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Subscribe to RSSThe two pressure points to watch on immigration… The gun debate begins on Capitol Hill… Breaking news: Economy contracted in the 4th quarter… The unrest in Egypt… Hillary on 2016… Teeing up Thursday’s confirmation for Chuck Hagel… All eyes on Deval Patrick, Scott Brown… And updating the Obama cabinet shuffle.
*** Two pressure points to watch on immigration: It’s been quite a revealing past 48 hours in the still-evolving debate over immigration, with Monday’s bipartisan Senate framework and Tuesday’s speech by President Obama. So what have we learned? There are two pressure points that either could create enough force to ensure legislation gets through Congress, or that could scuttle any chance for a deal. One, Marco Rubio and Republicans considering any comprehensive immigration reform want a "trigger" to make sure that border enforcement comes before legalization. “Unless there’s real enforcement triggers, we are not going to have a bill that moves on the opportunity to apply for a green card,” Rubio told Rush Limbaugh yesterday. (The big question here, of course: What would these “triggers” be?) Two, Obama yesterday vowed to bring his own legislation if Congress doesn't quickly act. Translation: He'll blame Republicans for this failure. “If Congress is unable to move forward in a timely fashion, I will send up a bill based on my proposal and insist that they vote on it right away,” the president said in Las Vegas yesterday.
*** What the debate isn’t about: So those are the two big issues moving forward -- GOP pressure on Democrats for an enforcement trigger, and White House/Dem pressure on Republicans not to delay the legislation (a la what happened to health care in 2009). But here’s something this debate IS NOT about: whether Obama wants to use immigration as a way to club Republicans. It’s not even a question. The idea that anyone outside of political partisans -- or those looking for a reason to be against reform (but don’t want to look anti-Hispanic) -- believes that Obama doesn’t want to sign historic immigration legislation to fulfill a campaign promise is a bit naïve. Sure, the president is using campaign tactics to pressure Congress, but he wants the legislative “win”; he already got the political “win” in 2012. Don’t forget what happened during the fiscal-cliff debate just a month ago: The White House is always looking to cut a deal, even if it gets just half a loaf. There’s no political reward for not getting anything done for him in a second term. That’s the “leverage” that GOPers actually have with the president. That said, the president’s leverage is the public’s opinion. And if the WaPo/ABC poll, which shows his favorability rating at 60%, is not an outlier that will change the equation on Capitol Hill -- not just on immigration but other issues. Reason Magazine (which uses Princeton Survey Research, the same folks that conduct the Pew poll) has the president’s job-approval rating at 52%.
Gary Cameron / Reuters
Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., questions Senator John Kerry (Not Pictured) during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on Kerry's nomination to be secretary of state, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 24, 2013.
*** Gun debate begins on Capitol Hill: Today, however, immigration takes a back seat to the debate over guns. At 10:00 am ET, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on gun violence. Testifying: Mark Kelly, the husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords, and the National Rifle Association’s Wayne LaPierre. (And NBC’s Frank Thorp confirms that Giffords herself will appear at the hearing. She will speak though not testify.) According to his prepared testimony, LaPierre will come out against even universal background checks, per NBC’s Kasie Hunt. “When it comes to the issue of background checks, let’s be honest -- background checks will never be ‘universal’ – because criminals will never submit to them,” he’s expected to say. Does this NRA line in the sand on universal background checks spook someone like Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), who appears to be open to such a measure and might actually co-sponsor Schumer’s bill? Another thing to consider here. It seems like an assault-weapons ban has little chance of passing the Senate. But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid allowing it to come to a vote means that pro-gun Democrats can vote against THAT measure but vote for something else (like background checks).
*** Breaking news: Economy contracted in the 4th quarter: But both guns and immigration might get eclipsed by this breaking news: The U.S. economy contracted in the 4th quarter. The AP: “The U.S. economy shrank from October through December for the first time since the recession ended, hurt by the biggest cut in defense spending in 40 years, fewer exports and sluggish growth in company stockpiles. The Commerce Department said Wednesday that the economy contracted at an annual rate of 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter. That's a sharp slowdown from the 3.1 percent growth rate in the July-September quarter.”
