*****
The Debate Over A Path To Citizenship Is Resolved Among The Public, If Not In Congress
Washington Post: As the renewed debate over the nation’s immigration laws continues on Capitol Hill, this much is clear: Most Americans favor creating a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally.
And the more Americans hear about specific requirements a path to citizenship would involve, the more likely they are to endorse it.
Support for a path to citizenship was strongest in a Fox News poll conducted last month in which more than seven in 10 voters expressed support for the idea. Take a closer look at the way the question was asked: “Do you favor or oppose allowing illegal immigrants to remain in the country and eventually qualify for U.S. citizenship, as long as they meet certain requirements like paying back taxes, learning English, and passing a background check?”
And even in surveys where a simple support/oppose question was asked without the mention of specific requirements, a majority expressed support for a path to citizenship. In both the Associated Press-Gfk and Washington Post-ABC News polls, 55 percent or more said they favored opening an avenue to citizenship.
Read more here
*****
*****
NYT: With resistance to tougher gun laws stiffening in Congress, a visibly frustrated President Obama on Thursday implored lawmakers and the nation not to lose sight of the horrors of the school massacre in Newtown, Conn. “The notion that two months or three months after something as horrific as what happened in Newtown happens and we’ve moved on to other things?” Mr. Obama said in remarks at the White House, surrounded by relatives and friends of victims of gun violence, including some from Newtown. “That’s not who we are. That’s not who we are. And I want to make sure every American is listening today.”
Mr. Obama’s appearance, from the East Room of the White House, suggested just how delicate the situation had become. Rather than read from teleprompters, he seemed to speak extemporaneously much of the time and expressed irritation in a way that he generally does not. At some moments, he paused and took a breath as if collecting himself and circled back to some of his points for emphasis. “Shame on us if we’ve forgotten,” he said.“I haven’t forgotten those kids. Shame on us if we’ve forgotten.”
The renewed push by the president, who will travel to Colorado next week to rally support for new gun measures, is just one piece in a broader nationwide effort, timed to coincide with the two-week Congressional recess, by gun control groups like the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s coalition.
Read more here
*****
*****
Juliet Eilperin: The Environmental Protection Agency will move ahead Friday with a rule requiring cleaner gasoline and lower-pollution vehicles nationwide, amounting to one of President Obama’s most significant air pollution initiatives, according to people briefed on the decision.
The proposed standards would add less than a penny a gallon to the cost of gasoline while delivering an environmental benefit akin to taking 33 million cars off the road, according to a senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the announcement had not been made yet.
The proposed standards, which had been stuck in regulatory limbo since 2011, would reduce the amount of sulfur in U.S. gasoline by two-thirds and impose fleet-wide pollution limits on new vehicles by 2017.
The Obama administration’s decision to go ahead with the regulations deals a political blow to the oil and gas industry, which had mobilized dozens of lawmakers in recent days to lobby the White House for a one-year delay.
Read more here
*****
*****
Goodbye Ashley Judd? Why McConnell Might Be More Worried
Roll Call: Ashley Judd’s decision to stay out of next year’s Kentucky Senate race absolutely won’t deprive Democrats of the sort of young woman who’s well-funded and telegenic enough to topple Mitch McConnell. In fact, the chances have gone up on just such a scenario.
That’s because the candidate who’s always been preferred by the Democratic establishment, both in the state and inside the Beltway, is now positioned to step in and take a clear shot at becoming only the third challenger in more than 60 years to deny re-election to an incumbent Senate party floor leader.
She is 34-year-old Alison Lundergan Grimes, the Kentucky secretary of state for the past year and the scion of one of the best-connected Democratic families in the state. Because she’s already won statewide but is in a job that does not require her to stake out firm positions on any of the polarizing issues of the day, Grimes has the potential to be a difficult combination for McConnell to counter.
Read more here
*****
*****
Julie Pace: President Barack Obama will press Congress to pass new tax incentives and other flexibility measures aimed at attracting more private sector investment in infrastructure projects around the country, a senior administration official said.
