After last week’s release of the Department of Justice’s three year investigation, seventeen months of which was delayed by Arpaio’s typical stall tactics and outright refusal to cooperate, the Department of Homeland Security pulled the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office 287g certification which allowed them to check the legal status of suspected undocumented Immigrants.
There was some brief celebrating regarding the possibility of Joe Arpaio’s demise, perhaps one similar to the one Russell Pearce fell victim to, the will of the people working together in a concerted effort to remove a political cancer.
As the news developed rapidly many of us in the Immigrant community were met with the false hope that undocumented Immigrants would no longer be detained for processing by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
MCSO’s 287g agreement with the Feds allowed Arpaio’s detention officers to check the legal status of those detained in MCSO’s jails. The myth was that only criminal aliens were run through the Fed legal status verification system, however, even those detained for failure to present proper ID or for minor traffic violations were run through the system and detained for ICE. The damage to the Immigrant community is immeasurable. Families are split up and employers loose valued employees.
However Senator Jon Kyl wasn’t about to stand by and allow harmless Immigrants to be given a break. He immediately shipped a letter out to the Feds complaining about a possible lapse in the screening of Immigrants processed through MCSO’s jails. The Feds always willing to oblige a U.S. senator, and in order to avoid bringing on the wrath of the Republicans and those hell bent on making the Immigrants the scapegoats for this nation’s problems, responded with a letter outlining their plans for closing that void that might have been left by denying Joe Arpaio the 287g certification and access to the secure communities program.
In a detailed letter to Senator Kyle the DHS assured the senator that a gap in coverage due to MCSO losing their 287g certification would not occur. DHS indicated in part:
Although ICE has terminated its 287(g) agreement with MCSO, ICE will continue to advance our immigration enforcement and public safety efforts in Maricopa County. ICE has dedicated 50 federal immigration officers to screen, identify, apprehend, and remove criminal aliens found in the jails of Maricopa County. These ICE officers will perform the work previously conducted by 287(g) officers and will ensure that criminal aliens and other removable public safety threats are not released into the community. These federal officers will have full access to Secure Communities and will continue this work until such time as DOJ is satisfied that MCSO has remedied the unlawful practices outlined in the DOJ report. In short, there will be no gap in immigration enforcement in Maricopa County.
I’m sure that Kyl was thrilled that the good people of Maricopa County would not be at risk of harm from their dishwashers, landscapers, housekeepers and cooks.
Meanwhile families will continue to be separated and you might just find that the sushi or the steak that you love to eat might taste a little different. Well, that’s based on the fact that there’s now a new cook working at your favorite restaurant and the guy who normally cooks your food in that fine food restaurant might have been picked up for a traffic violation and is being held for processing by an ICE officer in Joe’s jails.
Jon Kyl
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and W60 AM Radio, Los Angeles, San Diego and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen in Arizona.
Well Cain is out. We knew it was coming. Simply put, Herman Cain isn’t presidential material. We know it has nothing to do with the color of his skin, given that we have a black president. No, Cain’s problem was, amongst many, the fact that he wasn’t up to speed on the “issues.” Put aside the womanizing and the lying, which in the past, have actually been qualifiers for the presidency, simply put, Cain is a political dunce.
I couldn’t help but visualize Cain with 3×5 index cards in his hands as he struggled with the Libya issue in a recent interview with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel editorial board. He was also visualizing those index cards, and unfortunately for him, his brain couldn’t access his memory banks quick enough, causing him to have what many call a Jan Brewer or Rick Perry moment.
As Cain drew upon his memory he muttered:
“Okay, Libya,” said Cain, glancing up. “President Obama supported the uprising, correct? President Obama called for the removal of [Muammar] Gaddafi. Just wanted to make sure we’re talking about the same thing before I say, ‘Yes, I agreed. No, I didn’t agree,’” said Cain.
“I do not agree with the way he handled it for the following reason,” Cain started, before cutting himself off. “Nope, that’s a different one.” Cain shifted in his chair, adjusted his jacket and looked up again.
“I got all this stuff twirling around in my head,” he added.
It was a painful moment even for me. I think most of us were aware that this was the start of his demise. As I previously stated, Cain’s womanizing didn’t seem to be a problem for the GOP or the faithful Tea Baggers that yearned to see a black man give the other black man occupying the white house a run for his money. It was amazing to watch these hypocrites, men and women alike, paint the women who reported Cain’s extracurricular activities as promiscuous vixens.
