Where’s the Outrage?

I’m going to try to do a daily report of the major items, but I have this day job that might prevent me from doing this regularly.

• In case you missed it, all of those high-tech computer geeks who were laughing at those video game programmers, aren’t laughing any more. Grand Theft Auto IV raked in $500 million in sales in its first week.
• Is China that different than Myanmar, where some aid has been reportedly stolen? Is China letting in international aid workers? It appears that the weather is better. Helicopters and soldiers have finally reached the epicenter of the worst earthquake to hit China in over 30 years. Tens of thousands are thought to be dead.
• I wrote about Senator Hillary Clinton’s big mistakes in this primary season. Time Magazine lists their top five. It is nice to know that our lists are similar.
• I know what Michelle Obama meant when she said that she was finally proud of her country. There is a lot to be depressed about for those who open their eyes and see America. There’s a new series of articles by Dana Priest (who I really admire) and Amy Goldstein on the consequences of the economic refugee crackdown. This series is really heartbreaking.
• Polls show that seven in 10 Americans are worried about maintaining their standard of living.
• The House is looking into phone jamming in New Hampshire. The House isn’t looking into anything that happened in 2008 ,or even 2006. They are looking into that incident that happened in 2002 where over 800 hang-up calls clogged the New Hampshire Democratic Headquarters and killed their effort to get out the vote.
• Roger Wicker left the House when he was appointed to fill Trent Lott’s seat in the Senate. This created an open seat in the House. Travis Childers (D) and Greg Davis (R) fought over this Mississippi seat. Last night Childers won. The Republicans threw everything into this race. Even Dick Cheney came out of the bunker to campaign for Davis. Mike Huckabee and Governor Haley Barbour campaigned for Davis. And President Bush even recorded a telephone message for robo-calling. All for nothing.

Tags: Domestic Issues, Economy, Elections, Immigration by ecthompson
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Is Houston, Texas a so-called sanctuary city for illegal or undocumented immigrants?

This is an ongoing subject of debate here in Houston.

The core of the matter is do police and other officials ask people they come in contact with, if they are legally in the United States.

It seems that on the whole, whatever city officials might claim, the basic policy of Houston and much of the surrounding area conforms with the idea of a sanctuary city.

Though here is a conflicting view from the Houston Catholic Worker.

From the Catholic Worker article, here are some proposed immigration policy guidelines from the Catholic Bishops of California.

–Easily available temporary visas for those willing to work

[Read more →]

Tags: Books, Immigration by Texas Liberal
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Mike Huckabee, after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, talked about the numbers of Pakistanis who have illegally come into this country. What? When asked where he got his number of 660 from, he said he thought that they came from the CIA? The CIA is releasing immigration estimates? What?

Just for one second, let’s look at the absurdity of this statement. There is somewhere between 12 - 15 million undocumented economic refugees in this country. There is somewhere around a 400 - 500,000 folks crossing our borders every year. Mike Huckabee is talking about 600 people?  According to Homeland Security, there are far more economic refugees from the Philippines, Korea, China and Vietnam.  Talking about grabbing for straws to save a candidacy.

This story dovetails into yet another poll. The Democratic race is tightening up. On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee is fading fast.

————-

From McClatchy News:

John Edwards has clawed his way into contention to win Iowa’s caucuses on Thursday in the first vote for the Democratic presidential nomination, gaining strength even as rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have lost ground, according to a new McClatchy-MSNBC poll.

At the same time, Mitt Romney has regained the lead among Iowa Republicans as Mike Huckabee has lost momentum and support, even among the evangelical Christians who had propelled him into the top spot just weeks ago. (more…)

 

 Huckabee - Pakistani immigration [2:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Border Security, Election 2008, Immigration by ecthompson
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Immigrant-basher Tom Tancredo is a U.S. Representative from Colorado and a candidate for the Republican Presidential nomination.

