RightMarch plans (possibly ineffective) anti-illegal immigration rally at Democratic Convention
The group RightMarch is planning a "massive" rally at the Democratic Convention next month to protest illegal immigration. It "will feature dozens of prominent speakers and leaders in the fight for border security". And, it probably won't have much of an impact:
Imagine -- 35,000 people, including 15,000 reporters, hearing YOUR message AGAINST illegal immigration, LOUD AND CLEAR!
The vast majority of reporters won't care. Most of those who do will just feature it as a sidenote. Perhaps a few will write biased reports. Obviously, they need to be somewhat nice to the press just in case, but they also have to realize that the press is more or less in the enemy camp.
However, if they get enough people it might send a bit of a message to the conventioneers, but probably not much: they'll soon forgot it.
If Right March wants to have an impact, they should try to get into the convention and ask candidates and DNC officials difficult questions on video, and then upload their responses to video sharing sites. Sending a clear message that supporting illegal immigration is a career limiting move will have a far greater impact than even a "massive" rally. If someone's willing to go to Denver to attend a rally, then surely reading a question off a card shouldn't be that difficult, right? Attendees can repurpose the questions here, call Obama on this, this, this, or this, or use one of these questions already in printable form. For extra credit, they could videotape interactions with MSM reporters and present them with specific examples of their biased reporting.
Posted to Politics at 03:55 PM
A standing army for the United Nations? See the candidates who support it.
Globalist forces are pushing to give the United Nations a standing army consisting of 15,000 troops and personnel who could respond within 48 hours under the command of the U.N. Security Council (called the "U.N. Emergency Peace Service"). While that might make sense under certain circumstances, it could obviously be severly abused and might even result in U.N. troops - i.e., blue helmets - being deployed inside the U.S. Combined with the U.N.'s push for global taxation (such as through LOST), this would hasten the development of a world government.
The far-left internationalist group Global Solutions gave a questionnaire about U.N.-related issues to various candidates (globalsolutions.org/politics/elections_and_candidates/races/2008?action=cq) which included this question:
Will you cosponsor a resolution in Congress supporting the establishment of a U.N. Emergency Peace Service if one is introduced?
The answers to the other questions are interesting as well, but here are the responses from those who answered that question in support, ranked generally from worst to least worst:
Bob Alexander (D-MI 08)
Yes, as a former Peace Corps Volunteer and Teacher Corps Intern I fully support the needed Emergency Peace Service.
Daniel Seals (D-IL 10)
I believe that the establishment of UNEPS would drastically improve our ability to respond to humanitarian crises.
Stephen Todd Sarvi (D-MN 02)
The U.N. Emergency Peace Service is an idea whose time has come. It would enable quick responses to situations such as East Timor and Darfur However, the United States has very serious military readiness issues that must be addressed in order for us to participate responsibly in such a service. Additionally, questions need to be answered about command of the force and how it's paid for. This initiative must have wide backing and support within the world community as well, and the United States should not have to be the primary operator.
Darcy Burner (D-WA 08)
Yes, I would support a resolution in Congress supporting the establishment of a U.N. Emergency Peace Service if one is introduced. The ability of the U.N. to respond to deadly emergencies quickly is vital to their mission of ensuring peace and protecting human rights throughout the world.
Tom Udall (D-NM)
The creation of UNEPS as a permanent humanitarian crisis raid-response structure would go far in stabilizing how the international community reacts to emergency conflicts and situations. Although I would need to see the specific proposal, I am a strong supporter of international peacekeeping missions; I would support a permanent structure as long as it establishes clear goals, clear responsibility, and is fully equipped to deal in conflict resolution, emergency medical situations, natural disasters, and other emergency conditions around the world.
Jill Morgenthaler (D-IL 06)
As a former peacekeeper in Bosnia, I am keenly aware of how the rapid deployment of resources can minimize both dangerous situations and long term costs. The current mechanisms within the United Nations for addressing global hotspots take too long to spring into action. An emergency peace service would be able to match stated desires with desired action.
Jigar Ashwin Madia (D-MN 03)
I support an international conference to explore the concept of a U.N. Emergency Peace Service. Such an organization could greatly reduce U.N. response time in dealing with emerging crises. It is important for such an organization to have a narrow and clearly defined mission that is appropriately tailored to its humanitarian purpose.
Linda Stender (D-NJ 07)
I would need further information before I make a decision on this issue. One of my principal concerns in Congress would be to restore fiscal responsibility back to the federal government. I would be interested in seeing if, through efforts to fight waste, fraud, and abuse in federal spending, existing funding can be shifted toward the establishment of a UN Emergency Peace Service.
