It’s D-Day for California’s Dream Act – the clock is ticking
Today California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has a tough decision; he will either dash the hopes of illegal aliens wanting to have the state pay for their higher education and veto The Dream Act, or the governor can do nothing and the legislation will become law after midnight.
With Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman in the middle of housekeeper-gate (opponents say she knowingly hired an illegal maid) and Republican Senatorial candidate Carly Fiorina, who said at her first debate that she supports the Dream Act, the governors office is waiting until the last day to decided the fate of two immigration bills.
Many opponents think the federal DREAM Act that languished a few weeks ago in Washington D.C. was nothing more than granting amnesty for illegal immigrants that would only encourage more illegal immigration.
The Heritage Foundation believes Congress needs to work “toward an immigration system that enforces rule of law, maintains security, and promotes the economy. Such a system can be achieved by robustly enforcing immigration laws, securing the border, reforming the visa system, and working with Mexico and other appropriate countries on law enforcement/public safety issues as well as free market initiatives.”
The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act essentially repeals part of a prior federal law- specifically the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA); “that prohibits any state from offering in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens unless the state also offers in-state tuition rates to all U.S. citizens,” according to The Heritage Foundation.
Consequences of enacting a Dream-type piece of legislation include; rewarding illegal behavior by giving them in-state tuition, encourage more illegal aliens to cross the often treacherous southern borders knowing children will get a college education at taxpayer expense, penalizes U.S. residents from seeking college outside their state because they will have to pay out-of-state tuition and it stops all deportations of those 36 and under if they attend college or join the military.
“Instead of focusing on making amnesty the centerpiece of immigration reform efforts, Congress and the Administration should: Ensure robust enforcement of immigration laws, finish securing the border, institute much-needed reforms of the visa system and work with Mexico and other appropriate countries,” says Jena Baker McNeill, Policy Analyst for Homeland Security for The Heritage Foundation.
However, there is another side to this issue and they are trying equally as hard to convince Governor Schwarzenegger to do nothing and allow the two bills to become law.
California’s very own Dream Act comes in the form of Senate Bill 1460 and Assembly Bill 1413 both were approved by the state legislature and are ready for a signature.
California AB 1413 and SB 1460 also dubbed “The Dream Act” – would divert financial aid away from legal California residents and give assistance to illegal aliens. Critics argue the new benefit will only offer more incentives to break the U.S. immigration law.
Early cost estimates of the Dream Act weigh in the neighborhood of $40 million. The bill calls for the state to provide benefits to assist illegal aliens who attend California colleges. Critics argue that this assistance will add to the estimated $90 million a year California taxpayers already provide to give some illegal aliens in-state tuition benefits.
Spokespeople from the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) have expressed their support for the Dream Act even though it would add a financial burden to cash-strapped colleges.
Karen French, UCOP representative even wrote a letter to the governor’s office on behalf of the UCOP, offering support for SB1460 and requested that the Schwarzenegger sign the bill.
“SB1460 addresses the remaining hurdle for (undocumented) students: their inability to receive institutional aid,” French said. “Through their hard work and perseverance, these students have earned the opportunity to attend a UC. Their accomplishments should not be disregarded or their future jeopardized because of their legal status.”
The A.S. Vice President of External Affairs Michael Lam says he is working with UC student leaders to get the word out and mobilize student support of the legislation.
“This year (we will be working) with University of California Student Association to launch a campaign titled Economic Justice for the UC (which in part) will be to ensure that all students, no matter their documentation status, have a right to afford higher education,” he said.
The bill’s author, Senator Gil Cedillo (D-LA) also feels a pang of anger that the bill failed in D.C., but remains hopeful the Golden State’s governor will do the right thing.
“The U.S. Senate has lost the opportunity to advance the future of thousands of young talented students and our economy. We have duties and obligations to move young talent forward in our state and support them with equal education opportunities,” Cedillo said in a release posted on his website.
Republican gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman has articulated a polar opposite view on her policy page, “Meg is opposed to any form of amnesty. As Governor, Meg will support policies that will not allow undocumented immigrants admission to state-funded institutions of higher education.”
On the other hand, California’s Republican Senate candidate Carly Fiorina, said at her first debate with incumbent Barbara Boxer (D-CA) she would support the DREAM Act, setting her apart from the majority of GOP lawmakers.
“I would support the DREAM Act because I do not believe that we can punish children who through no fault of their own are here trying to live the American dream,” she said.