As a member of the Colorado House, Mr. Tancredo was a member of a group called “the crazies.” These were representatives engaged in extreme tax cutting in Colorado. Before joining Congress, Mr. Tancredo was head of a libertarian think tank.

Congressman Tancredo has written the book In Mortal Danger about immigration to the United States. ( That title might also cover the genocide of Native Americans that made white settlement in Colorado possible.) He has called Miami a “third-world country.” Mr. Tancredo wants to tax money that immigrants send back home. He may feel Mexico is not poor enough already.

[Read more →]

Tags: Election 2008, Immigration, Party Politics by Texas Liberal
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The Teamsters, led by union President Jim Hoffa, are complaining because trucks from Mexico will now be allowed to drive anywhere in the United States.

The Teamsters have over the years endorsed Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and the first George Bush. Many Teamsters have voted for these men and for other candidates such as George Wallace.

The Teamsters have often permitted corrupt leadership.

But the problem is trucks from Mexico.

Right.

We always have to move forward. If the Teamsters have something useful to add to the debate, that’s great. I look forward to Teamsters leadership on a broad array of social and economic justice issues.

As the Teamsters’ membership considers this new trucking development, they should be certain to take a good look in the mirror when considering what has gone wrong.

———

From NYT:

A truck carrying ammonium nitrate to a mine caught fire after a highway crash and blew up, killing at least 28 people and injuring some 150, state and federal officials reported Monday.

Authorities said two trucks smashed into each other Sunday night on a busy highway in northern Mexico, drawing a crowd of curious onlookers as well as a small army of police, soldiers, emergency officials and journalists.  (more…)

Tags: Economy, Immigration by Texas Liberal
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Our government hires economic refugees (illegal aliens).  Why?

 

 Gov hires illegals [2:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, Immigration by ecthompson
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I can only smile. It was clear several weeks ago that immigration reform in this form wouldn’t pass but our president isn’t good at taking no for an answer. Therefore, he had to bring this bill back up, again. Read said that the Republicans, folks from the president’s own party, needed to step up to the plate. They didn’t. All of the White House lobbying didn’t do squat expect waste the Senate’s time.The president got only 12 out of 49 Republicans to support his bill. Amazing.

Immigration reform is clearly dead for the next year and a half. The whole thing was put together strangely. The Dems who were pushing this bill thought if they could lump enough stuff together everyone would have to vote for it. I would have do it piecemeal. First, border security. Next, fix the process for getting into this country. Next, fines and enforcement here. crackdown on businesses hiring these economic refugees. Fourth, figure out what to do with the folks that are here. That’s the way that I would have tackled the issue but then again, there is a reason that I’m a trauma surgeon and not a politician.

Update: As I have looked at this clip, I see a president Bush without the swagger that he once had.  He looks sad.  He looks beatdown, defeated.  When you think about how the president looked 2 years ago when he had “political capital”, he was a completely different man.  A lot has happened in 2 years.  During this time, President Bush has not had one major accomplishment.  Not one.  Social Security went down in flames.  Immigration has gone down twice by his own party.  He did get Alito and Roberts but Miers was sunk by his own party, again.  President Bush may turn out to be the lamest of all the lame duck presidents.    [Read more →]

 

 Immigration bill, dead, again [2:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Immigration, Senate by ecthompson
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A book I recently read makes a point about Buffalo, New York in the early 20th century that may have relevance to the immigration debate in Texas and in America today.

The book is Richard Hofstadter: An Intellectual Biography by David S. Brown. Richard Hofstadter was a political scientist and author who lived between 1916 and 1970. He wrote the Pulitzer Prize winning Age Of Reform. [Read more →]

Tags: Books, Domestic Issues, Immigration by Texas Liberal
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Senator Kyl seems to be catering to Right Wing talk show host.

 

 Kyl worst person in the world [1:53m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Countdown, Immigration by ecthompson
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One of my biggest problems is that I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I have tried that with Newt Gingrich. Every time that I cut him some slack, he proves that the slack wasn’t warranted. So, Newt has a new commercial. The commercial starts off with Newt saying, “Muhamed Atta and several of the 9/11 hijackers entered the United States illegally.”