*** More unrest in Egypt: What is taking place in Egypt is another big story. The New York Times: “A prominent Egyptian opposition leader called on President Mohamed Morsi on Wednesday to hold a national dialogue, a day after the nation’s top general warned that the state itself was in danger of collapse because of violence verging on anarchy in three Suez Canal cities.” In her exit interview with NBC’s Andrea Mitchell, Clinton commented on Mubarak’s ouster from Egypt, and she stood by what is the one of the most consequential foreign policy decisions the administration made that gets very little re-visiting: “It was an inevitable force of history that when the Egyptian people were rising up in such large numbers -- asking for what we believe in, freedom and opportunity, a chance to, you know, chart their own democratic future -- the United States cannot and should not be on the side of those who deny that.” Clinton added to FOX about the current situation there: “We have to work for, along with the international community, as well as people inside Egypt, is not to see these revolutions hijacked by extremists, not to see the return of dictatorial rule, the absence of the rule of law. And it's hard. It's hard going from decades under one-party or one-man rule, as somebody said, waking up from a political coma and understanding democracy. So we have a lot at stake in trying to keep moving these transformations in the right direction.”
*** Hillary and 2016: Of course, Clinton was also asked about 2016 in these exit interviews. And she used them to all of them to say not much new. Here’s what she told NBC’s Mitchell: “I don't have any decisions made. I have no real plans to make any such decisions. I'm looking forward to some very quiet time catching up on everything from sleep, to reading, to walking, with my family. I think it’s hard to imagine for me what it will be like next week when I wake up and I have nowhere to go. Maybe I'll go back to sleep for a change!” Bottom line: If she had to make her decision today, she’d probably be a “no.” But she’s also not shutting the door, either.
*** Teeing up Hagel’s confirmation hearing: Chuck Hagel’s confirmation hearing to be Obama’s next defense secretary is set for tomorrow. And per NBC’s Kasie Hunt and Mike Viqueira, he’ll be introduced by two former chairmen of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Democrat Sam Nunn and Republican John Warner. White House officials point to comments from Sen. Dick Durbin, the Democratic whip, who hasn't counted any "no" votes on Hagel among Democrats. Hunt and Viq add that the White House also points to friendly words from Republicans, including Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. And now Roll Call is reporting that Republican Thad Cochran of Mississippi says he plans to vote for Hagel’s confirmation. Our take: Barring Hagel somehow melting down during his hearings, he’s on track for confirmation.
*** All eyes on Patrick, Scott Brown: After the Senate easily confirmed John Kerry to be secretary of state, by a 94-3 vote, all eyes are on Deval Patrick – as well as Scott Brown. Patrick’s pick to fill name an interim senator to fill Kerry’s Senate seat could come as early as today. And the AP reports that Brown is “leaning strongly toward” running the special election to replace Kerry.
*** Updating the cabinet shuffle: With Ray LaHood’s announcement that he will be stepping down from his post as Transportation secretary after his successor is confirmed, here are the cabinet members leaving, plus their replacements if applicable:
Hillary Clinton at State (John Kerry confirmed)
Leon Panetta at Defense (Chuck Hagel nominated)
Tim Geithner at Treasury (Jack Lew nominated)
Hilda Solis at Labor
Lisa Jackson at EPA
Ken Salazar at Interior
Ray LaHood at Transportation
And here are the cabinet secretaries who are remaining:
Janet Napolitano (DHS)
Arne Duncan (Education)
Tom Vilsack (Agriculture)
Eric Holder (Justice)
Kathleen Sebelius (HHS)
Eric Shinseki (Veterans Affairs)
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Until the border is secured and we stop ALL illegal immigrants (aka CRIMINALS) from coming into the USA, Immigration Reform will be a joke. There should only be earned citizenship to those serving in armed forces (first), and then criteria based on skills and education, BUT not overnight and NOT FREE. Sorry but tomato pickers, and day laborers are not an asset to this nation. If the truth makes me a bigot ,then so be it.
