Immigration Reform

Key Issues For Kamala Harris To Emphasize In Last Week Of Campaign!

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Kamala Harris gave a great speech last night at the Ellipse near the White House, the site of the incitement of the January 6, 2021 Insurrection at the US Capitol by Donald Trump, with an estimated crowd of 60,000 people cheering on the Vice President.

It was a well tailored speech, calling for promoting unity and finding common ground, rather than the division and chaos of Donald Trump.

It offered bipartisanship with Republicans, and the promotion of working to overcome the divide that has been promoted by Trump since 2015.

Now, with six days to go until the election, but with many (more than 40 million people) already having voted, the emphasis by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz should be:

Emphasizing a positive view of America and its future, rather than the negativism and division promoted by Donald Trump.

Promotion of women’s right to control their own bodies, and to restore abortion rights.

Promotion of the reality that economic growth has occurred, and that Harris offers improved economic futures for the younger generation through expansion of social programs, including housing, health care, and education advancements.

Reviving the efforts for a bipartisan immigration reform proposal that was negated by Donald Trump, although sponsored by and supported by conservative Republican Senators, along with Democrats.

Importance of retaining our alliances with other nations as essential for the long term defense and political stability of America, as well as the world at large.

The push is on to promote massive increase in voting, particularly by the younger generation Z which has an opportunity to participate in American democracy for the first time for many.

Some Reasons Why Donald Trump And Republicans Will Lose in 2024

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Despite conflicting public opinion polls, there are many reasons to believe why Donald Trump and the Republican Party are on the road to defeat in 2024!

Among them are the following:

If one uses Ronald Reagan’s argument in 1980, “Are you better off than you were years ago?”, and use it in reverse, most certainly, economically, the nation is far better than it was in 2020, by any economic statistic! The stock market is booming; unemployment is at a 50 year low; inflation is coming down; and more jobs have been created than under any modern President in a four year term!

Also, Donald Trump brags about ending Roe V Wade, and this ending of abortion rights has become a major motivator among the vast majority of women and the men who love them, and will motivate many voters to be sure to vote and get others to vote!

Donald Trump also tells Republicans to reject the strongest immigration bill in a generation, and the crisis on the border is worse, as a result, and it will reverberate on Republicans in the Fall. With various conservative groups backing the legislation, it can be used as a weapon against Trump in the upcoming election, and harm the party chances in Congress!

The Republican House of Representatives has been a disaster, leading to some Republicans quitting early, not wishing to hang around, and leaving the Republicans with just one vote more than a majority, subject to change at any time, if anyone in their slim majority resigns, dies, or is in the hospital for an extended period. And Speaker Mike Johnson is in danger of being the second Speaker to be removed in the same Congress. So the Democrats have a great issue as they get ready for the election, which should guarantee a Democratic majority in that chamber in the upcoming 119th Congress of 2025-2027!

Donald Trump being indicted on 91 counts in four cases is not going to help promote loyalty of Republicans, as already, there are indications that a substantial number did not want him to run, and instead supported Nikki Haley. The idea that independents or Democrats will vote for Trump is not realistic, and already, he has a record of never winning the popular vote in either 2016 or 2020!

With so many former Trump Administration officials refusing to support Trump this time around, since they see how dangerous he is on foreign policy, and his plans for a dictatorship, this will also strengthen the case for Joe Biden as a center of stability and democracy!

And with Trump saying the January 6 Insurrectionists are “hostages” that he would free from prison is not a way to win support or strengthen Republican prospects!

With all these factors, Democrats have the advantage, but have to be concerned about keeping support of African Americans, Hispanic-Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Arab-Muslim Americans, Jewish Americans, and the younger Generation Z first time voters.

So there is plenty of work still ahead!

Ten Months Before Election Day, Joe Biden Makes Case For Democracy, And Repudiation Of Donald Trump!

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In his opening salvo of the Presidential Election campaign of 2024, President Joe Biden yesterday, precisely ten months before Election Day, delivered a stirring speech on the campaign to protect American democracy, which includes a massive defeat of Donald Trump, who is promoting the destruction of the Constitution and rule of law!

In his 30 minute speech at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, Biden spoke with real passion and commitment, and reminded us how George Washington turned down the possibility of becoming a monarch after the American Revolution, and accepted the idea of serving as President, and then leaving office.