Wow. Really? Man, I figured I would of known that. I read that book by Senator Bob Graham, Intelligence Matters. I don’t remember reading that in there. I also read, well, to be honest, I skimmed the 9/11 commission report. I don’t remember reading that the 9/11 hijackers were in the country illegally. So, I decided to do some research, something that Newt Gingrich and his handlers should have done. From the Staff Statement #1 of the 9/11 Commission, “Beginning in 1997, the 19 hijackers submitted 24 applications and received 23 visas. The pilots acquired most of theirs in the year 2000. The other hijackers, with two exceptions, obtained their s between the fall of 2000 and June 2001. Two of the visas were issued in Berlin, and two were issued in the United Arab Emirates. The rest were issued in Saudi Arabia. One of the pilots, Hani Hanjour, had an application denied in September 2000 or lack of adequate documentation. He then produced more evidence in support of his student visa application, and it was approved. Except for Hanjour, all the hijackers sought tourist visas.”

As a matter of fact, the Staff Statement is so bold as to say that the hijackers could have tried to sneak in this country illegally but they didn’t. “As we know from the sizable illegal traffic across our land borders, a terrorist could attempt to bypass legal procedures and enter the United States surreptitiously. None of the 9/11 attackers entered or tried to enter our country this way.”

My only conclusion is either Newt Gingrich didn’t know or is lying. Newt is a very smart man. You decide. (BTW, this guy is thinking of running for President. Please. Give me a break.)

 

 Gingrich immigration commercial [0:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Border Security, Election 2008, Immigration by ecthompson
3 Comments »

Harry Reid placed the football back in the Republicans court.  14% of the Republicans supporting the President’s plan will not done the trick.

From CNN.com:

President Bush broke bread with resistant Senate Republicans on Tuesday, but the fate of a White House-supported immigration bill remained uncertain.

After emerging from the private luncheon, Bush provided no specifics on whether any minds were changed.

“Some members in there believe we need to move a comprehensive bill, some don’t,” Bush told reporters in a Capitol hallway. “I understand that. It’s a highly emotional issue.

“But those of us standing here believe now is the time to move to a comprehensive bill that enforces our borders and has good workplace enforcement, that doesn’t grant automatic citizenship, that addresses this problem in a comprehensive way.”  (more…)

 

 Immigration - Senator Reid [0:58m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Immigration by ecthompson
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Here is a significant part of the problem. Senator DeMint is correct when he says we haven’t enforced the policies that we passed last year. Personally, I think…I know that building a fence is stupid. It isn’t kinda stupid, it is really stupid but we do need to fund the border security that was passed last year. Oh, yeah, that was the Republican Congress that didn’t completely fund that.

DeMint is 100% wrong when he says we need to go slowly to prove that the American government can be trusted. That is a stalling technique while businesses continue to rake in big profits. We need a comprehensive immigration bill that can be understood by anyone walking the street.

From WaPo:

Senate Republicans pressed President Bush to show a more determined commitment to border security when they met behind closed doors today during a rare presidential appearance on Capitol Hill.

The meeting was described as cordial, even jovial, but Bush’s efforts to rally GOP support for his sweeping overhaul of the nation’s immigration laws did not appear to win any converts.

“We’re off the bill. We ought to stay off the bill for awhile,” said Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), one of the legislation’s sternest critics. (more…)

 

 Senator DeMint argues against the immigration bill [4:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Immigration by ecthompson
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there are simply not enough hours in the day.  Anyway, here’s Senator Joe Biden discussing the immigration debate.  I believe that he reflects the same view that I have which is we must be practical.

 

 Debate - Biden on immigration [1:14m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Election 2008, Immigration by ecthompson
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The Senate announced an agreement on a new immigration bill. I have reviewed the major points and I’m not sure that I understand the bill. There are a few things that are clear, no bill that requires folks to go back to their home country has a chance of actually working. It isn’t practical.
Jon Stewart has an interesting take on this bill. Great clip.