The president will flesh out the details of his proposals during a speech Friday at a Miami port that is undergoing $2 billion in upgrades, funded by public and private money.
Among the proposals Obama will call for Friday: Higher caps on “private activity bonds” to encourage the private sector to spend more on highway projects and other infrastructure needs. State and local governments use the bonds to attract investment.
$4 billion in new spending on two infrastructure programs that award loans and grants. A renewed call for a $10 billion national “infrastructure bank”
Read more here
*****
*****
All Times Eastern
10:30AM: President Obama departs Joint Base Andrews
12:50PM: President Obama Arrives in Miami, Florida
1:20PM: President Obama Tours A Panel Project At PortMiami in Miami, Florida
2:00PM: President Obama Delivers Remarks On The Economy
3:00PM: President Obama Departs Miami, Florida
5:15PM: President Obama Arrives At Joint Base Andrews
*****
Chipsticks style: MooooOOOOOOOooooorning!
*****
The Obama Diary 
G’morning UT, and thanks for this excellent Rise & Shine!!
Hello Chips, TOD, lurkers, everyone, and Happy Friday! 🙂
GM hf and ut. GM folks.
Good Mooooooooooooooorning Amk!
Yay Hopefruit! You’re number 1! You’re number 1! Congratulations and here’s your prize.
Now THAT’s what I’m talking about!! Many, many thanks UT! 🙂
Hopefruit! Congrats on First 🙂
That about sums it up, AMK. About as concise a state as you can get on the spineless wonders in Congress. I wonder if they all have little shrines to the NRA in their homes.
Good morning Ms. Chips and TOD family. I hope every have a wonder and blessed Good Friday. Congrats hf2 on being first this lovely Friday morning. TGIF
Gooood moooorrrrniinnnnnggggg, ut, Chips and TODville! Great morning round-up!
Today we get to watch our POTUS deliver another innovative idea for working on the issues that matter. There is no stopping him. The GOP can wither away from their own bitterness and spite. We are marching FORWARD.
Hahaha…..Good MoooooooOooooorrrrrrrrrrnnnNNNNnnning meta!
100% concur with your comment.
Amen, meta. I refuse to let these morons get me down. We will keep fighting and when we drop, we’ll get up and fight again.
YES, that’s the spirit. When I think about all that this President has endured, as well as his family – unprecedented in every way – I know I can keep on.
Just popped in to say good morning. Overrun with little 3 and four year-olds. Pray for me. 🙂
Two things. First, in honor of Cookemom, I posted my Senatorial hit list this morning. I love your passion. Hope you guys will pass it on to everyone you know…and I’m still mad at Democrats. 🙂
http://thepoliticalpragmatic.blogspot.com/2013/03/demand-vote-against-gun-violence.html
Noticed something interesting… I comment on other websites, especially about drones. I always ask why people aren’t equally concerned about B-52 bombers, Mi-35 attack helicopters or MQ-9 Reapers armed with hellfire missiles? They all kill and leave behind collateral damage. Mind you, I don’t even know if my language is correct, but they get the point. My comment NEVER, ever makes the cut.
Just wanted to offer my two cents. Oh, and Nathkatun7, the interpretation of the 2nd Amendment was judicial activism at it’s best…and stay out of Steve King’s face. 🙂
Have a great day everyone!
I would say the US has made a lot of enemies throughout it’s 250 years. Not to mention, a lot are just jealous.
So, defensive capabilities is a must, offensive capabilities if you want to get rid of your enemy.
It is what it is! 😦
I love your list FayPax, those smiling faces need to hear some reality – and bless you for caring for the little ones – I had 6 months old grandbabe today – she crawls backwards at speed & is just working out the forward gears – not sure I will keep up with this for much longer 🙂
This list is so cool. I am calling states near mine today. When I call I will mention that I contributed to Elizabeth Warrens campaign and I will contribute to their opponents if they don’t vote for background checks, assault weapons, and mental health funding. Thank you so much for doing this. On a related note, the page looks great, nice job web goddess.