Gerry Connolly (D-VA 11)
The U.N. should have the capacity to respond to crises immediately and without having to convince member nations to contribute personnel.
Al Franken (D)
I would support anything that helps shorten the time it takes for peacekeepers to be deployed.
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Although I would need to see the specific proposal, I am a strong supporter of international peacekeeping missions.
Thomas Perriello (D-VA 05)
I believe the US and the UN have an affirmative obligation to prevent and stop genocide and crimes against humanity. In the absence of UN authority, the US can and must lead a multi-lateral effort in this regard, as was the case in response to ethnic cleansing in Kosovo.
Eric Massa (D-NY 29)
I believe that the current framework that exists within the United Nations in adequate, and I feel that we should operate within the framework of what already exists, while working to make sure that that framework is fully funded and fully functioning.
Posted to Miscellania at 11:19 AM
43 illegal aliens arrested... in Hawaii
Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 43 illegal aliens from Mexico at an apartment complex in Waipahu, Oahu, Hawaii last weekend (link). They're apparently agricultural workers, and it should be interesting to find out how they got there. Another interesting thing to consider is the contortions the Mexican government would have to go through to claim Hawaii as part of the Mexican Nation.
Posted to Immigration2008a at 04:05 PM
Obama camp implies healthcare plan doesn't include illegal aliens; another lie?
Dick Morris recently suggested that John McCain highlight his contention that Barack Obama's healthcare proposal covers illegal aliens. Lester Feder at the Huffington Post asked the BHO campaign about this:
David Cutler, senior health care adviser to the Obama campaign, says Morris's argument flies in the face of the plain language of the Obama plan. He notes that it reads, "My plan begins by covering every American." Cutler added in an email, "That should have been enough for" Morris.
It's not enough because many Democrats have used "Americans" to mean various things, from U.S. citizens to U.S. citizens plus immigrants to U.S. citizens plus immigrants and illegal aliens to everyone in North and South America. In the mind of many Democratic Party leaders, the word "American" is a bit fluid.
Further, the numbers don't add up: The 45 to 47 million people that BHO touts as covered by his plan include millions of people who aren't U.S. citizens.
For instance, BHO's page (barackobama.com/issues/healthcare) includes this quote from his May 29, 2007 Iowa City, IA speech:
If you are one of the 45 million Americans who don't have health insurance, you will have it after this plan becomes law.
In the text of the page, it says this:
47 million Americans — including nearly 9 million children — lack health insurance with no signs of this trend slowing down.
Now, let's turn to the Census Bureau chart in this PDF file (link). On Page 21, the number of those without health insurance in 2006 is indeed 47 million (rounded). However, only 35.7 million of those are native born or naturalized.
10.2 million of the 47 million are listed as "not a citizen". The Census Bureau doesn't say what status those 10.2 million have, but some will be visitors, some will be those working towards citizenship, and some will be illegal aliens. Most likely a good percentage or a majority will in fact be illegal aliens.
Now, of course, there is a sneaky way that Obama might not be lying but simply being very misleading, as has been seen before. He could be thinking forward to his other plan, the one to give a massive amnesty to illegal aliens. If that's enacted, all those millions of illegal aliens would be magically transformed overnight into legal residents on the "path to citizenship" and they'd eventually become U.S. citizens, i.e., "Americans". Under that BHO plan, almost all of those 47 million would be U.S. citizens eventually, so, a few years after his plan was enacted, BHO will not have lied.
There are a lot of possibilities here:
1. The BHO campaign is lying/being very misleading about who would be covered by their healthcare plan.
2. The BHO campaign has a flexible definition of "Americans".
3. The BHO campaign has a circuitous, trans-Clintonian "out" involving the massive amnesty they'd grant.
4. Other explanations even beyond anything Bill Clinton could ever come up with.
I'll try contacting Cutler to see which it is.
7/23 UPDATE: No reply has so far been received from Cutler. And, Morris does the math for the BHO campaign again:
The senator is either misrepresenting when he says he'll cover 47 million or when he denies that he'll cover illegal immigrants. We choose, given his liberal pedigree, to believe that his denial is inaccurate and his original statement, repeated again and again, is controlling.
Posted to Immigration2008a at 12:34 PM
Sasha Baron Cohen (Borat) in "Accidentes" (immigration-related movie)
Word out of Hollywood is that Sacha Baron Cohen ("Borat") will be producing and probably starring in a movie called "Accidentes":
The protag will be a lawyer of Latin descent who transforms from contingency attorney [personal injury] to hero of the working class when he helps an immigrant win a judgment against his wealthy employer after a landscaping mishap. He also becomes the enemy of L.A.'s power elite.
