week in Review 6/26/10

Immigration back on front burner due to Ariz. law

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — With the scrawl of a pen, GOP Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona awakened the dormant but explosive issue of illegal immigration, sending shock waves across the political spectrum in an election year when both parties had hoped to sidestep the topic.

Two months after Brewer signed a law instructing police to demand proof of a questionable person’s legal status, voters have refocused on a topic that had faded into the background after Congress failed to overhaul the immigration system in 2007.

Protests have flared. Lawsuits have followed. Arizona boycotts are under way. More than 20 states are discussing similar efforts. Read more.

EXCLUSIVE: AWOL Afghans Found … on Facebook

At least 11 of the 17 members of the Afghan military who went AWOL from an Air Force base in Texas and are considered deserters by their nation have turned up in the exact place you’d expect to find them in the year 2010.

They’re on Facebook.

And, by the look of things, they’re not unlike millions of other young men on the social networking site. One proclaims to be a fan of Paris Hilton and is a member of a group named “FREE Webcam Sex with ME!” Another is a fan of hip hop music, Michael Jackson, the tearjerker movie The Notebook, Family Guy and Sports Center. Another is a fan of soccer and the Godfather. Read more.

Senate Republicans Defeat Jobless Aid Measure Over Deficit Fears

The Senate has failed to reach an agreement to extend weekly jobless benefits, leaving more than a million out-of-work Americans without anunemployment check by week’s end.

The 57-41 loss was a major blow for President Obama and Democrats. They needed three more votes — for a total of 60 — to stop a GOP filibuster.

The rejected bill would also have provided billions of dollars in new aid, protecting the jobs of tens of thousands of state and local government workers as the country begins to emerge from the worst recession in seven decades. Read more.

Alternative Energy Partners (AEGY) CEO Calls for Obama to Take Charge of Climate Bill

“We need to hold British Petroleum responsible for its reckless actions in the Gulf. But to truly solve the problems caused by our dependence on fossil fuels, we must as a nation transition to clean, renewable energy sources. There are so many practical and affordable options; we need strength in leadership to guide the market.

“Yesterday, leading Democratic Senators asked President Obama to take charge of the climate control bill to ensure it passes with strong clean energy provisions. We join the Senators in urging the President to use his influence to advance the legislation quickly and to get the job done. Read more.

McChrystal resigns, but problems persist in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s decision to accept Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s resignation and draft his superior, Gen. David Petraeus, to lead the war in Afghanistan eliminates a source of friction, but it doesn’t address the problems plaguing U.S. policy there.

The change in command, Obama made clear Wednesday, is a change in personnel, not in a policy that’s hampered by, among other things:

The absence of a political strategy.

Rising U.S. casualties.

Growing ethnic tensions.

Endemic political corruption.

The administration’s July 2011 deadline for beginning a troop withdrawal.

A stalled offensive in the country’s second-largest city. Read more.

Ill. official who dealt with Emanuel to testify, IL

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Former Governor Rod Blagojevich’s top aide asked Rahm Emanuel for help in 2006.

Bradley Tusk was Blagojevich’s deputy governor when he asked Emanuel to write a letter to a newspaper defending Blagojevich.

Emanuel is now President Barack Obama’s chief of staff. In 2006, he was an Illinois congressman and political ally of the governor now on trial for political corruption.

Emanuel’s staff asked for Tusk’s help in releasing a state grant on the same day Tusk asked for his favor.

Tusk testified Monday in Blagojevich’s corruption trial about an alleged extortion attempt by Blagojevich involving the grant.

Tusk told The Associated Press after court he didn’t remember the letter to the newspaper.

The White House didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Election-year deficit fears stall Obama stimulus plan

Barely a week after President Obama tried to re-energize his push for more spending on the economy, his agenda is stalled on Capitol Hill, mired in election-year anxiety about the deficit.

Congress has delivered only about a quarter of the $266 billion in “temporary recovery measures” the president sought in his February budget request and ignored much of the rest. There is unlikely to be another “recovery” check for Social Security recipients. Come December, Obama’s “Making Work Pay” tax credit — the signature initiative he regularly touts as a tax cut for 95 percent of Americans — will probably be gone. Read more.

Week in Review 5/22/10

Cafferty Slams Obama and Dems For Their Response To Arizona Immigration Law Video

Senate primaries will test depth of anger at incumbents

WASHINGTON — Voters in four states will go to the polls Tuesday in primary elections that could offer the best window so far into the level of anti-incumbent, anti-establishment sentiment in the electorate.