Her opponent, Boxer said would rather see a comprehensive immigration reform.
“The way to get the economy going again is to go with comprehensive immigration reform,” Boxer pointed out. “The DREAM Act is part of that.”
While the Dream Act is a tough sell to Californians who are dealing with the nation’s third highest unemployment numbers, close to 13 percent, supporters believe it is vital to pass the legislation in order to move the immigration reform debate forward.
Despite Schwarzenegger’s action or inaction federal law will trump state law and as such will nullify most of the bills components. And without the federal bill, illegal aliens who receive college degrees will still be unable to legalize their status and join their fellow classmates in the U.S. workforce.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
California Gubernatorial candidate Whitman’s former housekeeper claims abuse
In a late morning news conference at celebrity attorney Gloria Allred’s office, a former housekeeper has revealed charges that have exploded the California’s governor’s race in controversy. Republican candidate Meg Whitman’s former housekeeper, Nicky Diaz-Santillan, alleges her employer of nine years mistreated and overworked her and claims she knew she was an illegal alien from Mexico.
The press conference was carried by Hollywood gossip site TMZ who often works with the celebrity attorney.
Not surprisingly the Meg Whitman camp sees things a lot differently.
Whitman said in a statement, “After nine years of employment Nicky confessed that she ‘was an illegal worker.’ Nicky has falsified the hiring documents and personal information she provided to the employment agency that brought her to us in 2000.”
Whitman contends that Diaz-Santillan “is being manipulated by Gloria Allred for political and financial purposes during the last few weeks of a hotly-contested election.”
Allred did admit that she was supporting Democrat Jerry Brown in the governor’s race and this case has nothing to do with politics. “When people revert to name calling, as Whitman has, I know I have won the argument.”
However, Whitman spokesman Rob Stutzman said before the press conference that Diaz-Santillan “falsified her employment records” and Diaz-Santillan is being “manipulated by Ms. Allred,” according to The Los Angeles Times.
But Allred believes, “that Ms. Whitman was aware of her status, and may have understood that she was vulnerable because of it,” She also implied Whitman was playing a game of “don’t ask, don’t tell” to “exploit her while pretending that she didn’t know the truth about her status.”
Details disclosed at the press conference include; the housekeepers salary of $23-per hour, when she was hired she was expected to work 15-hours-per week, the housekeeper drove Whitman’s children to and from school, tended to the grocery shopping and was expected to perform light cleaning duties.
The housekeeper Diaz-Santillan claims she worked much more than 15-hours-per week and was never reimbursed for mileage or extra hours over her nine-year employment stint.
It appears when the housekeeper’s legal status came into contention, Diaz-Santillan claims that Whitman fired her after her husband said, “I knew she was going to cause problems for us.”
The actual firing came after a teary-eyed face to face meeting with Whitman in which Diaz-Santillan came clean about her legal status and told the gubernatorial candidate she was from Mexico and had no legal papers to be in this country.
“I ask Ms. Whitman if she would help me get an immigration lawyer so I could stay in America. She said she would call her lawyer and call me soon,” Diaz-Santillan said at the press conference. A few days later when Diaz-Santillan called her employer, Whitman said she couldn’t help her and told Diaz-Santillan that “you don’t know me do you understand?”
Allred described Whitman’s treatment of Diaz-Santillan as “cold and heartless treatment of a hardworking Latina.”
The comments from Whitman’s camp will be released later today, but the candidate claims the charges are false and they have documents to prove their case.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
Voters still leery of establishment GOP candidates- favor tea party conservatives
While Republican candidates are expected to take back the House in November a new poll by Rasmussen Reports says voters are weary of the GOP’s “Pledge to America,” but are willing to believe they will change the direction in Washington D.C.
The new Rasmussen Reports took data from a national telephone survey of “likely voters” and found only 32 percent believe the Republican “Pledge to America” as a serious policy document like the much talked about 1996 “Contract with America.”
Fifty percent also think the 21-page document is a campaign gimmick. Most conservatives and tea party members say the document did not go far enough to reign in spending and shrink the size of government.
Rasmussen also reported that 18 percent of those polled aren’t sure what to make of the GOP “Pledge to America” one way or the other.
However, 53 percent of likely voters think, at least somewhat, that Republicans will follow through with their campaign promises in their “Pledge to America” if they win control of Congress.