While I'm sure the movie won't come out for immigration enforcement, just how bad it will be remains to be seen.
Posted to Immigration2008a at 12:19 PM
Dick Morris: McCain should stress that Obama's healthcare plan covers illegal aliens
Former Vicente Fox payee Dick Morris has previously stated that one of John McCain's key talking points should be that Barack Obama's universal healthcare plan covers illegal aliens. He has a point, but as he himself admits McCain is probably too wimpy to mention that out of the misguided belief that - since the NCLR would disapprove - he'd hurt himself with the largely mythical Hispanic vote. From his latest:...Obama has said, proudly and often, "I am going to give health insurance to 47 million Americans who are now without coverage." But are they "Americans?"
That 47 million statistic includes illegal immigrants - who virtually all lack insurance. In fact, about one in four of those lacking insurance is here illegally. And they are, by far, the group most in need of health insurance...
...But do we really want to give them federally paid coverage equal to what US senators get, as Obama proposes?
... Covering illegals adds dramatically to the cost of any program - and would encourage more folks to enter America illicitly.
Obama's plan will likely have a horrific effect on some local health-care systems...
...But now [illegal aliens would] be eligible for the entire range of medical services, all free of charge. That would trigger severe rationing: bureaucrats deciding who gets to see an oncologist, who can have an MRI - and even who can have bypass surgery and who'd die for lack of it...
Posted to Politics at 10:34 AM
Are you an embarrassment to Barack Obama? Take the quiz and find out!
In cooperation with the Barack Obama campaign (OK, not really), we've developed a quiz to help you find out whether you'd embarrass Barack Obama or not. The quiz includes math (are you good at ObamaMath?), geography (example: how many states are there?), and other questions, and after taking it you'll find out whether Barack Obama wants to be your president or not.
So, please head on over to ObamaTest.com and take the quiz and tell all your friends about it.
Plus, after taking the test you'll get this nifty widget that you can put on your own webpage.
Privacy note: the results of your test will not be shared with the Barack Obama for President Campaign. However, just make sure and increase the score on your widget after BHO forms his Civilian National Security Force.
John Trasvina of MALDEF lists his demands
Discussing the National Latino Congreso, Teresa Watanabe of the Los Angeles Times says:
John Trasvina, president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund [MALDEF], said he wanted to see the next president end immigration raids, put a moratorium on the use of local police in immigration enforcement, and appoint a Homeland Security chief who would suspend immigration raids during the 2010 Census to ensure a more accurate count, among other things.
I'm going to guess that his first demand was actually more like stopping immigration raids until "reform" is enacted, although he might have said exactly what she's written above.
Posted to Immigration2008a at 05:41 PM
"Slaying suspect once found sanctuary in [San Francisco]"
From this:
The man charged with killing a father and two sons on a San Francisco street last month was one of the youths who benefited from the city's long-standing practice of shielding illegal immigrant juveniles who committed felonies from possible deportation, The Chronicle has learned...
Related:
Feds probing San Francisco's sanctuary city policy; city-paid flights for drug dealers
San Francisco's IDs for illegal aliens plan may spread to East Bay
San Francisco: ID cards for illegal aliens (Tom Ammiano, Gavin Newsom, banks)
Posted to Immigration2008a at 05:35 PM
Newsweek at least tries to ask about Juan Hernandez (John McCain)
Trying to get answers out of the John McCain campaign about their Hispanic outreach director Juan Hernandez - a former cabinet-level official with the Mexican government - is even harder than hunting snipes. Many have tried, all have failed. The latest are Jessica Ramirez and Holly Bailey from Newsweek (link). They tried to interview him at the NALEO convention where he'd been scheduled, but someone else replaced him at the last moment. Their calls regarding him have gone unanswered. While their article contains several of the expected problems, at least they tried. Let's just hope they haven't given up completely.
But, if anyone wants to do a public service in the meantime, go to a McCain event and ask him about this on videotape, and then upload his response to video sharing sites.
Posted to Immigration2008a at 07:59 PM
Julia Preston/NYT uses unique case to advocate against 287g program
Julia Preston of the New York Times offers "Immigrant, Pregnant, Is Jailed Under Pact" (link), an attempt by the NYT to advocate against the 287g program under which localities contact ICE regarding jail inmates. A pregnant illegal alien was stopped without a driver's license, taken to jail, and gave birth after being shackled to a bed. The article, as most ones from NYT do, contains the seed of its own destruction:
"Whether this lady was documented or undocumented should not affect how she was treated in her late pregnant condition and as she was going through labor and bonding with her new baby," [her lawyer Elliott Ozment] said.
