Immigrant, Refugee, Whatever

By now, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s selective memory problems are well known. So, he mixed up the dates his parents came from Cuba. So, he lied about whether they were economic refugees or political exiles. So, he still seems to claims they were the latter, instead of the former. Which is of course, despicable.



As much as I despise Sen. Rubio’s politics, the fact is that many pre-1959 Cuban immigrants did indeed throw their lot in with political refugees of the early 1960’s, once it became obvious they could not go back to Cuba even if they wanted to. Almost as if when hit in the face with reality, feeling they had more in common with the post-1959 refugee, than the pre-1959 member of the ruling class.

Not that most children of Cuban political refugees would buy that -- no matter how hard Rubio claims that everyone in Miami would define members of his family as refugees.  From former CNN reporter and news anchor Rick Sanchez, himself the son of Cuban refugees:

But they are not Rubio's biggest problem. This seemingly likable young man with Tea Party backing will likely be forgiven in Miami. His real problem is that the GOP has national plans for him, and national elections aren't won in Miami. They are won across the country where Mexicans and other immigrants, who make up the vast majority of the Latino vote, may not be as forgiving.

Would you be? Latinos across the country who see themselves as economic exiles, or whose parents came here as economic exiles, say Senator Rubio has continually attacked them. Now, they learn that he is, in many ways, no different from them. He too is the son of economic exiles. His story is their story--one he must now embrace or change. Again.

Excellent points. And indeed, Sen. Rubio’s real problem.  Because after all, it's all about the politics-of-the-matter.

Every Child Deserves a Family!!!

Great news!

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced Friday that she would introduce a bill barring federally-funded foster care and child adoption agencies from discriminating against potential adoptive parents because of their sexual orientations or gender identities.

Gillibrand, D-NY, will be the Senate sponsor of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act, backed in the House by California Democrat Pete Stark. The federal government invests some $8 billion in the child welfare system annually, but Gillibrand doesn’t want that money ending up with adoption agencies and foster care entities that don’t consider LGBT parents as candidates to adopt.

Thanks to both Sen. Gillibrand, and Rep. Pete Stark -- who hails from my neck of the woods!  Hard to imagine it will stick in the House, but they both deserve our appreciation!

Marco Rubio and The Cuban Exile Experience

Much ado about Florida Senator Marco Rubio and the “misunderstanding” of his family’s immigration story. Lots of folks have weighed in.  Here. Here. Here. Here. Here.

Background, from the Washington Post:

During his rise to political prominence, Sen. Marco Rubio frequently repeated a compelling version of his family’s history that had special resonance in South Florida. He was the “son of exiles,” he told audiences, Cuban Americans forced off their beloved island after “a thug,” Fidel Castro, took power.

But a review of documents — including naturalization papers and other official records — reveals that the Florida Republican’s account embellishes the facts. The documents show that Rubio’s parents came to the United States and were admitted for permanent residence more than two-and-a-half years before Castro’s forces overthrew the Cuban government and took power on New Year’s Day 1959.

I am very sympathetic to the idea that “family lore” gets mixed up with the facts sometimes, and indeed, may of us don’t know exactly when and how our families got here. And while I do believe the Cuban exile experience of those who came post-1959 is decidedly different than that of those who came for primarily economic reasons before the Revolution, a clear line is not that easy to draw.

We are talking about a country only 90 miles from the United States. Cubans travelled frequently to the United States to visit family and close friends. Young people with means – and scholarships, particularly from religious institutions – came to study in the United States frequently. The idea that you might come here to try life out was not out of the ordinary. And neither was the idea that you might go back to the island if things didn’t work out. And remember: Fulgencio Batista came to power in 1952 in a military coup, when he was facing defeat at the ballot box in his run for the Presidency. We are talking about life under a military dictatorship in mid-1950’s Cuba.

So, if Marco Rubio’s parents came here before 1959, so be it. And if they came here thinking they might go back, so be it. If they tried to go back after the Revolution – even if only to defend and/or retain their belongings – so be it. They were not alone.

Don’t take this as a defense of the good Senator. I despise his politics. But, I don’t think this incident represents a do-or-die moment in his political career. Not in-and-of-itself.

I do think, however, that he is not-ready-for-prime-time. I have thought that for some time. He has flip-flopped on Social Security and Medicaid. For better or worse, in the world of Tea Party politics, he is going to have to explain a bit about his religious preferences.  And if with this story it turns out looking like he is a real liar, more evidence that he just doesn’t have what it takes to make it on the national scene.