 

 TDS - Immigration [6:59m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Immigration, The Daily Show by ecthompson
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If immigrant (economic refugees) were the only thing that Healthcare had to worry about then we would be sitting pretty.  This short segment doesn’t begin to touch the problem.  Individual large hospitals are doing between $10 - $100 million of free care per year.  This care that they can’t collect on.  Economic refugees are just another added burden. 

My good friend, John Porter, is a star in this clip!

(BTW, how to tackle any subject “In Depth” in 2:38?)

 

 Immigration's toll on Healthcare [2:38m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Border Security, Healthcare, Immigration by ecthompson
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So what happened in LA? An immigration rally turns sour.

—–

From LAT:

Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton said today that some actions taken by officers trying to clear a crowd of marchers at MacArthur Park were “inappropriate” and that he has launched two investigations.

The chief told KNX-AM (1070) that he reviewed the videotapes showing officers using batons and rubber bullets to disperse crowds — including TV news reporters — and said “quite frankly, I was disturbed at what I saw.” (more…)

 

 Immigration rally goes sour [1:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Immigration by ecthompson
2 Comments »

As you know, Keith Olbermann does the worst person in the world every night. Many nights O’Reilly has said something to deserve the top honors. He now has a list of terrible things that can only be topped by Coulter. Those kids who died in the fire in the Bronx. They were just children but O’Reilly went off on some rant that they were immigrants and … Who cares!!! They could have been from Mars. They were living, breathing human beings and they died in a house fire. Something that shouldn’t happen in the US. He argued that the left was using this to argue for open borders. First, of all, now is not the time to discuss this. Let’s let those 9 children and 1 adult get in the ground. Let’s mourn for the loss of live. The loss of YOUNG live.

Because he brought it up I would like to point out that the left doesn’t want open borders. No serious politician on the left has ever said such, to my knowledge. To say so, is a lie. I talk about immigration here and here.

 

 Countdown - Worst Person 3-12 [2:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Countdown, Immigration by ecthompson
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What does it say about us when we are so intent on bringing a Western-style democracy to Iraq that we will invade, depose their leader, destroy the infrastructure (with a lot of help from them, admittedly), and generally stir things up so badly that their country falls into a civil war.

But at the same time, we will let practically none of the refugees from that war-torn country come into our bastion of democracy?

According to a story I heard on NPR this morning, since 2003, the United States has only accepted 466 refugees from Iraq. That’s less than ten per month (or maybe it’s 13 per month, if they are counting since the end of 2003). Regardless, it’s pathetic.

But wait, you might say, we wouldn’t want to let just any Iraqi refugees into our country. Some of them could be agents saboteur, intent on bringing havoc to our shores. Well, we aren’t even letting in the Iraqis who have demonstrated their alliance to our troops by serving as interpreters or helping in other crucial roles. The door is equally slammed shut for this category of Iraqis, many of whom are seeking refuge because they’ve been subsequently targeted for reprisal violence.

To date, we’ve issued only 50 visas to people in this category.

I guess we’re not quite the warm, welcoming country that we like to picture ourselves as, are we?

Tags: Immigration, Mess O'Potamia (Iraq/Iran/Israel/Palestine) by desertbug
1 Comment »

The last time the President demanded a bill from Congress then delayed signing it - it was the Detainee Bill.  The White House was hoping that sign the bill with a lot of fanfare would boost ratings.  Nope.  I’m guessing we are going to see more fanfare with this Border Bill signing. 

 

 Border Bill Delay [1:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Border Security, Immigration by ecthompson
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It was interesting report lost deep in the CNN archives.  According to the report Blacks and Latinos are fighting for low paying jobs.  Interesting stereotypes slip out of the men and women in this clip. 

 

 New Racial Tension [3:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Civil Rights, Domestic Issues, Immigration by ecthompson
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