Biden and his supporters must make the case every day until Election Day, and besides discussing the threat to democracy, he and they must also talk about abortion, the economy, immigration reform, environmental advancements, voting rights, civil rights, and support of Ukraine in its war with Russia, and promoting a changed policy regarding Israel and Gaza to limit the loss of life!

Difficult, Challenging Year Ahead In 2024!

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America is facing the likelihood that 2024 will be the most tumultuous year imaginable, as the nation faces the following:

A Presidential Election in November where the likelihood is that we will have the first time since 1888 (Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison), that a former President (Donald Trump) is challenging the sitting President (Joe Biden).

A Supreme Court that seems hellbent on moving further to the Far Right on many constitutional matters, despite its tremendously low public opinion rating, making it the most right wing in a century.

A likelihood of new climate crises continuing, and unlikely that much will be done to deal with it, as many people around the nation and the world become victims.

A growing crisis on issues that divide the nation, including voting rights, abortion rights, gay and transgender rights, gun control, antisemitism, civil rights and ethnic and racial minorities, immigration reform, political chaos in Congress, and growing religious extremism, among others.

A world crisis of war in the Middle East and Eastern Europe, with the potential for greater US involvement, and the constantly growing threat of China, North Korea, Iran, and other autocracies, along with the Russian threat to the stability of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, with the continuing war in Ukraine.

The Republican Presidential Race Is About To “Explode” With Ronald Reagan Comparisons, Which Will Not Succeed!

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The Republican Presidential race for 2024 is about to “explode”, with at least three, and possibly more, contenders about to announce by Memorial Day, and with the first Republican Presidential Contenders debate scheduled for sometime in August.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis; South Carolina Senator Tim Scott; and former Vice President Mike Pence (Indiana) are about to announce, and others–including former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie; New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu; Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin; and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem seem likely to join in the fray.

They will join former President Donald Trump; former South Carolina Governor and United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley; former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson; and former biotech executive Vivek Ramaswamy (an arrogant extreme right wing multimillionaire 37 years old without any government experience) in the race.

Many of the soon to be contenders are invoking the name and image of former President Ronald Reagan, failing to understand that none of them are really at all like Reagan.

But also, the Ronald Reagan “bandwagon” fails to realize the great damage that the 40th President did to America in so many ways, but at the same time his open mindedness on some issues, such as immigration reform, which is one of the horrendous sins of the present day Republican Party, the depth and extent of their nativism and racism!

Desperate Need For Immigration Reform For Past Generation

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In 1986, Republican President Ronald Reagan signed an immigration reform plan into law, legitimizing millions of migrants who might have come in without the normal channels.

Reagan understood that the lifeblood of the nation is immigration, as America has always been a land welcoming people from other lands who have suffered from violence, poverty, discrimination, and simple desire for a better life.

Everyone of us in America is here because earlier generations of immigrants took the arduous and often dangerous trip from foreign lands.

And yet, now, and for the entire 21st century, the Republican Party, with some exceptions, have blocked immigration reform under Republican President George W. Bush, and Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Many forget, conveniently, that Republican Presidentic candidate Senator John McCain of Arizona promoted such reform in his 2008 Presidential campaign, and before and after that time frame until his passing in 2018.

But now, the ugly nativism of most Republicans is distressing, and failing to realize that promoting more immigration is a long range strategy to deal with the aging of the American population, and the dire need for more young people to promote economic growth into the future.

Ron DeSantis Does Cruel,Despicable Political Stunt, Shipping Venezuelan Migrants To Massachusetts!

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has done a despicable political stunt, victimizing Venezuelan migrant men, women, and children, by shipping them without notice or support to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts!

These are victims of an autocratic leftist government in their homeland, fleeing for their lives, and being victimized as refugees by a cruel, uncaring governor of the third largest state in population, and reminds us of similar treatment of Jews wishing to escape Nazi Germany in the late 1930s!

Similar stunts have been done by Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, sending migrants to Washington DC, New York City, and Chicago. This is all part of the right wing campaign against immigration reform, at a time when we have a major crisis of migrants at the US-Mexico border!

These three Republican Governors, with DeSantis and Abbott planning Republican Presidential campaigns in 2024, are competing for attention against so called “Sanctuary Cities”, part of their attack on immigration, spewing hatred and racism!

This is similar to Southern Democrats shipping African Americans to the North sixty years ago in opposition to civil rights actions by President John F. Kennedy!

DeSantis is getting most of the attention, and is reveling in his demagoguery, arrogance, and bullyish nature, and seeing adoring men and women smiling around him is enough to make one want to vomit, at the level of hatred, nativism, and racism being displayed without shame!