Keep in mind that when someone runs for the presidency, their entire family is subject to scrutiny, and even if they themselves are squeaky clean, as in Gloria Cain’s case, they have to deal with the candidates misdeeds, missteps and misconduct.
I Imagine the pressure for Gloria Cain was just too much to bear. I don’t doubt one bit that Gloria was aware of Herman’s sexual promiscuity, many women in long marriages are well aware of their husbands infidelity and choose to ignore it for the sake of preserving their marriage. For God’s sake, if you’re married to a man for 43 years you know his every whim, desire and faults.
Eventually Cain’s sexual appetite proved to be his demise. One too many accusations. Ginger White and his alleged 13 year affair proved to be the final nail in his political coffin.
Cain eventually decided that he would allow Gloria to decide whether or not he would leave the race for the GOP nomination. Why does the song I’m Leaving It All Up To You” come to mind?
Gloria’s decision was loud and clear. Gloria said no more, and the Cainster hung up his political apron, much dirtier than the one he wore while running Godfather pizza.
Remember, I said Cain was a political dunce, I never said he isn’t a greedy S.O.B. that has lied and cheated his way to the top. Cain suspended his campaign. He didn’t dissolve his campaign! The difference is, that when you suspend your campaign you can continue to raise and receive funds to pay off any outstanding debts, and of course, the clincher, Cain get’s matching federal funds next year. In layman’s terms, matching federal funds means you and I will be handing Cain some of our hard earned bucks, also referred to as taxpayer money.
During Cain’s long drawn out and often babbling campaign suspension speech in which his wife was acknowledged by the mostly Tea Party supporters by chanting “Gloria, Gloria Gloria”, Cain announced the launch of a new project, a website.He plugged the site www.thecainsolutions.com as if he were plugging his infamous and flawed 9-9-9 plan.
Cain doesn’t want to have to return the millions received as he rose in the polls touting his 9-9-9 plan, I suspect he’ll turn his campaign into a PAC, which is of course allowed under FEC rules. That allows Cain to stay in the political manipulation game by using his political action committee.
So the Herman will go back to being Herman! Womanizing, lobbying, and rubbing shoulders with those who buy politicians like him.
His relationship with the Koch brothers I suspect will get better. After all, he followed orders well and did exactly what he was told. The Koch brothers ties to his campaign were obvious. Mark Block, “the smoker” from the Cain campaign youtube video also worked alongside Cain lobbying for Americans For Prosperity, one of the Koch brothers advocacy organizations from 2005 to 2011. Block was Cain’s campaign manager and served as overseer for the Koch brothers.
Cain has always known his place around rich white men. He learned it from his father who was a chauffeur for Coca Cola’s president Robert Woodruff.
Herman Cain is living proof that the good old “boy” system is alive and well, and the masters of that system are the major players in the Grand Old Party.
Nein, Nein, Nein I did not have sex with these women
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and W60 AM Radio, Los Angeles, San Diego and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen in Arizona.
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on http://www.carlosgalindo.com
I was reading a news story today which I’m sure has repeated itself throughout the United States over the years. The difference is that in this case, the young man left explicative letters behind. Joaquin Luna committed suicide out of frustration and desperation because of his legal status in the United States.
Luna was brought here at a very young age and was fully integrated into what we consider the fabric of America. He did all the right things. He kept his nose clean, studied hard, and had dreams of becoming an engineer. The typical American kid with the typical American dream. However, that’s exactly what it was, a dream. Joaquin Luna was a Dreamer in a multifaceted sense of the word.
Young undocumented students are commonly referred to as Dreamers based on the proposed “Dream Act” legislation that would allow these kids to come out of the shadows and either enlist in the military or attend a post secondary school. They’re your teenagers friends, your neighbors, perhaps the kid who on weekends mows your lawn as he helps his dad out in his landscaping business. They are all around you! They speak perfect English. They’re bright and articulate, and for the most part, well informed. They are up on political issues. Well, for them, political awareness is survival.
