Republicans Attack Immigrant Youth

Yesterday, State law makers met in Washington DC with the express purpose of attacking children of undoucmented workers.  The result was a nasty display from those who have everything telling those who have nothing their status as “nothingness” would become even worse.  We are in a tragic fight in our country between the haves and the have nots.  The Republican Party of my youth was never a party of have-not.  Rather, it was a party of opportunity.  Odd, what the winds of time bring about.

This article originally was published as Lawmakers Attack 14th Amendment, Create Caste System on Blogcritics, by Tim Paynter

State Republican lawmakers from Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and South Carolina met in Washington DC Wednesday to announce their plan to create a new class of citizen called a “State Citizen” according to Reuters.  A State Citizen is a person born to undocumented immigrants while in the US and who would be denied citizenship in derrivation to the 14th Amendment. The child would be issued a different type of birth certificate and would be refused access to various state services, presumably health care and education. Eventually, the State Citizen would be deported.

Colorado activists protest Secure Communities, the melding of federal and state data bases including ICE and which would be used to identify State Citizens in many cases.

The question the legislators failed to answer is, deported to where? The Republican legislators who propose the law define a State Citizen as a person “Who owes no allegiance to any foreign sovereignty, or a child without citizenship or nationality in any foreign country” reports AJC of Atlanta, Georgia.  If the child owes no citizenship to another country then no country would be obligated to take him as one of their own. That includes the country of his birth parents.

For example, a child born in the US to undocumented parents from Mexico would be a State Citizen of the United States.  Mexico would likely refuse to accept the child into their country.  That would leave the person stranded eternally in the US, either as a prisoner in one of the blossoming prisons for profit used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or free on the streets with no access to basic services or even a job.

With no means of legal support, no education and no options open, the State Citizen would be forced into the underground labor market.  Eventually, the US would be forced to spend billions building new prisons to house what heretofore were US lawful citizens by birthright.  These citizens currently live productive, tax paying lives.

State Citizens who escape incarceration or deportation would belong to a lower caste of citizens, as is common in some third world countries.  Insuring all people are treated equally is part of the American principle of freedom.  The foundation for the battle cry, "No taxation without representation" happened during the Boston Tea Party.

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Viet Nam Vet To Be Deported 

Click above for full details!

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Various countries often refuse to accept their citizens especially if they have a criminal record, including China and Cuba.  At the very least, the proposed law would leave criminal aliens in the united states.  In the past, ICE has incarcerated alien criminals with non-violent offenses for life when a country refused to accept them.

The group of lawmakers who proposed the changes to the 14th Amendment call themselves State Legislators for Legal Immigration including Sen. Jack Murphy (R-GA).  Their objective is to force the Supreme Court to review the current interpretation of the 14th Amendment.

"I feel that the birthright citizenship issue must not be taken lightly and loopholes that allow for individuals to unlawfully remain in our country and take advantage of valuable taxpayer resources must be closed,” said Sen. Murphy who co-chairs a study committee on immigration. “Members of our committee must begin to look at legislation that will close these loopholes in Georgia and protect our citizens.” AJC reports.

    Dream Act Poster

The State lawmakers announced their plan after the Republicans in the US Senate defeated the Dream Act during the lame duck session.  The Dream Act would have allowed students of undocumented immigrants to go to college or serve in the military.  After paying a fine which would have added billions to the treasury and after a ten year wait, the students could petition to become permanent residents. 

Republicans also refused to vote on the Start Treaty and the gays in the military issue until Democrats agreed to extend unfunded tax cuts to millionaires, giving each millionaire an extra $139,000 in spendable funds.   The law makers who proposed the change to the 14th Amendment will benefit from the tax cut and resent granting public services to citizen children of undocumented immigrants.

The battle over the 14th Amendment has brought together an unusual alliance of civil rights groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People which have sometimes been at odds on the issue of immigration.  The new coalition calls itself Americans for Constitutional Citizenship. The coalition labeled the Republican proposals “unconstitutional, un-American and divisive”, according to AJC.

“For the first time since the end of the Civil War, these legislators want to pass state laws that would create two tiers of citizens.  A modern-day caste system, with potentially of millions of natural-born Americans being treated as somehow less than entitled to the equal protection of the laws that our nation has struggled so hard to guarantee,” Wade Henderson, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, was quoted as saying.

