Imposing E-Verify system nationwide would be ‘disastrous’

So says the daily’s editorial writer, Linda Valdez

She writes: House Democratic leaders may not support the piecemeal. enforcement-only approach to immigration reform being proposed by Rep. Heath Shuler (D -NC) . But that’s minor consolation considering they have done little to push the comprehensive reform since taking the majority role.

Valdez continues: At least Arizona’s (Democrat) Rep. Gabrielle Giffords gets it. She says it would be “disastrous” to go along with Shuler’s plan to impose the flawed E-Verify system nationwide.

Valdez, an unabashed liberal and open borders advocate, appears to find it difficult to abide a Democrat such as Rep. Shuler, who actually supports border enforcement, including employer verification of new hires. She obviously supports Gifford’s contention that the simple-to-use E-Verify system is “burdensome.”

The only word Valdez omitted when referring to principled Democrat Shuler was “Heretic!”

Happy birthday, Harry

Taking a moment to remember a Democrat we can admire. Never one to stick his finger in the air or rely on popular opinion for direction, he proudly displayed a sign on his desk indicating, The buck stops here.”

Assuming office after the death of President Franklin Roosevelt during World War II, and with limited previous interaction with FDR, he told reporters, “I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me.”

Harry would have been 124 years old today.

U.S. Supreme Court on voter ID

The Federalist Society keeps us updated.

On April 28, 2008, in Crawford v. Marion County, the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed a constitutional challenge to an Indiana law requiring all voters who cast a ballot in person to present a photo ID issued by the United States or the State of Indiana. The Court held that such a law does not unduly burden a citizen’s right to vote.

Former Federal Elections Committee commissioner, Hans Von Spakovsky, discusses the case. You can listen to the SCOTUScast here.

Michael Reagan to headline GOP dinner

The Arizona Republican Party has announced that Michael Reagan will be the keynote speaker at the 2008 AZGOP Victory Dinner to be held on May 9, at the Phoenix Marriott in Mesa. The state convention will be held the following day.

More information available here.

Rhode Island’s governor acts appropriately to quell illegal immigration

Meeting same resistance as unwavering Maricopa County law enforcers

The governor of the nation’s smallest state is reacting to the detrimental impact of illegal immigration.

Gov. Don Carcieri says illegal immigration has become such a problem—and cost the state so much money at a time that it is grappling with a $568 million budget deficit—that last month he signed an executive order directing state police to crack down on illegal immigrants.

Now, as in Arizona, liberal church leaders have urged him to rescind the order, saying it creates a climate of fear among minorities. Local police departments are divided, with some saying they’ll enforce the order.

Democratic Rep. Jon Brien backs Carcieri’s order and has submitted legislation to take it a step further by requiring every private employer in the state to use the same federal database to check the immigration status of their new hires.

“The workforce in the state of Rhode Island should be a legal one,” Brien said. “It puts everyone in the state on a level playing field.”

The state’s agreement to enforce immigration law is still being worked out, but State Police Maj. Steven O’Donnell said once in place, it will allow officers to inquire more deeply about the immigration status of anyone they contact if there’s a reason to think they are here illegally. That could be people who are arrested, motorists stopped by police or witnesses who report crimes.

“It’s very difficult to think about what drove the governor to do this. I’m amazed,” said Jaime Aguayo, a member of the governor’s Advisory Commission on Hispanic Affairs, which the governor did not consult before signing the order. Some members have threatened to quit in protest.

Interesting that a tiny eastern seaboard state would have instituted a Hispanic Affairs advisory commission. It’s doubtful there are similar commissions for other ethnic groups–nor should there be. Those of any ethnicity who come to this country through the legal channels provided are welcome to become Americans–not part of a hyphenated group, with the word “American” dangling on as an afterthought.

In 2002, Carcieri won the Republican primary over the endorsed candidate and went on to defeat the Democrat incumbent 55% to 45% in the general election. He won again in 2006.

