities and cease being ever-elusive ideals.”

Flabs Blogger quoted these comments from Rev Wright:

. This Wasn’t an Attack on Me, It Was an Attack on the Black Church
. Hits those who “worship Sunday mornings in a black clergy robe, then burn crosses on Sunday evening with a white Klan robe.”
. “The Christianity of the slave-holder is not the Christianity of the slave.”
. On Farrkhan: “How many people do you know who could get one million people on the mall? Farrakhan is like E.F. Hutton. When he talks, black America listens. Whether they agree with him or not, they listen.”
. On Obama’s reaction: “We both know that if Obama had not said what he said, he would never get elected.”
. “We have never apologized for slavery. We have never apologized for Japan.”
. On the Government created AIDS: Have you read “Medical Apartheid”? I read different things.. Cites the Tuskeegee Experiments. “I believe our government is capable of doing anything.”

Early Reaction to the Reverend´s words:

. Juan Williams, a Black Commentator on Fox News, said Reverend Wright confirmed the worst.

. Tamaran Hall, a young, female, black commentator on MSNBC said “Rev Wright came across as Arrogant and Cocky."

. Christian Broadcasting Network: "Jeremiah Wright did Barack Obama no favors. A lot has been made about why Jeremiah Wright would come forward now at such a sensitive time for the Obama campaign. I think we got our answer today. As much as he cares for Obama, he cares much more about defending his Church. He came to the National Press Club to get a few things off his chest and take some digs at the media must have felt good."

. Joe Watkins, Black media pundit on MSNBC, "He´s killing Barack Obama." "What poor timing! A good Pastor does not throw their members under the bus. Rev Wright was trying to set the record straight for the sake of Rev Wright." "Obama is trying to bring in the White Working Class Voter and every time Wright speaks, its guilt by association and Obama is losing these voters because of Rev Wright."

. David Axelrod, head of Obama Campaign, "Rev Wright is doing what Rev Wright feels he must do. We have no ability to influence that. I dont think we would have encouraged him to go on this "media tour."

Say Good-Bye to Tomatoes!

U.S. Farmers say Immigration Laws are BROKEN!! One of Nation´s largest Tomato Farmers to STOP harvesting tomatoes this year and will instead harvest grain since it can be harvested by machines. Farmer says harvesting tomatoes are high paying jobs but jobs Americans won´t do due to the heat and difficulty of harvesting.

