House passes Puerto Rico bill
The House Thursday evening passed a bill which mandates that the citizens of Puerto Rico vote on their relationship with the United States. The Puerto Rican Democracy Act enjoyed bipartisan support and opposition, but passed 223-169 after a whole slew of amendments were debated and voted on.
The motion to recommit the legislation – a tactic meant to essentially kill a bill and send it back to committee – narrowly failed. But two of the most prominent Hispanic Democrats in Congress carried their all-out offensive to kill the bill late into the day Thursday. They took direct aim at their leadership.
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Pakistani Taliban claims NYC car bomb
CAIRO (AP)– The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility in a video posted on the Internet Sunday for the attempted car bomb attack in New York City’s Times Square, according to the SITE Intelligence Group.
In the 1 minute, 11 second video allegedly released by the Pakistani Taliban, the militant group says the attack is revenge for the death of its leader, Baitullah Mehsud, and the recent slaying of al-Qaida in Iraq leaders Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and Abu Ayyub al-Masri, who were killed by U.S. and Iraqi troops last month north of Baghdad.
SITE, a U.S.-based terrorist tracking organization, first uncovered the video on YouTube. The tape, which later appeared to have been removed from the website, makes no specific reference to the attack in New York, nor does it mention that the location or that it was a car bomb. Read more.
Republicans on Offense as Dems Slip
WASHINGTON — Republicans are on offense in scores of House and Senate races as persistent economic woes and lukewarm support for President Barack Obama continue to weaken Democrats’ hold on Congress.
The president and his party are determined to minimize the losses six months before the November elections. But Democrats privately acknowledge the economy and support for Obama must improve before then to avoid the defeats that could cost them control of the House and possibly the Senate.
Primaries in Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina on Tuesday kick off an intense eight weeks of contested elections. There also are two special House elections to fill vacant Democratic-held seats in Pennsylvania and Hawaii. The outcome could be a clear indicator of the political mood.
“I need your help once more,” Obama says in a video message to backers, a plea that underscores the troubles for Democrats. “This year, the stakes are higher than ever,” the president adds, warning that Republicans would “undo all that we have accomplished.” Read more.
Despite Ariz. Law, Illegals Vow to Keep Coming
NOGALES, Mexico (AP) — The line of Mexicans waiting to go shopping in Arizona snakes twice around the sun-drenched plaza, even as politicians nearby slap stickers on cars calling for a boycott of the U.S. state.
And the illegal migrants targeted by a tough new Arizona law dismiss it as just another obstacle that pales in comparison to the extortion, arrests and kidnappings they already risk to reach U.S. soil. They vow to keep on coming.
Resentment has erupted throughout Mexico over the immigration law in Arizona that is considered racist here. But crossing back and forth between the countries is so intrinsic to their lives that many Mexicans find it hard to give it up despite calls by immigration activists for a boycott of Arizona. Read more.
Holder: Car bomb suspect tried to fly to Dubai
WASHINGTON (AP) — Faisal Shahzad, the man arrested Monday in connection with the failed plot to detonate a car bomb in New York’s Times Square, was trying to board a flight to Dubai when he was apprehended, Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday. Holder said Shahzad, a U.S. citizen, was detained by agents from Customs and Border Protection at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
The attorney general described the investigation as “multifaceted” and said federal, state and local authorities are continuing to pursue a number of leads. “As we move forward, we will focus on not just holding those responsible for it accountable, but also on obtaining any intelligence about terrorist organizations overseas,” he said. Read more.
Pacific Legal Foundation at the front lines in fight against Big Government
The fight against Big Government must now move to the courts. From coast to coast, impassioned rallies protest what many view as the rise of European-style socialism in America.
Marches in Washington, hundreds of “tea parties” around the country, contentious congressional town hall meetings and switchboard-swamping phone calls to Congress are rampant. People worry aloud that our children and grandchildren won’t enjoy the freedoms we’ve taken for granted. As a woman at the April 15 rally in Palm Desert told The Desert Sun, “The tea party movement isn’t about complaining. It’s about standing for something — and that’s our Constitution.” Read more.
Just How Involved In Our Lives Is North Carolina State Government?
In the constant, on-going debate between the political left and right about the proper role of government, this question is typically answered with a discussion that focuses on issues such as taxes, government spending, or healthcare. There are two items, however, that illustrate the size and scope of government control that often go unnoticed.
