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Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner signaled support for state legislation that would protect immigrants in the country illegally from being detained solely because of their immigration status, but he held off on promising to sign the bill.

The governor's comments during a Friday radio appearance were the first time he's publicly offered his views of the measure. Rauner said he would be making an announcement about the bill "in the next couple days," and that he was "very excited."

"I think it seems very reasonable," Rauner said of the legislation, which would prohibit state and local police in Illinois from arresting or detaining a person solely because of their immigration status, or based on a federal immigration detainer. The law would, however, allow law enforcement officials to hold someone if a judge has issued a warrant.

Supporters of the legislation, including immigrant advocates and the business community, have been pushing Rauner to sign the bill, which has been on his desk since late June. But the governor also has faced intense lobbying in opposition from Republican Party's conservative wing.

Retired Exelon Chairman John Rowe, who heads the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition, said he had spoken with the governor Thursday to push for his signature.

"The governor said, 'I want to sign this bill, I believe in this bill but I need to see enough support from the law enforcement community so it doesn't provoke the whole sanctuary city issue,'" Rowe said during a Friday news conference with Democratic U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin.

Appearing on WBEZ 91.5-FM's "Morning Shift," Rauner noted that the bill is "supported by law enforcement, it's supported by the business community, it's supported by the immigration community. I think it seems very reasonable."

The immigration issue has been a tricky one for Rauner, who has tended to stay away from national political issues that could attract the attention of or link him to President Donald Trump.

Rauner has consistently avoided directly responding to reporters' questions about Chicago's "sanctuary city" status, highlighted most recently in criticism raised by Attorney General Jeff Sessions as well as by Mayor Rahm Emanuel's efforts to sue the Justice Department to ensure the city would not be denied certain federal grants because of its declaration on immigration.

Instead, Rauner has said the nation as a whole should have a comprehensive immigration policy rather than having the country dotted by municipalities setting up their own rules and procedures.

The issue could figure into Rauner's 2018 re-election bid, as the governor will need the support of Downstate voters, some of whom want to see immigration policy that cracks down on those who are in the country illegally.

Rick Pearson and Monique Garcia

State Sen. Kyle McCarter, a Republican from Lebanon outside St. Louis, said that if Rauner does not veto the bill "this could be the last straw" for Downstate voters who have backed the governor.

"There was a reason the president won so big in downstate Illinois, this is one of those issues that we stood with the president on," McCarter said. "I understand it's a difficult decision for the governor to make, but he's going to have to decide if this should be the priority, or meeting the basic needs of the legal citizens of Illinois."

McCarter said he has reached out to the governor's chief of staff to encourage Rauner to veto the bill.

"I think I can speak for downstate Illinois and most Trump supporters, this isn't the direction that I want the country to go or the state to go," he said. "We are a country founded by immigrants, but those were legal immigrants, and I think the last thing Illinois wants is to see a sanctuary state, and this moves us in that direction."

There are also concerns that the legislation could put Illinois crosswise with the federal government and in the crosshairs of the Trump administration's attempted crack down on sanctuary cities.

Also critical of the bill is Rep. John Cabello, a Republican of Mexican heritage who is a Rockford police detective and also co-chair of the Illinois Trump Victory fund. Cabello said the measure puts police in the position of choosing whether to uphold federal law or state law.

"We can't cherry-pick which laws we are going to enforce, it doesn't matter if this bill is signed into law or not, law enforcement will do what we have to do," he said. "I think this bill is symbolic, no law enforcement officer is going to follow this bill."

The bill passed with mostly Democratic support. In the Senate, five Republicans voted for the Trust Act. In the House, only one Republican voted for the bill.

Supporters of the legislation argue that it will help build trust between police and the immigrant community, and will give immigrants confidence that they can come forward to help police solve crimes without having to worry about being punished because of their immigration status. Cabello disputed that notion.

"If people can't trust law enforcement without this bill, they are not going to trust law enforcement with this bill," he said.

mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com

kgeiger@chicagotribune.com

Excerpt from:
Rauner facing pressure from Downstate Republicans to veto 'very reasonable' immigration bill - Chicago Tribune

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and other prominent Republicans have faulted President Donald Trumps response to the deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., but there was little criticism and even some praise for Trumps handling of the issue when more than 400 activists, donors and candidates gathered Thursday for a GOP dinner outside Boca Raton.

There has been some chaos and turmoil of late, Palm Beach County Republican Chairman Michael Barnett acknowledged to the crowd at the partys annual Lobsterfest event at the Polo Club. But, Barnett added, God is on his throne, Republicans are in charge and Mr. Trump, our president, is in the Oval Office doing one heck of a job.

Part-time Palm Beach resident Trump initially blamed many sides for the violence in Charlottesville, then on Monday specifically condemned the KKK, neo-Nazis, white supremacists and other hate groups.

