Immigration

Rep. Martha McSally demonstrates that she is just another partisan hack

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McSallyIt received little notice in the local Tucson media last week, but Rep. Martha McSally (R-Tucson) delivered the Republican response to President Obama’s regular radio address on Saturday. The topic was fighting ISIS.

Currently there are 80 Members in the U.S. House of Representatives who are Veterans. Veterans in Congress (114th). Somehow, Rep. McSally deems herself a “national security expert” based upon her service as an A-10 pilot in the Air Force. If previous military service is all it takes to be deemed a “national security expert,” then the other 79 members of Congress who are veterans, and millions of veterans who are not members of Congress, are equally “national security experts.” This notion is absurd.

Let’s break down what Rep. McSally had to say. Rep. Martha McSally Urges Obama Administration to ‘Step Up’ in Fight Against ISIS in Weekly Republican Address:

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Paris as they recover from last week’s horrific terrorist attacks. While we mourn this tragedy, let us be reminded those attacks could have happened here. This is not to instill fear, but to remind us to be vigilant. That’s why we’re calling on the administration to step up, provide global leadership, and put together a coherent and aggressive strategy to defeat ISIS.

“I need no reminders about the threats we face. Before being elected to Congress, I served 26 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a full colonel. I was the first female fighter pilot to fly in combat and the first to command a fighter squadron in combat in U.S. history. In my career, I flew 2,600 flight hours, including over 325 combat hours in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I deployed to the Middle East and Afghanistan six times, serving in leadership positions for the initial air campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan and counter-terrorism ops in Africa.

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Civil contempt trial of Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio is coming to a close

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Babeu-ArpaioAfter 20 days of testimony spread out over many months in the civil contempt trial of Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio, the lawyers made their closing arguments to U.S. District Court Judge G. Murray Snow on Friday.

Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio and Chief Deputy Jerry Sheridan have already admitted to civil contempt, but they face the possibility of a referral to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for criminal contempt charges.

Crazy Uncle Joe Arpaio has always avoided being held to account by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the past, so whether this cat has used up his nine lives and will finally be brought to justice this time remains to be seen.

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Obama administration appeals 5th Circuit Court of Appeals immigration ruling to SCOTUS

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ImmigrantsThe Obama administration met the short deadline to file an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision regarding President Obama’s immigration executive orders for DACA and DAPA eligible immigrants. The purpose of quickly filing this appeal is to get the case heard by the Court and decided before the end of June 2016 to prevent any further delay. Of course, any one of the 26 “Red State” plaintiff’s that brought this case can request a delay for additional time to respond to the appeal, negating the administration’s timely filing.

Any delay could kick this case into the Court’s next term beginning in October 2016. The appeal would not be decided until after a new president takes office in January 2017. I fully expect the Red State respondents to play this delay gambit.

Lyle Denniston at SCOTUSblog reports, U.S. appeals on immigration policy :

One year after President Barack Obama took historic steps to overhaul immigration policy, his lawyers on Friday appealed (.pdf) to the Supreme Court to uphold his plan and let it go into effect.  It is currently stalled by lower court rulings finding that the president probably overstepped his powers in bypassing Congress to put off deportation for nearly five million undocumented immigrants.

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Pant-wetters in Congress give in to their fear and bigotry, vote for punitive bill against refugees from war

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monstersToday is not one of America’s finest hours.

Pant-wetters in Congress afraid of  monsters under the bed gave into their fear and bigotry and voted for a bill that would essentially close America’s door to resettlement of refugees fleeing war and terrorism. The bill has an uncertain future in the Senate, and President Obama has promised to veto it.

Every Tea-Publican voted for it, and sadly so did 47 Democrats — including the usual suspect Kyrsten Sinema — who should turn in their membership cards as a member of a humane country.  Here is the roll call for the vote. This is not who we are as Americans.

The Washington Post reports, House votes to tighten flow of refugees over Obama’s objections:

The House on Thursday overwhelmingly passed legislation aimed at tightening controls on refugees from Syria and Iraq, in what Republican leaders say is a swift and strong response to last week’s terror attacks in Paris.

The vote was 289 to 137.

statue_libertyThe bill’s fate, however, is uncertain after President Obama delivered a veto threat Wednesday and key senators said they are more concerned about security vulnerabilities other than the refugee program.

The vote gives House Republicans some leverage because Thursday’s tally is enough to override a veto with more than two-thirds of those voting supporting the bill, including 47 Democrats. Attention now turns to what the Senate does with the legislation, a decision that likely won’t come until after Thanksgiving.

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They all must look alike to Gov. Ducey

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Crossposted at DemocraticDiva.com STATEMENT FROM GOVERNOR DOUG DUCEY PHOENIX – “Given the horrifying events in Paris last week, I am calling for an immediate halt in the placement of any new refugees in Arizona. As governor, I am invoking our state’s right under 8 USC, Section 1522 (a), to receive immediate consultation by federal authorities … Read more