Maybe that’s exactly what frustrated Joaquin so. Having the knowledge that last year the Dream Act failed by a handful of votes. Knowing he was about to graduate from high school and facing that very real fear that he wouldn’t be able to afford to attend a university because of the prohibitive costs for non residents, and knowing that he couldn’t work based on his social security number deficiency. If he worked, he would have had to use a false identification which as he well knew, is a crime. Imagine the frustration, loving the United States with all your heart, feeling like a patriotic American, yet living with the open secret that you are undocumented. I also want you to imagine feeling like an American, yet having to hear yourself described by extremists as an illegal, a leach, a dirty wetback who came here to live off welfare and become an Obama Democrat.
It’s no wonder that a young fragile mind facing such a haunting future would have felt that the only solution was to end his life. There are very few resources available for these young people. Without a social security number they can’t seek psychological assistance or even counseling from the normal channels that many of us Americans would traverse.
They’re caught in the middle, and they’re hearing the hype from both sides. Many pro Immigrant groups and “leaders” give them very little hope. Claiming instead that their President abandoned them and that they doubt Obama will do anything to help them or other undocumented Immigrants in their struggle to adjust their Immigration status. While at the same time they watch the anti-Immigrant groups aggressively lobby to shut not only the borders, but any door that may lend itself as a viable option for relief for these Dreamers. The politicians often refer to these Dreamers in their debates and in speeches on the campaign trail. They have masterfully polished the Immigration issue to get elected and reelected using all “illegals” as scapegoats for the nation’s problems.
As the years grind on and more doors are shut to these Dreamers, will we see a growing trend of frustration and acts of desperation on behalf of these Dreamers that for all practical purposes are great Americans, well, except for one slight problem, they were brought here unlawfully as toddlers by their parents from a country they don’t remember and have never returned to?
The only thing young Joaquin left behind was his frustrations and shattered dreams as an “illegal”, all penned on paper for the world to see.
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and W60 AM Radio, Los Angeles, San Diego and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona.
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Shocked, is the way I would describe my reaction when I received news that King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia declared that women in that country would receive full suffrage. This is a telling moment for oppressed women in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East that treat women as second class citizens. To have to beg a male family member to be allowed to apply for a job, to be denied the right to drive and certainly to be denied full suffrage by denying women the right not only vote, but to hold office is to treat a woman as subhuman.
“We refuse to marginalize the role of women in Saudi society and in every aspect, within the rules of Sharia,” Abdullah said, referring to the Islamic law that governs many aspects of life in the kingdom.
So Saudi women can now vote and run for office, however, as we all know, one thing is to say it, declare it, even make it law, another is to implement and permit the execution of the law. There are factions involved here that will use strong arm tactics to stop women from running for office, which will certainly include threatening the family, shaming male members of the family and even murder to preserve the status quo in an overtly male dominated society.
In any event this is only the beginning of the end for the Saudi women who will still need to beg a male member of the family to be allowed to work at the very polls they may be allowed to vote at.
Women will also have to obtain a male driver to drive them to the polls or to the local municipality where they may serve as a council member if they’re able to overcome the election fraud that is sure to prevail.
I would say that these women who today live under an oppressive Saudi male dominated regime, are the pioneers of suffrage and will encounter resistance very similar to that which women in the United States encountered from a chauvinistic male dominated democracy.
I say to them, أتمنى لكم التوفيق وبارك الله فيكم, which for you who have embraced and respect full suffrage, translates to, “I wish you the best and may God Bless you.”
Now I’m left wondering how long it will take for them to break the glass ceiling that women here in the United States continue to struggle with?
Full Suffrage Granted To The Burqa Wearing Women
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on five radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
When I was advised that Bachmann would be scurrying into town, I decided to skedaddle on over to Sheriff Joe’s office to see what she had to say, and of course to keep the mainstream media honest. I didn’t figure anyone would ask the hard questions, or at least a question that would put her on the hot seat, particularly regarding the fact that we have millions of undocumented workers in the United States. What would she do with them if she won the most prized post as leader of the world? Of course I knew she wouldn’t answer directly when asked.
Nobody wants to admit that we are completely dependent on the low skilled undocumented labor that we import from Mexico. Nobody wants to admit that we are complicit to the existence of the undocumented workers. Everyone wants to live in denial and in the houses built by these “culprits”. They want to stuff their faces with the vegetables picked by them. They want to enjoy their manicured lawns mowed and trimmed by them, and they want to enjoy their shiny cars after going through the local car wash spiffed up by these undocumented car wash employees. The list goes on and on of jobs filled by the undocumented worker that an average American absolutely will not fill, and, if they were to work that job, they wouldn’t last.