A significant portion of likely voters, 40 percent, think the Republicans are unlikely to follow up with their campaign promises. And it is these 40 percent of voters who call themselves conservatives and tea party supporters. This group remains skeptical of “the lesser of two evils” GOP party.
The remaining 17 percent don’t think the GOP is capable of sticking to the “Pledge to America” at all.
The Rasmussen survey interviewed 1,000 likely voters during September 26-27 and the poll has a margin of error of +/- three percentage points. To view more Rasmussen reports polls; http://www.rasmussenreports.com/
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/another-city-another-hoax-15-year-old-not-gang-raped-san-diego
Another city another hoax- 15-year-old not gang raped in San Diego
In an astonishing turn of events a 15-year-old girl of Hispanic origin who claimed she was gang raped after school in San Diego on Friday now tells detectives she was sacred and ashamed about meeting a man online and having consensual sex with him.
After an extensive investigation that consisted of numerous interviews and lasted more than 72 hours, Sheriff’s detectives finally procured the truth from the high school sophomore. Captain Sherri Sarro said at a late afternoon press conference that the girl had been remorseful and said she lied because “she was embarrassed, ashamed and afraid.”
Regardless of the consensual nature of the act, authorities say the adult male is on the hook for several crimes like luring a minor for sexual favors online, statutory rape and depending on his age a misdemeanor or if there is a 10-year-age difference he will face felony charges. In either case the male will be tagged as a sexual predator the rest of his life.
On the other hand the minor could possibly face a few charges herself; lying to police, filing a fake police report and be billed for a case that cost law enforcement tens of thousands dollars to investigate.
Spokesperson for the San Diego Sheriff Department, Jan Caldwell knew the case would be solved correctly in the end. “Our detectives are pros at what they do.”
An event that rocked the small north county community for days have parents breathing a sigh of relief; “At the very least this opens the door for parental conversations about safety and the perils of lying,” said Carol Smith a parent of a son who attends San Dieguito High School where the alleged event occurred.
It is now being reported by the Sheriff Department that, “the suspect, an adult, convinced the victim to meet him at school.” It was also reported the student skipped the last class of the day to meet the adult male where they went to an undisclosed location for sex.
After the sexual assault concluded the male suspect returned the 15-year-old girl to the school grounds where the victim’s mother was searching for her daughter.
“The investigation is continuing, detectives are following-up on all leads in order to apprehend the suspect in this case,” according to the Sheriff Department. “The victim has apologized for creating an atmosphere of fear in the community and now realizes she should have told the truth in the beginning.”
Once word of the kidnapping and gang rape unfolded, detectives canvassed the neighborhood, expedited the DNA evidence and contacted all the sexual predators in the vicinity. Hundreds of overtime hours were logged by the investigators and in the end justice will be served a little differently than they anticipated, but authorities are confident the suspect will be apprehended soon.
Captain Sarro said their primary concern throughout this ordeal was for the victim’s safety as well as her fellow students and if a similar event happened tomorrow they would aggressively pursue the case just as they did with this fake kidnapping and gang rape.
For more stories;
California Dreaming Act gives higher education hope to illegal aliens
The Golden State is drowning in budget shortfalls to the tune of $20 billion; Californians’ have done without pay increases, services and increased taxes, however, one sector of the state’s residents that haven’t suffered cuts are illegal aliens.
While the DREAM Act may have languished at a national level, it is still on this week’s to do list for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. California’s very own Dream Act comes in the form of Senate Bill 1460 and Assembly Bill 1413 both were approved by the state legislature and are ready for Gov. Schwarzenegger’s signature.
California AB 1413 and SB 1460 aka “The Dream Act” – would divert financial aid away from legal California residents and give assistance to illegal aliens. Critics argue the new benefit will only offer more incentives to break the U.S. immigration law.
Early cost estimates of the Dream Act weigh in the neighborhood of $40 million. The bill calls for the state to provide benefits to assist illegal aliens who attend California colleges. Critics argue that this assistance will add to the estimated $90 million a year California taxpayers provide to give illegal aliens in-state tuition benefits.
Proponents say the legislation will help those in the country illegally be more competitive in a diverse job market. That is a true statement, except for one thing- if illegal’s graduate college they still cannot not legally get a job under federal law.
The ramifications of a Gov. Schwarzenegger signature means taxpayers will have to add more money to cover the increase in budgetary expenditures. Some benefits illegal aliens would receive include taxpayer-funded grants and other assistance to offset increasing costs of colleges in California.