Arkansas, Kentucky, Oregon and Pennsylvania hold primaries Tuesday, and political observers are paying close attention to all but Oregon, where incumbent Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden is expected to win handily.

Democrats and Republicans are sweating over Senate contests in Arkansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, which are considered prime tests of voter discontent with incumbents and the power of the tea party movement. Read more.

Pence: No European bailouts

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), the third-ranking House Republican and a possible 2012 presidential candidate, will use a speech Friday before the National Rifle Association to highlight his opposition to using American tax dollars to bail out European countries.

Seizing on conservative anger toward the federal government’s financial assistance for U.S. banks and auto companies and the recent headlines about Greece’s economic woes, Pence and a group of other House Republicans have introduced symbolic legislation that would halt American involvement in any International Monetary Fund aid to European Union nations.

“I just don’t believe American taxpayers should be forced to bear the risk of nations that have avoided making tough choices,” Pence said in an interview previewing his remarks to the gun-rights group’s convention in Charlotte. Read more.

See No Radical Islam, Hear No Radical Islam

On May 13, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) confronted Attorney General Eric Holder about whether radical Islam was the motivating factor in the terrorist plots against the United States over the past year. Rather than acknowledge the religious-ideological threat posed to us, Holder continued the Obama Administration’s pattern of trying to avoid using terms like “radical Islam” and “Islamic terrorism.”

Rep. Smith repeatedly prodded at Holder, who tried to fend off the attack by saying, “There are a variety of reasons why people do things. Some of them are potentially religious.”

Unsatisfied with the lack of clarity, Rep. Smith continued to ask him, “Are you uncomfortable attributing any other actions to radical Islam?” Holder replied by saying, “No, I don’t want to say anything negative about a religion…” Read more.

Five who flipped on health care

They were the difference makers on health care reform: House Democrats who flipped from opposing the plan to supporting it, delivering a win on President Barack Obama’s signature domestic issue.

Now, they are also among the Democrats’ most vulnerable incumbents, and none is building a reelection message around their famous vote.

That runs counter to the advice of Democratic pollster John Anzalone and House Democratic leaders, who argue incumbents should highlight popular provisions. “I’d go to camera and say this is why I took this vote — I took it for the people of this district because it’s wrong to be dropped for pre-existing conditions. You shouldn’t be dropped because you’re sick,” Anzalone said. Read more.

Palin Calls Huntsman Out

Even though Jon Huntsman, Jr. stopped pretending not to run for president to become President Obama’s ambassador to China, associates of the former Utah Governor say that he will return to the U.S. as a proud Republican and will probably try to position himself for a 2016 run. The thinking is that the GOP will have shaken off the willies by then and be ready to modernize. In any event, Sarah Palin has today called out Amb. Huntsman in a Tweet, which marks the first time, I believe, that Palin has referenced a fellow Republican and potential presidential aspirant in a provocative way. She’s referring to reports that Assistant Sec. of State Michael Posner intended to admit to China that the United States’s human rights record wasn’t always exemplary, citing the Arizona immigration law is an example. This humility, apparently, is a way for the administration to ease into a discussion of China’s human rights’ record. Such is the outrage of the day for conservatives … and even neutrally, comparing China’s regular and brutal and unapologetic detention of political dissidents to the temporary detention of citizens caught without papers is … a tough case to make. Here’s Palin’s Tweet:

AZ’s pro-border security law invokes apology to China(w/its human rights violations)by U.S. State Dept;Surely Ambassador Huntsman disagrees?

Anti-terror funds belong in N.Y.

There’s not much of an argument, surely, over the very uneasy reality that New York City is the most vulnerable place in America to terrorism. Any doubts about that ought to have been erased in the aftermath of a foiled car bombing in Times Square two weeks ago.


The devastation and carnage that Faisal Shahzad’s failed plot might have brought have to be considered in the context of all the death and trauma that did occur in the attacks on the World Trade Center in 1993 and again on Sept. 11, 2001.

Why can’t there be a similar sense of unanimity and clarity of purpose, then, in the nation’s determination to protect New York City from subsequent acts of terrorism? What ought to be a united front within the federal government instead reveals strains and divisions over whether the city is getting its appropriate share of homeland security money. Read more.