So Bachmann answered my question like any other politician would. You know? Using code words meant to incite emotion from Immigrant haters and deniers, and meant to make her appear responsible and in tune with the topic. “We have to secure the border first”, “We have to remove those magnets that draw them here.” Blah, blah, blah.
Bachmann proved she was just another talking head out of touch with the undocumented Immigration issue, seeking to fill a job she just is absolutely not qualified to fill. She did however, look like Sheriff Joe’s drooling lap dog, looking for his endorsement by touting his stardom and by winking her enlarged eyes while converting her cynical smirk to a beauty queen smile.
As for Sheriff Joe, when asked whether he would give Bachmann his endorsement, he responded by saying that he hadn’t decided yet. Ah, Sheriff Joe, always the astute politician. Why would he commit to endorsing one candidate so early in the game when he could possibly be courted by other candidates as the Republican field narrows down to two viable candidates for the Republican nomination to replace the black man sleeping in the White House.
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana Arizona and the Tucson Citizen. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
I received an urgent call this morning from someone reporting that Joe Arpaio, the Maricopa County Sheriff was executing a warrant at a workplace raid at the Days Inn on 7th Avenue & Camelback Rd. in Phoenix, AZ.
When I arrived I saw the familiar sheriff’s vehicles there. The mainstream media was there as well. The usual activists including Lydia Guzman was present granting her interviews to the Spanish language media. The usual garbage, preaching to the choir. Nothing new to say. You often see the same old tired faces spewing their usual nonsensical rhetoric and boring analysis of the Sheriff’s raid.
Univision tried to get Joe Arpaio to cough up information about the Obama administration’s new policy and procedure regarding prosecutorial discretion and the case by case scrutiny of the more than 300,000 detainees suspected of being in the country unlawfully. He bit his upper lip and refused to answer their question. It doesn’t matter, it would have probably been edited out by the producers or the reporter himself. When the initial story broke about the Obama administration’s change in Immigration policy, the Univision reporter did a terrible job in covering the story fairly, completely ignoring anyone supportive of the policy. Instead he focused on pessimistic Latinos who said President Obama wasn’t doing enough.
I was able to coax Arpaio in to responding to the question. It’s all in how you phrase it right? Imagine that, and I’m just a little old radio talk show host and political analyst.
Well according to what “Sheriff Joe” told me, he was looking for ten people accused of identity theft who were working at the hotel. He shared with me that they had not updated their intelligence and thought that all the employees were in full work mode when they arrived at around 8:00 AM. It turns out that because of cutbacks in hours based on the pitiful economy, they had been asked to report at 10:00 AM. Oops! misfire! Joe was only able to capture one housekeeper accused of being in the country unlawfully and usurping someone else’s identity. Wow! once again, thousands of dollars spent to capture one, or a handful of low skilled labor. Not exactly how I want my tax dollars spent.
I will note that Arpaio plans on trying to locate the AWOL employees at their homes. This is his M.O. for workplace raids. If he doesn’t locate them there, he goes to their homes. Normally they will even pursue ex-employees, if, after seizing the workplace records, they determine that previous employees were possibly using false identities.
An interesting note on this raid, is the comments that Joe Arpaio shared with me and which the mainstream media missed, was the fact that according to his investigation, this may be a good case for prosecution under the existing employer sanction law that was passed in 2007 by the legislature and that until a couple of months ago was tied up in the Supreme Court. SCOTUS upheld the employer sanction law paving the way for possible civil prosecution of employers. Something that many employers have feared since the law went into effect. We haven’t seen these employers push for immigration reform, they just invested thousands of dollars into fighting the law to avoid possible sanctions.
Could this possibly be a change in Arpaio’s strategy? Pursuing employers? I doubt it! After all these are the same people that sponsor his campaigns when reelection rolls around.
Oh, and talking about reelection, I asked Arpaio if he was preparing himself for a 2012 run for Sheriff. He was quick to correct me. “For sheriff he asked?”, “Why not for the U.S. Senate?”, “I’ve been asked to run you know?” I laughed and said “OK”, Arpaio quickly came back with ” well, either way, if I don’t run for the senate, I’ll definitely run for sheriff again.”