The Republican Party caved on the fiscal cliff deal. They got very little of what they wanted. They wanted big spending cuts, they got zilch, not one penny in spending cuts.. They wanted the tax cuts for the rich to be permanent, they did not get that either. What they did get was the same thing that the Democrats wanted, tax cuts for low and middle income folks are now permanent.
What a Hootie and the blow-fish! LOL. The Repubs didn't get anything out of the Democrats! Everyone new the tax cuts would be permanent for the 98%. What was in question was spending cuts and tax cuts for the top 2%. The Repubs got NEITHER. What a laugh! LOL LOL LOL
Republicans had been trying to get the Bush tax cuts made "permanent" for 12 years, but have been blocked from doing so by Democrats. Obama has "seen the light" and has thrown liberals/progressives under the bus by signing into law legislation that makes permanent the Bush tax cuts for 99.3% of taxpayers. Even billionaires got a tax cut and will pay less in taxes than they would have under the Clinton tax rates. What a hoot! Even Bush2 has a big grin on his face.
Jared Bernstein was chief economist and adviser to Biden 2009-2011 and is considered to be a progressive, pro-labor economist. In a recent interview on CNBC he admitted that to get our federal budget back to a sustainable track ALL the Bush/Obama temporary tax cuts needed to be allowed to expire, even though 80% of those benefits go to those in the middle class and below. He would have staggered the return to the tax rates of the late 1990s beginning with top marginal rates to avoid throwing us back into a recession, but confirmed that all the rates needed to expire in order to raise the amount of tax revenue needed. Just doing it for those in the top marginal rate will not work. The middle class will have to pay higher taxes to support the programs he and other liberals/progressives want government to provide.
Obama has now taken that option off the table. Only spending cuts are left to get our federal government onto a sustainable financial course. Let the cutting begin.
Nonsense. The failed "starve the beast" tactic is backfiring and will end with more tax increases on the wealthy. It is inevitable.
The rates went up for those making over $450k per year. The deductions allowed for those making over $250k were reduced. Obama got EXACTLY what he wanted as the GOP completely caved and only got what Obama has been campaigning on for 6 years.
What a hoot!
Why anyone would resist securing our borders before implementing ways to deal with illegal immigrants already in the country is beyond me. If your sink is overflowing, do you work on removing the clog or do you shut the water off first?
The borders will never be secure. They are simply too vast. We simply need to stop giving people an incentive to come here illegally. Companies are not required to verify the legal status of those that they hire. That is an easy fix if we could ever get the Republicans to go along with that.
The mexicans are ruining this country, with their neverending breeding, their "me first" mentality, their parasitic mind set. In Washington State where I came from, if there was a drive-by shooting, child rape, welfare fraud, drugs, hit-and-run, it was a mexican. They dumb-down our schools, suck up the taxpayer-supported medical, schooling, housing, jails. They are parasites! They have their own country - send them back to it, and on their own dime, not ours.
Bigot.
Mr. Obama is once more asking Congress to pass unspecified and nebulous legislation so that he can fulfill another campaign promise to a select group of people (who aren't even US citizens!). Didn't we learn our lesson with the debacle that is Obamacare? Isn't Congress supposed to make sure that all the i's are dotted and all the t's are crossed before committing this nation to binding legislation? Aren't the people intelligent enough to demand that their senators and representatives do their job and draw up clear, concise legislation which details exactly what is going to be done, and how it is going to be done, or, are the people are willing to be led down the garden path yet again?
No, Mr. Obama - I don't think the American people want yet another crucial bit of legislation made law until its provisions are thoroughly defined and specified. For starters, why don't we begin by enforcing the immigration laws currently on the books? Why does this nation's chief executive pick and choose which laws he wants to see enforced, while ignoring those which will cause him and his party political damage?
BY the way - Mr. Obama won reelection by a margin of slightly over 2%. While he did in fact win, I don't think that 2% qualifies as a landslide mandate.
Finally - isn't it time for both Mr. Obama and Congress to stop campaigning and start doing their job?
You lost. Get over it.
