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The dairy industry faced both losses and wins last year, largely supported by the NMPFs lobbying efforts in Washington DC. Paul Bleiberg, the VP of government relations at NMPF, spoke on the organizations podcast Dairy Defined about the years victories.

Bleiberg said NMPFs first notable achievement of 2019 was the successful implementation of the Dairy Margin Coverage program. It resulted in more than $300m in payments sent to producers across the country last year.

It was authorized by the 2018 Farm Bill and made available through USDAs Farm Service Agency (FSA). It offers protection to dairy producers from fluctuating milk prices and feed costs.

The NMPF made it a goal during the 2018 Farm Bill to significantly revamp dairy policies like this one as the current margin protection program was not working. Bleiberg said the organization was able to accomplish that objective.

The second accomplishment of NMPF's year was the progress made on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. Its an immigration reform legislation that aims to re-stabilize dairys current workforce, according to Bleiberg.

He said months of negotiation led the House to pass a bipartisan bill that will both stabilize the current workforce and allow for access to a usable future flow of workers.

The House passing the USMCA bill was NMPFs third 2019 success story, with Bleiberg calling it a joint effort with the groups trade policy team. In 2020, the Senate is likely to pass the USMCA soon.

The signs point to them doing that but were hopeful that it happens very quickly and gets that one in the books, Bleiberg said.

A big focus of NMPF this year will be working with the Senate on the agriculture labor issue, following on from the success in the House. Beyond this and USMCA, Bleiberg called it a little bit of a mixed bag.

With an election year, sometimes legislative activity grinds to a halt, he said.

Transportation and infrastructure, childhood nutrition and the Dairy Pride Act all have potential for activity this year. But he also stressed that dairy can have a significant impact on the 2020 elections, as many big dairy states also act as swing states.

He encouraged milk producers to get involved with the issues and make their voices heard to their representatives.

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NMPF outlines the legislative dairy landscape in 2020 - DairyReporter.com

Steve Hilton offered strong praise for President Trump Sunday andtookaim at his Republican criticsafterIransapparent stand-down in the latest confrontation between Washington and Tehran.

I dont think there has beenproper recognition of thesubstance of what this president isdoing.Its completely different than what weve seen before.It doesnt fit into theestablishment traditionalideological boxes, Hilton said Sunday on The Next Revolution.

Thats why they waste our timewith pointless political gameswith impeachment, Hilton continued.We saw the new approach clearly with Iran.The Democrats, never-Trumpersand their lackeys branded him awarmonger.But his strategy has beenconsistent with day one.Hes anti-war, but hes alsoanti-weak.He doesnt want to invade deserts of sandbut he doesnt want to put his headin the sand like the isolationnuts either.

ANTI TRUMP REPUBLICANS LAUNCH PAC TO DEFEAT HIM

Rattling off a series of accomplishments by the Trump administration, Hilton devoted much of his monologue to what he called the Trump revolution and fired back at establishment Republicans who criticize the president.

This is the Trump revolution, Hilton said. Pragmatic.Non-ideological.He approaches issues as abusinessman.Its a revolution in ideas and it goes way beyond foreign policy.

Hilton credited Trump for combining the best of traditional conservative ideas with positive populism, highlightinghis tax cuts, criminal justice reform, job creation, low unemployment rates, and the confirmation of several conservative judges.

How are the establishmentRepublicans reacting?he asked, pointing to a recent New York Times op-ed pennedby a group of prominent anti-TrumpRepublicans that announced the launch ofa new super PAC aimed at preventing theGOP incumbents 2020 re-election.The article, published in December, is titledWe are Republicans and we want Trump defeated.

As Americans, we need to stem thedamage he and his followers aredoing to the rule of law, theConstitution and Americancharacter, the article reads.

What? Trumps damage? Hilton fired back.Who backed the human and economic catastrophe of the Iraq war? Who brought in the disastrous1986 immigration reform creating thebrokensystem Trump is trying to fix?Who let China into the WorldTrade Organization devastating American manufacturing to the point where weliterally cant even print bibles inAmerica?Who pushed ruling class trade globalism that spawned the disastrous NAFTA putting so many Americans out ofwork in the heartland?And who assaulted the Americanfamily with policies thatcollapsed marriage rates andfamily stability?

No, Not the evil Trump,' Hilton continued.It was you, the Republicanestablishment who did this toAmerica.These never Trumpers are apologists for an elitist ideology that is anti-worker,anti-familyand anti-community.

They can write whatever pompous self-righteous nonsensethey want in the New YorkTimes.The establishment Republican party is not coming back.It is dead, Hilton concluded,killed by their policy failure and Donald Trumps policy success.

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After Trump, it will be a different Republican partyand for American workers, families, and communities, that is fantastic news.