The bill’s author, Gil Cedillo (D-LA) claims, “We want people to become prepared, and we want people to be good citizens,” he said defending the state’s investment in K-12 education for illegal immigrants. “We do that at a considerable cost, because we are a forward-looking state.”
According to PR Newswire, “the bill also expands the definition of who is eligible to receive in-state tuition subsidies. Currently, students must have attended three years of high school in California to qualify. Under SB 1460, anyone who completes three years of secondary school, and earns a degree, in California is eligible for in-state tuition. Secondary schools include trade and adult schools.”
The added expenses and lax enforcement have many anti-amnesty organizations upset about a state law that would encourage more illegal immigration practices. They have long contended that giving benefits for those who broke the law only leads to more law breaking.
“The California legislature continues to demonstrate its contempt for law-abiding, taxpaying Californians,” said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). “As they put the final touches on a budget that cuts vital services and programs, illegal aliens get new rewards. The California college and university system – once the crown jewel of America’s public higher education system – has been forced to cut admissions and programs, while dramatically increasing tuition and student fees in recent years. While countless deserving students, who are legal U.S. residents, are being left out in the cold because admissions have been cut, or because they cannot afford the rising tuitions, the legislature is approving new benefits to illegal aliens,” he said.
It must be noted that Gov. Schwarzenegger has refused to sign similar legislation three times in the past. Each time the Governor noted that the state’s fiscal situation was a concern and American citizens should be the beneficiaries of state aid for college.
Since that time California’s financial house has not improved, quite the opposite. State employees have been issued furlough days, services have been trimmed in some cases to a four-day-work week and fees for government services, like vehicle registration has skyrocketed.
“We call upon Gov. Schwarzenegger to once again act as a check on a reckless and irresponsible legislature that continues to provide benefits to illegal aliens as it inflicts pain on everyone else in the state. Fiscal responsibility, not to mention basic respect for the people of California, requires that the governor veto SB 1460,” Stein finished.
During the last fiscal year, the state’s college system was forced to cut nearly $565 million, as a result college admissions were cut by 40,000 students.
The average in-state tuition for a California State college is more than $5,000 per year. On top of this parents are told to expect semesterly increases in fees. Students also gauged for parking fees, higher student body card fees and less time in the classroom.
The crown jewel of California used to be the 10 University of California schools. In-state tuition has skyrocketed to $11,285 per year. When parents and students begin to add the other costs of college like books, supplies, and insurance the cost rises to $16,470. Of course the cost of room and board sends the tab to nearly $30,000.
According to a recently commissioned in-depth study by FAIR, California spends more than $21 billion per year on various programs and services for illegal aliens and their families. This smacks in the face of taxpaying Californian’s who must now decide what programs to cut in order to balance the $20 billion budget shortfall.
The California version of the Dream Act is on Gov. Schwarzenegger’s desk waiting for a signature, if he refuses to veto the legislation by September 30 the bill will officially become law.
The bright side for residents of the Golden State is Sacramento cannot invoke the printing money option like Washington D.C. and only time will tell if California will be the first state to file bankruptcy or possibly enter treatment for spendaholics anonymous.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
San Diego high school student kidnapped and raped on her way home from school
Authorities confirmed that a 15-year-old girl, who was on her way home from school Friday, was kidnapped, forced into a vehicle, driven around for an hour and raped repeatedly. Sheriff Department officials said the victim was able to give deputies an accurate description of the three Latino men who kidnapped and raped the young girl.
Three assailants are currently the focus of the county-wide search. The Sheriff Department says multiple agencies are working together and are expected to sort through the numerous leads from witnesses all weekend.
The alleged incident happened near San Dieguito High School at approximately 4:10 p.m. on Friday.
The victim told authorities that one man grabbed her from behind and forced her into the back seat of an older white mid-sized vehicle where two more suspects were waiting. Then the perpetrators sped away from the scene, according to Sheriff’s spokeswoman Captain Sherri Sarro.
The victim also told authorities that the men drove through area residential streets for an hour while they repeatedly sexually assaulted her. Once the suspects were finished they drove the 15-year-old back to the high school where she was abducted and pushed her out of the car.
However, Capt. Sarro said they didn’t know what grade or high school the victim attended.
