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Published: Sun, April 2, 2017 @ 4:52 p.m.

Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C.

Gay rights groups that fiercely supported Democratic Gov. Roy Coopers winning campaign last fall because of his pledge to repeal North Carolinas bathroom bill now say he betrayed them by accepting the recent compromise, calling it a dirty deal with Republicans.

Many fellow Democrats also were upset with the compromise, which got rid of the provision requiring transgender people to use public restrooms corresponding to their birth certificate but kept state lawmakers in charge of future bathroom policies. That provision in particular angered businesses, the NCAA, the NBA and others who withdrew events and expansions from North Carolina at a steep cost.

I am torn apart because I want to support my governor, and I want to support the efforts that we are trying to make, to make things at least a little bit better, Democratic Rep. Yvonne Holley of Raleigh said during debate on the legislation, adding that it reminded her of past disputes in North Carolina history over racial equity. Although she voted for the compromise, she said: there is more to this than about using the bathroom.

Indeed there is: The law known as House Bill 2 also had prevented local and state governments from passing nondiscrimination ordinances protecting on the basis of categories such as sexual orientation and gender identity. It was replaced by a moratorium on local governments passing them in most cases for nearly another four years.

For months, opponents of the law insisted they would accept only a full repeal. Some joined hard-line conservatives in opposing the bill, though their reasons differed: Many Republicans saw no need for any repeal.

It kicks HB2 down the road until 2020, keeping most of the awful law on the books for someone else to deal with, said Chris Sgro, executive director of Equality North Carolina. Thats not leadership, Gov. Cooper.

More here:
Only partial repeal of 'bathroom bill' angers some NC Democrats - Youngstown Vindicator

Many farmers across the East End of Long Island are hoping their congressman will push for immigration reform in order to stabilize the local agricultural industrys workforce and allow them to hire enough workers.

Congressman Lee Zeldin (R-Shirley) addressed those concerns during the Long Island Farm Bureaus annual breakfast meeting Saturday at its headquarters in Calverton.

Karl Novak of Half Hollow Hills Nursery in Laurel and president of the farm bureau stressed to Mr. Zeldin that agricultural revenue has continued to decrease since 2014 due to a lack of workers.

How is Congress going to help us with immigration reform and a program that will help us gain access to a stable workforce thats willing to perform agricultural tasks? he asked the congressman. Thats a huge issue right now.

Mr. Zeldin said he believes theres a better chance of passing immigration reform only after progress has been made with border security and interior enforcement.

Then youll have more support for what to do with the people who are here illegally right now, he said, to which Mr. Novak and other farm bureau members responded by saying they also support border security.

I would love to be part of getting something across the finish line to deal with everyone who is here illegally, Mr. Zeldin added. Ive never been one of those people who says Deport them all.

Most of the discussion Saturday surrounded enhancing programs such as H-2A, which is one of the current visa systems farmers use to hire workers.

Mr. Zeldin said new secretaries for the Department of Labor and Department of Agriculture are about to be confirmed and there has been discussions about moving the H-2A programs jurisdiction from DOL to USDA in an effort to break the log jam of processing applications.

Yet, some farmers said this is the first season they were able to secure their workforce on-time using the H-2A program. After the meeting, Mr. Zeldin described that news as promising.

This is the first update Im receiving that, for the first time, theyre getting their approvals on time, Mr. Zeldin told the Riverhead News-Review. If DOL is going to process the approvals on time, then that eliminates one of the major reasons if not the primary reason it was being proposed to shift the jurisdiction away.

While some progress has been reportedthis year, farmers said Saturday they believe more needs to be done with immigration reform to address their workforce needs.

Jim Glover of Glover Perennials in Cutchogue said his biggest concern is labor and believes the current political climate surrounding immigration reform is making everyone nervous.

I dont have enough help for my business, Mr. Glover said. I cant even think about expanding my operation in the area which I grow my perennials because of the scary situation in this country with immigration.

Mr. Glover also requested that the there be flexibility to hire seasonal, as well as year-round employees.

I want to hire when I want to hire and I dont want to go through 10 reams of red tape to do so, he said.

Mr. Glover, who said he doesnt participate in the H-2A program, added it currently appears hell be short by a couple of workers this season and has been filling positions creatively with college interns.

Farm bureau administrative director Rob Carpenter said he believes the states decision to increase the minimum wage will also make it harder for farmers to hire workers.

Theyre going to take the easy, fast-food restaurant jobs, he said. Farm labor is a very difficult job and this is where the H-2A and immigration programs are going to help us the most that might not necessarily help some of the other states that have a minimum wage thats closer to the federal minimum wage. The increase in the number of people through the H-2A program is going to be particularly important right here.

The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. Last year, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a state law that will gradually raise the states minimum hourly wage of $9.75 to $15 by 2020.

Among the other requests farmers made to the congressman included allowing laborers to work at different farms under the federal program and extending a workers visa to three years for workforcestability. Mr. Zeldin described those ideas as reasonable.

In addition, farmers said theyd prefer to have the same workers return annually so they dont have to waste money on training new hires. Cutting the red tape mandated in the program, such as advertising in multiple states, would also be helpful, farmerssaid.

Mr. Zeldin asked the group to keep in touch with his office about their concerns and said his office has a staffer who handles immigration issues full-time.

He also thanked the farm bureau for organizing the meeting, which he described as taking place with no distractions. Mr. Zeldin, who has been criticized for not holding a town hall meeting, said his goal is to find settings like Saturdays event to address his constituents concerns in a meaningful way.