I agree it's time to stop campaigning. Time to stop pussyfooting around issues that can't be fixed or refused to be fixed with any common sense applied.
Bush was spending $180 Billion more than the government brought in. Obama is spending $1.6 trillion more then the government brings in. With the "tax the rich" that just passed and with everones SS that went up 2%, Obama might now be only spending $1 Trillion more then the government brings in. But, spending isn't the problem?
As for immigration. There can be NO immigration until the border has been secured, and I don't care that the dem libtards need more of a voter base. After the border is secured, then we can look at creating a path for those who broke the law getting here.
On the dems 'gun grab". Not gonna happen. The senate does not have the votes to pass it. Even Dirty Harry reid said he will vote it down. Libs will have to wait until after the mid terms to see if they get any more seats in the house.
First of all, the President of the United States does not "spend"anything. The powers of spending and taxation belong exclusively to Congress. That's why Congress has appropriation committees and sub-committees.
Second, much of the excess spending since 2008 has been to pay for two wars, the bail-out of a "too big to fail" banking and financial system (fostered the repeal of Glass-Steagall in 1999 and other forms of deregulation), stimulus packages to try to keep the unemployment rate from plummeting even further, and more.
Third, the most wasteful spending is the billions of useless defense spending and government giveaway programs to the corporate lobbyists. The food stamp program may have its faults, but at least most of the people use the money to buy food. The net profits from our corporate largesse usually ends up in private accounts in the Cayman Islands or other exotic banks.
The enforcement "trigger" is a bit naive, but headed in the right direction. There needs to be a "switch", so that legalization programs are suspended whenever any significant amount of new illegal immigration is taking place.
And it's not just about "securing the Southern border". Why define the goal narrowly, if the real goal is to stop illegal immigration (all sources)?
Goals, Testing, Metrics & Countermeasures
A realistic system of immigration Enforcement will entail Testing, Metrics and Countermeasures. This entails "red testing" of all control points. This means sending people to get jobs who lack work permits, sending people down to Mexico to try to get back in without getting caught. A professionally run Testing system will generate believable Metrics, and that is where Goals come in. The Law must define a threshold level of illegal immigration (e.g. < 1,000 per year) above which a Non-Enforcement Condition is declared. Anytime such a NEC is going, we need to suspend legalization programs (the "switch" goes off). The last component is Countermeasures....we'll know from the Testing where the holes are, and the Law must give authorization to erect countermeasures, WITHOUT MORE LEGISLATION.
Realistically, it might take a year or two of Testing, Metrics, and Countermeasures to bring illegal immigration under the numerical Goal. The Legalization process could begin at that point.
This is the shape of a Grand Compromise. The Gang of 8 and Obama clearly are not focussed on Enforcement Effectiveness, under numeric Goals, with ongoing Testing, published Metrics, and Countermeasures. But, that is where the House can make its unique contribution. That is, assuming House members can stand back from the politics, not try to themselves cop the role of security system designers (bad idea for lawyers), and engage top security system thinkers to dissect what architectural principles should go into the Law, leaving operational details to the pros running the system.
The control of our borders is very important or as "triggers" before any reforms. If not then there will be an even bigger influx of illegals because they will find a way to use any legislative reform after the fact. Then we will be back to a similar problem with non-citizens. If people want to become citizens, I am all for it. Do it legally! If we need to streamline the process, then do it. Don't reward bad behavior. If those groups that are pushing for reform, like churches, charities, lawyers, etc, were to start helping the illegals become citizens directly instead of trying for an end run around the law by changing it then more people would be happier. But one thing that they might not like if they were to do that would be that they would find that a large number of those here illegally really don't want the full responsibility of being a US citizen. Or they don't want to give up being a citizen of their country (which shows their true patriotism). Or maybe they don't want to give up the entitlements our country offers. People say immigration is what our country was founded on but times have changed. We are not the same country looking for a fast way to increase our population. The basis of our economy is different, based on different values, and technology is changing faster. Immigration reform needs to reflect this and needs to stand firm in it's stance that people come to this country to either work legally or want to legally become a citizen. I would vote for something that supports that.