I have been predicting Romney-Rubio, 2012 for some time. Now, not so sure.  But, time will tell if Marco Rubio has what it takes.  There's still time, but not too much of it.

Mitt Romney and His "Illegals"

Looks like the story of Mitt Romney and his "illegal" gardeners is still haunting him.  The back and forth continued at Tuesday's CNN debate in Las Vegas.  The emphasis is mine:

“We hired a lawn company to mow our lawn, and they had illegal immigrants that were working there. And when that was pointed out to us, we let them go,” said Romney, as Perry interrupted him again. “I suggest if you want to become president you have to allow both people to speak.”

“So we went to the company and we said, look, you can’t have any illegals working on our property,” said Romney. “I’m running for office, for Pete’s sake, I can’t have illegals. It turns out that once question, they hired someone who had falsified their documents, had documents, and therefore we fired them.”

So, he didn't let the gardeners go because he felt it his duty to comply with the law?  He did it so he wouldn't look bad?  Because he was running for office?

Anyone else read it this way?  If so, there is nothing left to say about Mitt Romney's character.

Who is to Blame, Herman Cain?

Sadly, I think the notion that if you don't have a job you have no one but yourself to blame, is accepted by way, way, way too many Americans.  But Herman Cain really does have to decide who is to blame here.  From HuffPost Politics.  The emphasis is mine:

Herman Cain recently criticized the Occupy Wall Street protesters, saying, "Don't blame Wall Street. Don't blame the big banks. If you don't have a job and you're not rich, blame yourself."

At Tuesday night's CNN debate, Cain stood by his comments -- to loud cheers from the audience.

"I still stand by my statement," he said.

"They might be frustrated with Wall Street and the bankers, but they're directing their anger at the wrong place," he added. "Wall Street didn't put in failed economic policies. Wall Street didn't spend a trillion dollars that didn't do any good. Wall Street isn't going around the country trying to sell another $450 billion. They ought to be over in front of the White House taking out their frustration."

So, who is to blame, Mr. Cain?  Me, or the White House? 

Since he'll never be President, too bad we won't get to see the tables turned.

Rick Santorum and the Latino Family

Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum seems to think he has a great understanding of the Latino family.  From yesterday’s CNN WRLC Western Republican Presidential Debate:

SANTORUM: I’d like to address the issue that the gentleman brought up, which is, what are we going to say to the Latino community? And not one person mentioned the issue of family, faith, marriage.

This is a community that is a faith-filled community, that family is at the center of that community. I disagree in some respects with Congressman Paul, who says the country is founded on the individual.

The basic building block of a society is not an individual. It’s the family. That’s the basic unit of society.

SANTORUM: And the Latino community understands that. They understand the importance of faith and marriage. They understand that bond that builds that solid foundation, and that inculcation of faith and religious freedom. And I think the Latino community knows that’s at stake in this country.

Take a watch:



That’s right Sen. Santorum. As Latinos, no matter what our religion, the family is the center of our communities. As a matter of fact, we love our friends and family SO much, that no matter where we are on gay rights issues, we SO love our gay family members. And not in that-love-the-sinner, sort-of-way.

Yes, some in our community may be embarrassed to have a gay son or daughter. Some in our community may be uncomfortable introducing the partner of a gay family member in public. Some in our communities may make up stories to try to explain away the lives of their gay family members.

So yes, we may still have a way to go on this issue. But the type of vile, anti-gay rhetoric that comes out of the mouths of some of Sen. Santorum’s staunches supporters is the type of stuff that causes the Latino mother of a gay son more angst that the good Senator himself is capable of understanding.

And why would that be? Precisely because as Latinos, the family is the center of our communities.

Who is Listening to the Republicans?

In anticipation of yet another Republican-2012-Presidential-nominee-wannabe debate tonight, some interesting tidbits floating around about who is listening to the candidates, and why:

From former Clinton-era Labor Secretary Robert Reich:

Americans are listening more intently this time around because they’re hurting and they want answers. But the answers they’re getting from Republican candidates – tripping over themselves trying to appeal to hard-core regressives – are the wrong ones.

The correct ones aren’t being aired.

That’s partly because there’s no primary contest in the Democratic party. So Republicans automatically get loads of free broadcast time to air their regressive nonsense while the Democrats get none.

But even if the President had equal time, the debate about what to do about the crisis would still be frighteningly narrow.

That’s because the President’s answers don’t nearly match up to the magnitude of the crisis.

From National Public Radio this morning, Morning Edition, a great piece on how folks are attracted to Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 tax plan, simply because, it’s well – SIMPLE. You can listen, here.