Indeed. The issue here is how that jail treats pregnant inmates. Julia Preston, the New York Times and others want to jump from there into blocking the 287g program. The more the New York Times advocates for illegal activity, the more I have to wonder whether they've got a sideline or something.
Posted to Immigration2008a at 07:51 PM
Shaun Casey, Barack Obama's faith advisor, supports illegal immigration, engages in false compassion
No big surprise there. Late last month, the Barack Obama campaign hired Shaun Casey - a professor at Washington DC's Wesley Theological Seminary - as a religious affairs advisor. His exact title varies from report to report, but he'll be leading their outreach to evangelicals. And, he'll be stressing leftwing to far-left topics. See the complimentary profile here, with negative information provided here including the fact that he's a visiting fellow at the Center For American Progress.And, back on September 4, 2006 he offered a stock leftwing justification for bad public policy in "Jesus Was An Illegal Immigrant" (faithfuldemocrats.com/content/view/104/108).
I left the following comment a few weeks ago under the title "Shaun Casey's false compassion":
Shaun Casey is deeply confused, he's engaging in false compassion, and if he had his way the situation would be far worse for everyone involved.
Deporting illegal aliens isn't like infanticide, it's simply returning people to their home countries. And, returning illegal aliens to their home countries - provided it's done in accordance with our laws and with generally accepted standards - is the best thing for all concerned.
By enforcing our laws, we'd raise wages for our own low-wage earning citizens, our own citizens wouldn't be prevented from going to college because an illegal alien was given their spot or discount, and, among many other benefits, we wouldn't have to listen to people like Shaun Casey trying to hide his support for illegal activity behind a highly questionable interpretation of the Bible.
And, that would work wonders on Mexico and other sending countries. Rather than trying to profit by sending us people, Mexico would be forced to take care of their own people. Those illegal aliens who returned home would press for reforms and would help build up Mexico rather than the current situation where large parts of their countryside have been emptied. And, since many fewer would try to cross the desert, many fewer would die while trying.
I urge the reader to think everything through, and hopefully the reader will see that if we follow Shaun Casey's advice, we'll just make the situation even worse.
Posted to Politics at 01:52 PM
Anarchists coordinating "action" for illegal aliens on July 21
Presented for your amusement. From "Call For Anarchist Solidarity Actions With Immigrants July 21st" (la.indymedia.org/news/2008/07/218957.php):Take Nationally-Coordinated Action To Show Solidarity And Fight ICE on July 21st!Needless to say, I don't take this seriously, and for all I know it might have been planted by ICE or some other federal agency. A quick search for the vandalized van didn't result in anything. And, I think any anarchists who try to breach an ICE facility are going to get a lot more than they bargained for.
We have begun the attack by spraypainting an ICE van with many anti-Migra(ICE) slogans. May our spark spread into a wildfire...
...Let us continue, and expand our solidarity with hyper-expolited and terrorized immigrant communities by taking action on July 21st.
Some Ideas For Possible Actions:
-Banner Hangs of Solidarity
-Protests at ICE Facilities (Detention Center List: http://www.bordc.org/threats/detention.php)
-Protests at Federal Buildings
-Protests at Employers Known To Under-Pay or Exploit Illegal Workers
-Street Theater to Show What Happens When A Family is Torn Apart by an ICE Raid
-ICE Copwatch (Use a phonebook to find ICE locally)
-Murals Dedicated to Illegal Immigrants
-Stencils saying "No ICE Zone" or "Anti-ICE Safe Space" in your neighborhood and in front of your house. (In Spanish: "Zona No ICE" or "Espacio Seguro: No Migra Aqui")
-Vandalism of ICE and DHS Property
-Breaching a Detention Center to Free Imprisoned Immigrants (In Australia and Europe this has been done!)
-Get creative and participate!
Posted to Immigration2008a at 11:48 AM
American allegedly assaulted at National Latino Congreso
A small number of people from the group No More Invasion protested in front of the National Latino Congreso/National Latino Congress yesterday, and one of their elderly female members was allegedly assaulted during the protest. There are pictures here. The LAPD arrested someone for the assault, and based on the picture and the text he appears to be from a group of anarchists/far-lefties who apparently work as independent bike messengers. No video is provided.