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/law-makers-attack-14th-amendment-create/page-2/#ixzz1AIfHFELl

Read more: http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/law-makers-attack-14th-amendment-create/#ixzz1AIeYATQs

Whether or not you like the view expressed, it is a clear analysis of what happens when a country refuses to grant birth certificates to those born in their land.  Please “like” it on facebook, leave your comments for us to ponder and pass it on to your favorite politico.  We need a good discussion but how can that happen without everyone having the same information?

BuzzNet Tags: 14th amendment,dream act,wade henderson,leadership conference on civil and human rights,circ,rifa,immigration reform,birthright citizenship,alabama senator jack

Manuel Valenzuela Viet Nam Vet Fights Deportation

 This article originally appeared Viet-nam-vet-valenzuela-continues-in deportation on technocrati

 While immigrant’s rights groups have been protesting for comprehensive immigration reform and the Dream Act, a travesty of justice has been taking place in a silent corner of the immigrant community. Unbeknownst to most, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Administration (ICE) has been busy deporting veterans.



The most recent victim of an “Order For Removal” is Manuel Valenzuela who survived another round in the government’s effort to deport him today. Valenzuela appeared in Denver Immigration Court dressed in a tightly fitting Marine Corp uniform. His continued fight was placed on the docket for September of 2012 in endless legal wrangling perhaps even the judge did not understand.

“Is Mariela Sogastume representing you?” the judge asked.

“Yes, Sir!” replied Valenzuela.

You could not help but notice this was not the ordinary “Yas, your honor” reply. In fact, Valenzuela responded to the judge as if he were summoned by the general. If you didn’t get the point with the uniform, the manner and directness of his reply screamed “I am a veteran!”

Yes, the uniform was tightly fitting. What do you expect after being out of the service for over 25 years? Yep. Manuel not only is a veteran, he is a Viet Nam veteran. He is the same guy who volunteered for service when an entire generation was seeking refuge in college. They called it "deferment" in those days.  The idea was to go to school for so long that the war would be over before the student could graduate.

Maybe something good came out of Nam after all. Thousands of not-so-studious youths got multiple degrees in perfectly useless things like geology while waiting for others to get the dirty work over with, or die trying. Lots of soldiers died trying.




Needless to say, as men bled to death in Southeast Asian rice paddies, and a nation started singing Kum Ba Yah, Manuel was facing Viet Cong resistance flying rescue missions into mainland hot zones and pulling other soldiers out of harms way. These were the days when VC commandants considered soldiers more expendable than bullets because they had a lot more manpower than gun powder, and they had plenty of both!

The news was all about “body counts” and we are not talking about how many hippies you can stick into a VW bug. This was a guerilla war of attrition in which uniforms were not always worn and the enemy spy was flashing a smile at you during the day because he planned to come back and gut you after dark.

One of the reasons why deporting of veterans has remained so quiet is most of them don’t consider themselves immigrants. Valenzuela came here as a little tike, the child of a US citizen born in New Mexico. Everything about him says US citizen. If Uncle Sam is successful in his effort to repatriate a 50 plus year old to his “homeland” it will be to a place he hardly knows, with no means of support, with no family. Imagine waking up and finding you don’t have a country any more, or the country you volunteered to die for does not want you. If you can’t fathom how it would feel, Valenzuela has a word for it. “Devastating.” Marines don’t cry.  Often.  At least not in public.

Lest you think this is one lone royal foul up by ICE, there are two Valenzuelas facing deportation. Manuel’s brother, Valente, also is doing battle with an ungrateful ICE. Valente had a special clearance that put him in working contact with the three letter boys. If he ever gets through his own deportation nightmare he may write a best seller about his work with the CIA in far off jungles and his exposure to Agent Orange.

At the end of his tour, Valente came home with a bronze star and a lifetime of nightmares and post traumatic stress, the nightmares and post traumatic stress being gifts he shares in common with brother Manuel. Lest you think these are two lone royal foul ups by ICE, ask the brothers to talk about the many veterans who have contacted them after already being deported.

Lest you think the USA has an odd way of showing gratitude towards its veterans, well you are damn right about that. In fact, maybe they should put “We Deport Veterans” on the recruiting posters along with “See The World!”