Major Pa. tomato producer quits, blames Congress
By Nancy Petersen Inquirer Staff Writer Tue, Mar. 25, 2008
CLARKS SUMMIT, Pa. - Keith Eckel, the largest producer of fresh market tomatoes in Pennsylvania, is getting out of the business. Fearing that the labor needed to harvest his tomatoes won't be there when he needs it, Eckel announced yesterday that after decades of growing tomatoes, he was calling it quits. He placed the blame squarely at the feet of Congress and its failure to enact what he called a meaningful immigration reform measure. "The system is broken," Eckel said before a crowd of neighbors, employees and news media gathered in the packing house at his farm near Scranton. "It's a sad day," he said. "We're closing a part of our business that we really love."
Eckel's problems are echoed coast to coast by farmers who are reliant on foreign farm workers allowed into the country each year to plant, pick and package crops. Eckel said the impact of the government's increased vigilance on illegal immigration and the lack of action on an immigration reform bill has sown doubt among farmers that they will be able to count on a predictable and sufficient work force.
The push for immigration reform has stalled in Congress and little action is expected during the rest of this election year. The problem can be solved if Congress would pass a viable and accessible guest-worker program, Eckel said. Otherwise, he and other farmers say they are not going to take the risk of planting crops they can't harvest for lack of a workforce. Eckels estimated the value of his tomato crop at $1.5 million to $2 million. "It is a real concern, and we are disappointed that Congress has failed to act," said Peter Furey, executive director of the New Jersey Farm Bureau. "Ultimately, consumers will feel this." Eckel warned that unless the issue was resolved, it would eventually drive the fresh fruit and vegetable industry offshore, causing an inevitable rise in food prices.
Last year, Eckel employed 180 people, but this spring, when he plants crops that can be handled by machines, he will employ five. Farmers across the country who depend on immigrant labor are facing the same decision as Eckel: Do they forge ahead and risk losing a crop, or do they plant another crop for which a machine can do the work? "It is one of those situations where the ground is shifting under your feet and you may not notice it until two or five years out," said Jack King, director of national programs for the California Farm Bureau Federation. Workers on Eckel's farm averaged $16.59 an hour "and they earned every penny of it," Eckel said. "No one will harvest tomatoes in 90 degree weather except immigrant labor," he said. And a number of people who worked in his packing house were retired workers picking up a few extra dollars, he said. Congress needs to act, said Furey of the New Jersey Farm Bureau: "We need a national solution that is realistic, in tune with the economy and fair to the people." Eckel gave President Bush credit for trying to enact meaningful change, but he said a divided Congress and emotions got in the way. He said the climate was such that legal immigrants were fearful of moving across state lines, further exacerbating the problem.
Although his workers have documents proving that they are legal, Eckel said some estimates show that between 60 percent and 70 percent of the documents are fraudulent.
"We can no longer take the risk," he said. "We have done everything we can to comply with the law." Most farmers are honest, he said, but rather than run the risk of losing their crop, they simply won't plant one.
"It's a very uncertain time," said King of the California Farm Bureau. "Farmers are scared stiff on this immigration thing. They are operating at the mercy of the federal government." King said that some of the state's vegetable growers were moving their operations to Mexico, raising concerns about food safety.
Last year Eckel planted 2.3 million tomato plants over 340 acres of his Lackawanna County farm, a crop that he estimated supplied about 75 percent of the fresh tomatoes in produce aisles between Boston and Washington. He said his was the largest tomato producing operation north of the Mason-Dixon Line and east of Ohio. This year, he is planting about 45 acres of sweet corn, and 1,200 acres of corn for grain.
When his mother asked where they will get tomatoes this summer, her son said: "We'll buy from one of our good neighbors."

Soap Opera Politics Vol 1, Issue 7: Rev Wright & Obama

Help Me Understand:

Viewers, I am asking you for your help. I don´t understand the Rev. Wright Soap Opera. I would like your input to help me understand what is happening.

By now, most of you have heard about Rev. Wright. He is Barack Obama´s long time friend and spiritual counsel and people connect the two of them. He even married Barack and Michele. He provided Barack the title for his last book. He has served as his campaign´s spiritual advisor.

Last year, on March 2, 2007, Rev Wright appeared on Shawn Hannity´s show and they angrily argued with one another about Rev Wright´s church. (see video) At that time, Shawn argued the Reverend´s sermons were racist. The Rev. angrily responded, saying Shawn did not understand the context.

I mentioned in January, as I drove down to SA, I heard Shawn talk for hours very negatively about Obama and the Reverend´s church. That was when I predicted Hillary would win TX.

Then last week, Fox purchased a video from the Reverend´s church. These clips were extremely provactive statements made by the Reverend. Some of these clips use very profane language which some say is racist and un-American. Here is the youtube about America and another about Hillary. These tapes showed various sermons of Rev Wright starting right after 9-11 through to January of this year. Taped by the church and sold to Fox. (Reverend Jeremiah Wright Jr., saying, "God damn America" and suggesting that the country bore some blame for the attacks of Sept. 11 )

I am struggling to understand WHY the Reverend had his very controversial speeches taped as late as this January then his church SOLD them to Fox. Why would he do this? He knows how controversial these tapes are. He has had an on going argument with Fox and Shawn Hannity for over a year. So why on earth did they sell Fox the tapes? What could be his motivation?

The only possible reason I could draw from this is he wished for people to understand his church´s doctrine:

Black Liberation Theology: is theology from the perspective of an oppressed people. It seeks to interpret the gospel of Jesus against the backdrop of historical and contemporary racism. The message of black theology is that the African American struggle for liberation is consistent with the gospel--every theological statement must be consistent with, and perpetuate, the goals of liberation. The theology maintains that African Americans must be liberated from multiple forms of bondage social, political, economic and religious. This liberation involves empowerment and seeks the right of self-definition, self-affirmation and self-determination.