I do have to point out that Arpaio lashed out at me when he first saw me, stating, “I’m not happy with you”, “I saw you talking about me on TV.” “You’re getting involved in politics now” he quipped. I laughed and just shook my head. Poor guy, he forgets from one day to the next what’s going on around him. After all, I’m a radio talk show host and political analyst, that my job for God’s sake!
As he got into his brand new Chrysler Joe shouted, “hey, do you anyone that can get me a good deal on a 300?” Referring to the Chrysler 300 he used to be chauffeured in by his favorite deputies.
“Nope, I yelled, besides that, you might check their legal status knowing you.” He responded with a chuckle, “yeah, they might drive off with my car”, and off he went to chase more cooks, car washers, landscapers, housekeepers, bread makers, butchers, did I miss any of his recent raids?
Thousands of dollars spent, to chase that labor force that Arizona desperately needs, hired by hypocritical employers that hold a double standard.
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
If you look up the word hypocrisy in the dictionary nowadays, you’re likely to find a picture of the Republican logo. What’s worse, is that they are shameless. They don’t care that they originally opposed stem cell research and that they now support it. They don’t care that the very wealthy pay less taxes than the poor. They don’t care that their representatives in Congress claim they are not part of the establishment while they’re sitting in Washington like fat cats stuffing their faces at luncheons and being lobbied by special interest. They are simply shameless liars. They claim one thing and do another.
I never have liked the Republican party, whom I affectionately call the Rethuglicans. There has always been this air of arrogance about them,and the hypocrisy is deeply embedded, but the new Republican and their aggressive and extreme splinter, the Tea Party, has taken hypocrisy to new heights.
Frankly, I don’t know how they look at themselves in the mirror in the morning, with what all they are doing to this country daily.
The Republicans have actually been successful in convincing many of those in the middle or lower class to shoot themselves in the foot. To watch your average American fighting for tax loopholes for the wealthy is the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. It’s just plain unadulterated ignorance. They are kept wallowing in their ignorance by their political leaders and the millionaire pundits who benefit from those same tax loopholes these poor imbeciles are fighting for.
The Republicans scream class warfare as if the wealthy have to be protected from an attack. The wealthy are the ones calling the shots, funding political campaigns, buying favors and ruining this great country. Class warfare? Unbelievable!!!
The conservatives controlled by the very wealthy are the one’s hell bent on eliminating the middle class. They yearn for a class system that is defined by the very rich and the very poor. So, every time I hear a wealthy political pundit or a conservative politician scream class warfare I can’t help but see that “H” tattooed on their forehead, and every time I hear a conservative blue collar worker say the same in order to protect the very wealthy, I cringe, shake my head and wonder if this person realizes that he’ll be next in the soup line.
You may be wondering, hypocrisy? What is the actual definition? I’ve helped you out a little below.
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
The answer is simple. You have no choice! The major corporations want you to, and if you don’t do it, you won’t get the service you’re looking for.
Stop blaming it on the Mexicans! Blame it on the corporations who are desperately trying to capture every red cent or greenback. They don’t give a damn about the skin color of the person who’s spending the bucks, all they want is the bucks.
It’s hilarious the way songs are created and blogs are written about how a true American shouldn’t have to press 1 for English. You hear the usual crap, like, “learn the language”, or “if you want to live in the U.S., you best learn the language buddy.” (Said with an accent from Alabama.)
These corporations could give a damn how much you hoot and holler about having to press one for English. You might as well get used to it and shut the hell up. Just press one for English and move on, unless you’re bilingual like me then I can press either one.
Hey you facilitated this monster. You’re the Tea Bagger or “Conservative” who wants to continue giving tax cuts to these major corporations who do what any good capitalist would do, capture the market. Right?
So the next time you call that corporation and you are told to press 1 for English, remember, pressing 1 facilitates another market to press 2 which creates more profits for the major corporations which according to you, creates more jobs for people like us.
So grin and bear it Mr. capitalist, conservative, Tea Bagging complainer. It’s capitalism 1-0-1.
Press 1 For English, Press 2 For Capitalism
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
Yep! It sure is! Bravo! A wonderful moment for the Democratic party and for those of us who wish District eight’s congresswoman the best and a continued speedy recovery.