On Tuesday, however, Trump drew fire for saying in a news conference that theres blame on both sides and that there were some very fine people among those protesting the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Barnett, the only black county GOP chairman in Florida and the states only black delegate at the 2016 Republican convention, said Trump has satisfactorily condemned prejudice and bigotry.

Hes right to criticize both sides, where the hates coming from, Barnett said in an interview. Hes, in my mind, clearly condemned the hate thats being spewed by these neo-Nazis, these Klansmen who wave the Confederate flag. I dont know what more people could ask in the way of a response.

U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Palm Coast, credited Trump with leadership and said the presidents both sides remarks dont dilute his criticism of white supremacists.

I think there is no place anywhere that the color of somebodys skin should equate to their value and I think that the president shows leadership when he is willing to call out in the face of adversity, of people yelling at him that there are people to blame, there are bad actors on both sides. That shouldnt take away from the neo-Nazis, the hate groups that should never be accepted by anybody. But it shows leadership to be able to stand up to that kind of a front from people yelling at him for calling out people that are bad on any side, Mast said.

On a night when conservative activist and guerilla videographer James OKeefe was the keynote speaker and decried the rotten media, many Lobsterfest attendees accused the media of distorting Trumps words.

I think his presidencys going great. He just has unprecedented attacks by a media that hates him, said Palm Beach County Republican State Committeeman Joe Budd, one of Trumps earliest local supporters.

Said Budd: When he made the statement there were good people on both sides, in context, both sides of what? A protest. That doesnt mean there were good people in the neo-Nazis, white supremacists. There werent any good people in there. But there were good people in the protest for keeping the statue up and there were good people in the protest for tearing the statue down. Thats what the good people on both sides simply means.

Palm Beach County Commissioner Steven Abrams, however, said he wishes Trump had stuck with his good statement from Monday.

At the (Tuesday) press conference, he should have said I stand by my statement on the previous day period, Abrams said.

Agriculture Commissioner and gubernatorial candidate Adam Putnam avoided critiquing Trumps response to Charlottesville.

Ive been very clear in my own statements that hate has no place in our society. From the white supremacists, from the anti-Semitic movement, hate and violence wont be tolerated. And I think its important that all people in leadership positions be very clear about that. Thats why Ive been crystal clear about it, Putnam said in an interview.

Asked if Trump has been clear about it, Putnam said: Well, I believe that its important that he be clear and I certainly have been clear in my own statements about that.

Another potential candidate for governor, U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, R-Palm Coast, also emphasized the need for clarity while avoiding direct criticism of Trump.

His statement on Monday was strong. Obviously, weve gotten into some other issuesFrom my perspective I want to be clear that we want to treat actions like that as terrorism, we want a really strong penalty, and we also want to make clear that those folks do not represent any views that are acceptable, DeSantis said.

Everybodys ripping the president. Hes the most pro-Israel president in my lifetime. The idea that hes sympathetic to some neo-Nazi, I just dont believe that, DeSantis added.

Read more:
Republicans rip media, praise Trump Charlottesville leadership - MyPalmBeachPost

The events in Charlottesville have rocked the nation in a way it hasn't seen in years, maybe decades. If anything it should motivate the public to take a step back. Yes, a step back in every sense of the word. Step back in terms of national identity, generational progress, and perceived equality. It's hard to admit that, as a nation, we cannot simply plow ahead. Most people know what is right, just, peaceful, and equal, but it's about what to do next. A step back provides a perspective on the next two steps, and the first of the two may need to be a step to the side.

The concept of Conservatism, in my view, has three basic positions: throw society back to a previous time completely, keep society as it is right now, and preserve the core values of society while letting inefficient or ugly offshoot values go. Most conservative thought resides in the latter two with a significant lean towards the third. In this mindset the conservative voice must be careful from moving too quickly. It is cautious of change because history shows that not all change is speaking to the core values of humanity. And so, there must be a constant revision of how those values shine in society at large.

Of course this does not operate in a vacuum, yet in the pull of the opposing side. The United States is a two party system, which operates a check on one another. Conservatives generally want to slow the cart down not knowing if there is a cliff up ahead, and progressives warn if the cart is not moving fast enough it will get stuck in the mud. As this tug of war happens, progressives will see a need for change and find the shortest route to pull the cart. At the same time, being cautious of change, conservatives would like to consult a map. Either position when taken alone is unwise. It can lead to the wrong turn having the cart facing the wrong way, or it spends time with an outdated point of view that stops the cart while ignoring looming disaster. Essentially, progressives can't pull the cart out of the mud without conservatives, and conservatives can't follow a safe path without progressives.

In recent events, there should be no question in which way the cart should move. Hate is not a core value. It doesn't take deep revision of American history or American values to see that fascism, in particular Nazism, is nothing to conserve. It doesn't take deep revision to see that a confederate flag is not simply a symbol of counter mainstream identity. Many communities are revising symbols of their values for today, tomorrow, and the next generation. It doesn't mean they are changing history, but coming to terms with history. It doesn't mean they are they are smashing culture, but conserving a more accurate map of culture.