Ron DeSantis is reminding us of Alabama Governor George Wallace, who was a threat in the 1960s and early 1970s, but with DeSantis a much more clear and present danger, as he is riding a wave of authoritarianism that could make him a danger as a serious candidate for the Presidency!

This was something never really possible in regards to Wallace, although he did win five states, 46 electoral votes, and 13.5 percent of the popular vote in the Presidential Election of 1968!

President Joe Biden After One Year: A Grade Of B!

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Nearly one year has passed since the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States.

After one year, an honest assessment would give Biden a B grade, due to the incomplete nature of his agenda, but with hope for further progress in 2022, despite nearly united Republican Party opposition.

What has the Biden Presidency accomplished?

!. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, a $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill, in the midst of the COVID 19 Pandemic
2. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, promoting massive efforts to deal with physical infrastructure projects that are sorely needed.
3. Accomplishing the vaccinations of 61.7 percent of the American people to deal with the COVID 19 Pandemic.
4. The appointment and confirmation of 40 federal judges in his first year, despite Republican Party opposition, the most such appointments in the first year of a Presidency since Ronald Reagan’s first year 40 years ago.
5. Major progress on promotion of the environment and conservation, including canceling oil and gas leases and emphazing the climate agenda to fight global warming and climate change.
6. Promotion of people of varying backgrounds in Presidential appointments in all areas of government, including his Cabinet members and other positions of authority and influence.
7.Lowering of unemployment to 4.2 percent, while more than 6 million jobs have been created, an all time high for the first year of a Presidency.
8. Restoring good relations with our allies, including the NATO nations, and Pacific partners.
9. Bringing back dignity and class to the White House, including the First Lady, and the President’s own character, which includes compassion, decency, empathy, and sincerity.
10. Promoting massive social reform regarding children, the elderly, immigration, criminal justice, women’s rights, gay rights, protection of voting rights, and health care advancement, all this in limbo at the moment, but hopefully much of it accomplished in 2022!
11. Standing up for human rights and against authoritarianism worldwide.
12. Making clear that a thorough investigation and accountability for the January 6, 2021 Insurrection is a priority in 2022.

There is so much more that could be listed, but it is clear Joe Biden has had a moderately successful first year, and that the potential for a rise from a B grade is very likely in 2022!

“Build Back Better” Social Infrastructure Legislation Passes The House of Representatives!

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Congratulations are due to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, President Joe Biden, and the Democratic Caucus in the House of Representatives on successfully passing the “Build Back Better” Social Infrastructure legislation by a vote of 220-213, after a disgraceful eight and a half hour rampage speech by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and the refusal of any House Republicans to support legislation which makes life better for millions of Americans!

The legislation, once it gains approval of the US Senate with some modifications certain, will do the following:

Affordable Child Care
Child Tax Credits
Paid Family and Medical Leave
Universal PreKindergarten
Affordable Care Act Premium Tax Credits
Medicaid Home and Community Based Services
Raise State and Local Tax Deduction Cap
Medicare Hearing Benefits
Affordable Housing
Immigration Reform
Clean Energy and Climate Resilience
Climate Related Tax Breaks
Spending on Higher Education
A Corporate Minimum Tax on Large Corporations
A Tax Surcharge Targeting the Wealthiest Americans, over $25 million and over $10 million.

The US Senate Parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough: Most Powerful Figure In Senate Deliberations!

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Very few people are aware of the job of the US Senate Parliamentarian, or the holder of that position, Elizabeth MacDonough.

She has held that job since 2012, appointed by then Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

The first woman to hold that position, she is the sixth person to be in that job, since it was created in 1935.

She is designed to be a nonpartisan official who determines what and what cannot be done under the “reconciliation” process in the Senate, which can allow certain budgetary situations to move forward without meeting the filibuster requirement of sixty senators.

Without that, very little could be done in a Senate which for only the fourth time in history has seen an evenly divided Senate.

The 47th Congress (1881-1883); 83rd Congress (1953-1955); and the 107th Congress (2002-2003) are the only times before the 117th Congress, where we have seen such a situation.

So this woman, Elizabeth MacDonough, highly respected, has tremendous power over the Joe Biden agenda, and now has made clear that immigration reform cannot be utilized under “reconciliation”, a blow to action on that issue, which seems unlikely to be able to be overcome!