Obama endorsements don’t seem to help Democrats

WASHINGTON (AP) — The role of endorser in chief isn’t working so well for President Barack Obama.

Sen. Arlen Specter became the fourth Democrat in seven months to lose a high-profile race despite the president’s active involvement, raising doubts about Obama’s ability to help fellow Democrats in this November’s elections.

The first three candidates fell to Republicans. But Specter’s loss Tuesday to Rep. Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania’s Democratic senatorial primary cast doubts on Obama’s influence and popularity even within his own party – and in a battleground state, no less. Read more.

Joe Sestak defeats Arlen Specter, Rand Paul wins, Democrats claim victory in PA special election

Pennsylvania Rep. Joe Sestak defeated Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic Senate primary, a large-scale political upset that ends the career of one of the enduring figures in Pennsylvania politics.

“This election is about you,” said Sestak in his victory speech. “This is what democracy looks like: a win for the people, over the establishment, over the status quo, even over Washington, D.C.”

Specter, who is 80 years old and has served since 1980 in the Senate, called it a “great privilege” to have served in the Senate and added that he would “be working very, very hard for the people of the commonwealth in the coming months.” Read more.

The Arizona Immigration SB 1070 Bill

Click here to read the 16 page bill.

Senators press for National Guard troops on border

WASHINGTON (AP)– Homeland Security and Pentagon officials are at loggerheads over a plan to send National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, even as President Barack Obama is pledging to bolster security there.

The Guard stalemate has festered for nearly a year, and frustrated lawmakers are demanding action to stem the spread of violence and drug trafficking that has spilled across the border into their states. The inaction raises questions about whether the White House is convinced the federally funded deployment is necessary, or whether border states will be forced to bear the costs of dispatching the Guard troops on their own.

Speaking at the White House on Wednesday with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, Obama said the U.S. is committed to standing with Mexico against the drug cartels. Read more.

Missouri Auto Parts Dealer Khalid Ouazzani Pleads Guilty of Funding Al Qaeda

An auto parts dealer in Kansas city who had sworn allegiance to Al Qaeda pleaded guilty on Wednesday of participating in conspiracy to provide financial support to the terror outfit.

The 32 year old dealer, Khalid Ouazzani, became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2006, admitted sending $23,500 to al-Qaeda between August 2007 and mid-2008.

He had spoken with others about ways to help al Qaeda including plans to support them in their fight in Afghanistan, Iraq or Somalia, US Attorney Beth Phillps did not think that Khalid poses a threat to the Kansas city area. Read more.

Legislation Will Hurt Small Business SB829

The House Commerce, Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee will consider legislation on Wednesday that will augment the power and widen the profit margins of large corporations at the expense of small businesses and citizens. The bill, Regulation of Appraisal Management Companies (SB829), will, as currently written, place onerous regulations and assess fees on these companies that will disproportionately affect small business and bolster the market share and power of large corporations.

To qualify for registration, companies must register with the state, pay a filing fee of $5,000 and pay a subsequent annual free of $2,500. Large companies will much more easily be able to pay these registration fees while smaller appraisal management firms, the small businesses that create jobs, opportunity and wealth for many North Carolinians, will be burdened excessively, perhaps to the point of being unprofitable. Furthermore, companies that are able to pay the fee will simply pass along the added expense to consumers, making it more expensive for North Carolinians to do business. Read more.

Week in Review 5/15/10

Americans look for Supreme Court to restrain federal power, not expand it

The breathtaking expansion of government — highlighted by record federal spending and a dramatic new federal role in the health-care system — is a source of deep concern across the political spectrum. People are increasingly worried that Washington is exceeding the limits set by the Constitution, asserting too large a role in American life.

So when President Obama announces his next Supreme Court nominee, the American people will want to know whether he is choosing someone who is committed to the text of the Constitution and the vision of the Founding Fathers, or whether his nominee is an activist who will shed a judge’s neutral, constitutional role to push a progressive policy agenda. Read more.

Utah US Rep. Matheson forced into Dem primary

Claudia Wright captured 45 percent of the vote Saturday at the Utah Democratic Party convention. Matheson won 55 percent of delegates’ votes – not the 60 percent he needed to avoid a primary. Matheson is Utah’s lone Democrat in Congress and has never had to run in a primary before.