Fortunately, the brothers are in the hands of a very capable attorney who knows her stuff. Her court room decorum tells you this is a pro without the immense ego most legal beagels carry with them. Her modesty comes from her own struggles and personal experience as an immgrant in the land of Oz. Mariela Sogastume "get's it" when someone faces injustice, which gives her a quiet passion about her work.

Perhaps it was a good day in immigration court. Before the proceeding was adjourned, an “officer of the court” which is a code word in the legal profession for “attorney”, announced he must say something in Manuel’s defense.

“Your honor.” the man insisted. “I am an officer of the court and a veteran myself.” and then turning to Valenzuela he shouted in a voice which needed no loud speaker to amplify it. “And I salute you!”   Perhaps he wished he had become a rich geologist instead of a hard working attorney, perhaps not, but there was no mistaking his patriotism!

Everyone froze for just a second after the words zinged through the air. The question for the rest of us who are grateful for men who put their lives on the line for their country, is this the way to treat a veteran? I felt like standing up and joining the salute and then parading out onto the street in protest. This can’t be happening in America, and if it is, it must stop. That was my impression, and U?


Read more: http://technorati.com/lifestyle/article/viet-nam-vet-valenzuela-continues-in/page-3/#ixzz1ACA7pkr2

Read more: http://technorati.com/lifestyle/article/viet-nam-vet-valenzuela-continues-in/#ixzz1AC9Hhtk4

Raquel Teran Appeals For Promise Arizona

 

Petra Falcon, third from left at table;  Raquel Teran, stands in support behind Petra.

 

When I was an intern for Promise Arizona some of the leaders spent extra time with me, helping me understand what needed to be done.  One tireless leader is Raquel Teran, who has worked for immigration reform for years, including with the Reform Immigration For America effort.

Raquel is writing to ask people to donate to a wonderful organization.  In the aftermath of the bomb blast of unjust laws, while people were wandering the streets, lost, while they held a vigil at the Capitol, Promise was born.  This is a membership organization which sparks the hopes of a generation of young people.

If you have a little extra this year I hope you will think of Promise Arizona as a great place to put the money to work.  They manage money very well, so it goes to the effort and not into administration.  They have clear goals for immigration reform and have helped a legion of people find power at the polls. 

Many people cannot spend the time away from work and family to take on the critical battle for justice in Arizona.  What I am asking, what Petra Falcon is asking and what a wonderful mentor named Raquel Teran is asking, if you can’t give your time, would you at least donate a little money?

If you make your donation before the end of the year there may be tax benefits on April 15th.  If it is after the first of the year, the funds will be appreciated just as much, with the tax benefits available the following year.  Any way you look at it, the funds are a great investment in the future of our great nation.

Thanks to Sue Chinn, Petra Falcon and Raquel Teran for their great work and sacrifices for an immigrant community still reeling from the fallout of SB 1070.

 

Tim Paynter

 

  Chris Torres, who was the field director, was a wonderful guide who challenged us to do our very best every day.  He has a knack for helping people find the best within themselves, and then using that to better the cause of human rights and reform.

 

 

 

 

Dear Tim,

2010 was a challenging year for us here in Arizona. We experienced the passage and signing of SB1070, the most anti-immigrant bill in the country, which suddenly made us the nation’s battlefront for immigrant rights. From that fire arose extraordinary and inspiring leaders. People who were never engaged in civic life suddenly became engaged in actively transforming injustice into power for the immigrant community. Since April 2010, Promise Arizona organizers and leaders achieved remarkable accomplishments as they:

  Mobilized over 10,000 people to the Arizona state capitol for a vigil that lasted 103 days to demand an end to SB1070.
Registered 13,040 new voters

Recruited and trained over 1,5000 volunteers
Ran a 3-week nonpartisan "Get Out the Vote" effort during which canvassers knocked on 37,120 doors & contacting 9,877 voters

Your support this past year has enabled a new set of leaders from Arizona with the tools and resources possible to transform the politics of Arizona to one of justice for all people. Thank you.

But we have much more to do and we can’t do it without your continued support in 2011.

Can I please rely on you to make a year-end donation to Promise Arizona today? Its not too late to make a tax-deductible year-end donation. Click here to donate now.
Your online donation directly fuels the courageous efforts at the frontlines of the fight for immigrant rights. With your help, we can support more organizers and volunteers on the ground by providing them with resources and trainings. We can initiate more meetings with members of our state legislators and create the impact we’ll need to win the fight for just and fair immigration reform.
You can support us by giving what you can with a tax-deductible year-end donation to Promise Arizona today.