The rest is here:
Steve Hilton goes off on 'establishment Republicans' criticizing Trump - Home - WSFX

First, I not only differ from my party but people in the other party too, just so you know, like - the reason immigration reform died wasn't just because of one party. It's because people were nervous about a populism that started to emerge.

My view is, is that we are a land of immigrants and we ought to recognise that. As a matter of fact, I believe America's soul is rejuvenated when people come to our country and work hard to realise dreams.

There is an orderly way to have immigration and that is to recognise people are coming here to do jobs Americans aren't doing, are not capable of doing, are unwilling to do. And we ought to have a process that enables people to come and do those jobs.

It's good for our economy. I think it's - and I think it prevents people from having to sneak in. There are labourers who do jobs people won't do. But there are also incredibly bright students who come. And I think it is a foolhardy policy to limit the number of workers that can contribute, for example, to the productivity of the United States in the internet world.

I do believe there'll be a rational immigration policy eventually passed. I think there's going to have to be some time. What's interesting about our country, if you study history, is that there are some "isms" that occasionally pop up - pop up. One is isolationism and its evil twin protectionism and its evil triplet nativism.

So if you study the '20s, for example, there was - there was an American First policy that said who cares what happens in Europe? Well, what happened in Europe mattered eventually because of World War Two.

There was Smoot Hawley which was a part of an economic policy which basically said we don't want trade. In other words, let's throw up barriers. And there was an immigration policy that I think during this period argued we had too many Jews and too many Italians; therefore we should have no immigrants.

And my point is that we've been through this kind of period of isolationism, protectionism, and nativism. I'm a little concerned that we may be going through the same period. I hope that these "isms" pass which would then allow for a more orderly look at immigration policy but I'm - look, I was raised in Texas. And you know, there's a lot of focus on the Hispanic population. I mean, if you're raised in Texas, you understand what it means to interface with Mexican-Americans who are Texan.

And you realise that we share the same values. Faith, family, you know, hard work, commitment to service and I think we ought to welcome people from different cultures to America.

The great thing about America is we ought to be confident in knowing that everybody becomes an American. And we share the same value system. In other words, there's a great capacity for our society to assimilate people.

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George W Bush warns against Trump-style immigration policies in resurfaced 2011 clip - indy100

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Watch Party of Five on Wednesdays at 9 PM on Freeform.

Watch Party of Five on Wednesdays at 9 PM on Freeform.

Watch Party of Five on Wednesdays at 9 PM on Freeform.

Spoilers Ahead!

Freeforms new show Party of Five, a remake of the original series from the 90s, premiered with two episodes on January 8th. The original series is based on five siblings who are left orphaned after their parents die in a car accident, and the oldest brother becomes the guardian of his siblings. Freeforms remake has the same premise with the oldest brother Emilio Acosta (Brandon Larracuente) named guardian of his four younger siblings, but the remake contains a controversial topic.

The Acosta siblings: Emilio, Beto, Lucia, Valentina, and Raphael are left to fend for themselves because their parents were deported back to Mexico. The issue of illegal immigration and immigration reform has become a controversial issue, especially under the current presidential administration. Many may consider not watching Party of Five because they disagree with people who cross the border illegally, but this show is not intended to completely change the minds of viewers. Party of Five aims to represent the issues that many Latinos face in America and it places viewers in the shoes of a population of people that face so much scrutiny.

As a Latina, it is sometimes hard to feel represented in the television and movie industry. I am half Colombian and it is difficult to find a show on American TV that portrays Colombians as people who arent involved in drug cartels. Although the Acosta family is Mexican, Party of Five displays the societal issues I care about the most. Educating others about the experiences of immigrants and children of immigrants is vital in todays society. Immigrants enrich the nation, and a person cant form an opinion about a controversial issue unless he or she is educated about the issue at hand.

The first episode of Party of Five opens with youngest daughter Valentina (Elle Paris Legaspi) eating dinner with her parents and her baby brother, Raphael, at their familys restaurant. The dinner is suddenly interrupted as Immigration Customs Enforcement enters. The whole restaurant watches as Javier Acosta (Bruno Bichir) and Gloria Acosta (Fernanda Urrejola) are handcuffed and Gloria must hand over her baby to an employee. The scene ends with the cries of twelve-year-old Valentina begging for her parents not to be taken away. This scene can easily break the hearts of viewers as they witness a young girls life ripped apart.

The episode jumps to six weeks later. The Acosta siblings are struggling to keep the household running smoothly as they await their parents court hearing. Oldest brother Emilio hires the best immigration lawyer in the Los Angeles area and Valentina gives a heartbreaking testimony pleading to the judge to reconsider her parents arrest. Legaspis performance in this scene does an amazing job of putting viewers in the shoes of a young girl who is trying to fight for the last thing she has left. The judge decides to deport Javier and Gloria Acosta to Mexico. With one hit of a gavel, the Acosta family is torn apart.