President Obama’s home-state headache

President Barack Obama’s enemies like to call him a creature of the “Chicago machine,” but when it comes to the politics of his home state of Illinois, the White House doesn’t seem to know where the gears are.

Indeed, Chicago has delivered an unending stream of embarrassment, frustration and discomfort to the administration of its favorite son, from an indicted governor to a failed Olympics bid to a series of smaller political blows.

In the latest encounter with political quicksand, the White House — already burned by a series of failures to fill Obama’s Senate seat with a chosen candidate — has been forced to proceed with extreme caution toward the damaged Democratic Senate nominee, Alexi Giannoulias, waiting to see if he drops out even as some of its allies want the White House to take a heavier hand. Read more.

Outrage: Obama Administration Targets Military for Pay Reductions

President Barack Obama — who came to power with the help of government employee unions across the nation and has lavished on them hundreds of billions in stimulus funds to keep them on federal, state and local payrolls with no strings attached — is moving to cut spending on salaries for military personnel.

This weekend The Washington Post headlined story, “Pentagon Asking Congress to Hold Back on Generous Increases in Troop Pay,” disclosed that the Obama administration is “pleading” with Congress to give military personnel a much smaller increase in pay than lawmakers have proposed.

The Pentagon contends that Congress simply has been too generous with troops during the past decade. Read more.

National Democrats blew it

The Democratic big boys in Washington mishandled North Carolina by waiting too long for Congressman Bob Etheridge to decide whether to run, by not either backing Marshall or, if they didn’t like her chances, clearing the field for Cunningham. As Burr keeps building his $5 million war chest, the runoff will put the Democrats further behind. Read more.

To Kill an America

You probably missed this in the rush of news, but there was actually a report that someone in Pakistan had published in a newspaper, an offer of a reward to anyone who killed an American, any American.

So an Australian dentist wrote an editorial the following day to let everyone know what an American is . So they would know when they found one. (Good one, mate!!!!)

‘An American is English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish , Polish, Russian or Greek. An American may also be Canadian, Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, or Arab, or Pakistani or Afghan.

An American may also be a Comanche, Cherokee, Osage, Blackfoot, Navaho, Apache, Seminole or one of the many other tribes known as native Americans. Read more.

After Arizona, why are 10 states considering immigration bills?

Given the anger sparked by Arizona’s immigration bill nationwide – including protests and calls to boycott Arizona – the campaign promises of Colorado gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis could be seen as a bit of a surprise.

He has vowed to follow Arizona’s lead and pass a tough new anti-illegal immigration law. “We are stopping the retreat. No more retreat,” he said in a local radio interview. “Federal government, if you are not going to do it, we are going to do it.”

Mr. McInnis’s comments are but one example of how the Arizona firestorm has hardly scared off politicians in other states around the country. In some cases, it might actually be encouraging them. Read more.

History warns Obama on primaries

President Barack Obama is deeply enmeshed in the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary.

The White House promised full support to GOP Sen. Arlen Specter when he switched to the Democratic Party a year ago. So Obama’s team had approached Rep. Joe Sestak, the primary challenger now gaining on Specter, in an effort to ward off this intraparty contest.

Obama is entangled in other Democratic primaries, as well. His White House has endorsed incumbent moderate Democrats in a handful of key midterm races. It has actively intervened in support of Sens. Michael Bennet of Colorado, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. Read more.

GOP: Medicare pick favors ‘rationing’

Senate Republicans revived their health care “rationing” theme Wednesday evening as they fired their first salvo in what’s expected to be a fierce battle over the confirmation Donald M. Berwick to be administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Republicans say Berwick supports the idea of rationing health care, a charge they deployed to stir public anger against the Democrats’ health care overhaul. While they focused on the public insurance option that ultimately was dropped from the legislation, they also said that a series of programs that made it into the final legislation, such as the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, would also lead to denying health care to save money.

“Dr. Berwick is the perfect nominee for a president whose aim has always been to save money by rationing health care,” Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) said Wednesday. Read more.

Blagojevich lawyers subpoena Sen. Harry Reid

WASHINGTON–Lawyers for former Gov. Blagojevich have subpoenaed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nv.) in to testify at his federal corruption trial, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

“Ex-Governor Blagojevich’s counsel contacted Senator Reid’s counsel regarding service of a subpoena related to Mr. Blagojevich’s pending trial, as he has apparently contacted many others. As a routine legal matter, Senator Reid’s attorney accepted service. This action does not mean that Senator Reid will testify at trial,” Reid spokesman Jim Manley told me.