Thanks for your post FayPax. I will share this one and Don’t want to be called Racist? Stop Being a Racist!
Good luck with the 3 and 4 year olds you have my prayers. In my other life I worked with Sesame Street and it takes a lot of energy to keep up with that age group. Best job I ever had.
Have a great day FayPax! And yes, you are absolutely right: “the interpretation of the 2nd Amendment was judicial activism at it’s best.” Steve King is one of the worst scums who are presently masquerading as patriotic members of Congress. I am going over to your blog to read your latest post. By the way, I am not surprised that your comments are ignored. Many who are obsessed with drones are not interested in reasoned discussion. All they are interested in is bashing President Obama.
YAAAWWWWNNN!!!!
Keep it down guys. I’m still asleep. 8)
GM TODvillians, or is it TODvillites, or is it TODians, or is it TODites. Anyway, GM to all those who enter through the doors of this place and come into the world of truth and justice.
And may this Good Friday be a good Friday for everybody.
Technically, I am at work, but it will be a slow day here so once I get a couple proposals finished up so I may be around more than usual. Sorry about that folks.
I am going to put out a few tweets later based upon the general character of PBO, most Dems and the GOP. The basic messages will be that PBO, as he did yesterday, is always calling Americans, as well as citizens of the world, to reach into themselves and bring out the best they have, both in terms of action and character. He believes in the general goodness of people (sometimes to a fault). He believes, rightly so, that we can be more than we are. The same thing is true of most Democrats, in general.
The GOP, on the other hand, tends to call out to the basest elements of the human condition. The GOP doesn’t believe in the basic goodness of people. Instead, it stakes its whole position on people being selfish, bigoted, and unworthy except for those few who have made it to the top.
Yesterday was a perfect example of theat. PBO frequently will use the phrase, as he did yesterday, “That’s not who we are.” And he genuinely believes that, as do I. In fact, that is the whole premise of this holy weekend in the Christian faith. The GOP, if pushed to say it openly, disagrees. To them, that is exactly who we are. Unfortunately, too many times in the past, the American people have shown the GOP to be right.
It is up to each and every one of us to make sure that the President’s belief in us as a collective group of people is correct. That we can and we will do better. To prove that he is correct when he says “That is not who we are.”
Good morning all, congrats Hopefruit ! Have a great weekend everyone.
So proud of our president keeping the pressure on for gun control. Also love amk’s chart of congresscritters. Says it all.
Thinking more about Ashley Judd deciding not to run…..living in a similar state, I think that she would have been polarizing. Lots of Outside the State help, which would not have helped her inside the state. In fact, would have hurt her with Kentucky voters, as that kind of “help” would also hurt someone with Oklahoma voters. The woman who’s going to run is smart, tested in a state race, and has deep roots in the state. The writeups on her give her a much better chance than Judd. Every Senate race is local……not national.
Well it’s time to get up O’s!!!! What a great getting up Good Friday in TOD town!!!
Thanks for the smiley face country pic UT, congrats on first HF, hat tip to FayPax, wake up gobrooklyn time’s a-wastin’.
Lurkers unite! Hows about joining us today with a word or two? It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or profound, a howdy do will do.
Something amazing is happening this morning–the sun, having disappeared for a small eternity–has decided to shine. Incredible how much energy sunshine can deliver. Please everyone remember that 2013 is also an election year and by now most candidates for local office have declared themselves and submitted petitions. Please don’t let these election fall by the wayside. Everyone of these local offices is important and we can only ensure good representatives if we work hard to elect them. Please keep registering voters, making calls, giving your financial support. Those of our neighbors who only vote in election years have to be shaken out of their slumber. A lot of cynicism starts when people see Republicans scoop up local seats because their people come out to vote. That’s got to change. As an added benefit, every chance to register a voter is an opportunity to have a conversation about gun safety, tax loop holes, the sequester, immigration, marriage equality and every other topic that concerns us. Local politics is where our voices are bigger and louder. We need to use them.
excellent!