Investigators are taking the abduction and sexual assault seriously says Justin White, sergeant of the Sexual Assault Division at the Encinitas Sheriff substation. He reported that 10 detectives are working this case around the clock and have been searching the community hoping to locate leads from nearby residents who may have information leading to the arrest of the three Latino men.
The victim contends the men did not brandish a weapon, but Sergeant White said that it doesn’t mean the suspects were not armed.
“The victim has given us enough details and we are putting together a composite sketch of the men,” said Sergeant White at a press conference. Very few details about the rape were released as the investigation is ongoing; however, the victim did receive a rape kit evaluation.
The young girl was taken to an area hospital by her parents and given a Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE) kit or a Sexual Offense Evidence Collection (SOEC) kit said Captain Sarro. The results were not immediately known, but it is highly unlikely that the outcome will be given out because the victim is a minor.
Law enforcement officers also said this is an active, ongoing investigation and they are hopeful an arrest will be made soon.
Capt. Sarro indicated they had contacted Customs and Border Protection shortly after the assault and issued a “Be On the Look Out” (BOLO), especially since the U.S./Mexico border is only minutes from the crime scene.
Sergeant White also admitted that they were looking through surveillance video from the school and area businesses in an effort to shed light on what may have happened as well as get more detailed descriptions of the criminals.
The three suspects are described as Hispanic between the ages of 20 and 32. The first suspect is approximately 6-feet tall, thin, a shaved head, thin mustache and a tattoo on the back of his head (possibly with a ‘6’ or ‘619’ on it) and he was wearing a black long sleeve shirt with baggy jeans.
The second suspect was between 5-feet-8 inches and 5-feet-10-inches tall, medium build, short brown hair, dark brown complexion with some acne and a goatee, he was wearing a white t-shirt and blue shorts.
Suspect three, who was the driver of the vehicle, he had green/hazel eyes, dark-brown complexion, short hair, medium build, a thin mustache and goatee and he was wearing a dark blue t-shirt and possibly had a scar on his neck.
The quiet community of Encinitas just north of San Diego is known for its young families and low crime rates. The city’s Mayor, Dan Dalager was on hand to reassure city residents the Sheriff’s substation was doing everything possible to apprehend the culprits.
“I just want families to know that the Sheriff crews who are working this are real good,” said Mayor Dalager, who has lived in the community his entire life. “Crime is crime and law enforcement will do everything necessary to capture these criminals no matter their ethnic background.”
As news of the rape floods the community, Sheriff Capt. Sarro wanted to reassure parents that schools can expect a strong, visible presence first thing Monday morning. The Sheriff Department is also working with area schools to inform parents what happened and to ensure they take extra precautions when traveling to and from school.
The Sheriff Department urges anybody with information about the crime to contact Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477 or the Sheriff Department at 858-565-5200.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/gop-makes-a-move-on-the-issues-pledge-to-american
GOP makes a move on the issues in Pledge to American
A new pledge to America from Republicans was unveiled to give voters on the fence a reason to take a look at the energized GOP and change the balance of power in Washington.
The 21-page plan put forth to a weary electorate begins with, “America is an idea- an idea that free people can govern themselves, that government’s powers are derived from the consent of the governed, that each of us is endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Sound familiar? It should it is taken from America’s founding fathers and has been used by many of the tea party organizations from California to New York. It’s simple, straightforward and what dismayed voters are looking for – a smaller, leaner and more responsible government.
Will the GOP blueprint help or hurt the Republicans in 40 days? No one really knows as both parties are claiming they can use it to their advantage. However, the Democrats will most likely succumb to the country’s first political tsunami since the 1994 Newt Gingrich revolution.
Some of the hallmarks Republican lawmakers are calling for include the government’s need to slash spending, repeal Obama’s signature piece of healthcare legislation as well as preventing the Bush tax cuts to expire.
Top GOP leaders also came up with ideas to help Americans get back on their feet. Specifically there are plans for job creation, reforms to curb “out-of-control” spending, repealing and replacing “the government takeover of healthcare,” adding real government transparency, providing more stringent homeland security measures, securing the southern borders and allowing states to enforce illegal immigration.
The document looks to inspire the swing voters and even quotes Democratic President John F. Kennedy, “An economy constrained by high tax rates will never produce enough revenue to balance the budget, just as it will never create enough jobs.”
The roll out of the Pledge to America admits politicians haven’t listened to the people and many of them have imposed a party agenda that doesn’t reflect the folks on Main Street. Clearly, the angry voters are not happy with all the backroom dealing elected officials participate in to ensure their reelections.