But if the reason Rev. Wright filmed and sold the tapes was to educate the American Public of his church´s doctrine, and since Rev. Wright is Obama´s spiritual advisor, then why on earth did Obama say, "I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy."

I just don´t understand the motivation for selling these tapes to Fox and for Obama to refute them if he believes in his church´s message.

A Win for the PROs! Heinous Blackwater Security Facility will NOT be built in So Cal!

A win for the PROs!!! As I reported here on my blog, Blackwater was in the process of building a security facility in So Cal in anticipation of the passage of the SAVE Act. Their plans were to serve as the Contractors who backup the Border Patrol in patrolling the border and nearby towns with their non manned aircraft.

WE THE PEOPLE in So Cal said NO! to their plans. Now, the heinous Blackwater Security Facility will NOT be built in So Cal!! We know they will not give up their plans. I promise to keep you apprised of their future plans!

Sign-On San Diego Reports:

Security-training camp won't be built in Potrero
By Anne Krueger - UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER - March 8, 2008
Blackwater Worldwide dropped its plans yesterday to build a military and law enforcement training camp in East County, ending a storm of controversy over the security contractor's presence in the county.
Brian Bonfiglio, a Blackwater vice president, said the decision came down to noise – gunfire tests at the 824-acre site in Potrero exceeded county standards – and not fiery opposition from residents, environmentalists and those politically opposed to Blackwater's role as a contractor guarding officials in Iraq.
“Blackwater has maintained its position from the very beginning that if we could not meet or exceed (California) and San Diego County guidelines that we would not proceed, and we are keeping to that commitment,” Bonfiglio said in a statement...

Residents feared Blackwater's training facility would bring noise and traffic to the community. They and others also didn't like the idea of having the government contractor in San Diego County, particularly after reports of a Sept. 16 shooting in Baghdad in which Blackwater employees killed 17 Iraqi civilians. After the incident, Blackwater Chairman Erik Prince was called before Congress, and U.S. officials imposed tougher restrictions on Blackwater and other security companies working in Iraq.
Hedlun, who began serving on the Potrero planning group in January 2007, was initially the only group member to oppose Blackwater. Opponents gathered petitions for a recall election targeting those who had voted in favor of the project.
In December, five members of the group were recalled and replaced with candidates who opposed Blackwater's plans. Carl Meyer, the newly elected chairman of the group, said they had planned to discuss a resolution against the project at their next meeting.
“It's great news for the community of Potrero,” Meyer said. “We'll have a party.”

Professor Fletcher: NAFTA Economic Impacts and Anti Immigration Vehemence Against Latinos!