Good Friday everyone. Great day to be in America, because President Barack Hussein Obama is my preznit!!! Not to mention I got the day off today. And if my cranky computer allows, without shutting down every time I am involved into a good convo, I can hang here and on twitter today chatting with the good folks on TOD.
Great tweet, Japa!
The Associated Press unwraps new polling that finds U.S. support for climate change preparation, but little appetite for paying for some protections.
“More than 4 out of 5 Americans want to prepare now for rising seas and stronger storms from climate change, a new national survey says. But most are unwilling to keep spending money to restore and protect stricken beaches,” their story states.-
-/
America the Beautiful.
Good West Coast Good Friday morning TOD family. Great thread UT! I’m glad there’s a qualified Dem to challenge the turtle!!
Good morning Chips, TODville!
Thank you, UT! Excellent post today.
Happy Good Friday everyone!
What a compassionate heartfelt speech our President made concerning gun control!
It was tears all over again. But like he said, tears won’t just do it (paraphrasing). Called of my representatives in NY and told them to get the other Dems on board with this even if they are. Yes, “told.” I do not know how the people standing behind POB and VP Joe Biden remained so composed. I know They would have to take me off the stage. I admire their strength and courage.
Have a great day everyone.
Congratz HF2 for being number 1!
26th!
Clap…Clap…Clap….you finally arrived.
😆 Morning gentlemen!!!
MooooooOOOOOOooooooorning UT, 197 gazillion thanks for another super-brill Rise and Shine – you’re fantabulous!!!!!
MoooooOOOOOOOoooooorning Mrs. Rooney and thank you again for the opportunity. 😀
Mrs Lampard, the pleasure is entirely MINE!!!!
For a minute, I read as Mrs Romney and went wtf?
😆 Now I have this slightly wacky image of Wayne and Ann going up the aisle. Surreal.
Mandela making ‘steady progress’.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-21973763
Great news!!
Glad to hear about Mr Mandela improving.
Great news! He is a fighter.
Well, I notice UT is handing out prozes for those who are number one on her threads. Makes me inspired to work harder to reach that level.
She’s putting me to shame Japa, I just became severely lazy on the prize-giving front, but now I’ve made it my goal to be first on one of her posts!
Chipsticks, you’ve become shameless! Hahahaha!
Hmmmm……
Ahhhh……there you go Japa. Here’s your prize. Have a wonderful Friday.
UT, I didn’t deserve a prize, but I take back everything I ever said about U of Texas. And I don’t think I have seen this one before.
Heh, where is my pic ? Also. Too. I was second.
Just to save UT the trouble:
And I am such a nice guy too.
wimmin/smh
I’m feeling generous. You can share mine.
Thanks man.
Good morning to everyone (Chips, contributors and lurkers) on this glorious Good Friday. The sun is shining and the weather will for finally look like Florida.
I am in awe of our energizer PBO; it is amazing how much he gets done in a week. If the lazy congress (especially the rubes in the House) worked half as hard as he does, we would be much further along in perfecting our union. However, we are still marching forward: marriage equality, sensible immigration reform, and yes, gun control measures will become the law of the land soon. Think how far we have come, nationally and internationally, in one lifetime. Those who are trying to stand in the way of true progress are in an increasingly weakened minority.
Sweet!!
Heads up mini tyrants. 90 minutes from now at 11.30 hrs.
You’ve been warned.
What’s happening?
The tyrant is posting a post in 90 minutes, GB!
oh..okay. looking forward to it.
Be careful what you wish for. Remember, this is AMK we are talking about.
what’s life, japa …. without a lil bit of anxiety.
Coming from Amk, that sounds ominous. Thanks a million, Mister!
Will it make me want to:
(Shout!) / Kick my heels up and (Shout!) / Throw my hands up and (Shout!) / Throw my head back and (Shout!) / Come on now …
you know I wanna, (shout) hey ay ay ay, (shout) yeah yeah right, (shout) all right now, (shout) come on now, (shout) yeah
will it do that?