Other points listed in the document include ensuring terrorists are kept out of America, imposing a freeze on federal hiring for non-security related employees, cut the Congressional budget, reduce government spending to “pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels,” and get the government out of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in an effort to let banks lend money to worthy buyers who are good credit risks.
While the familiar ideas read well, critics say the 21-page change in course is short on details and puts forth no specifics to accomplish the real change Republican’s claim are needed in Washington.
In an effort to resonate with the tea party organization, nostalgic prose weaves its way throughout the document. “America is an inspiration to those who yearn to be free and have the ability and the dignity to determine their own destiny.” So far the tea party movement hasn’t commented on the new pledge.
While the Pledge to America harkens back to the founding fathers, irritated voters are still not convinced the Republicans have what it takes to return to their common-sense conservative roots. So far it has been the electricity provided by the tea party candidates that has sparked a reemergence of “for the people, by the people” attitude.
As a result, status quo politicians need not apply for the 2010 midterms and as such the founding fathers may actually be proud of the electoral enthusiasm demonstrated by ordinary Americans, who have shown they are not so ordinary after all.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/juarez-newspaper-concedes-to-drug-cartels-say-they-run-the-city-now
Juarez newspaper concedes to drug cartels, say they run the city now
A stunning front page editorial appeared in Northern Mexico’s largest newspaper El Diario; they conceded the country’s most violent city, Ciudad Juarez, is now controlled by the narco-drug cartels.
The front page editorial came after the murder of one of their reporters- another cameraman was also seriously injured after cartels open fired on the journalists in response to news coverage about the brutality and violence that continues to escalate under Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon.
“Lords of the different organizations that are fighting the square of Ciudad Juarez,” is how the editorial begins. “You are, at present, the de facto authorities in this city because the controls have been instituted.”
The paper clearly states they do not want anymore employees to die at the hands of the cartel assassins and said journalists can no longer live with the daily narco intimidation.
Simply put, El Diario will no longer cover the cartel violence because police can no longer provide security or protection for journalists.
“The vacuum of power in Chihuahua in the midst of an environment in which there is no sufficient guarantees for citizens to develop their lives…activities, journalism has become one of the most dangerous professions,” the editorial column reads.
The newspaper also contends that even in war there are rules, there are protocols or guarantees for the warring sides. In Juarez the streets are the battlefield and the cartels are under no obligation to honor the integrity of the media.
The editor goes on and pleads with the cartel leaders, “I reiterate, gentlemen of the various drug trafficking organizations, explain to us what you want us to stop saying (so we can protect) the lives of our comrades.”
Then El Diario slams President Calderon for his administrations lack of protection for members of the media and residents in Mexico.
“In the case of the murders (of journalists) and I am protected by my status as a candidate, I think to the extent that an active community service and (news organizations) have dangerous (job) there must be mechanisms to protect them. A journalist who has been threatened or conduct an investigation against organized crime should have special protection mechanisms,” Calderon said when he was running for office.
The protection for members of the media is a campaign promise that was never honored.
In this context, Mexican journalists have battled with the organized crime syndicates and their effort to inform citizens about the dangers, intimidation and fear tactics used by the cartels. As a result employees have been harassed and the newspaper has no other choice but to give in to the cartels’ demands and stop covering the fact that Mexico is dangerously close to becoming a narco-state.
El Diario says even their repeated requests for protection from the government went unnoticed. Therefore the newspaper can no longer responsibly cover any drug cartel violence.
“The state is the protector of the rights of citizens, and thus, of the media, but they have been absent during the years of militancy, even when you pretended to do so through a range of operations in practice failures have been noticeable,” the story concedes.
Last Friday, El Diario photojournalist Luis Carlos Santiago Orozco was murdered on his lunch break. And the El Diario publishers want a simple question answered, “Who do we call justice?”
A few weeks ago U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton was brandished by the Obama Administration for declaring that the people of Mexico are facing a drug cartel insurgency. While the Obama Administration may not agree with the Secretary, the people of Mexico concur with Mrs. Clinton assessment and says Mexico is losing the battle.
They believe Mexico is “obligated to protect citizens lost in fruitless disquisitions on whether Mexico is equal to or worse than Colombia 20 years ago. The statement issued by Hillary Clinton, was backed by media.”