(Above Promise Arizona leaders receiving MVO award at RootsCamp) Receiving the Most Valuable Campaign at RootsCamp validated our approach and belief that, the people of Arizona have the ability to transform injustice to power through a grassroots approach to organizing.
 
With only three days left, we are counting on you to help us reach our year-end funding goal.  As a Promise Arizona supporter, you understand the significance of this moment for immigrant families across the country, and particularly Arizona.
It's impossible to overstate this truth: the power we build now — today — will have a big impact in this upcoming year.

Thank you for your help in our shared endeavor.

Sincerely,

Petra Falcon
Promise Arizona

 

P.S. Please forward this email to a friend and ask them to get involved! Remember; give any amount before December 31st to secure your tax deduction  (If you would like to write a check for your donation, please mail it to: 2106 W. Van Buren St. Phoenix, Arizona 85009)

 

Petra Falcon and the leaders at Promise Arizona are my mentors.  They have shown us the way to empowerment in the community.  They give of themselves endlessly, and ask nothing in return.  Thanks to these hard workers for the cause of immigration reform!

 

  This painting hangs in the Promise facility, and was painted by one of the immigrants who volunteered.

 

Remember SB 1070 and a vicious congress which sacrificed the immigrant community so they could become famous.  They set Arizona up for the loss of millions of dollars, forced 200,000 refugees to flee the state, and have set the state up for years of expensive legal battles.  At the end of the day, their solutions did nothing for immigration reform, but they sent a clear anti-Hispanic message to all of us.

I often wonder what happened to my country.  As I write this two Viet Nam veterans are facing deportation after being in the country for 50 years!  I trust Petra Falcon, Sue Chinn,

 

 

Raquel Teran and others to restore the Grand Canyon State to a degree of sanity, but they can’t do it alone!  Please help out if you can.  It is not about tax breaks, though there may be some.  It is about justice!  Please make a donation with your heart for those who are working to help the people who have nothing.

 

 

  Veterans for Promise Arizona

 

BuzzNet Tags: promise arizona,raquel teran,petra falcon,chris torres,faith hope vote,tomas karmelo,sb 1070,vigil at the captiol,immigration reform,dream act

Cuba Jeopardizes Normalization, Publishes Wiki Leaks

Cuban Government Chooses A Path Of Controversy Rather Than Peace

The original article appeared as Cuba Jeopardizes Normalization, Publishes Wiki Leaks by Tim Paynter on Technorati

Published: December 27, 2010 at 7:47 am

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Anna Ardin made several trips to Cuba and has written articles opposing the Cuban regime.  She made claims of rape against the founder of Wiki Leaks, though she has not been willing to proceed with her prosecution as of last reports.  Some suggest the allegation are a hoax in an effort to hunt down the man who violated the secrets of US diplomats and damaged our relationships with other countries.

It is unfortunate the island nation of Cuba has decided to continue a path of sparring with the US rather than allow old resentments to die.  The Castro's continue to associate with rebel countries which are hostile to the United States, like Hugo Chavez and Venezuela.  Clearly, their neighbor only 100 miles to the West could provide significant benefits and assistance in the growth of Cuba.  However, so long as the regime sides with countries bent on destroying the Western world, Cuba will have a hard time fitting in with main stream life.  The following article was published in technorati and outlines a continued slap at the US.  The indication is, Cuba will take each chance it gets to cause harm to the US as the opportunities present themselves.  Hence, normalizing relations with this rebel country remains a high risk.

Despite recent reforms in Cuba which encourage normalization of trade relations between Cuba and the United States, the communist island nation continues to take hostile actions against US national security.

After Fidel Castro launched a small boat full of insurgents from Tuxpan, Mexico, in his final assault to take control of the island nation of Cuba, relations with the U.S. have been strained. The failed CIA invasion of the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban missile crisis which nearly brought an end to the world as we know it and a trade embargo that continues to this day, contribute to frigid relations.

However, Cuba, desperate for outside currency, has launched a series of reforms which suggest the country is moving in a more civil direction. Moves towards privatization were recently announced by Raul Castro, who has taken the reigns from his brother Fidel.