I know you know what I know.
So, no.
drats, foiled again!
Great News for those in my former State, 🙂
Used to live there too. Plan to go back in 2 years, God willing. Great news, indeed. My 6 siblings still live up there.
Maryland is so lucky to have him (sighing in envy). I am stuck with Golum, otherwise known as Rick Scott. Hope we can through the bum out this election cycle.
Democratic governors are doing a great job and O’Malley is among the best. Republican governors, on the other hand, are driving their states into a ditch. We’ve got to kick them out in 2014, or, in case of Virginia, 2013.
Does the Priests, Rev, and Rabbi ask the Muslims to stop the suicide bombings?
Then this call for Peace by these three groups, is biased. 😦
Good morning everyone and have a blessed Good Friday. It is a great day for remembering all those we have lost and reflecting on the wonderful things they brought to our lives.
Loved the West Wing Week!
GM TODville Family.
Good Friday Morning.
Congrats on First 😯 HF ;).
Wow, UT, You did a fabulous Job ❗ Thank You 😎
| Live | President Obama departs for Florida: http://www.cbsnews.com/liveFeed/widget.shtml
Russia warns of tensions in North Korea slipping out of control, after Pyongyang announces it is “time to settle accounts” with the US and puts missile units on stand-by.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21974381
Just what the world needs now.
In gun debate, it’s details vs. generalities
By Steve Benen
———————————————-
The GOP senators pledging to block a debate on any possible legislation claim say they’re afraid of government confiscation, but confiscation isn’t on the table. They’re afraid of a federal registry, but that’s imaginary. They’re committed to protecting the Second Amendment, but there’s nothing in the proposals being considered that’s unconstitutional.
.
.
If Republicans want to argue that Democratic policies on guns would be ineffective, fine; that would at least be the basis for a substantive debate. Serious people interested in addressing a national problem could, at a minimum, have a credible conversation over whether the ideas pushed by the White House and others would save lives or not.
But we are, once again, stuck in the wrong conversation.
———————————————
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/03/29/17516890-in-gun-debate-its-details-vs-generalities?lite
GOP senators fear a debate on gun legislation
By Steve Benen
————————–
Just so we’re clear, what these five senators are saying is they intend to filibuster the motion to proceed on any gun bill. In other words, they’re not only going to try to prevent legislation from passing, they also intend to block any bill related to gun violence from even being debated on the Senate floor.
I’m not sure what they’re so afraid of.
Why not welcome the debate? Why try to prevent both sides from presenting their views and voting on a proposal?
From the far-right’s perspective, the worst case scenario is easy to imagine: the Senate might pass a bill that Republicans and the NRA don’t like. But even under these circumstances, the legislation would go to the Republican-led House, where progressive legislation has no credible chance of success.
So why go to so much effort to block a Senate debate?
———————————
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/03/28/17504062-gop-senators-fear-a-debate-on-gun-legislation?lite
Rethugs are experts at trolling the ‘murkans on any subject. It’s all about optics and chest thumping. That’s how they grab the power.
RWNJ’s+Republicans = The Do Nothing Party (Resurrected).
Good Morning, Everyone 🙂
Mooooooooorning rikyrah!
Senior Citizen Cheer:
“What do we want?”
“More memory!!!”
“When do we want it?”
“Want what?”
That’s bad, but oh so true.
what’s true?
Good morning all. What a blessed day. Chips, that picture at the top made me smile as soon as I saw I.
BOEHNER INVOKES LINCOLN
Debasing Lincoln
By Paul Krugman
————————————-
Greg Sargent catches John Boehner invoking none other than Abraham Lincoln to inveigh against the deficit. This is pretty funny — in multiple ways.
One is the whole notion of relying on Lincoln as an authority on economic policy. Why should we believe that a lawyer speaking in 1843, in a largely agricultural nation — no matter how smart, and no matter how great a president he became — knew what we should be doing about an economic slump in a service-centered economy 170 years later?