Herman Cain's simplified tax plan has vaulted him into the spotlight and has sent his poll numbers soaring. But do people actually know much about the Republican presidential candidate's 9-9-9 tax plan, and how it would affect them?

And per Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in a radio interview with Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, single mothers listen to the Democratic message because they “look to government of help.” Watch, here.

So, let’s see:

1) People listen more intently, when they have questions that need answering – makes sense.

2) People want SIMPLE – sad, actually, given the complexity of the problems we are facing.

3) People vote their best interest – duh. And that doesn’t make them stupid, either.

The War-On-Women: The Tuesday Edition

And it goes on and on.

Mississippi is trying to the lead the way on the Personhood Amendment.  From CBS News:

A national effort to put abortion bans into state constitutions is looking for its first victory next month in Mississippi, where voters are being asked to approve an amendment declaring that life begins when a human egg is fertilized.

Supporters hope the so-called personhood initiative will succeed in a Bible Belt state that already has some of the nation's toughest abortion regulations and only a single clinic where the procedures are performed.

The initiative is endorsed by both candidates in a governor's race that's being decided the same day. While Mississippi is the only state with such an amendment on the ballot this fall, efforts are under way to put the question to voters in at least four other states in 2012.

From North Carolina, where a judge is considering whether to prevent portions of North Carolina's new abortion restrictions from taking effect while a lawsuit challenging them goes through the federal courts:

Lawyers for the state and abortion rights groups argued their cases before U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles for 2 ½ hours Monday in a Greensboro courtroom.

Abortion providers sued last month, saying the new law requiring ultrasounds be performed so that women are shown the images is unconstitutional. Bebe Anderson with the Center for Reproductive Rights told Eagles the law is too vague and could subject doctors to penalties. Senior Deputy Attorney General Faison Hicks said the information doctors provide patients is truthful and advances the state's interest for a woman to carry the fetus to term.

And from Anywhere (and Everywhere), USA a nation-wide push for the “heart beat bill”:

Abortion opponents have a new weapon of choice: the “heartbeat bill.” A coalition of anti-abortion groups told the Associated Press last week that it was pushing to enact laws in all 50 states that would make women listen to a fetus’s heart beat before they could abort. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has introduced a similar federal bill, The Heartbeat Informed Consent Act, in Congress.

When the Supreme Court decided Roe, critics of abortion vowed to get it overturned. They have not succeeded in that. But they have managed to pass a wide array of laws — some upheld by the courts, others struck down — making access to abortion more difficult. The Supreme Court has ruled that states can impose some restrictions, such as 24-hour waiting periods and parental consent requirements, but has struck down others, such as laws forcing women to notify their spouses. The heartbeat laws are the latest effort in a decades-long campaign that — as conservatives gain strength at the state level—appears to be gaining ground.

Personhood. Ultrasounds. Heartbeats. A grassroots war, based in the states, designed to render Roe vs. Wade utterly unenforceable on the local level.

News From Alabama

On Alabama’s odious anti-immigration law:

A federal appeals court temporarily blocked portions of Alabama's strict immigration law Friday, most notably a provision requiring public schools to check the immigration status of students.

But the court let stand a provision requiring police to check the residency status of people they suspect of being illegal immigrants during traffic stops.

Point #1: Not a surprise.

Point #2: Thanks for setting the stage, Arizona.  Have papers, will travel.

Why I Want To Be Your President: Republican Round-Up

In the day when gay kids are being bullied into committing suicide, Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum seems to be having a little trouble with his choice of words:

Rick Santorum criticized a Saturday Night Live skit that poked fun at his anti-gay marriage views and trailing poll numbers as "bullying" in an interview this weekend.

SNL, in a send-up of last week's Bloomberg/Washington Post debate that set candidate's seating order based on poll numbers, said seating for the skit was based "on the likelihood of the candidate winning the nomination."

Actors playing contenders Herman Cain and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney were seated at the table, while Texas Gov. Rick Perry was placed in the corner of the set, Rep. Ron Paul (Texas) was banished to a parking garage, former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.) and Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.) were put a broom closet, and Santorum in "a crowded gay bar in the Castro district of San Francisco."

Oh, to see Rick Santorum in a crowded gay bar in the Castro…

Businessman Herman Cain has an odd sense of humor:

Washington (CNN) – The head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is calling out GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain for controversial remarks he made over the weekend that if he was in charge he'd build an "electrified" 20-foot high US-Mexico border fence with a sign displayed "that says it will kill you."

The businessman and radio host has since said he was joking. But Texas Democratic Rep Charlie Gonzalez is not laughing and released a written statement Monday criticizing Cain.

