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Day By Day by Chris Muir
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Michael Ramirez on Illegal Immigration
Technorati Tags: MichaelRamirez, Illegalimmigration
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France CPE Riot Watch: A Million People March to Protest CPE First Job Contract
French students hold a banner picturing France’s Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin and Interior minister Nicolas Sarkozy as they demonstrate against the new youth contract for first-time job seekers called CPE (First Labour Contract) in Marseille March 28, 2006.
Reuters: A million French protest against youth job law
At least one million people marched in French cities and unions staged a one-day national strike on Tuesday, urging the government to scrap a youth jobs law in one of France’s biggest protests in decades.
Unions and student groups said 3 million people took part in rallies across the country, including 700,000 in central Paris, where police used tear gas against hundreds of youths who threw bottles and Molotov cocktail petrol bombs.
One union official said demonstrations against Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin’s CPE First Job Contract were among the biggest since the Fifth Republic was founded in 1958.
The Interior Ministry put the national turnout at 1,055,000, twice that of a day of action a week ago. Unions and police habitually give widely diverging estimates.
Interesting. Folks are demonstrating/protesting in France because of job security issues surrounding their youth and immigrant workers and in Los Angeles they are protesting the right to enter and work in the United States illegally. But, are these protests effective? Will they change government policy makers minds?
Union and student leaders say the CPE will create a generation of “throwaway workers” by making it easier to dismiss employees under 26 during a two-year trial period. Villepin hopes it will reduce youth unemployment of almost 23 percent.
“We’re demanding the complete withdrawal of the CPE. You can’t treat people like slaves. Giving all the power to the bosses is going too far,” said Gregoire de Oliviera, a 21-year-old student protesting in Paris.
French students shout slogans at a nationwide protest demanding the government to scrap a contentious youth job law in Paris March 28, 2006.
Villepin, 52, has stood firm over the plan but the strong turnout increased pressure on him to amend or withdraw the measure and calls for his resignation grew. He made a new call for talks with unions, but they rejected his appeal.
The protests forced the Eiffel Tower to close to tourists, while commuters around the country faced delays on public transport and airports were disrupted.
The difference in part between Los Angeles and Paris is that the United States government is responsive with a balance of power between legislative and executive branches. Parliamentary systems can be bureaucratic and non-responsive to voters immediate concerns.
Flap bets that Villepin capitulates.
French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin (L) speaks with Minister for Employment, Social Cohesion and Housing Jean-Louis Borloo (R) as he arrives at the French National Assembly to attend the questions to the government session March 28, 2006.
Stay tuned…..
France CPE Riot Watch: French Police Subdue Riots
France CPE Riot Watch: First Job Contract Protests Grip French Cities
France Riot Watch: Students Riot in Paris over New Youth Employment Contract
Technorati Tags:France, FranceRiots, CPE, DominiquedeVillepin, FirstEmploymentContract
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Caspar Weinberger RIP
Reuters: Former defense chief Caspar Weinberger dies at 88
Caspar Weinberger, who as Ronald Reagan’s defense secretary oversaw a massive U.S. military buildup, died on Tuesday at age 88.
Caspar Weinberger Jr. said his father had been suffering from pneumonia and high fever for about a week and died at 5 a.m. EST in the intensive-care unit of Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, about 40 miles from his home in Mount Desert.
Weingberger’s wife of 63 years, Jane, his son and daughter, Arlin, were at his bedside when he died.
“He was just a worn-out guy,” his son, Caspar Weinberger Jr., told Reuters.
As head of the Pentagon, Weinberger strongly opposed concessions to Moscow in arms control negotiations and pushed hard for increased defense spending, such as Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative, a program to develop a land-and space-based missile shield commonly known as “Star Wars.”
“He should be remembered as a world statesman, a great American patriot,” the son said. “What he did with Reagan really brought down the Soviet Union. They stuck to their plan and simply outspent the Soviets despite all sorts of doubts here.”
Cap will be among friends, Presidents Nixon and Reagan, and join Lyn Nofziger who passed away yesterday.
Technorati Tags: CasparWeinberger, RonaldReagan, RichardNixon, LynNofziger
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Illegal Immigration Watch: Los Angeles Latino DJs Spur Protests
NUMBERS: Mayra Ortiz, left, a 10th grader from Southeast Learning Center, holds a Mexican flag near the front of a crowd of thousands.
Los Angeles Times: How DJs Put 500,000 Marchers in Motion
He’s one of the hottest Spanish-language radio personalities in the nation. So when Los Angeles deejay Eddie Sotelo joined hands with his radio rivals to urge listeners to turn out for a pro-immigrant rally in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday, organizers hoped for a big turnout.
But many said Monday that they were stunned by how many responded to the call to march against federal legislation that would crack down on undocumented immigrants and penalize those who assist them.