We wish this courageous leader a continued, bright political future.

A picture worth a thousand words, er…maybe a scazillion?

Presumptive Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (center) talks with advisor Steve Duprey (left) and Greg Wendt, a fundraiser and friend, on the campaign plane. Staff have stepped up into new roles as Mr. McCain’s campaign has been overhauled.  Photo: Katie Falkenberg/The Washington Times

Democrat supporter is integral to McCampaign

The Washington Times runs an article titled McCain’s ‘nucleus’ revived campaign, recounting the successful efforts of Team McCain to resuscitate his nearly comatose political crusade for the White House.

But it is the accompanying photo that is as telling as any could be about the associations of John Sidney McCain, III. He is pictured aboard his campaign plane with a couple of advisors, including “fundraiser and friend” Greg Wendt.

If the name doesn’t ring a bell, you might want to jog your memory with this informative Sonoran Alliance post.

McCain exploits McCain-Feingold loopholes for cash strapped campaign

The Wall Street Journal runs a fascinating article on John McCain’s fundraising tactics, clearly skirting the intent of his own name-bearing campaign finance law.

McCain’s campaign has announced that it is asking individuals to donate as much as $70,000 to accounts that could help his campaign. The cap on donations to presidential candidates is $4,600 per election campaign.

But, the McCampaign has established several fund-raising accounts that will collect large donations from wealthy individuals and parcel them out to national and state Republican parties that can spend the money to help GOP presumptive nominee McCain and other Republican candidates.

The irony is not lost on those who have long objected to the outrageous constraints of McCain’s handcrafted campaign finance fiasco. And while the severe restrictions were oh-so-swell for other candidates to try to exist under, McCain is bristling under the weight of the self-imposed manacles himself and is determined to dodge them.

Treat yourself to the WSJ article detailing the contradictions here.

In case you’ve wondered what happened to Huck

Playing coy on Veep, still battling with Mitt

Good sportsmanship eludes him as he continues to deliver thumps. Townhall reports on his fence-mending with Club for Growth.

While he breathlessly awaits a call from McCain, the former GOP presidential contender has signed a contract with Creative Artists Agency, a talent booking business in Los Angeles.

Another Anniversary

National Review’s the Corner has an important commentary by John Derbyshire.

April 20 this year marks the 40th anniversary of Enoch Powell’s immigration speech in Britain. There followed a major battle in the never-ending war between elites and people.

It is not generally known that Powell’s views on immigration were crystallized by a visit he had made—his first ever—to the U.S.A. a few months before. Powell, in 1968, was a conservative member of the British Parliament.

This is a thought-provoking portion of Powell’s famous speech:

“For reasons which they could not comprehend, and in pursuance of a decision by default, on which they were never consulted, they found themselves made strangers in their own country. They found their wives unable to obtain hospital beds in childbirth, their children unable to obtain school places, their homes and neighbourhoods changed beyond recognition, their plans and prospects for the future defeated; at work they found that employers hesitated to apply to the immigrant worker the standards of discipline and competence required of the native-born worker; they began to hear, as time went by, more and more voices which told them that they were now the unwanted. On top of this, they now learn that a one-way privilege is to be established by Act of Parliament; a law which cannot, and is not intended to, operate to protect them or redress their grievances, is to be enacted to give the stranger, the disgruntled and the agent provocateur the power to pillory them for their private actions.”

Gen. Colin Powell praises Obama, but “hasn’t decided who to vote for yet.”

Wan’na buy a bridge?“

 I’m looking at all three candidates,” Ret. Gen. Colin Powell said in an interview with Diane Sawyer on today’s “Good Morning America” on ABC.

“I know them all very, very well. I consider myself a friend of each and every one of them. And I have not decided who I will vote for yet.”

Powell, a Republican, who has been mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate in almost every election since his retirement, expressed admiration for Obama.

“It (the speech on race) was a good (speech),” Powell said. “I admired him for giving it. And I agreed with much of what he said.”