Then there’s Greg’s catch: Boehner truncated the quote, leaving out the part where Lincoln called for balancing the budget by raising taxes. And also the point that Lincoln was actually a big government interventionist for his time, a strong advocate of what we would now call industrial policy.
—————————————–
Read more here….
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/29/debasing-lincoln/?smid=tw-NytimesKrugman&seid=auto
https://twitter.com/deaconmill/status/317652908739026944
Corrected spelling. I really have to proofread better. And it really shoyuldn’t be that hard considering it is only 140 or less characters.
Great bj post.
http://www.balloon-juice.com/2013/03/29/get-off-yer-butt/
Excellent primer, amk:) He was spot on with the points that he made. MY personal favorite is to ALWAYS keep in mind that THEY work for YOU, not the other way around! I have had to remind those on the other end of the line of that fact on several occasions! They usually back right the hell down off that high horse after that.
Yesterday, I received an email response back from an email that I had sent a month ago regarding his sorry ass vote on VAWA. My email simply asked for HIM to explain his “No” vote to me. What I got back was a cut and paste job (I found where he directly cut/pasted FROM) and it was made to look like he voted FOR it….just like Cornyn and other R’s did after the vote. Freaking cowards. Like I said to my husband yesterday…they insult my intelligence, for starters…they think we don’t know what they’re doing there and that most people will never know how they voted. so they can play both sides, whatever suits them.
I say, if you take a vote, you need to OWN IT! Don’t weasel out of your vote after the fact by making it appear as if you voted the other way! Remember, ALL BULLIES ARE REALLY COWARDS! The minute that you challenge them, stick up for yourself and others, they run screaming like stuck pigs. These guys are NO DIFFERENT. Everyone reading this…especially lurkers that don’t usually comment…CALL THEM UP! Use your voices and raise the roof! Trust me, it feels good…so good, that you’ll just keep doing it, again and again….track their votes and hold them accountable. They think no one is watching the day to day…..show them that they’re wrong and hold their feet to the fire. That’s what a good citizen does.
Anyway, the idiot never answered my question…no surprise there…so not only will he get a call about background checks, he’ll STILL have to answer the question I posed a month ago!
Let’s not forget that What is Working has the entire list of Reps from your states and how to contact them…she’s worked tirelessly on this labor of love for all of us. The least we can do is put all her hard work to use 🙂
Sorry if it came off the wrong way…strong coffee this morning:) Change won’t happen if we sit out. Fired Up/ Ready to Go!
” Change won’t happen if we sit out.”
Bravo for this post, DF! We should all heed it and do everything necessary to press OUR REPRESENTATIVES, to do the right thing.
Morning all! Just woke up and got caught up…love this TOD family 🙂 UT, you did a magnificent job with R/S this morning!!! Thanks so much….I see Ms. Chipness wants to try to be first on her own blog so she can get a prize….. 🙂 It’s hard to do….especially if Carol is awake 🙂 If you’re gonna have a chance, you better do it on a R/S thread! Just sayin’….Happy Friday. Remember to call, write, email those congresscritters!!!
Bill, I call Senator Hagan’s office this morning and ask were she stood on the back ground check, and the guy I spoke to said that the Senator did support back ground check. I told him that I was happy to hear that.
Great news. I was just wondering though. Is Bloomberg only targeting Democrats or is it across the board? Do you know? If not can someone else answer for me, please?
I don’t know.
IIRR, it’s about dozen dems and just one rethug.
Just curious as to why they are not targeting many other GOPers, too.
Thanks Anniebella. I called also. The staffer answering the telephone seemed very proud of her and appreciative of the call. I must remember to call when I agree with a stand a politician takes. It seems it is easier to call to complain than to thank them.
I will email Senator Hagan and thank her for her decision.
Good idea.
Now greedy alex boy wants a record points tally for the reds. 96, no less.