GETTING THE WORD OUT: One of the chief promoters of the rally was DJ Eddie Piolin Sotelo, who is working at Spanish-language KSCA-FM.
The promoters included such on-air celebrities as KHJ’s Humberto Luna, KBUE’s Ricardo “El Mandril” (The Baboon) Sanchez, Renan “El Cucuy” (The Boogeyman) Almendarez Coello — whose often risque show has cast him as a sort of Latino version of Howard Stern — and Sotelo, better known to listeners as “El Piolin,” or Tweety Bird. Coello’s and Sotelo’s morning talk shows are among the highest-rated programs in any language in Los Angeles.
“They were the key to getting so many people out,” said Mike Garcia, president of Local 1877 of the Service Employees International Union. “If you listened to Spanish-language media, they were just pumping, pumping, pumping this up.”
As the illegal immigration debate continues demonstrations and protests must be civil. The debate is healthy and there are immigration issues that have been for too long ignored by the Congress.
There will be more demonstrations/protests and the Latino media will again play a role.Meanwhile, Diaz and Rodriguez planned to announce today their next major action: a call to boycott work, school and all consumer activities May 1. They are calling it “The Great American Boycott of 2006.”
FLAGS FLY: Approximately 300 students from several high schools in Oxnard marched to that city’s Plaza Park. According to Oxnard Sgt. Whitney, there were no arrests or injuries.
DESTINATION: Alhambra High School student Joe Olmos, center, waves a Mexican flag on the lawn in front of Los Angeles City Hall. Many walked several miles to reach the demonstration’s final stop.
Stay tuned…….
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Illegal Immigration Watch: United States Senate Judiciary Committee Approves an Immigration Bill
Illegal Immigration Watch: The United States Senate Judiciary Committee Takes Up the Debate
Illegal Immigration Watch: 500,000 Rally to Protest Immigration Bills
Technorati Tags: illegalimmigration, HR4437, illegalaliens, California, Mexico, Congress, UnitedStatesSenate
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Day By Day by Chris Muir
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Lyn Nofziger RIP
Reuters: Veteran Republican operative Lyn Nofziger dies at 81
Lyn Nofziger, a former spokesman for President Ronald Reagan and veteran Republican political operative, has died, according to a family friend.
Nofziger, 81, died at his home in Falls Church, Virginia, Eldon Girdner, a family friend, told Reuters.
The bearded political aide worked closely with many of the leading Republican politicians of the late 20th century, including former Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford.
Rest in Peace Lyn.
Flap had an opportunity to meet and talk with Lyn on a number of occasions.
He is home with President Reagan and Nixon now.
“I was deeply saddened when I heard of Lyn Nofziger’s death,” Reagan’s widow, Nancy Reagan, said in a statement.
“Lyn was with us from the gubernatorial campaign in 1965 through the early White House days, and Ronnie valued his advice — and good humor — as much as anyone’s,” she said.
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Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: California Governor Begins Television Ads
Reuters: Schwarzenegger starts early with TV reelection ads
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger does not face reelection for eight months, but on Monday the former Hollywood superstar began television advertising to bolster his lagging public support.
Elected in 2003 in the first recall election in California’s history, Schwarzenegger does not face any significant opposition in the June Republican primary in his effort to stay at the helm of America’s most populous state.
“This is part of our efforts to highlight what has happened over the last two years,” Matthew Dowd, the campaign’s chief strategist, told a media conference call. “This is sort of the start of that dialogue.”
A new campaign consultant and a new strategy with early campaign ads. But, will Arnold BLOW his money in too early media campaigns?
And Schwarzenegger continues to need a message, especially since his infrastructure bond proposal failed to make the California June ballot.
Stay tuned……
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Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: This is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s MESS Now
Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Rob Reiner = “A Friendâ€
Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Alliance for a Better California – “We’re BACK!â€
Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: The New Majority
Arnold Schwarzenegger Watch: Public Works Bonds are DEAD and so is Schwarzenegger’s Re-election?
Technorati Tags: ArnoldSchwarzenegger, California, CaliforniaElection2006, CRP, CaliforniaRepublicanParty
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Illegal Immigration Watch: United States Senate Judiciary Committee Approves an Immigration Bill
Sen, Larry Craig, R-Idaho, left, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., confer as the Senate Judiciary Committee considers immigration legislation during a mark-up hearing on Capitol Hill Monday, March 27, 2006.
ASSociated Press: Senate Panel Approves Immigration Bill
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved sweeping election-year legislation Monday that clears the way for 11 million illegal aliens to seek U.S. citizenship, a victory for demonstrators who had spilled into the streets by the hundreds of thousands demanding better treatment for immigrants.
With a bipartisan coalition in control, the committee also voted down proposed criminal penalties on immigrants found to be in the country illegally. It approved a new temporary program allowing entry for 1.5 million workers seeking jobs in the agriculture industry.