Speaking on the topic of immigration, President Obama once stated the following: "Our administration has supported the basic concept that we are a nation of laws" Mr. Obama said... "There are laws on the books that I have to enforce".....
When then Mr. President, have you failed to enforce our nations laws pertaining to illegal immigration? People who break our laws deserve to be punished, not rewared with "a pathway to citizenship".
My impression is that illegal immigrants represent a very attractive source of labor for employers due to the fact that they don't have to pay the minimum wage, contribute to payroll taxes such as Social Security and Medicare, provide health benefits of any type, and they can ignore almost every other labor law that deals with employee safety and welfare. Who is going to turn them in.........the worker who is here illegally?
If immigration laws are changed to mandate work visas, temporary permits, etc., then doesn't that burst the "bubble of opportunity" for both the illegal worker and the employer? Doesn't the value of the illegal immigrant greatly diminish if the playing field is leveled? All things being equal, wouldn't the employer prefer an American citizen who can speak English and has a high school education?
As they say....."be careful what you wish for".
Want a good immigration plan? Try this:
1. Seal the border, not just secure.
2. End birthrite citizenship for the children of illegals
3. Then give illegals here a pathway to be legal:
a. Must be here at least 5 years and be able to prove it
b. anyone that is or was a member of a gang within a year of this is disqualified
c. anyone convicted of a felony or more than 2 misdemeanors is disqualified
d. must be proficient in English and American history
e. pay back taxes
f. must prove to be self supporting
g. no gov't benefits
And finally anyone found to have used a stolen SS# is barred from ever getting entry.
You make sure that we don't get over loaded with parasites, thieves, convicted felons, make sure we don't have to support them and make sure that we never again have to do this.
So what got done on spending cuts and a budget today? Guns - illegal reform etc.. has a cost and if you think different your wrong. Stop the spending and lets get the debt clock counting down then we can address these things.
By the way we caught Giffords shooter and Reagans on camera at the time and both are still here to talk about it. Reagans shooter even has weekends out. If a dog took a bite out of them them would be put down in a few days.
i think we are screwed either way...politics is all you hear...its all about the two parties ripping the country apart while we sit back helpless.....
all we can do is debate,,,and that does no good...those in power will do as they please,without having to worry about the outcome
we are a broke country
Politics
DHS revamping immigrant welcome materials, set to include Obamacare
It now says:
“Welcome to the United States! On behalf of the President of the United States and the American people, we welcome you to this great nation. The United States has benefited from the contributions of immigrants since its founding more than 200 years ago. As you settle into your new home, WelcometoUSA.gov will help you find basic information about the United States and your new community.”
The project to revamp the website started in spring of 2012 and will be finished in the next couple of weeks, according to Bentley.
Also included in the makeover will be the guidebook new immigrants are encouraged to read, “Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants.”
USCIS spokesman Daniel Cosgrove told TheDC the new manual will be out by the end of fiscal year 2013.
When asked if the revamping had anything to do with the president’s push for immigration reform, Cosgrove said that the effort was “an ongoing project” for the department.
As TheDC previously reported, some have concerns about the manner in which the government is promoting government benefits, including in the welcome materials, to new immigrants.
“Some of these programs are clearly not available for immigrants,” Sessions told TheDC in November, “and it just creates confusion out there and suggests that if you can get into America, you can leave and get onto these programs, and from what we are seeing, many of these people are successful in getting on benefit programs that they are not lawfully entitled to.”
DHS launched WelcometoUSA.gov in 2007, and the guidebook was first developed in 2004 and revised in 2007.
Here they will come by the hundreds of thousands to take advantage of the latest sellout of the U.S. taxpayer. President Obama and his minions have declared a path to citizenship holiday. If there was any truth that the numbers of migrants and immigrants had dropped off, it will not be for long. The Sanctuary county of Los Angeles, California thinks 1 billion dollars in welfare benefits annually in pandering to illegal aliens, they need to clean their ears out of wax. Same with the $830 Million dollars to pay for entitlement programs in Nevada, for people who have broken our countries laws. 70 percent of illegal aliens with children All told, illegal aliens supported on our tax dollars are estimated to cost Texans almost $5 BILLION/year. And those figures are from 2007; the estimated cost today is $9 BILLION a year. Here are genuine references of the “here and now”, of 2007 illegal alien statistics for you to verify and then judge what will happen when President Obama tolls the bell?