Conservative revision is progressive in power rather than amount. It must constantly restate the values it believes and check them over and over again. Some are doing this better than others apparent in how the latest adversity revealed their character. Violence is not the answer, but violence will happen if we don't move the cart to clearer skies and safer ground. Conserve our values by taking a step back so we can find a sure path forward. Rather than add dead weight, a leader should denounce evil and move the country out of the mud.

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Conservatives are Powerful Progressives - HuffPost

Now that Christy Clark has resigned and her party no longer governs, the B.C. Liberals have some hard thinking to do. Their governing philosophy was dictated, in large part, by the situation that existed when they came to power 16 years ago.

In 2001, voters were exhausted by the recurring crises that had wracked NDP premier Glen Clarks administration. They wanted a more disciplined approach, particularly to financial matters.

There was a sense also that government had come to occupy too large a place in peoples lives. Part of this was due to Clarks love of the limelight and his publicity-seeking style of politics.

When the Liberals took office, incoming premier Gordon Campbell, chose a different path. He intended to impose financial management, and succeeded. The budget was balanced early on.

He also wanted to take government off the front page of the newspapers, and here, too, for a time, he succeeded. Decisions that would have haunted an NDP administration, such as refusing to raise welfare rates for a decade, or permitting private surgery clinics to proliferate, caused barely a ripple.

After Christy Clark took over in 2011, she saw no need to change. Then came Mays election. Finally, it appeared, voters had had enough.

Care is needed with this judgment. The Liberals still won more seats than the NDP, and it took an NDP/Green Party alliance to unseat them. How stable that arrangement is remains to be seen.

However, its never a good idea in politics to pin hopes of a comeback on your opponents falling short. It does appear the pendulum has swung leftward in major population centres such as Greater Victoria and the Lower Mainland, at least for the present.

The question for the Liberals is how they should respond. Swing too far left, and they might lose their base.

We saw that in Christy Clarks last throne speech, delivered after the election, which adopted several NDP themes. It was a clumsy effort, and many of the party faithful were enraged.

An overly aggressive tack to the left also risks reinvigorating the provincial Conservative party.

Moreover, the Liberals economic message still has appeal thrift in government, low taxes and an emphasis on job creation. It is the social-policy side of the ledger that needs attention.

And here an awkward reality emerges. Most voters can say where the NDP and Greens stand on raising the minimum wage, increasing income assistance, subsidizing child care or strengthening public education. These are all key planks of a centre-left platform.

But for a centre-right party, the fit is more difficult. Here, too, the throne speech was telling. Clark and her colleagues could find no words of their own to embrace a social agenda.

The challenge lies in shifting some longstanding mindsets. The Liberals must find ways to make a more activist program acceptable to their base.

It should not, in principle, be hard to support strengthening the social safety net. The case for investing in education and skill training is likewise easy to make. And who disagrees with the need for more affordable housing, or the urgency of combating homelessness and drug abuse?

The difficulty lies in reconciling these projects with a party philosophy grounded in personal responsibility and small government. No simple matter.

Former U.S. president Bill Clinton was famous for solving such puzzles, or triangulating, as it was called. He could present ideas that were seemingly incompatible, and weld them together.

That is essentially what the Liberals next leader must do. Whether voluntarily or kicking and screaming, the party will have to confront a new reality.

Generating wealth is important, but distributing it fairly is also a duty of government.

Read more:
Editorial: BC Liberals face new reality - Times Colonist

Posted August 19, 2017 15:07:11

Federal Liberal Party president Nick Greiner says it is time for the party to "at last" take female representation in Parliament "seriously".

Mr Greiner told delegates at the party's state conference in Tasmania the number of women voting Liberal had dropped since 2001.

"It's actually time to improve the results and the results simply mean having more women in winnable positions," he said.

"I do hope that around Australia the party will at last take this seriously and take it seriously in terms of outcomes."

There are just 18 female Liberal parliamentarians across the two houses of Federal Parliament.

That is despite the party's target of 50 per cent female representation in Parliament by 2025.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's 21-person Coalition Cabinet has five women holding portfolios.

Mr Greiner said he does not support a quota for female representation as that would be "insulting", but he plans on enlisting the help of former senator Helen Kroger to boost the number of women in party ranks.

"To work with each of the state presidents and the state divisions, not just to come up with another report," he said.

"But with a genuinely targeted approach to improving our performance in this area.

"Is it too much to expect or to hope that out of five seats that one might have two female candidates?"

Last year, the Liberal Party's federal executive signed off on a 10-year plan to increase female representation.

It includes a bid to recruit more women at a grassroots level and offer mentoring to those interested in standing for election.

Topics: liberals, political-parties, government-and-politics, women, tas, australia

See the rest here:
Time for Liberals to take female representation in Parliament seriously, party president Nick Greiner says - ABC Online