Theres just a lot of settings out there with a lot of intensity, he said. There are a lot of settings where the meeting just derails right off the bat. Its very unfortunate.

Outside the building during the meeting, a couple of protesters stood in the rain holding signs demanding Mr. Zeldin hold a town hall meeting. Riverhead Town police were present in the parking lot during the congressmans meeting and later confirmed there werent any incidents or arrests stemming from the protest.

Mr. Zeldin said after the meeting he enjoys attending the annual event because the farm bureau consists of a diverse group that represents many industries.

They have an understanding that their voices are a lot stronger if theyre all fighting for theseissues together, he said. It was a great discussion.

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Photo: Long Island Farm Bureau presidentKarl Novak, right, andCongressman Lee Zeldin at Saturdays annual breakfast meeting in Calverton. (Credit: Jen Nuzzo)

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Immigration reform dominates Zeldin's meeting with farmers ... - Riverhead News Review

The dramatic rapprochement with Communist China occurred under Richard Nixon's administration and was successful largely due to the former strident anti-communist stand taken by that administration. Congress was won over in part by the Nixon Administration given their strong anti-communist credentials and thus strong credentials with the Republican hawks in Congress.

Likewise, the Regan Administration was successful with its rapprochement with the Communist Soviet Union, in part for the same reasons and was successful in their negotiations with Gorbachev in the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.

President Donald Trump, with his bombastic and strident anti-immigrant stance toward our nation's former immigration policies, appears similarly well positioned to advance a long stalled comprehensive immigration reform bill aimed at dealing with the estimated 11-plus million undocumented immigrants living amongst us in our nation. He has obviously established his creds with the hawks on immigration policy and as such would appear to be the most likely to succeed with advancing a resolution to this long simmering and polarizing immigration stalemate that has paralyzed the lives of most of these undocumented immigrants and their families.

The absence of a comprehensive immigration reform policy has likewise created severe uncertainty among the wide array of businesses that employ large numbers of undocumented immigrants such as our construction industry, our wide ranging agriculture industry and service industries. We all can agree that the current system is broken, but now appears to be the best time for advancing a resolution that could pass both branches of Congress, if not too draconian. It would be encouraging if our two local congressmen, Morgan Griffith and Bob Goodlatte could get behind such a timely effort.

More here:
Lemmon: Time for comprehensive immigration reform? - Roanoke Times

Radio World: RTDNA Launches Voice of the First Amendment Task ... Radio World Citing a climate of distrust and growing attacks on journalism, the Radio Television Digital News Association has announced it has created the Voice of the ... RTDNA Creates Task Force to Defend First AmendmentBroadcasting & Cable all 2 news articles »

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Radio World: RTDNA Launches Voice of the First Amendment Task ... - Radio World

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized proposed budget cuts by President Donald Trump to programs that foster international diplomacy. (March 31) AP

Hillary Clinton delivers remarks at Georgetown University on March 31, 2017.(Photo: Win McNamee, Getty Images)

WASHINGTON Hillary Clinton criticized President Trumps proposed cuts to the State Department and U.S. aidprograms that benefit women and children in developing nations, warning of a shift that should alarm us all in attention around the globe towomens rights and health.

Speaking at an awards ceremony in her name at Georgetown University, Clinton called the fight to elevate the rights of women and girls across the globe the great unfinished business of the 21st century.

She took aim specifically at the Trump administration for its proposed cuts in international aidand diplomatic programs that help promote peace and stability. I know weve seen positive results in the advancement of womens rights over the past couple decades, Clinton said. But Im here also to say we are seeing signals of a shift that should alarm us all.

This administrations proposed cuts to international health, development and diplomacy would be a blow to women and children and a grave mistake for our country, she said. Turning our back on diplomacy wont make our country safer. It will undermine our security and our understanding in the world, said Clinton.

Trumps proposed fiscal 2018 budget would cut spending on international programs including the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development by 28.5% to $27.1 billion. During her speech, Clinton also cited a February letter from more than 120 retired generals and admirals urging Congress to block Trumps State Department and USAID cuts, saying they save the U.S. from spending military dollars on wars.

Its part of a series of recent speeches in which Clinton'sbeen openly critical of the Trump administration. That includes a speech last week in San Francisco in which she slammed White House press secretary Sean Spicer for his treatment of an African-American female journalist during a press briefing and disparaged the low percentage of women serving in the current White House.

At Georgetown, Clinton cited the important role women have played around the globe in promoting peace, from women whove helped heal sectarian tensions in Northern Ireland to those who ended a bloody civil war in Liberia and women from the Democratic Republican of Congo whove endured unimaginable abuse and cruelty.

The ceremony itself payed tribute to individuals whove been pivotal in a Colombian peace agreement, including Jineth Bedoya, a journalist and advocate for victims of sexual abuse who was abducted and raped while reporting in Colombia and Elena Ambrosi, a key member of the Colombian governments negotiating team in Havana.

On Wednesday, first lady Melania Trump gave a keynote speech on womens empowerment at the State Department. Yet, in an earlier speech in San Francisco, Clinton pointed out that the ratio of women to men employed by Trumps White House is the lowest in a generation.

At Georgetown, without using any names, Clinton said: If we are to build more just free and peaceful countries and a just world its not enough to just pay lip service to empowering women, she said.

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Hillary Clinton knocks Trump's proposed diplomacy cuts for hurting women around world - USA TODAY