Honduras

Some posts and analysis of Honduras and assorted political interpretations of the events there.

PoliGazette » Update on Honduras: Just Words, Just Speeches?

Matthew Yglesias » A Smart Take on Honduras

Roberto Lovato: Obama Has the Power and Responsibility to Help Restore Democracy in Honduras

Honduras crisis shows Latin America’s weaknesses – Americas – MiamiHerald.com

Personally I disagree with Obama’s (and other world leaders) public calls of support for Zelaya and suspect that behind the scenes many are grateful that Chavez’s ALBA faces a setback in their attempt to expand their influence through out the Americas. As for the world, foreign nations not involved (e.g. everyone) need to stay out of Honduras’ political affairs and let them sort it out. They don’t have to like how things went down but they should not support a politician that was repeatedly defying his nation’s own laws either.

The MSM also needs to start reporting the facts instead of supporting political agendas and lying about events in Honduras with wild claims of riots, military junta, and so on. Even better, maybe try something fresh like telling the entire story. (Ha! Yeah I know that’s not going to happen.)

The truth will out eventually.

Immigration

So Obama now puts forth his National Guard Plan to “secure the border”. The low numbers of personnel and the size of the border make this gesture meaningless, especially to those of us who’ve lived for decades with Washington’s refusal to solve the illegal immigration problems in this country. Instead this is more pandering to the dimwitted who will fall for symbolic gestures rather than meaningful changes.

We know none of the political parties have any interest in solving the issue as each side makes promises to come up with solutions and then quickly forgets those promises once the election is over. Instead they actively undermine the laws of the United States in a number of ways: refusing to enforce the law, delaying immigration reform, politically and legally attacking law enforcement officials who enforce laws by claiming discrimination and rights violations, and so on. All the while these same politicians do nothing to address immigration reform, pressure businesses not to hire illegals, address human smuggling and extortion involved in the illegal border crosser, and tighten loopholes to prevent illegals from abusing the system nor provide and significant assistance in helping services that are being abused.

Of course President Obama Begins Push for Immigration Reform | CafeSentido.com, yet noting that it won’t get done this year. Surprise. Guess what it won’t get done next year either. Why? Election year. This is the same old arguments that have been used for decades to willfully and criminally ignore the problem.

Some ideas for immigration reform that many on both sides of the issue will hate. Note that these are not my ideas, just ones I’ve heard of. My personal ranking are added as Favorable, Practicle, Grudgingly Practicle (neccessary but not necessarily the ideal option), and Unfavorable.

1. Close the loop hole that allows for “anchor babies”. Change current laws so that non-citizens illegally living and working the United States do not get automatic citizenship for any child born here. On the flip side, those living and working here through normal visas and work visas (see #2) would allow their children to become automatic citizens since they would be in country legitimately. Practicle.
2. Create a temporary work visa and a national foreign worker photo identification card for foreign workers that balances the need for workers without harming US citizens. Favorable.
3. Create and enforce a national verification check system similar to the one used in Arizona as well as a matching employer sanctions law to enforce and punish those that would hire illegal immigrants. Favorable.
4. Change the number of illigal immigrants allowed to legally come this country to a more balanced and fair procedure. Favorable.
5. Illegal normalization program. For one year, and one year only, this program would in effect allow illegal immigrants to come forward and register as documented workers after proving no laws outside of those related to their illegal immigrant status was violated, pay a fine and backtaxes, but would otherwise incur no further criminal penalty. For those seeking citizenship their previous years would not count towards the required time. For those seeking only a work visa they would be required to leave the country and apply for a work visa without any incurred penalty. After the time period was up, all illegals caught by law enforcement would be summarily deported without legal recourse and placed on a 15 year ban on entry into the country. Grudgingly Practicle.
6. Five Year Rotation Plan. For those on work visas, if they decide they do not wish to become citizens, then their work visa is revoked after 5 years and they are ineligible for 5 years for another visa in order for other workers to have an opportunity to work in the United States. Practicle.
7. Blanket amnesty to all non-violent illegal immigrants. Unfavorable.

Honduras Update

Obama and Clinton continue to perpetuate the myth that Zelaya is the victim in this past weekend’s Honduran coup and that said coup was unconstitutional. The Administration has been playing it fast and loose with its words hoping to garner outrage by implying it is now a military dictatorship in control of the country. My suggestion remains that Obama and Clinton remain silent as far as trying to dictate what happens in Honduras. Condemn the use of military force all you like but respect the Honduran Constitution and laws, which Zelaya clearly did not. Such action is always disturbing but sometimes is necessary. The irony is that it seems the Honduran military was trying to avoid being accused of a takeover by deporting Mr. Zelaya in the first place.