This bill is dead on arrival before the November mid-term elections. The House will NEVER reconcile these provisions in Conference Committee. But Republicans will remember those GOP Senators who broke ranks and voted for this bill. They are:
Senator Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina
Senator Arlen Spector, R-Pennsylvania
Senator Sam Brownback, R-Kansas
Senator Mike DeWine, R-Ohio
Senator John McCain, R-Arizona contributed to the debate by supporting the Democrats:
Arizona GOP Sen. John McCain, a potential presidential contender who worked with Kennedy on the issue, told reporters the street demonstrations had made an impact. “All those people who were demonstrating are not here illegally. They are the children and grandchildren” of those who may have been, he said.
Other bill provisions include:
1. Approval for the five-year program to permit as many as 1.5 million agriculture workers into the country.
2. Allow an additional 400,000 green cards for future immigrants, regardless of the industry where they find jobs.
3. The bill would double the Border Patrol and authorizes a “virtual wall” of unmanned vehicles, cameras and censors to monitor the U.S.-Mexico border.
4. Aallows more visas for nurses and agriculture workers, and shelters humanitarian organizations from prosecution if they provide non-emergency assistance to illegal residents.
5. Permit illegal aliens currently in the country to apply for citizenship without first having to return home, a process that would take at least six years or more. They would have to pay a fine, learn English, study American civics, demonstrate they had paid their taxes and take their place behind other applicants for citizenship
This bill is AMNESTY for illegal aliens and a dissservice to America.Flap handicaps a conservative Republican filibuster if President Bush indicates he will sign this legislation.
Stay tuned……
Previous:
Illegal Immigration Watch: The United States Senate Judiciary Committee Takes Up the Debate
Illegal Immigration Watch: 500,000 Rally to Protest Immigration Bills
Technorati Tags: illegalimmigration, HR4437, illegalaliens, California, Mexico, Congress, UnitedStatesSenate
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Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran – Military Strikes Would NOT Stop Uranium enrichment
Iranian soldiers stand guard on an anti-aircraft machine gun inside the Natanz uranium enrichment facility, 200 miles south of Iran ‘s capital Tehran March 9, 2006. Military strikes against Iran‘s nuclear sites would not destroy the Islamic republic’s uranium enrichment activities, which could be easily moved and restarted, a senior Iranian official said on Monday.
Reuters: Military force can’t destroy our atomic program: Iran
Military strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites would not destroy the Islamic republic’s uranium enrichment activities, which could be easily moved and restarted, a senior Iranian official said on Monday.
“You know very well … we can enrich uranium anywhere in the country, with a vast country of more than 1 million 600 square kilometers,” said Aliasghar Soltaniyeh, Iran’s ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna.
“Enrichment can be done anywhere in Iran,” he told a panel discussion on the possible use of military force to destroy what the West fears is Iran’s atomic bomb program.
And that is why any military operation wold include invasion and regime change. An aerial bombardment like Israel launched against Iraq will NOT be adequate.
Soltaniyeh said Iran was hiding nothing from the world and that all of its nuclear fuel facilities were known to the U.N. nuclear watchdog. But he hinted that threats of possible military action against Tehran could change that.
“Any threat or potential threat will create a very complicated situation,” he said, adding that Iran would never give up its enrichment program.
Iran’s position on not giving up its uranium enrichment program is well stated and known. When the Point of No Return is reached by the United States and Israel a military operation WILL ensue.
Stay tuned……
Previous:
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Gearing Up for Uranium Enrichment
Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Stalled But Diplomats Express Urgency
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – The West Should Apologize to Iran
Iran Nuclear Watch: Big 6 Meeting Yields Nothing
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Wants IAEA Supervision and Inspections
Condoleezza Rice Watch: Iran is the “Central Bank of Terrorismâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – “Iran’s Nuclear Fuel Program IRREVERSIBLEâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: United Nations Security Council Divided Over Response to Iran Nuclear FLAP
Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia – “Iran Still Considering Uranium Enrichment DEALâ€
Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia Rebukes Iran Over Withdrawl from Uranium Enrichment Negotiations
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Builds a Secret Underground Command Center
Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Threatens “OIL†Weapon
Iran Nuclear Watch: Israel – “America Needs to Get Its Act Together.â€
The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.
Technorati Tags: Iran, Russia, China, SergeiLavrov, UnitedNations, UnitedNationsSecurityCouncil, ZhouWenzhong, NicholasBurns, EuropeanUnion, MahmoudAhmadinejad, ManouchehrMottaki, JacquesChirac, Chirac, France, Iran, Nuclearweapons, nuclear, AbdulQadeerKhan, AliLarijani, CondoleezzaRice, JohnBolton, RezaVaidi, GholamHosseinMohseniEjehei, SergeiKiriyenko