After watching the Tea Party freshman in the house stall the car before a moving train and after much give from our president and very little help from speaker of the house John Boehner, we witnessed an epic moment in the form of a fighter named Gabrielle Giffords who walked into the house chamber today and cast her vote to raise the debt ceiling.
The clock was running down, and the debt ceiling compromise did not yet have enough Ayes to pass. Then, slowly, applause started trickling through the House chamber. The clapping grew over the next half minute, until finally, the person who somehow managed to draw universal admiration from the frayed body came into view.
Representative Gabrielle Giffords made a surprise appearance Monday evening on the floor of the House of Representatives, the first time she has returned to Washington since she was shot earlier this year in Arizona.
With two minutes remaining on the voting clock, Ms. Giffords entered the chamber through a side door. Her arrival prompted a standing ovation that lasted throughout the remainder of the vote on the compromise to raise the debt ceiling. She was among one of the last representatives to cast her ballot, voting yes on the measure as other affirmative votes put the bill over the top.
“Gabby is voting to support the bipartisan debt-ceiling compromise,” said a post on her Facebook page. “This is a huge step in her recovery, and an example of what we all know–she is determined to get better, and to serve CD8 and our nation. This vote–expected to be very close–was simply too important for her to miss.”
Ms. Giffords waved and quickly was surrounded by her Democratic colleagues. Some Republicans crossed the aisle to see her, too, as she rose to wave again.
Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the minority leader, hailed the return of Ms. Giffords, saying: “There isn’t a name that stirs more love, more admiration, more respect, more wishing for our daughters to be like her than the name of Congresswoman Gabby Giffords. Thank you, Gabby.”
The dramatic arrival capped a day of anticipation on Capitol Hill. She was accompanied by her husband, the astronaut Mark E. Kelly. She left the chamber, walking slowly, but under her own power. Her Twitter account, which has featured dispatches from her staff since she was shot in the head at a Tucson political event in January, finally featured a message from its owner:
The #Capitol looks beautiful and I am honored to be at work tonight.Mon Aug 01 23:12:40 via HootSuiteGabrielle Giffords
Rep_Giffords
Representative Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the Democratic whip, said he learned of Ms. Giffords arrival about 30 minutes before she walked onto the House floor. He said that he believed she flew on a government plane to Washington.
“It was very heartening to see her,” Mr. Hoyer said. “She wanted to be with her colleagues as she was at the beginning of the year.”
Ms. Giffords smiled as she moved through a crowded hallway. She did not answer questions, but raised her hand to wave as she walked into a waiting elevator. She wore a teal shirt and thick glasses, her brown hair cropped short — a contrast from the longer hair she wore before the shooting — but her smile was remarkably similar to how she looked before the shooting seven months ago.
Pearce’s hypocrisy was confirmed today when I received a copy of documents filed by Tom Tancredo the ex Colorado congressman and chairman of Team America PAC. Tancredo has entered the “stop the Pearce recall efforts” by forming a committee to oppose the recall. Essentially a money making machine that will fight tooth and nail alongside Pearce to allow his political survival. Know this, Tancredo is a true extremist. He has attended Tea Party rallies in Arizona in the past and has shared the stage with his controversial friend Russell Pearce.
Tancredo’s nativism and extremism is founded in part by his comments that have ranged from claiming the Pope wants to welcome illegal immigrants to boost church membership to claiming that Miami is becoming a third world country. He is an ardent border wall supporter like Pearce and has even gone so far as to display his anger at Mayors in U.S. border cities that didn’t want the border affecting their relationship with Mexico by stating that the border should then be built North of those cities, to keep those cities out of the United States.
In April, during the keynote address at a Tea Party rally in South Carolina, Tancredo told a crowd that we’re “going to have to pray that we can hold on to this country.” And added this about the president: “If his wife says Kenya is his homeland, why don’t we just send him back?”
I’m sure we’ll see many more Tancredo types surface and join up with the gang of xenophobes, nativists, racists and those that call themselves true patriots just trying to do what’s right for Arizona and America.
Can someone hand me my popcorn. This movie plays like something out of the old days. Let’s see, who’s going to play Bull Connor?
Angry Nativist Tom Tancredo
Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com
Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com