As I suspected, neither Barack Obama nor John McCain showed for the event, despite claims from unnamed organizers who said they'd be there.
Unfortunately, protests like this are part of a long line of largely ineffective events stretching back years. The MSM refuses to portray those being protested in a negative light, meaning that they're basically just preaching to the choir. And, as with past events, they apparently failed to bring back video. Those who go to such events should always have at least two people videotaping what's going on.
Unfortunately, groups like this don't seem to understand what massive odds they're up against and are unable to figure out how to strike where their opponents are weakest and in an effective way. Asking a locally or nationally known politician a question that reveals their lies or inability to promote good public policy would have a far greater impact than street-level protests like this. If, for instance, they went to L.A. mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's public events and tried to ask him questions (not just rants) that showed he wasn't qualified for higher office, that would send a loud and clear message to the others. Or, if they were able to produce a video showing how the MSM lied about something, or tried to ask MSM reporters similar questions, that would help send a message to the rest of the MSM.
Posted to Immigration2008a at 11:22 AM
Alex Johnson/MSNBC, Marian Albornoz/Telemundo: "Illegal immigrants spurn needed benefits" (welfare)
Alex Johnson of MSNBC and Marian Albornoz of Telemundo team up to offer "Illegal immigrants spurn needed benefits/Fear of immigration agents means available resources go unclaimed", a slap in the face to those illegal alien advocates who frequently claim that illegal aliens aren't eligible for welfare. The article lists some of those welfare benefits and quotes at least one advocates who no doubt promotes them to their clients. The article goes further and features quotes regarding sanctuary cities and one quote supporting giving illegal aliens even more benefits than they currently receive. A section is headlined "Anti-immigrant pressure builds". A few quotes are provided from those who support our laws, but the overall theme is support for illegal immigration.if you are an illegal immigrant, there is a third, crippling barrier — fear of arrest and deportation, especially in an anti-immigrant political climate that has fueled record numbers of arrests and deportations.Other advocates quoted are: Ernesto Campos, "who works with the Latino community for the Arlington County, Va., public schools"; Eduardo Crespi, "director of Centro Latino de Salud, a Hispanic outreach group in Columbia [Missouri]"; Robert Smith, "superintendent of the Arlington County schools"; Caroline Keating-Guerra, an organizer for the Austin, Texas, Immigrant Rights Coalition; and Carol McDowell, "president of McDowell Enterprises, a metal plating company in Elkhart, [Indiana].
Most illegal immigrants have no idea that a limited number of benefit programs don’t exclude them, said Betsabe Pabon, director of the Food Stamps Program at the nonprofit Sunnyside Community Services in the New York borough of Queens.
By law, illegal immigrants are ineligible for food stamps — unless there is at least one U.S. citizen in their household, which describes all U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants.
In many cases, illegal immigrants can also receive emergency medical treatment, short-term government disaster relief and immunization against communicable diseases. Their children can attend public schools.
States may provide other benefits, such as driver's licenses and worker's compensation, In Kansas, for example, illegal immigrants can get tuition breaks at state universities and colleges.
Teddy Kennedy to get award from Mexican government
Decades of hard work have finally paid off for Massachusetts Senator Teddy Kennedy, as the government of Mexico announces that they'll be giving him their "Aguila Azteca" award for his work on immigration "reform" and, per the AP, denounc[ing] injustices against migrants. He'll be presented with a sash in Washington DC at some unknown future date.
Related:
Rick Noriega proud of taking college educations from U.S. citizens and receiving award from Mexican government because of it
Arlington's Walter Tejada gets Mexican government award at NALEO convention
Jared Polis, Colorado Springs awarded by Mexican government (Ohtli award)
Douglas Mayor Ray Borane sells illegal immigration to L.A. Times
Posted to Immigration2008a at 12:33 PM
"Greater Mexico"? You're living in it. (IME report)
Mexican partisan Louis E.V. Nevaer of New America Media offers "Mexican Middle Class Fuels Ascendance of 'Greater Mexico'" (peekURL.com/zdrldr1) about a report from the Mexican government's Institute of Mexicans Abroad (IME) finding that such an entity is growing as Mexico's European upper classes establish companies and lives on both sides of the border:
...[Someone says the border doesn't matter since they can jump between countries at will] That reality – and attitude – has caught Mexican officials by surprise. IME Director Carlos Gonzalez y Gutierrez calls these white middle class Mexicans in the United States "Mexico’s transforming agents," adding that, "although they send many things that benefit us, they also send other things that harm us. But we are tied to each other."...
Posted to Immigration2008a at 10:21 AM