El Diario also slams President Calderon for making false pronouncements. “The president pontificates on peace in the country as if it were real, to send a letter to each of the families in the nation in which, among other things, and rhetorically, stresses the white color of the national flag is ‘the peace we have won.’ That statement is a mockery of Juarenses who drown in a bath of blood.”
As if the murders, assaults and intimidation tactics of the media were not enough, Mexico’s Secretary of Education and Culture of State Government, Guadalupe Chacón Monárrez, declared that news organizations are guilty of psychological terrorism that exists in the Juarez.
Hernán Ortiz, an anthropologist and researcher at the UACJ, agrees, “Chacon Monárrez should not blame the media of terrorism…, but the incompetence shown by governments,”according to El Diario.
The Education minister continued to blast news agencies and said, “I want to tell the media, with all respect, that we become partners in this, because the psychological terrorism is achieved through communication.”
Understandably El Diario was shaken by these comments. “What do you mean by this? What, stop publishing? Or only disclose ‘good’ or ‘positive’ news?”
When a country is no longer in the hands of the people, but run nefariously by mafia-drug thugs, the adhesion to the rule of law becomes blurred and deciphering who are victims and who are executioners are even more difficult. Citizens of Mexico no longer know who to trust and now fear rules the day. This is exactly what the narco traffickers want. They are counting on the government’s collapse to ensure billions of dollars in profits from drugs, extortion, kidnapping and human trafficking continue flowing into their bank accounts.
Mexico’s future now lies squarely on the government’s ability to either suppress or work with the drug cartels to quell the violence, if they do not move quickly to protect their citizens and avalanche of illegal aliens will soon pour across the southern border and become America’s problem.
Time is not on Mexico’s side, yet it is only time that will define Mexico’s future.
To read entire El Diario editorial; http://www.diario.com.mx/notas.php?f=2010/09/18&id=6b124801376ce134c7d6ce2c7fb8fe2
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/secret-white-house-meeting-pushes-for-support-of-dream-act
Secret White House meeting pushes for support of DREAM Act
A Friday afternoon telephone conference was held by Cecelia Munoz and Stephanie Valencia, members of Obama’s staff, urging participants to reach out to community organizers and encouraging them to call their lawmakers acknowledging their support for the DREAM Act (AKA amnesty).
The 20-minute call was an off-the-record conversation that was billed as a “no media or blogger” conference call.
The topic of discussion was the DREAM Act. The Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors that would provide a road to citizenship for young illegal aliens if their parents brought them into the country before age 16 and they attend college for at least two years, join the U.S. military or be under the age of 35.
During this six-year conditional period, immigrants would not be eligible for federal higher education grants, but they would be able to apply for scholarships, student loans and work study grants.
Since Obama is a cosponsor of the original DREAM Act it’s natural for the president to be pleased with Senate leader Harry Reid’s intensions to place the amnesty amendment in a defense spending bill.
It was clear at the beginning of the conference call that this session was not meant to lobby for anything in particular by the senior-level staffers, but it was apparent they felt strongly that including the DREAM Act in a defense bill was the right thing to do.
Munoz and Valencia informed listeners that the White House and cabinet leaders would be on the phones all weekend securing the necessary 60 votes to get the amendment out of committee and into the legislation for debate.
The fact that the White House was proactively mobilizing its community organization network made it clear the Democrats do not have the votes they need to get the amendment out of committee. Political insiders agree and say this is nothing more than a political ploy to show Latino voters that the GOP is not on their side and they better vote for Democrats come November.
However, the fact that Democrats have large majorities in both houses and have failed to get any form of immigration reform legislation introduced, let alone passed, signals the party is divided on this issue.
Over the weekend the White House was working the phone lines and preparing for a GOP filibuster, the White House staffers said.
In the end, Munoz and Valencia agreed that the administration had given “very clear marching orders” to get this amendment added to the Department of Defense war appropriations bill, mobilize community organizers much like they did to get President Obama elected and get the DREAM Act signed into law.
Is the conference call legal?
While the White House conference call directive made it clear they were not lobbying for the DREAM Act, the intent was clear- community organizers start mobilizing.
There is a law that prevents White House employees from lobbying particular topics and immigration is clearly a hot-button issue.
Knowing that those in Washington hold a reasonable amount power, legislators drew up the Hatch Act. It was passed into law in 1939 and regulates political activities of federal employees and some state and local government workers.