"Words have consequences, both in shaping ideas and inspiring actions. Whether or not he made his comments in jest, Mr. Cain's words show a lack of understanding of the immigration issues our country is facing and a staggering lack of sensitivity," Gonzalez said.

Because after all, killing people is well, funny.

And not to be outdone by Herman Cain, Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann on Saturday signed a pledge in Iowa to push for construction of a fence along the entire length of the border with Mexico. And there’s more:

Two days after she focused on immigration in her campaign stop in Iowa, Minnesota U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann is scheduled to be in Arizona Monday to discuss the U.S.-Mexico border.

Bachmann, who is seeking her party's nomination to run for president in 2012, will be meeting privately with Republican legislators and other supporters of a state-sanctioned campaign to raise donations to pay for additional fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The stop in the state that became the symbol of mounting frustration with federal inaction on illegal immigration continues Bachmann's growing focus on immigration as a key part of her campaign.

To know Texas Gov. Rick Perry, is to (dis)like him:

Gov. Rick Perry would like folks to believe that he’s the only candidate with a heart when it comes to Latino issues in his home state.

But Latino voters don’t seem to be buying it.

The first poll of Latino registered voters nationwide in this election cycle shows that all three frontrunners–Perry, Mitt Romney and Herman Cain–will have an uphill battle when it comes to the Latino vote. Although Perry’s the best-known of the three among Latino voters, he’s also the least liked.

We’re not stupid.

And finally, for a fascinating take on former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and his Mormon faith, take a read here, at the New York Times. Ain’t religion, grand?

Fear and Loathing, #OccupyWallStreet Style

Man, these dudes are scared of having even the slightest bit of power taken away from them.

From ThinkProgess:

Speaking with right-wing radio show host Laura Ingraham on Friday, Rep. Peter King (R-NY), the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, blasted the media for providing fair coverage to the Occupy Wall Street protests. “They have no sense of purpose other than a basically anti-American tone,” he said.

King also explained that he is “old enough to remember what happened in the 1960s when the left-wing took to the streets and somehow the media glorified them and it ended up shaping policy.” He added, “We can’t allow that to happen.”

No, heavens knows we cannot allow history to repeat itself. God forbid.

From The Hill:

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) described Wall Street protesters as a mob on Friday and implied Democrats were egging them on.

In a speech to the conservative Values Voter Summit, Cantor said he was “increasingly concerned by the growing mobs” and criticized Democrats who have showered praise on the protesters in New York and other cities.

Some in this town have actually condoned the pitting of Americans against Americans,” Cantor said.

Because after all, one man's democracy is another man's mob.

From The National Journal:

THE VILLAGES, Fla. – Republican presidential front runner Mitt Romney on Tuesday compared the current anti-Wall Street protests to “class warfare.”

“I think it’s dangerous, this class warfare,” Romney said to an audience of about 50 people in response to a question about the protests over such issues as high unemployment, home foreclosures and the 2008 corporate bailouts.

Yes. Proponents of "class warfare." It's called the Tea bagging Republican party.

Be scared, America. Be very, very, very scared.

Values Voter Summit

That time of year, again. The Values Voter Summit!

From The New York Times:

WASHINGTON — A Texas pastor introduced Rick Perry at a major conference of Christian conservatives here on Friday as “a genuine follower of Jesus Christ” and then walked outside and attacked Mitt Romney’s religion, calling the Mormon Church a cult and stating that Mr. Romney “is not a Christian.”

The comments by the pastor, Robert Jeffress of Dallas, injected a potentially explosive issue into the presidential campaign: the belief held by many evangelicals that Mormons are not Christians.

And it should get even better, later today.

Now, all eyes turn to Mr. Romney, who is scheduled to speak Saturday at the conference, just before Bryan Fischer, director of issue analysis for government and public policy at the American Family Association. Mr. Fischer is known for his strident remarks on homosexuality, gay rights, Muslims and Mormons.

Oye.

RIP, Steve Jobs

Early, 1985.  First job out of college.  UC Berkeley.  With a boss who had the foresight to equip the office with the first Macs. 



I have never looked back.

And if you haven't read this one, to die for hysterical. From The Onion.

CUPERTINO, CA—Steve Jobs, the visionary co-founder of Apple Computers and the only American in the country who had any clue what the fuck he was doing, died Wednesday at the age of 56. "We haven't just lost a great innovator, leader, and businessman, we've literally lost the only person in this country who actually had his shit together and knew what the hell was going on," a statement from President Barack Obama read in part, adding that Jobs will be remembered both for the life-changing products he created and for the fact that he was able to sit down, think clearly, and execute his ideas—attributes he shared with no other U.S. citizen. "This is a dark time for our country, because the reality is none of the 300 million or so Americans who remain can actually get anything done or make things happen. Those days are over." Obama added that if anyone could fill the void left by Jobs it would probably be himself, but said that at this point he honestly doesn’t have the slightest notion what he’s doing anymore.