The first overlooked measure is the North Carolina State Government Fee Report. This document, produced by the Office of State Budget and Management, lists over 2,700 fees that are assessed each year by the State of North Carolina. Essentially, lawmakers and bureaucrats have come up with nearly 3,000 ways—in addition to taxes—to extract money from its citizens. And this number does not include fees assessed by the community college system or the University of North Carolina system. Excluding those fees, the state collected nearly $2 billion in fees during the 2007-08 fiscal year. By comparison, the state collected $1.2 billion in total corporate taxes that year. The $2 billion in fees was an increase of almost $63 million from the previous year, and an increase of more than $700 million from 2002-03. Read more.
Iran begins new military maneuvers in Persian Gulf
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran on Wednesday kicked off new war games and military maneuvers in the strategic Persian Gulf waters, the country’s second military show of force in less than a month.
The exercises reflect Iran’s desire to flex its military muscle at a time of a deepening standoff with the West over Tehran’s controversial nuclear program. The war games, held annually since 2006, also act as a warning, should U.S. or Israel consider a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The new maneuvers, dubbed “Velayat 89,” are to last eight days in the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman and cover about 97,000 square miles (250,000 square kilometers) of Iranian territorial waters, reported state TV. Read more.
Obama wants to begin work on immigration reform
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama said Wednesday he wants to begin work this year on legislation overhauling the nation’s immigration system, firming up his commitment on a key priority for Latino voters and lawmakers.
Obama’s comments at a Cinco de Mayo celebration at the White House reaffirmed his long-held support for immigration reform. He went a step further than he has in the past by calling for the work to begin this year.
Latino groups have been calling for Obama to deliver on his campaign promise of making immigration reform a top priority, with some activists and lawmakers in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus complaining he wasn’t doing enough.
Obama clouded the issue last week by saying “there may not be an appetite” in Congress to deal with another hot-button issue immediately after grueling fights over health care and financial regulation. Read more.
Obama biggest recipient of BP cash
While the BP oil geyser pumps millions of gallons of petroleum into the Gulf of Mexico, President Barack Obama and members of Congress may have to answer for the millions in campaign contributions they’ve taken from the oil and gas giant over the years.
BP and its employees have given more than $3.5 million to federal candidates over the past 20 years, with the largest chunk of their money going to Obama, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Donations come from a mix of employees and the company’s political action committees — $2.89 million flowed to campaigns from BP-related PACs and about $638,000 came from individuals.
On top of that, the oil giant has spent millions each year on lobbying — including $15.9 million last year alone — as it has tried to influence energy policy. Read more.
Budget From Governor Relies on Gimmicks, Misses Opportunities
RALEIGH — Budget gimmicks help Gov. Bev Perdue avoid the tough decisions that would improve North Carolina state government’s finances and operations. That’s the assessment the John Locke Foundation’s top budget expert offers in a new Spotlight report.
“Gimmicks are at the core of the governor’s budget proposal for the new fiscal year that starts in July,” said Joseph Coletti, JLF Director of Health and Fiscal Policy Studies. “These gimmicks leave the state fundamentally unprepared for recovery. The governor’s budget proposal represents a missed opportunity.”
The primary gimmick is Perdue’s claim that her budget cuts $1 billion in state spending, Coletti said. “The press release tied to this budget plan crowed about $1 billion in cuts, but it ignored a key point,” he said. “More than half of the so-called cut — $578 million — is new federal stimulus money that replaces state dollars.” Read more.
Lindsey Graham wants to ‘pause’ on climate bill
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has gone from fence-sitting to urging Democrats to scrap climate change legislation before the midterms — saying the Gulf Oil spill warrants a pause in the effort.
“As I have previously indicated, a serious debate on energy legislation is significantly compromised with the cynical politics of comprehensive immigration reform hanging over the Senate,” Graham said in a statement Friday morning.
“In addition to immigration, we now have to deal with a catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which creates new policy and political challenges not envisioned in our original discussions. In light of this, I believe it would be wise to pause the process and reassess where we stand.”
Graham’s statement came after senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) announced plans to push ahead with a climate bill Graham had previously signed off on.
The White House has become increasingly frustrated with Graham, who agreed to be a pivotal bipartisan bridge on energy, climate change and terror detention — but has yet to follow through on any of those issues.
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