The legislation originally prohibited nearly all partisan activity by federal employees, banning them from endorsing candidates, distributing campaign literature, organizing political activities and holding posts in partisan organizations.
However, today, most career government employees can run for nonpartisan offices, make financial contributions to political organizations, get involved in political groups, and campaign for candidates by making speeches, distributing literature and signing nominating positions.
The remaining restrictions on federal employees’ activities in the political arena are tailored much more narrowly to their jobs; they still are banned from using their authority to exert influence over an election; encourage or discourage political activity by anyone with business before their agency; do political work while on duty, in uniform, in the office or in a government vehicle or run for partisan office.
Political appointees operate under the same rules with some exceptions. They are allowed to engage in and may express opinions about candidates, issues, may attend and be active at political rallies.
Currently White House staffer Valencia, who led the conference call, handles outreach to the Latino community, immigration, and housing groups inside the White House. She also served on the Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Team and was Deputy Latino Vote Director during Obama’s presidential campaign. The nature of her job lends itself to indirect lobbying, but she is walking a very fine line by expressing action needs to be taken according to the Hatch Act. The same is true for Munoz.
Munoz reached the White House staff via President Obama, she is a known left-leaning Latino activist who was appointed to head the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. She is a former vice president for National Council of La Raza and is charged with outreach to state and local governments as well as constituency groups.
In addition to her La Raza post, Munoz was also the board chair of Center for Community Change, served on the U.S. Programs Board of the Open Society Institute and the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Philanthropies.
National Council of La Raza is a liberal Hispanic organization that advocates for Latinos who reside in America illegally and pushes for open border legislation as a way to gain a foothold in the U.S. political landscape. The group has been supported by both the Republicans and Democrats who are looking to gain control of America’s fastest growing voter block.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/amnesty-debate-heats-up-with-the-dream-act
Leaked DHS memo details amnesty without Congress involvement
A newly leaked amnesty-memo inside Department of Homeland Security reveals a way to grant amnesty without Congress debating comprehensive immigration reform or casting a vote.
This is the third inside memo to be leaked to the media regarding the Obama Administration’s intent to legalize 20 million illegal aliens currently residing in America unlawfully. The first memos came out of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agencies- both put together likely tools that could be used to make an amnesty end run around lawmakers.
The American Spectator recovered the latest document from DHS and reports some dubious plans that insiders say went all the way up to the DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano.
“If going forward with a larger registration program is not possible,” the memo reads, “we could propose a narrowly-tailored registration program for individuals eligible for relief under the DREAM Act, AgJOBS, or other specifically designed subcategories.”
For those who don’t believe the Obama Administration’s intensions about back-door amnesty language contained in the DREAM Act asks for targeted amnesty for children under the age of 35 who attend college or join the armed services. The kicker with the DREAM Act is the Democratic leadership is placing this legislation inside a defense spending bill set to hit the Senate floor next week.
Included in the DHS memo are details about political ramifications of a backdoor amnesty push. The memo outlines a beginning phase that would legalize illegal immigrants through DHS without comprehensive immigration legislation. The DHS memo also reads that by “using administrative measures to sidestep the current state of Congressional gridlock and inertia,” would move the new policy forward by documenting those here illegally.
Measures DHS would implement include registering, fingerprinting, and screening the illegal immigrant population-excluding those illegal aliens who have committed a felony- but DHS envisions handing out eligible illegal immigrants work permits, a process that would lead to their legal status.
However, the memo acknowledges that sometime down the road Congress would have to pass legislation to extend permanent legal residence.
This newly recovered memo is consistent with inside memos from the USCIS and ICE, a key difference is the concern about Congress’ reaction to being circumvented. “The Secretary would face criticism that she is abdicating her charge to enforce the immigration laws. Internal complaints of this type from career DHS officers are likely and may also be used in the press to bolster the criticism.”
In fact the USCIS has been looking for ways to grant amnesty without Congress for sometime and their memo outlined the method of skirting lawmakers. According to USCIS some illegal aliens would be granted resident status by simply handing them “green cards.”
“In the absence of Comprehensive Immigration Reform, CIS can extend benefits and/or protections to many individuals and groups by issuing new guidance and regulations,” the memo read, two of the four who wrote the controversial memo were President Obama appointees including the head of USCIS Alejandro N. Mayorkas.
For more stories;http://www.examiner.com/county-political-buzz-in-san-diego/kimberly-dvorak
thekdreport 