Sad, but true.

Same-Sex Marriage, Massachusetts Style

I guess I am a little but surprised by the latest survey results from Public Policy Polling.

While 56% of those polled in Massachusetts believe gay couples should be allowed to legally marry, 67% feel the legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts has had no impact on their lives.

All the way in California, I feel the legalization of gay marriage somewhere 3,000 miles has had a positive impact on my life.

Good and right things, always do!

#OccupyWallStreet

Corruption and criminal activity.



This can't all be framed as a problem with capitalism.  Way, way too many people terrified of what they perceive the alternative might be.

This can't be framed as a problem with the rich getting richer.  Way, way too many people still duped enough by the promise of the American dream to think they soon might be one of those rich getting richer.

Americans are essentially fair-minded people who like to play by the rules.  The only way to get to them on this one is to make it about corruption and criminal activity.

It Takes A...

I love, love, love it when the 2012-Republican-Presidential-nominee-wannabees try to convince me that implementation of their conservative social agenda will get out us of the economic mess we are in.

Evidently, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum believes “incentives” drive mothers out of relationships with the fathers of their children. But it gets better than that:

He also said he believes increasing marriage will boost the economy.

"You don't talk about the family, you don't talk about strong marriages and mothers and fathers helping to raise children, you can't have a strong economy," Santorum said.

Really? I need more of an explanation.

Happy First Monday in October!

The Supreme Court has a busy week, this week.  From The New York Times:

The Supreme Court returns Monday to an overarching question: Are the federal courts the right forum for resolving societal problems? Last term, the conservative majority suggested the answer is no in closely divided cases about job discrimination, misconduct by prosecutors, fraud by mutual funds and other topics.

The court will have a chance to take up that question again this term, while likely considering the health care reform act, decency standards on broadcast TV, privacy and use of GPS devices to track criminal suspects, and other issues. Here are three cases to be argued this week that could reveal where the court is headed this term as it examines the interests of citizens confronting institutions.

On Monday, the court hears a case questioning how far a state can go in cutting Medicaid, the federal-state program providing medical care to the poor and disabled.  California has been sued by a provider for cutting reimbursement without regard to impact.

On Tuesday the court hears the question of whether those who are already in prison must be told of their Miranda rights – the right to remain silent and have a lawyer present, and that any statement can be used against them.

On Wednesday, a fascinating case:

Under the First Amendment, the government cannot interfere in a church’s management of “ministerial employees” when they perform religious functions. But is a teacher at a religious school that kind of employee?

A case on Wednesday is a dispute between Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church and Cheryl Perich, a former teacher at the church’s school in Redford, Mich. When she became sick and turned down the offer of a modest payment to leave, the school fired her and she filed a grievance with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit said she could sue the church for illegal retaliation under the Americans With Disabilities Act.

The issue is whether enforcement of that law violates the church’s right to free exercise of religion. Ministers and other religious workers are barred from suing their church employers. Lower courts have said teachers are also barred from suing when they teach religious subjects or have a central role in the mission of the church.

Any guesses as to which way the Supreme Court will be tilting, this session?

Greek Tragedy

Who’s running the world? From The New York Times.  The emphasis is mine:

In the short term, Greece remains the central problem. Two bailouts have not been enough. Greek public debt continues to mount, and so does the pressure on the government to find more revenue and make more cuts. Europe’s strategy, to the extent it can be discerned, is to put off restructuring Greece’s debt as long as possible and build up enough backing for a bailout fund so that banks with large exposure to the sovereign debt of Greece and other troubled euro-zone countries, like Portugal, Ireland, Italy and Spain, can survive an all-but-inevitable Greek default.

But the austerity-driven recession in Greece has made its budget deficit even worse than experts predicted, and the country has not kept all its promises to the “troika” — the European Union, the International Monetary Fund and the European Central Bank — that is keeping Athens afloat. Experts from the troika left Greece a month ago in unofficial disgust; they returned last week only after getting fresh promises of action.

Athens is again at the brink. Without the next tranche of aid from the troika — 8 billion euros — Greece could immediately default. So the troika is playing hardball, trying to force Athens to make crucial structural changes that lenders think will never happen otherwise.

Austerity-driven recessions? Never heard of such a thing…