DACA

House to vote on the Dream Act and Promise Act today

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The House Judiciary Committee will vote Wednesday on legislation that would provide a pathway to citizenship for more than 1 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. And yes, Democrats can investigate Trump and do public policy at the same time. CNN reports House Judiciary set to review bills to protect Dreamers and TPS recipients: … Read more

House Democrats introduce HR 6 – the Dream and Promise Act

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House Democrats have teed up the next major piece of legislation: an immigration bill that would allow as many as 2.5 million people to apply for legal status and put them on a path that could ultimately lead to US citizenship. Dara Lind reports at Vox, House Democrats introduce bill to offer 2.5 million immigrants … Read more

Trump’s ‘compromise’ is a bait-and-switch sham

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Compromise is impossible with someone incapable of acting in good faith, who repeatedly lies and reneges on agreements, never intending to follow through on any agreement. It’s like nailing jello to the wall.

President Trump and Republican leaders are engaged in a hostage taking demanding ransom to release the hostages: $5.7 billion for Trump’s “big beautiful wall” on the Mexico border in exchange for ending the government shutdown.

Make no mistake, extortion and hostage taking are criminal acts, not mere policy disputes. It is criminal misconduct that cannot be rewarded (which Democrats have regrettably done in the past in order to end GOP shutdowns of the government) because it only encourages further criminal misconduct.  There is a federal debt ceiling extension pending in March, and the federal budget due at the end of the fiscal year on September 30. Trump and Republicans will do this again.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., argued Tuesday that President Trump made a “bad faith” offer to end the shutdown over the weekend, and is still holding federal workers hostage to his border wall demand. Schumer: Trump using ‘hostage tactics’ in shutdown talks:

“It was not a good faith proposal. It was not intended to end the shutdown,” Schumer said on the Senate floor, adding that it’s only intent was to “shake things up” in negotiations. “The president’s proposal is one-sided, harshly-partisan and was made in bad faith.”

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Negotiating with yourself does not constitute a ‘compromise’ (updated)

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The White House alerted the media that Trump plans to make ‘major announcement’ on shutdown, and the border on Saturday afternoon.

Trump is given to hyperbole and superlatives, and this speech was no exception. This was an over-hyped PR stunt.

The speech began with Stephen Miller’s highlights of the xenophobic, racist, anti-immigrant talking points of Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, et. al., heard almost daily on conservative hate talk radio to gin up white anxiety and white grievances among Trump’s white nationalist base.

It then veered into a rehash of previous proposals (which were rejected by the prior Republican Congress) on DACA and TPS beneficiaries: a temporary stay of Trump’s policies for 3 years in exchange for $5.7 billion for Trump’s “big beautiful wall” on the Mexico border.

This was something Trump negotiated with his white nationalist racist adviser Stephen Miller, and his son-in-law Secretary of Everything, Jared Kushner. There was no effort to negotiate with the Democratic leadership in good faith. Trump’s attempt to call this a “compromise” rings hollow. Negotiating with yourself does not constitute a “compromise.”

This was another lame attempt to reframe the issue solely as a PR stunt. It was an epic failure.

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The Arizona Republic inexplicably endorses Mark Brnovich for Attorney General

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Some of the nastiest campaign ads running on television have been those airing against Democratic candidate January Contreras for Attorney General. Arizona’s attorney general race has drawn national attention. Here’s why:

January Contreras

Spending on attorney-general races nationally could top $100 million this year, according to the Washington Post, with the Republican Attorney General Association investing heavily in defending its incumbents.

“The Democratic Attorney General Association is involved, too, but DAGA just does not have as much money,” said Bernie Nash, co-chair of Cozen O’Connor’s State Attorneys General practice.

The firm analyzes attorney-general races and has rated Arizona’s contest as “Leans Republican.”

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Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich has taken heat for involving Arizona in divisive national fights, such as the 20-state effort to repeal part of the Affordable Care Act. Here is the Complaint (.pdf). January Contreras argues that what Brnovich calls an issue of constitutionality is a dangerous move that would hurt vulnerable Arizonans with pre-existing health conditions.

Keep in mind that the Attorney General cannot join this lawsuit without the tacit approval of the Governor. So both Governor Doug Ducey and Attorney General Mark Brnovich have signed off on the Texas lawsuit that seeks to hold the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional, which would invalidate all of its patient  protections including those prohibiting discrimination against persons with preexisting conditions. Polling suggests that this is the top political issue for voters in this election. They are both on the wrong side of this issue.

January Contreras “said that ‘on Day One,’ she would remove Arizona from that lawsuit and join a concurrent one [by Democratic Attorneys General] that aims to keep protections for people with pre-existing conditions in place.”

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