The US Administration and MSM naturally hasn’t been reporting the facts about Mr. Zelaya and is ongoing efforts to in fact undermine the Honduran constitution with the help of Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez that led to him being deposed. Fortunately, these facts are being kept alive, well, and circulating on the Net for those who want to get a better understanding of the whole situation, not just the leftist perspective.

Fausta’s Blog continues to provide ongoing coverage and background to the situation:  Fausta’s Blog » Blog Archive » Honduras defends its democracy

Supreme Court rulings

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) reversed a decision denying white firefighters promotion based on their race. A good decision, in my opinion. Discrimination against one group can not be used to justify policies intended to end workplace discrimination against another group. That is simply the flip side of the same coin.

The SCOTUS also recently ruled that local governments must be given an option to bail out of requirements that they get federal approval for any changes in their election laws and/or method. A win for local government but likely to cause debate, particularly in the regions of the Southern US with a history of discriminatory votign practices.

Other notable rulings/actions:

1. Cable TV can offer DVR like services.
2. Surprisingly cleared the way for state regulators to investigate national banks for lending discrimination.

Honduras

Things always get ugly when the military and politics mixes. So what do you do when the military is your line of defence against those who would usurp your nation’s constitutional law? Is it a coup or is it a lawful removal? What about when a coup is ordered by one branch against another? These are some of the questions now arisen with the ongoing events in Honduras.

Iran Update

It appears increasingly likely that the open protests against the dictators of Iran are dwindling in the face of violent oppression and now calls for murder by the Ayatollahs and their minions. Mousavi’s own website has been taken down and accusations are rampant on torture of political prisoners and the use of foreigners to support the regime. If true is anyone really surprised that Iran would bring it’s terrorist arm in to oppress its own people?

I suspect though that the Iranian people will find new and inventive ways of making their oppressors regret their actions ranging from the reported Basiji Hunting to grassroots political and social efforts to unite the disparate groups in the country against the increasingly repressive Ayatollahs.

Nice round up of events from start to current can fe found The American Muslim (TAM).

links for 2009-06-26

• Watts Up With That?
  (tags: Environment Politics Science technology statistics research news blog)

Carbongate

CARBONGATE – Global Warming Study Censored by EPA « Watts Up With That? (via Watts Up With That?) If this is true, and it appears that it is, then this is what’s wrong with the debate over the environment in this country and through out the world. Scientific reports suppressed by government agencies to push political agendas of the administrations.

Censored report can be read here.

Waxman-Markey Bill

As many know the House of Representatives started voting on the Waxman-Markey Bill. Somethings people likely don’t know since it hasn’t been widely reported:

There’s Still a Long Road Ahead for U.S. Climate Legislation No Matter What Happens to the Waxman-Markey Cap-and-Trade Bill – Environmental Capital – WSJ In other words, the Senate is not going to touch the issue with a ten foot pole this session. If ever. In effect it’s dead.

Greenpeace Opposes Waxman-Markey | CommonDreams.org
You know your bill is in trouble when even one of the world’s best known environmental group is against it. And wanting it to be scientifically based at that! Bet that crushes the cookies of some of the more extremist environmentalists who think dogma is more important than scientific evidence.

Iran Crisis

The crisis in Iran appears to be continuing amazingly enough two weeks on, though it is difficult to tell with the increasingly restrictive flow of information. What has been shown is fractures among the ruling elite and the rallies seem to be fading for a long social and political battle that will be played out in the shadows and nights of Iran, not unlike how the Islamic Revolution started 30 years ago. It appears Mousavi is standing firm for now. Certainly the government there has been quick and harsh to quash any sort of dissent or free expression. The Iranian soccer team learned this. As did professors. And of course the protesters injured and killed by the Ayatollahs’ thugs.

Of course, AJ spewed his usual rhetoric about American interference in Iran and demanded an apology. Not surprising since he (AJ) views Obama as untested and weak.

I am pleased that the administration withdrew the Fourth of July invitations to the Iranian diplomats. There’s diplomacy and then there’s just outright bad form as was the case this time. You don’t invite diplomats of a nation murdering it’s political opponents to a celebration many Americans feel symbolizes freedom.