The Real USA - Politically Engaged Rock Band
The story of Outernational, a politically committed rock band whose lyrics address issues such as immigration reform, in their album We are All Illegals, and capitalism. They call their musical...
By: teleSUR English
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The Real USA - Politically Engaged Rock Band - Video
Immigration reform has stalled on Capitol Hill, but it lives on in campaigns across the country this year where Democrats are citing it as a key litmus test of Republicans bipartisan credentials.
From Alaska to Iowa, Democrats are turning the immigration debate from a question of legalization and amnesty into a debate over willingness to cross party lines on tough issues and say Republican candidates who oppose the Senate bill have shown they cant be trusted to work in a bipartisan manner.
With disgust at Washington at a all-time high, or low, depending on how you look at it, I think it makes sense for Democrats to remind voters as much as possible that if the Republican Party wasnt dominated by a bunch of extremists, Congress could do much more to help address the problems facing the country, said Jim Manley, a Democratic strategist.
In Georgia, where the immigration bill itself may not be too popular, Democratic Senate nominee Michelle Nunn is still pressing the attack, arguing that Republican nominee David Perdues refusal to back the legislation shows he cant be trusted to find bipartisan solutions.
This is probably one of the sharper contrasts you that will find between David and myself, Mrs. Nunn said in a candidates forum. I think David embraces what I believe is the attitude of gridlock in Washington that has not enabled us to get this done.
The Senate bill was written by the Gang of Eight senators, four Democrats and four Republicans, and would have legalized most of the estimated 11.5 million illegal immigrants already in the country, while also boosting legal immigration to help businesses find workers. It passed on a 68-32 vote, with all Democrats and 14 Republicans supporting it but it has failed to gain traction in the House, where the GOP has refused to bring it up for a vote.
Democrats from President Obama on down have said the bill symbolizes the fate of bipartisanship in Washington, praising Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and John McCain and Jeff Flake of Arizona the four Republicans who co-wrote the legislation.
In Iowas Senate race this year, Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley has prodded Republican nominee Joni Ernst to say whether she would have joined the GOP architects of the bill, known by its legislative number, S.744.
The Braley campaign has contrasted Braleys bipartisan accomplishments against Ernsts obstructionism, said Jeff Link, who is advising the Braley camp. This is another issues where that frame works.
And in Alaska, Sen. Mark Begich, an incumbent Democrat who voted for the legislation, questioned why Republican nominee Dan Sullivan wouldnt back a bill that had the support of Mr. Rubio.
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Immigration reform a bipartisan litmus test for Democrats
From the need for immigration reform and the return to the gold-backed dollar and related economic issues, U.S. Senate hopeful Jeff Bell touched on a wide range of topics at Rider University in Lawrenceville last week.
Mr. Bell, who is a Republican, wants to unseat U.S. Sen. Cory Booker in the Nov. 4 general election. The Democratic senator was elected to the U.S. Senate in a special election last year, and is running for his first full term.
Right out of the box last week, Mr. Bell criticized Senator Bookers decision to hold only one debate with him. Mr. Bell, who ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate against Democrat Bill Bradley in 1978, said the two men held 21 debates during that campaign.
"There is something about the Democratic Party and the left wing. They are not used to a debate. They dont like it. They assume their vision is correct," said Mr. Bell, who spoke at the invitation of the universitys Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.
Mr. Bell described the debates between himself and Mr. Bradley as "fruitful." Although Mr. Bradley was opposed to income tax rate cuts, he eventually reconsidered and co-sponsored the Tax Reform Act of 1986 in the Senate.
Reaching bipartisan support today is difficult to do, Mr. Bell said. President Obamas idea of negotiation is to ask for 95 percent of what he wants, demand it and then threaten to leave the table if his demands are not met, he said. The president issues executive orders to get what he wants, so there is no incentive to go to the table.
Another issue that should have received bipartisan support is immigration reform, said Mr. Bell, noting that he favors immigration reform. President George W. Bush pushed for immigration reform, but the Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives balked.
President Obama pledged there would be immigration reform in his first term, but "he did not lift a finger," Mr. Bell said. The rumor has it that one of his top advisers, Rahm Emmanuel, told the president not to do it because it could have hurt the 2010 election, he said, adding that afterwards, the president "used immigration reform as a club against Republicans."
Mr. Bell said he is not opposed to immigration reform. It would be a pathway to citizenship for 11 million illegal aliens, he said. Reform would "regularize" their status. They would have to pay fines and taxes, and then there would be a 10-year waiting period until they could apply for U.S. citizenship.
Immigration reform is not amnesty, he emphasized, because there is no guarantee of obtaining American citizenship.
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LAWRENCE: Bell outlines Senate campaign issues
Would a Republican takeover of the Senate improve the prospects that an immigration bill will get to President Barack Obamas desk? That theory is making the rounds and some of the people who oppose the dominant approach to immigration reform are starting to worry about it.
The theory goes like this: A lot of Republicans, having just taken full control of Congress and seeking the presidency in 2016, will want to show that they can govern. And many of them think that they need to deal with immigration, in particular, to do so. The idea is that passing a reform bill would help the party appeal to Hispanics and take the issue away from Democrats in the presidential campaign.
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Commentary: Immigration reform remains dead
First amendment denied part 1 Baldwin county al
It was fine for me to record until I asked questions about wearing my hat then the deputy told the clerk I was recording I ended up pussing out and paying ti...
By: Thomas Duke
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First amendment denied part 1 Baldwin county al - Video