The first episode of Party of Five has many emotional scenes, but the scene that stays with viewers the most is when the Acosta siblings are forced to say goodbye to their parents in the detention center. A guard blows a whistle and all five siblings must say bye to their parents, not knowing when they will see them again. Before anyone forms an opinion about illegal immigrants being deported, he or she must watch this scene. Valentina is wailing as she clings to her parents hands through a metal gate. Lucia (Emily Tosta) is yelling, confused about how a country could do something so wrong to good people. A mother is ripped from her children telling them with teary eyes that they must stick together.

One of the executive producers of the show, Rodrigo Garca is Colombian, and Latinx writers were hired to accurately depict the experiences immigrants face. Also, Emilio is a Dreamer having crossed the border as a minor, and his character represents the experiences of around 700,000 people in the U.S who are protected under DACA.

The Acosta siblings make ends meet by running their familys restaurant. They are forced to learn about the restaurant industry because that is their main source of income. Their economic struggles depict the responsibilities many families who experience deportation must take on. The economic responsibility is now put on children, who are forced to grow up way too quickly.

Executive producer, Amy Lippman aims to tell a story about a family who sticks together despite hardships, not to force a political view on others.

We dont actually mention the current administration once. My obligation is to tell a story about a family that draws an audience in, Lippman said in an interview on NPRs All Things Considered.

Each character is lovable in their own way and the growth each character experiences through hardship ultimately draws in viewers. Emilio was somewhat immature with his only responsibility being his band, and he transforms into a family man who will do anything for his siblings. Viewers also witness Beto (Niko Guardado) take on somewhat of a fatherly role. Even though he is struggling academically, he stays up late to comfort Valentina who has nightmares from PTSD. Lucia is at first angry at the world for ripping her life apart but realizes that she still has her siblings in her life who love her unconditionally.

To not completely sadden viewers, the show contains romance and some laughable moments between characters. The importance of family is a value deeply rooted in Latino culture, and Party of Five reminds me of the closeness I have with my family. The show features inspirational characters that find support in family. The individuality of each character will hopefully help viewers see themselves and lead to more seasons.

See the original post here:
Freeform's Party of Five Review - Knight Crier

Talk about splitting the baby.

For years, any push to implement the E-Verify system has created waves in Republican circles. Many conservative voters love the program, which requires employers to check the immigration status of new hires. Gov. Ron DeSantis made implementing E-Verify a priority.

But Republicans in the state Legislature often balked, citing how the program would burden businesses. They received plenty of political cover from agriculture, construction and tourism leaders who strongly opposed a mandatory E-Verify system.

On Friday, Neptune Beach Republican Rep. Cord Byrd filed a compromise bill. If passed and thats not a slam dunk even with Republican majorities in the House and Senate the bill would require government employers to use E-Verify. It would also force private companies who do business with government agencies to swear in writing that all of their employees can legally work in the United States.

RELATED: Floridas welcome centers arent so welcoming without free orange juice.

What the bill doesnt do is require every private business to background employees using E-Verify. They would be exempt unless they do business with a public agency.

Byrds bill (HB 1265) isnt as strict as a Senate bill filed last year that would require both private and public employers to use E-Verify. But its likely enough to keep some parts of the conservative base happy.

A critic of the bill might ask why E-Verify is good for the government but not for the private sector? The answer, at least in part, lies in the tension between immigration reform and maintaining a friendly business climate, two conservative priorities. Politicians dont want to be seen as kneecapping the private sector, but they can score points by appearing tough on immigration.

Ive written about how E-Verify hasnt worked well in other states. The laws in those states lacked teeth, and enforcement was lax even when companies blatantly broke the law.

None of the seven southern states that require businesses to use E-Verify had canceled a single business license and only Tennessee had assessed any fines, Bloomberg Businessweek reported in 2018. Georgia hadnt funded the department tasked with auditing whether companies were complying with the law. In Mississippi and Alabama, no one seemed to know which department enforced the law.

The Cato Institute, a libertarian-leaning think tank, reported that Arizona had only used its death sentence against repeat E-Verify offenders three times since 2008. Two of the companies were already in bankruptcy.

Byrds bill includes a civil fine of no more than $500 for an employer that violates the law for the first time no matter how many unauthorized employees it hires. A second offense can result in a second-degree misdemeanor.

Byrd told the News Service of Florida that his bill simply turns into law an executive order signed by then-Gov. Rick Scott in 2011 that required agencies in his administration to use E-Verify.

This just adds teeth. I am not creating something new," Byrd said. "I am just helping enforce the existing law (against hiring undocumented immigrants).

Will Byrds bill prove to be an agreeable compromise among opposing Republicans? Stay tuned the 2020 legislative session starts Tuesday.

Read the rest here:
Will this be the year Floridas Republican lawmakers pass an E-Verify law? - Tampa Bay Times