A new entrepreneurial, if not capitalistic, economy is being encouraged. The Cuban government seeks to create a new private sector to help replace jobs lost in a series of massive government layoffs.  Political prisoners who criticized the government are being released from Cuban prisons after being silenced for years, although 11 still marked their eighth Christmas in prison this year.

The Cuban administration seeks to establish Cuba as a first class tourist destination.  In a recent agreement, Cuba agreed to cut the taxes it charges on Western Union money transfers sent to the island nation, thus causing an immediate rise in transfers over the 2010 holiday season, says the Buenos Aires Herald.  The Cuban government continually seeks the dropping of the trade embargo, and the international community agrees. Clearly, these moves are a positive step forward in the argument for normalization of relations with Cuba.

Yet, Cuban leadership insists on shooting itself in the foot each time it has a chance to join the international community. Recently, the country took a nasty swipe at the U.S, reminding conservatives why relations should stay in the deepfreeze. The Cuban government is broadcasting loud and clear that it will cause whatever harm it can to US interests as the opportunities present themselves.

Read more: http://technorati.com/politics/article/cuba-jeopordizes-normalization-publishes-wiki-leaks/#ixzz19KlPjmMN

The most recent Cuban action underscoring a hostile attitude towards the U.S. is the decision to translate and publish 2000 of the Wiki Leaks documents says the BBC.  The first 62 documents have already been translated.  In some diplomatic communications, U.S. diplomats describe Cuban opposition groups as disorganized and not likely to ever run the country.  More, they were described as "out of touch" with ordinary people, says the BBC.

Thousands of pages of diplomatic information which is mostly embarrassing to the U.S. were posted on Wiki Leaks. In some circumstances, the information may actually put US operatives lives at risk or jeopardize undercover operations.  One of those operatives may have been the victim of sex crimes by Wiki Leaks founder, Julian Assange. Anna Ardin of Sweeden made various trips to Cuba between 2002 and 2006, says the Miami Herald.  Ardin has written for a Cuba dissident publication and been associated with a political movement which encourages anti-Semitic remarks. 

Even if the actions of the Cuban government do not pose significant security threats to the U.S., since the information is available elsewhere, it is a reminder the Castro's wish to cause harm to the U.S. even as they seek normalization of relations.

Sooner or later the US is bound to drop the trade and tourist embargo which plagues Cuba. The Cuban government could help their own cause by refusing to fuel the fire against the CIA and US diplomatic corp they deeply resent.

Cuba’s anti-US attitude is regrettable.  There is a great deal each country could gain from the other.  There are developing opportunities for tourism in Cuba and the Island nation would benefit from the robust type of economy that China has.  None of these options remain open while the two countries remain at loggerheads.

BuzzNet Tags: wiki links,wikilinks,cuba publishes,anna ardin,us trade embargo,fidel castro,raul castro,trade with cuba

Repubplicans Mock Dream Act, Lindsey Graham Bashes Students

This article was first published as Lindsey Graham Mocks Dream Activists on Technorati, by Tim Paynter

Senate Republicans made no friends today when they failed to advance the Dream Act. In fact their remarks were considered offensive.  At the same time, they ended the hopes of thousands of young college aged youths to become part of US society for the foreseeable future.

Americans love the underdog. Our culture is based upon coming from behind. We cheer the hero, who battles despite short odds, and defeats the bully. Republican Lindsey Graham was a bully in the Senate when he told students they were “wasting their time” because the most powerful country in the world had not sealed the border, so it was going to take it out on juvenile immigrants instead.  He said they were playing a "Silly stupid game" aimed at turning Hispanics against Republicans, reported the SunTimes.com.

Clearly, after Republicans blocked hopes for comprehensive immigration reform for 2010, they could have saved the day by passing a token immigration bill called the Dream Act. Republicans refused, and launched a smear campaign against the Act, calling it Amnesty, something it clearly was not.  Hispanic leaders, immigrant youth and a nation pulling for young people who merely want a taste of the American Dream were crushed when Republicans snuffed out the under dog like it was a cigarette under the heel of their boot.

The Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act was designed to protect those few minor children of undocumented workers who were brought here when most of them were too young to remeber.  While their parents may have broken the law, only a bully punishes a child for the mistakes of his parents. Yet Senator Graham tongue-lashed the eager youths with remarks blaming the young people for their valiant fight for basic civil rights.