1. $11 Billion to $22 billion is spent on welfare to illegal aliens each year. 2. $2.2 Billion dollars a year is spent on food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches for illegal aliens. http:/www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html 3. $2.5 Billion dollars a year is spent on Medicaid for illegal aliens. httptp://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html 4. $12 Billion dollars a year is spent on primary and secondary school education for children here illegally and they cannot speak a word of English! 5. $17 Billion dollars a year is spent for education for the American-born children of illegal aliens, known as anchor babies. 6. $3 Million Dollars a DAY is spent to incarcerate illegal aliens. 7. 30% percent of all Federal Prison inmates are illegal aliens. .8. $90 Billion Dollars a year is spent on illegal aliens for Welfare and Social Services by the American taxpayers. 9. $200 Billion Dollars a year in suppressed American wages are caused by the illegal aliens. 10. The illegal aliens in the United States have a crime rate that's two-and-a-half times that of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children are going to make a huge additional crime problem in the US. 11. During the year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth, heroin and marijuana, crossed into the U. S from the Southern border. Homeland Security Report. 12. The National Policy Institute, "estimated that the total cost of mass deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period." 13. In 2006 illegal aliens sent home $45 BILLION in remittances back to their countries of origin. 14. "The Dark Side of Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants In The United States".
Total cost is a whooping... $338.3 BILLION A YEAR!!!
In addition
SEND THIS DATA TO ALL YOU KNOW. THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF THESE UNITED STATES NEEDS TO KNOW THIS INFORMATION, UNLESS THEY DON'T MIND SHARING THEIR SOCIAL SECURITY WITH FOREIGN WORKERS-- who didn't pay in a dime into the retirement pool.
Unfortunately the Liberal chorus out there will deny these facts, and will go one step further and delete any information about this growing, infuriating problem that is here to stay, unless Americans speak up? While the average American is scraping a few extra dollars to feed our families, illegal aliens are living of the taxpayer.
It’s inevitable that the illegal immigration reform pardon from both the Republican and Democratic Senate is being heard loud and clear throughout the world arena. There is no “if’s or “Buts” that illegal aliens are very much aware that there is a good possibility if they start now they can take advantage of a better way of life, because the American taxpayer must support them financially; the U.S. courts says so, especially if you smuggled an undetected unborn into the country? If they turn up at the emergency room they must be treated you even if they have no identification, unlike the low income Americans who must produce a drivers license or at least a Social Security number, This allows a debt collector can track an then harass some elderly person or a single mother for money by bullying them? Without laws like THE LEGAL WORKFORCE ACT or THE BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP amendment illegal aliens are going to figure some way of getting here. The LWA stops dead illegal aliens with mandatory authorizing in the workplace both new hires and long term employees. BCA would which is the most expensive payout by taxpayers, halting for forever children of illegal aliens gaining an immediate foothold by claiming citizenship and thereby FAMILY CHAIN MIGRATION.
Call or otherwise contact the Senate office or the Congressional House of Representatives by going to Washington Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Government pages should also be in your telephone book and switchboard operator will connect you directly with your desired party.
Now ,every system must grow.One that doesn't is dead.And the USA[most beloved and wonderful still] must continue immigration.ON A VASTLY REDUCED SCALE.The world,the US population has more than doubled in 60 years.I am partial to the culture that made this great nation,and it is getting outbred by everyone.WHY do we need these '11 million' people?WE DON"T Kick them ALL out.CHANGE the constitution to do away with anchor babies.If you 'latin' americans' are really american,THEN YOU DON'T WANT THESE PEOPLE HERE EITHER.we will find a new balance in our workforce,we WILL get the crops picked,the offices cleaned