Professor Bill Fletcher Jr. from BlackCommentor.com:
One of the more interesting aspects of the current Presidential primary season is the renewed discussion of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Implemented January 1, 1994, and by no coincidence sparking the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas, Mexico, NAFTA was a major step in the economic integration of the USA, Canada and Mexico under the domination of the USA. Sold to the US public as a means of addressing globalization and improving our chances of competing in the global market place, NAFTA was fervently opposed by various social movements and constituencies, particularly organized labor and environmental groups. Both groups, and others, were deeply suspicious of the motives and actuality of NAFTA. Their concerns, as it turns out, were largely justified. Though NAFTA did result in the introduction of some new jobs, what is critical is the net effect of NAFTA. If one factors in losses and gains, the net impact has been the loss of approximately 900,000 jobs in the USA. Unfortunately, much of the NAFTA debate stops here or within a few feet. NAFTA most certainly has drained jobs as well as placed restrictions on the ability of jurisdictions to direct their local economies. It has encouraged the growth of sweatshop and near-sweatshop labor along the USA/Mexico border. This is the side of NAFTA with which many of us are familiar. Many of us remember Ross Perot’s famous comment concerning NAFTA representing the giant sucking sound of jobs being drained away from the USA and going to Mexico. This is not the entire story. And, while it is good that Senators Clinton and Obama have reopened the discussion concerning NAFTA, neither of them have drawn much attention to the impact that NAFTA has had on Mexico, and thereby on us in the USA. What is critical for us to grasp on this side of the Rio Grande River is that NAFTA has had a devastating impact on the Mexican economy. Through forcing the Mexican farmer to compete with USA farmers, rural Mexico’s economy has been turned upside down. The reality is that the Mexican farmer has been unable to compete, and as a result there began - in the mid 1990s - a migration of rural Mexicans into the larger Mexican cities. Finding few job opportunities, the migration moved north toward the USA. This was accompanied by the impact of NAFTA on the Mexican public sector, which also suffered severe body blows, thereby undermining what little social safety net the people of Mexico had. This side of the NAFTA equation is critical to discuss because it helps us understand why hundreds of thousands of Mexicans chose to leave their homes and head north. Contrary to the xenophobic, anti-immigrant rhetoric many of us have heard, it was not because ‘…everyone wants to be in America…’ but rather as a direct result of policies initiated by the USA and their allies in Ottawa and Mexico City. I thought a great deal about this recently when I was moderating a debate on immigration within a labor union. The vehemence of some of the anti-immigrant speakers, including - and very unfortunately - an African American woman, was not only deeply unsettling, but equally lacking in any historical context. While the focus of the anti-immigrant speakers was allegedly undocumented immigrants in general, there was nothing in their language that indicated that they were thinking about Irish, Poles, Russians, or anyone other than Latinos, and most particularly, Mexicans. When confronted with this question of NAFTA they had nothing to say. Interestingly, they could also not explain why they had nothing to say about any other ethnic undocumented worker besides Latinos. It is commonplace in the USA to think in terms of what affects us, and particularly the notion that whatever harms us in the USA must be among the most catastrophic things to affect the planet. Rarely do we stop and think about the actual consequences of the actions of the USA on the rest of the world. Rarer still has been our consideration of how the actions the USA initiates, whether treaties like NAFTA or military actions such as the 1980s Central American wars, end up boomeranging. A real change in the White House would be for the leaders to see beyond the Rio Grande and thereby actually see what is happening here.
Bill Fletcher, Jr. is Executive Editor of The Black Commentator. He is also a Senior Scholar with the Institute for Policy Studies and the immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum. Click here to contact Mr. Fletcher.

Calm Before the Storm - Outing the Secret Immigration Bills!

Of late, all has been quiet on the Immigration Reform front. Discussion Boards, both PRO and ANTI, have been quiet. Blogs have been quiet. There has been a significant amount of Political discussion, including here on my blog, but very little Immigration Talk.

For a while, I thought the quiet was due to the fact that all three candidates, HRC, BHO and JSM (John Sidney McCain), support Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR).

Then, I started thinking it could be due to the RNC controlled media focus being taken off of Immigration since the McCain nomination. We know that Fox and the AMJocks are funded by the Right. I still think there is something to this possibility or maybe, just maybe, this is the calm before the storm.

I am hearing some rumblings that new Immigration Bills are being documented in very hush, hush privacy. Some of these bills are PRO - CIR. Some of them are ANTI.

Here are two articles re some of these Hush Hush activities:

Immigration Becomes a Political Football (Again)
The question of border security and the threat to U.S. security is back on the table even as the Presidential campaign progresses to the next phases. Senate Republicans plan to introduce a package of as many as 11 bills (could actually grow to 14) that establishes a hard line on illegal immigration. Even though experts consider it unlikely that these bills will reach the floor for debate, they reflect a move toward harsher immigration rhetoric and legislative proposals from both parties since Congress failed to pass a comprehensive overhaul in 2007. While some of the language in these possible pieces of legislation echo House bills, they go further. These bills include provisions to dock states 10% of their highway funds if they issue driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants. Another bill would extend the presence of National Guard on the border and still another would curtail language assistance at federal agencies and the voting booth for people with limited English ability. Senator Jeff Sessions, R-Ala, one of the leaders of the Republican efforts is offering a bill that would impose a maximum two-year sentence for the second offense of crossing the border illegally. Other bills:
● Block federal funding from cities that bar their police from asking about immigration status.
● Give the Department of Homeland Security the authority to use information from the Social Security Administration to target illegal immigrants.
● Require construction of 700 miles of fencing along the Southern border, not including vehicle barriers.
● Impose sanctions on countries that refuse to repatriate their citizens.
● Deport any immigrant, legal or illegal, for one drunken-driving conviction.
● Enable local and state police to enforce federal immigration laws
Its clear that immigration remains a political football in this Presidential election year. This includes the possibility of giving Senator McCain an opportunity to endorse one of the tougher bills to help distance him from some of his previous positions. Posturing or not, maybe some real immigration reform and border security measures will emerge from this, even though its an election year.

Immigration: New bills, old borders
By: David Rogers and Patrick O'Connor Mar 5, 2008 05:40 AM EST
For seasonal employers, whether crabbers in Maryland or grand hotels in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the real calendar — not politics — makes the pressure very real and immediate. Immigration reform is raising its head again in Congress, stirring old hopes and fears among Democrats and forcing Republicans to re-evaluate their tactics given the re-emergence of John McCain. Nothing is anticipated on the scale of the comprehensive immigration bill that collapsed in the Senate last year. But seasonal employers, such as the restaurant and tourism industries, are pressing hard for more H-2B visas for lower-skilled workers this summer, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has promised Hispanic lawmakers an opportunity to add provisions addressing concerns in their community. A third potential piece is a bipartisan bill introduced by Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) — with the support of fellow “Blue Dog” Democratic moderates — that takes a more conservative approach: beefing up border security and requiring employers to use a government database to verify that their workers are in the U.S. legally. By Jay Fraser on March 5, 2008 at 10:53 PM

I have two questions for my readers:

1. Do you think either of these secret proposals will have any chance of passing before the election?

2. How will this impact the Political Debate, given the 3 candidates support CIR?

Hillary and Barack: Being Honest About NAFTA or just False Promises and Politics as Usual?

Were Hillary and Barack being honest when they said in the Ohio Debates the United States could "opt out" of the 14-year-old NAFTA pact if Canada and Mexico refuse to strengthen labor and environmental provisions and modify an investment chapter that critics say favors corporate interests too much?

Did Obama's senior economic adviser tell Canadian officials privately that Obama's criticism of the free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico was "political positioning"?

Now, Reuter´s is reporting:
Mexico businessmen unfazed by U.S. NAFTA threats Thu Mar 6, 2008 5:13pm EST
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican factory owners are shrugging off threats by U.S. presidential candidates to retool a major free trade deal but say they would worry if the talk continues after election day in November. As they vie for the Democratic Party nomination, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have vowed to tell Canada and Mexico that the United States will pull out of the North America Free Trade Agreement unless labor and environmental standards are renegotiated. Yet even if one of them wins the November election against presumptive Republican nominee John McCain, a NAFTA supporter, few see Washington easily reopening the trade deal, the fruit of years of thorny negotiations. "I really doubt they would go through with it. They are just playing politics," said Cesar Castro, who heads Mexico's association of maquiladoras, the assembly-for-export factories that dot the border with the United States.

Castro said killing NAFTA or changing it to favor American workers would shut down Mexican factories and hurt employment in Mexico. "Illegal migration would spike and we all know they don't want that," he said.
By reducing or eliminating tariffs, NAFTA has helped make Mexico the No. 3 business partner with the United States, after Canada and China. "There are net benefits on both sides of the border, so I don't think they will touch it," said Jose Antonio Abogaber, who heads the chamber of shoe makers in the industrial state of Guanajuato. Conservative Mexican President Felipe Calderon's government has made clear it is happy with NAFTA the way it is, while warning against any move away from free trade. "NAFTA has been successful for each of the three countries," Economy Minister Eduardo Sojo told reporters in Toronto earlier this week. "What we need is more integration, not less integration."
----------------------
Readers, What are you thoughts? We know John McCain will continue with NAFTA, Big Business and his partnerships with his RNC Cronies. What about the Dems? Will they make changes as they promised? Or will they say one thing and continue with politics as usual? Should we be concerned?
Is NAFTA a problem? If not, then why doesn´t McCain, HRC and BHO explain the real issues?