Dream on, dood.
96? Is that all? I want 100 – and no less!
man u
methmath?btw, shifted to 1200 hrs just now.
Perfect Amk, thank you! I’ll follow it up with a heads-up for PBO’s Miami speech. Thanks again.
She looks like Gov Richards 🙂
She’s Holland Taylor in full make up for her play, “Ann”. Mark and Gabby visited her backstage after a performance.
That was my reaction. Governor Richards gave the country a wonderful daughter.
This lady remind me of the late Governor of Texas Ann Richards.
You see that too desertflower.
Oops 😦
Ooooooh, I do like when Twitter sewer-rats are traced:
Two Ohio teens accused of making online threats against a rape victim have denied the charges and been released on house arrest.
The two 16-year-old Jefferson County girls had been held in juvenile detention in Steubenville since their arrest last week.
The girls entered the juvenile court equivalent of a not guilty plea Wednesday before Juvenile Judge Sam Kerr. Their attorneys had no comment.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine says the girls posted threatening comments on Twitter on March 17, the day two high school football players were convicted of raping a 16-year-old West Virginia girl last summer. The case roiled the town of Steubenville and stirred widespread reaction online.
DeWine’s office says the tweets threatened homicide and bodily harm against the rape victim.
http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-teens-released-twitter-threat-case-194622844.html
EXCELLENT.
Good for dewine following up on his warning, repub though he may be.
Good Friday All. A little wake up pulling into the Columbia River from the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy the ride! 😀
Mooooooooooorning Yardarm, happy Friday!
Agh, I feel COMPLETELY sea-sick now!!!!!
“Restaurant chains cut estimates for health law costs.” Wendys initially said the law would increase the total of operating its restaurants by $25,000/yr. Now they’ve cut the estimate by 80% to $5,000/yr.
http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/restaurant-chains-cut-estimates-health-235200077.html
http://www.azcentral.com/news/arizona/articles/20130328tight-border-discourages-immigrants-from-going-home.html
AH! The double edge sword! Wait…I thought that we STILL needed to tighten the border? 🙂 That was a RW precondition wasn’t it? Doesn’t matter that it’s the tightest border security EVER….now this seems to bear out that all the RWNJ’s didn’t know what they were talking about!! Act surprised.
U.S. southwestern border-security strategies — such as building bigger fences, imposing tougher penalties and deporting immigrants far from where they came across — are meant to discourage illegal crossings.
Instead, however, these strategies have wound up encouraging those who do cross to stay here for good, concludes a sweeping report on migration and border security released Thursday by the University of Arizona’s Center for Latin American Studies.
That report, based on extensive surveys of more than 1,100 deportees over the past three years, also found that:
By forcing migrants to take the same routes drug smugglers use, border-control efforts have made crossing much more dangerous, especially for women.
Tougher legal penalties have left many undocumented migrants unable ever to immigrate legally under current law.
Most deportees (61 percent) said they planned to cross again illegally. The most common reason: They considered their home to be in the United States. On average, they had lived in the United States seven years.
More than half of the deportees interviewed have at least one family member who is a U.S. citizen, and one in four hase a child under 18 who is a U.S. citizen.
Aaah, interesting.
Yes…the border is SO SECURE NOW, that people can’t leave……
Go to 2:14 – even with his eyes closed……
😎
After 10,000 tries, he finally got one. Lampard would’ve been A++++++++++++++++ 😀
Oi, I told you to go to 2:14 – there was NO need to watch the bit before!!! 😆
Ahhhh….now I see. Bad Mrs. Rooney. Bad…bad….bad. 😆
(Drat, I should have edited the video before posting it. Too honest and transparent, that’s my problem)
Good Morning TODville.