“To those who have come to my office...you are wasting your time” he said from the Senate floor.

Graham then blamed the youths for damaging the hopes for over-all comprehensive immigration reform for all immigrants in 2011.  The proposed law is called CIR, or CIRASAP indicating the urgency of the law, Comprehensive Immigration Reform As Soon As Possible.

“What they have done on the Dream Act is hurt overall comprehensive immigration reform,” Graham said after the Seante vote, according to The Hill.

Graham's remarks were cruel words for the young people leaving the nation's capitol with tears streaming down their cheeks.  Graham has done everything in his power to block both the Dream Act and CIR. In fact, the securing of the borders has been in Graham's hands for a long time but he has blocked it at every turn.  CIR is first a border security bill.  Now, Graham says he favors changing the 14th Amendment, which would deny citizenship to children of undocumented youths born on US soil.  That would make them children without a country since no country would accept them without proof of citizenship in their parent's native country.

Read more: http://technorati.com/politics/article/lindsey-graham-mocks-dream-activists-gives/#ixzz18aesSRYI

Graham is not the only Republican to beat up on immigrant youth.  Arizona State senator Russell Pearce (R-AZ) was rude to one of the Dream Activists when she approached him during a public appearance. That was no way to treat a lady.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) broke his word to the Dream Activists, after first promising to support immigration reform along with Edward Kennedy, and then turning his back on the students completely. He steadfastly refused to meet with student leaders even though they were camped in the summer blaze in front of his Phoenix, Arizona, office for weeks this year.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) ridiculed the students as they held hunger strikes that lasted for over 28 days. Sen. Hutchinson had the students arrested when they refused to leave her office blaming it on the landlord. Clearly, a powerful Republican Party is beating up on the weakest in society, while mocking the students for their efforts.

Hispanics have been putting up with an aggressive anti-immigrant stance from Republicans for a long time. However, while adult immigrants have weathered the icy reception, the Republican whipping with rude and disrespectful remarks to immigrant children will likely be a regrettable mistake. As the GOP searches for an expanded base, they can write off Latinos after the way they have treated the children of the community.

A few Democrats are in hot water with Latino voters, as well.  Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, two Montana senators, Jon Tester and Max Baucus, and Kay Hagan of North Carolina all refused to support the Dream Act.  Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia didn't even bother to attend the vote for the Dream Act or for the vote for gays in the military known as Don't Ask, Don't Tell.  Manchin was too busy having fun at a family party, reports the web publication, Politico.

In the meantime, immigrant youth have placed their futures in the hands of people who are supposed to know what wisdom is. Some are subject to deportation shortly. Without the Dream Act, their chances of living the American Dream are quickly fading.  Others are already planning for 2011.  Underdog might get squashed under the heels of cruel aggressors.  He is never defeated.  A few Republican and Democrat senators may not be able to say the same after the 2012 elections.

Read more: http://technorati.com/politics/article/lindsey-graham-mocks-dream-activists-gives/page-2/#ixzz18aef1yVF

Republicans Propose New DADT Provisions–Liberals Held Hostage

This article originally published as Republicans Propose New DADT, Hold Country Hostage on Technorati by Tim Paynter

The Republican Senate’s “No Vote” pledge is holding DADT and the entire nation hostage pending the granting of unfunded tax and estate benefits to the wealthiest people in the nation.

Even though there were enough votes to pass Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell yesterday, December 9th, 2010, nothing is going to happen until wealthy people line their pockets at the tax payer’s expense.

That is the message the Republican Caucus delivered to Senator Harry Reid, Joe Solmonese of the HRC and those who have worked hard to bring justice to the military.  Lisa Murkowski, (R-Al) and Scott Brown (R-Ma), said they will vote for DADT. But not before congress passes an extension of tax cuts which only benefit the top 2 percent of the people in the United States, a fact well reported on NPR.  Republicans added a little kicker with the estate tax.  There is no benefit to anyone other than the highest fraction of one percent of the nation's wealthiest people.  This provision won't help the average businessman.

Meanwhile, the Republicans scream about a deficit which is so far out of control the nation’s currency, forever the strongest in the word, is no longer accepted by many countries.  The value of the greenback is in question for a country in the process of transferring it's wealth from the poor to the wealthy through the tax base.