My Night at the Caucus

The Texas Two Step: Primary & Caucus:

I voted yesterday and participated in the caucuses last evening. It was so exciting. This was my first caucus. It was very different than I expected. The caucuses started after the polls closed, at 7 pm. Actually, they started after the last person voted, so it was closer to 8 pm. Imagine 500 people standing outside on the lawn of an election center as people in line finished voting.

While on the lawn, they rounded us up into our precinct with one person holding up the precinct number sign. We had six or seven precincts. Each precinct had about 60 to 100 participants and we were all huddled up together in our groups.

After the last voter voted, they called out each precinct number and they hurded us into a section of the election center. Our precinct was second to the last called. As we were called, each group hooped and hollered. There was so much energy and excitement in the air, it was more like a pep rally.

I did notice something different, however. What I noticed was that for my suburb, there was a different ethnicity mix than I usually see when I go to the mall or bowling. I live in an affluent multi cultural suburb and this is reflected when I go shopping or out to dinner. The mix is generally: 55% Anglo (various ethnicities), 15% Hispanic, 15% Black, 15% Asian or Middle Eastern. At the election center, the mix was: 40% Anglo, 40% Black, 10% Asian-Middle Eastern, 10% Hispanic.

Once we went to our designated area, they asked for a volunteer Precinct Leader and a Secretary. I volunteered for secretary. Actually, since they told us outside they were looking for volunteers for each position, I volunteered outside. When we came inside, they all just voted for me. They had 2 volunteers for precinct leader and one person was elected. The leader and I worked out a plan to verify and sign up all the caucus members and their votes and ask for volunteer delegates. Since I was the secretary and signed everyone up, I saw that every Black voter and every mixed race couple (Black plus other) voted for Obama. Some of the yuppy career couples voted for Obama too. The majority of women (especially the self confident, outgoing, career women) and Hispanics voted for Hillary. I also noticed a number of young preppy youth voting for Hillary.

Throughout the caucus vote, we asked for volunteer delegates, indicating that the delegates needed to stay after everyone voted so we could vote on resolutions and who would go to the County Caucus. Now the caucus vote for my precinct was 60% Obama and 40% Hillary. However, the volunteers for delegates who stayed were 30% Obama and 70% Hillary. Consequently, by the end of the evening, all of the Obama supporters who volunteered as delegates became delegates for the Convention. Unfortunately, since we had so many Hillary volunteers for delegates, we had to draw names. I didn´t get it, but I was the first alternate. (boo hoo for me). I still have a shot, especially if someone drops out, since I am the 1st Alternate.

The events ran late into the evening and I did not arrive home until 11:30pm. The time flew and I was not tired at all, but my husband was already in bed. I watched CNN to check the stats from the evening. We had been checking periodically from the caucus so I already knew Hillary was the winner in TX, RI and Ohio.

Latinos' influence in primaries more important than ever

Like never before, Latino voters will make a significant difference in 2008, especially in Texas.

Latinos total one quarter of the Texas electorate and are about 3.6 million strong.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is thought to have a strong edge in the March 4 Primary, although younger Latinos seem to be giving Mr. Obama a serious look.

Mr. Obama has asked many long time voters for their support, many who seem unshakeable in their loyalty to Mrs. Clinton.

United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta has urged Latinos to vote for Senator Clinton. Dolores is held in high esteem by many Latinos and viewed as a heroine of Civil and Human Rights.

My predictions, based on local news, grocery store chatter and ear to the ground feedback:

Hillary Clinton will win the popular vote in Texas by +5%.