Dems balk at Obama's call for $50 billion in new stimulus

It's no surprise that Republicans are denouncing a new request by President Obama that Congress pass $50 billion in new stimulus spending aimed at boosting the economy and avoiding widespread government layoffs. But even top Democrats seem less than enthusiastic about pushing a new stimulus bill to deficit-wary lawmakers and signaled they may not able grant Obama's wish.

House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, tore into Obama's late-night letter, saying the subject of new spending "never came up" at a bipartisan meeting last week and suggested the delivery of the letter was purposely timed to avoid publicity.
"Fact is, that the spending spree in Washington is continuing to run unabated," Boehner said, appearing alongside Hoyer. "The American people are screaming at the top of their lungs, 'Stop!' And to move this without finding other offsets in spending, I think, is irresponsible."
House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence, R-Ind., said on CNN's "State of the Union" that Obama needs to come up with a new tactic for solving the nation's economic crisis.
"We need to abandon this spending approach to stimulus, adding to deficits and debt, and we need to provide immediate across-the-board tax relief for working families, small businesses, and family farms," Pence said.
But House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-S.C., said he supports Obama's request for more stimulus money, which he said is needed to correct problems Obama inherited from the Bush administration.
He called on Republicans to "look to the future with a little more compassion and bipartisanship."

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/congress/Dems-balk-at-Obama_s-call-for-_50-billion-in-new-stimulus-96253069.html#ixzz0qn51LkKA

Immigration News

Voters in the Grand Canyon State have been singing a different tune since April, when Brewer signed SB1070  --  the state immigration law that has become the focus of a national controversy.

Brewer's approval ratings have skyrocketed, catapulting her to the top of the polls in the gubernatorial race and launching what may be the biggest political comeback of the year in the U.S.

Just one month after signing the law, Brewer had taken a 13-point lead over Goddard, with 52 percent of likely voters backing her candidacy, according to Rasmussen Reports. Full Story here      http://bit.ly/ba46PJ

Arizona Immigration Law Succeeds in Driving Hispanics out of State
Sunday, June 13, 2010

Hispanics are exiting Arizona before the state’s controversial immigration law goes into effect in July. Citing anecdotal evidence, USA Today reported that schools in Hispanic neighborhoods are experiencing unusual declines in enrollment and businesses serving Hispanics are noticing drops in clientele.

 

Two plus years of a weak economy had already caused many immigrants to avoid Arizona. “If you have a bad economy and a hostile environment, then that’s likely to cause people to think twice about coming, and possibly even to leave,” Jeffrey Passel, a demographer at the Pew Hispanic Center in Washington, told The Christian Science Monitor.

 

Those leaving Arizona to avoid the new law, which requires law enforcement to question the immigration status of people during routine traffic stops, are likely resettling in other states, such as California, Texas and New Mexico, instead of returning to their home countries.

 

Dems Retreat on Immigration

"Sharpton said he would mobilize people from across the country to march in Arizona - and get arrested, if necessary - to stop the controversial new law."
Now, according to Politico.com:
Democratic officials have concluded there's only one way they can hope to pass a comprehensive immigration bill: Talk more like Republicans.
Carrie Budoff Brown reports the Democrats have done a multi-year study and decided to
"craft an enforcement-first, law-and-order, limited-compassion pitch" including calling "the 12 million people who unlawfully reside the country 'illegal immigrants,' not 'undocumented workers.'"
Having actually talked to real people, Democratic operatives are giving this advice to Liberal groups and Members of Congress about phrases like "undocumented workers:"
"If the language appears fine to you, it is probably best not to use it. You are an activist, and by definition, you are out of the mainstream."
This isn't Rush Limbaugh, remember. Liberal Members of Congress are being told by their own guys they "are out of the mainstream" on immigration.more......    http://bit.ly/a2qIeB
 

 

 

 

 

Texas GOP delegates also replaced current party chair

DALLAS, TX (KERA) -
Texas Republicans concluded their state convention on Saturday by calling on the legislature to pass an Arizona-style law that cracks down on illegal immigrants.

Police would check those arrested to determine if they're in the county legally.

Some republican delegates say the party will drive away Hispanics by endorsing that policy.

Governor Perry has said he doesn't want an Arizona type law in Texas.

In a rare move, GOP delegates also replaced current party chair Cathy Adams of Dallas with Houston Attorney Steve Munisteri who founded the Young Convervatives of Texas.

"The young people are the life blood of this party," said Munisteri. "We need to organize the old people. We need to bring all the groups together. We need to build an organization from the grassroots up and we have to be united."

Adams blamed gubernatorial candidate Debra Medina with organizing votes against her. Medina acknowledges doing that, claiming Adams and party leadership kept her supporters from fully participating in the GOP party.

Medina sued the party claiming it didn't follow convention rules. Adams says a republican party committee considered Medina's request for changes in March, but rejected them.

Secure the Border First by Governor Jan Brewer

Brewer to Senator Schumer: Secure the Border First

While in Washington this week, Governor Jan Brewer responded to Senator Charles Schumer’s letter calling for a delay in implementation of Arizona’s new immigration law.  Brewer rejected the lip-service paid to “comprehensive immigration reform” and reiterated her demand to secure the border.

Washington lacks credibility on immigration issues and the only way to build credibility is for the government to do something immediately to address border security and restore interior enforcement.  To that point, Governor Brewer proposed a four point federal Border “Surge” strategy.  Click here to read her letter.