Good morning TOD. I am getting ready to send an email to a list of my Dem friends here in TN, most in Knoxville, but also a few from northeast TN where I am originally from. It will be a combination of ranting, little guilt trip and a pleading to get them to call the TN reps about common sense gun safety laws. I will provide all the phone numbers (local and DC) so all they have to do is know what they are going to say, then make the call. Will also encourage them to forward to any of their friends/family. Wish me luck. 🙂
Go get ’em, tnmtngirl!! 🙂
wtg, tmmtng. Pols listen to the loudest voices.
They certainly do.
Most people think of TN being a Republican dominated state but you have two nteresting Democratic Congressman. Though he is considered a blue dog Jim Cooper, based in Nashville, is a Rhodes Scholar and a Harvard Law graduate. Steve Cohen in Memphis seems very liberal and is very funny in interviews.
And……the email has been sent. 🙂
https://twitter.com/NJedwina/status/317657855962521600
https://twitter.com/NJedwina/status/317653561498542080
Remember yesterday when I posted about Rep Young (Asshole AK) and his wetback comment? Shit’s hitting the fan now…….TPM
https://twitter.com/NJedwina/status/317465931032981504
Bronze Boehner takes the podium and calls for an immediate apology from Don Young for his racial slur reference he made on a radio show about migrants who worked on his dad’s farm:
‘My father had a ranch; we used to have 50-60 wetbacks to pick tomatoes,’ [Rep. Don Young] said. ‘It takes two people to pick the same tomatoes now. It’s all done by machine.’
Thing is, the guy thinks he’s already apologized, when he said:
“During a sit down interview with Ketchikan Public Radio this week, I used a term that was commonly used during my days growing up on a farm in Central California. I know that this term is not used in the same way nowadays and I meant no disrespect.”
I say, let them keep talking, and make sure they have plenty of lipstick to put on the pig!
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/03/29/1795631/senator-compares-background-checks-to-government-spying-on-what-americans-eat-for-breakfast/
Remember when GWB wanted librarians to let the govt know what books were being checked out of the library? I do. Patriot Act??
T H A N K Y O U !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014438721 Alan Simpson: ‘Men Legislators Shouldn’t Even Vote On’ Abortion
Good Morning TOD family
I was so delighted to see FayPax’s posting listing Republican and Democratic senators who are opposing sensible gun violence legislation. I called Dean Heller from Nevada, Jeff Flake and John McCain from Arizona, and Mary Landreui from Louisiana.
I was delighted to discover that 2 of the DC offices had full mail boxes, so I simply called the local offices and either left a message or spoke to a staffer. What a great way to start the day. We need to do this more often. Thanks Fay Pax
I would also encourage everyone to go to the Gabby Gifford site http://americansforresponsiblesolutions.org/
sign the petition, take the poll, share on twitter and facebook, and if you have a little $$ – hit the big red contribute button on the upper right corner.
I have one more suggestion, which might be a bit controversial. I would suggest we send a little love to Mayor Bloomberg. I know – he can be infuriating and a pain sometimes, but when he is doing the right thing we could thank him.
http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/contact/contact.shtml
I signed the petition. Thank you so much for the wonderful job you are doing.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-29/consumer-spending-in-u-s-increases-by-most-in-five-months.html
NONE DARE CALL IT SABOTAGE
How to block a presidency
BY Steve Benen
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From there, the Times’ editorial board runs through a list that will probably be familiar to Maddow Blog readers: filibusters of cabinet nominees for the first time in American history, holds on key nominees for petty reasons, using the confirmation process as part larger legislative extortion strategies, blocking judicial nominations at farcical levels, etc.
All of this is entirely accurate, and to my mind, incredibly important. But there’s a larger point that’s often overlooked: Obama’s Republican opponents are using obstructionist tactics to block key parts of the Obama presidency itself.
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http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/03/29/17517563-how-to-block-a-presidency
Amk’s new post!
http://theobamadiary.com/2013/03/29/tod-toon-time-2/
Thanks for today’s Rise ‘n Shine, Utal. Though I’m late I did have a chance to run through all your offerings. Much appreciated!
I am late, as always, but many thanks to Utaustinliberal for this wonderful post. Now on to AMK’s post.