Clearly, the Republicans came away from the last election with a mandate: The people want our law makers to help the wealthiest bulge their pockets.  In the process, maybe as a bribe, law makers will leave a little on the table for middle class businessmen, but not in the case of the estate tax which will only benefit the super-rich.

First the hippopotamus satiates his huge belly. The crumbs in the form of social programs, DADT, the Start treaty, the Dream Act, come second, if at all.  The crumbs in the form of the financial welfare of the middle class and poor count for nothing.  A leader sacrifices himself, if for no better reason than to be an example to those who must also suffer.  The sickness of selfishness has soaked the nation's rich to the point in which an over-weight hippo who lacks for nothing, grasps for even more, while trampling on everything that is just.

Read more: http://technorati.com/politics/article/republicans-propose-new-dadt-hold-country/#ixzz17l7jbiAM

Democrats came away from the last election with a mandate: Take care of the economy, and protect the middle and lower classes from those who wantonly loot the treasury while begrudging the poor anything.

Shortly, both Republicans and Democrats must wrest public benefits away from those who need help the most. They are speaking about raising the age to qualify for social security, severe cuts in health care, closing of schools, removal of the mortgage tax deductions for home owners and a host of other sacrifices under an austerity program which inevitably leads to a significant lower standard of living for most.

As champions of the austerity program, the Republican Caucus exhibits the worst kind of leadership possible. There is a new Don't Ask, Don't tell on the table.  "Don’t look at the millions of tax dollars we are stuffing into our underwear, and we won’t tell you how poor you are becoming."

If we don't give the greediest generation in the history of the nation what they want, there will be no social reform.  If we do cave to unbridled greed, after they belch, perhaps the Republican Caucus will think of businessmen, the unemployed, undocumented students seeking the American Dream, poor people and those who think there should be equality and justice in the military.  I would not hold my breath. 

Read more: http://technorati.com/politics/article/republicans-propose-new-dadt-hold-country/page-2/#ixzz17l84Klfy

Technorati Tags: dadt,dont ask dont tell,republican no vote pact,murkowski,gays in the military,harry reid

A Message From Joe Solmonese

 

Pic from From Ve Ri Tas Harvard

My friends who are working hard on the DADT program were disappointed yesterday when they failed to rally enough votes to advance the legislation, despite having those votes.  Some Republicans with held their votes pending the passage of unfunded tax breaks for the wealthiest people in the nation.  The Republican caucus turned down prior offers to extend tax breaks to the first $250,000 in income.  They insist, in addition to the break millionaires get on the first quarter-mil in income, they had to have unfunded breaks from $250,000 to $1,000,000 in income. 

 

Meanwhile, the entire country waits for greedy people to line their pockets, and who are delaying legislation to the rest of the country including the Dream Act, the Start treaty, and of course, DADT.

 

Here is what Joe has to say:

Dear Tim,

I know you must have been disappointed when you saw my earlier email tonight saying that the U.S. Senate stopped action on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal, the discriminatory law that bans gays and lesbians from serving openly in the military. This news certainly draws attention to the actions the President can take to end the discharges, and it's important that we continue to urge him to do so. Aside from that, I also wanted to share some late breaking news that keeps congressional repeal as a possibility THIS YEAR.

After the failed vote to bring up the Defense Authorization bill today, two champions for repeal – Senators Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins – announced that they would introduce repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" as a stand-alone piece of legislation. While passing this new bill will be an uphill battle, it is another chance for a durable legislative solution.

Over the past few days we've seen a number of senators speak out for repeal and it's clear that under the right circumstances, we can get above the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. What got in the way today was procedure.

Thankfully a bipartisan group of senators has committed to finding an alternative method of achieving repeal. We encourage all senators to take up this bill and pass it quickly so that the military has the power to implement a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

I'll be in touch in the coming days to give you ways to get involved and help pass this stand-alone bill to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The fight for open service has had many twists and turns but until "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is left in the dustbin of history we will never give up the fight.
Thank you,

Joe Solmonese

 

CALL YOUR REPUBLICAN SENATOR and tell them to quit playing around with the lives of others while lining their own pockets.  The practice is unconscionable, and represents a ruling class out of touch with reality.  You can make a difference, but you have to be willing to pick up the phone!

 

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