Last month, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) revealed that he was also subpoenaed by Blagojevich’s defense team. “Given the former Governor’s previous antics regarding this case, it’s no surprise he is casting a wide net – apparently from the President down to dogcatcher,” said Durbin spokesman Joe Shoemaker. Read more.

Underground broker network a bane in terror probes

NEW YORK (AP) – Long before there was MoneyGram and Western Union, people in South Asian countries often used an informal network of brokers, called an “hawala,” to transfer money over long distances when it was too inconvenient or dangerous to send cash by courier.

Today, the centuries-old system still exists and is used to move billions of dollars annually in and out of countries like Pakistan,Afghanistan and Somalia — often to the chagrin of U.S. law enforcement.

A federal law enforcement official told The Associated Press that terror suspect Faisal Shahzad is believed to have tapped into such a network to help fund a plot to detonate a car bomb in Times Square on May 1. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Read more.

Week in Review 5/8/10

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.

Read More.

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.

week in Review 03/27/10

Risky business for N.C. Democrats

Few issues since the Vietnam War have generated as much heat as the health care debate, which prompted street corner rallies in Raleigh, packed town halls from Wilson to Durham and prodded both sides to mobilize.

But the question with Sunday’s historic House vote for President Barack Obama’s health care plan is how it will play in the November elections.

In a moderately conservative state like North Carolina with its traditional skepticism of the federal government, the issue poses risks for the Democrats. Public opinion polls suggest that the majority does not support the president’s plan, although voters say they like some parts of it. Read more.

Stupak bends, but gets his way

WASHINGTON — Late into Saturday night and again Sunday morning, U.S. Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan negotiated with President Barack Obama’s top lawyer, hammering out an executive order that made clear that no federal money would be spent on abortion.

It helped save the Democrats’ signature effort on health care overhaul — a victory that had eluded the party for decades.

Without Stupak and as many as nine other Democrats opposed to abortion, the chances of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., finding the 216 votes needed for passage looked bleak. With them, it was all but done.

The breakthrough came at midafternoon Sunday. “Thirty-one million more Americans will have health insurance,” Stupak said at a news conference. Read more.

Thousands Rally for Legalizing Illegals, Stronger Borders

(AP) Frustrated with the lack of action to overhaul the country’s immigration system, tens of thousands of demonstrators rallied on the National Mall and marched through the streets of the capital Sunday, waving American flags and holding homemade signs in English and Spanish.

Supporters traveled from around the country in hopes the rally would re-energize Congress to take up the volatile issue. Some lawmakers oppose any attempt to help an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants become U.S. citizens while others insist on stronger border controls first.

President Barack Obama, who promised to make overhauling the immigration system a top priority in his first year, sought to reassure those at the rally with a video message presented on giant screens at the National Mall. The president said he was committed to working with Congress this year on a comprehensive bill to fix a “broken immigration system.” Read more.

Jim C. Manatt, Jr.: Cap and trade regulation contrary to vital economic interests

What an ironic news day March 5. The headline was the $5.6 billion state budget with a $230 million tax increase. The same day, the New Energy Economy environmentalists sought natural gas emission cap revisions in Santa Fe. These events are connected.

New Mexico is a poor state by many standards but we are a richly endowed energy resource state. The oil and gas industry is New Mexico’s largest private sector revenue source, contributing $2 billion annually in taxes, depending on commodity prices, adding another $1 billion in “indirects” during a good year. Ninety-five percent of our $12 billion Permanent Funds come from oil and gas, funding about 70 percent of our kids’ education. For every $1 change in the price of natural gas, it means $100 million to our state revenues. Net effect today: $850 million less for New Mexico. Read more.

Obama is out of Control

Start the impeachment process now. Obama is not upholding the Constitution that he kinda swear to do. He has not even read it since 6th grade History Class. For the next year he will be mired in lawsuits from the states regarding his illegal passage of the healthcare secret bill. There is no where in the constitution to force a US Citizen to HAVE to purchase a product nor service.

He will continue to ignore the Worse Economic Depression facing US Citizens, Blow up our relationships with any foreign government – including our closest allies, Appease our enemies – the people that really HATE us, put our national security in grave danger, give amnesty to illegals, and impose a tax-laden cap and trade bill. Read more.

Health care mandates stoke resistance

State Senate GOP leader Phil Berger of Eden said Tuesday that he will introduce a bill when the legislature reconvenes in May to allow citizens to opt out of mandates of the new federal health care law.

“We cannot stand idly by while the federal government tramples on individuals’ rights to make their own health care decisions,” Berger said.

“Forcing individual citizens to buy a good or a service, as the federal legislation requires, is an unprecedented and unconstitutional overreach by the federal government, and it must be opposed,” Berger added. Read more.

ACORN to Shut Down in Wake of Scandal

CHICAGO (AP)– The once mighty community activist group ACORN announced Monday it is folding amid falling revenues — six months after video footage emerged showing some of its workers giving tax tips to conservative activists posing as a pimp and prostitute.

“It’s really declining revenue in the face of a series of attacks from partisan operatives and right-wing activists that have taken away our ability to raise the resources we need,” ACORN spokesman Kevin Whelan said.

Several of its largest affiliates, including ACORN New York and ACORN California, broke away this year and changed their names in a bid to ditch the tarnished image of their parent organization and restore revenue that ran dry in the wake of the video scandal. Read more.

Burr joins health law protest

WASHINGTON — With a few words Wednesday – “I would have to object” – Sen. Richard Burr joined an angry Republican pushback to the nation’s sweeping health overhaul.

Burr used a parliamentary maneuver to derail an Armed Services Committee hearing for which commanders had traveled from South Korea and Hawaii to discuss the Pentagon’s needs for the next year.

It was one of several hearings on issues ranging from homeless veterans to police trainers in Afghanistan that were upturned by Republican tactics to slow the workings of the Senate. Read more.

McConnell: Repeal ‘top of our list’

Refusing to concede permanent defeat on health reform, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell wants to “repeal the whole bill” and replace it with insurance reforms and other measures that could get bipartisan agreement.

“They got health care,” McConnell told POLITICO with a mischievous glint in his eye. “We’ll see whether that’s a gift worth receiving.”

McConnell said that if Republicans were to win back the Senate majority in November, “at the top of our list would be to repeal and replace this health care bill.” Read more.

Obama Dares Republicans to Pursue Repeal of Health Care Law

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — President Obama mocked Republicans’ campaign to try to repeal his new health care law, saying Thursday they should “Go for it” and see how well they fare with voters.

“Be my guest,” Obama said in prepared remarks for the first of many appearances around the country to sell the overhaul to voters before the fall congressional elections. “I welcome that fight. Because I don’t believe the American people are going to put the insurance industry back in the driver’s seat.”

With emotions raw around the nation over the party-line vote to approve the nearly $1 trillion, 10-year law, Obama took the opposition to task for “fear-mongering and overheated rhetoric.” Read more.

Osama bin Laden warns on Khalid Sheikh Mohammed death penalty

Osama bin Laden is warning that Al Qaeda will kill any Americans it takes prisoner if the U.S. executes accused Sept. 11 co-conspirator Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

“The day America will take such decision [to execute Mohammed and any others] it would have taken a decision to execute whoever we capture,” bin Laden said in an audiotaped message aired Thursday on Al Jazeera. He said Mohammed’s execution would amount to a “death sentence” for Americans in the group’s custody. Read more.

Obama’s Mideast gamble

President Barack Obama’s relations with the Israeli government have hit a new low, but the tensions on display this week between him and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be reviving another presidential project: His quest to improve America’s image in the Arab and Muslim world.

Obama raised high expectations among Arab leaders and publics with his promise of dramatic change from George W. Bush, and with high-profile gestures in the first days of his administration, but the administration’s awkward retreat last year from an initial demand of a total Israeli freeze on settlements dissipated much of that good will. Read more.

Crusader has troubles of his own

A Greenville state Senate candidate who has made an issue of the state’s overpayment of mental health claims is himself on the hook for $4.2 million in Medicaid overcharges for services provided by his family’s company.

Frankie Bordeaux and his wife, Hattie Faye Hardy Bordeaux, signed a settlement with the state in February that included a two-year repayment plan for money improperly collected by Cambridge Behavioral Health Services in Greenville. The first monthly payment, $241,296, was due this month.

An investigation of Cambridge by the state Medicaid office found hundreds of cases of incomplete patient records, “several instances of potential fraud,” duplicate or “canned” notes, and unqualified staff delivering care, according to the settlement. Read more.