San Antonio UTSA Dream Act Students Update

If passed, the DREAM Act would give some illegal immigrant students the opportunity to “fix” their current immigration status by serving in the U.S. military or acquiring a college degree.  The bill would allow productive young immigrants to contribute to the U.S. and help the economy. Please call Sen. Hutchinson and push her to co-sponsor the Dream Act.  Call office in San Antonio 210-340-2885 (FAX) 210-349-6753 or call her office in Washington, DC 202-224-5922202 (FAX) 224-0776 

Sixteen DREAM Act protesters were arrested at Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s offices tonight after a six-hour sit-in. Apparently, the Washington, D.C. offices of Sen. Hutchison did not want the DREAMers arrested to avoid media attention, but the owner of the San Antonio, Texas building called the police, according to an attorney for several of those arrested, Ricardo Briones.

Read Full Article Here

Warm Up With Cream Of Jalapeno Soup

It's that time of the year when temperatures drop and the body needs a delectable warm up.  Just by the name of the recipe you may think this soup is spicy but in fact you get very little heat and mostly the jalapeno taste. It is really good with some cheese sprinkled on top right before serving. You can add whatever you want as a topping for this soup and it will still taste good. This soup does take some work, but I think it is worth it.

Cream Of Jalapeno Soup

I N G R E D I E N T S


7 jalapeño peppers, stemmed and seeded

2 Tbsp. Butter

1 cup finely diced sweet yellow onion

4 cloves of minced garlic

1/2 cup diced Haas avocado

2 cups diced fresh or roasted tomatoes

8 cups heavy cream

1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped

sea salt and pepper to taste



I N S T R U C T I O N S

Carefully mince jalapeños and chop onions, then slow cook in butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add garlic and stir until onions are translucent. Turn heat off and add avocados, tomatoes, and cream. Turn heat to low and carefully bring to a simmer. Cook at a gentle simmer for 30 minutes. Stir often to keep liquid from scorching. Add generous amounts of salt, cracked black pepper and cilantro.

Use My School Taxes Wisely: Pass The Dream Act

It’s unfortunate that in today’s world we as people can’t sit and discuss immigration issues such as the Dream Act without someone using hateful dialogue such as: “Deport them”, “Tired of paying for illegal’s”, “Tired of illegal’s sucking America’s economy and social services dry”, or “ We already gave them a free education, what more do they want?”

I support the Dream Act Bill for kids who have been here since they were 6 or 7 and some even younger. I also think anyone willing do die for this country deserves a chance. How about all the haters getting their kids from behind their game consoles, playing war games and driving them down to a recruiter.

Why aren’t we seeing this same anger towards the banks, wall street, the chamber of commerce, who are causing far more problems to America than the undocumented? The fact that you haters won't admit to this proves that you care nothing about America and are just being hateful and far from being patriotic.

I know that the masters of hate in the GOP only pretend to care about immigration issues, but will never really tackle the problem since there are huge numbers of big businesses that are making an enormous amount of money from cheap labor.

Look, it comes down to this. These young adults value a good education. They aren’t asking for free tuition, just the opportunity to further themselves in a country they consider their own. I want see something positive come out of all those school taxes we pay and lets face it, what schools are turning out, as far as American student graduates goes, they aren’t exactly the best or the brightest and have little value for education.

These students come here to learn, they pay expensive college tuition, they require very few public services and they are the best of what other countries have to offer. They increase our competitiveness as a country and decrease the competitiveness of others. However you look at it, they are a net positive. - Cihuapilli

Dozens more in Texas to join DREAM Act hunger strike

By Liz Goodwin liz Goodwin


About 40 more students are joining a hunger strike to urge Texas Republican Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to vote for the DREAM Act, one of the student protesters tells The Lookout.

At the University of Texas at San Antonio, about nine students are on their 13th day of a hunger strike to convince Hutchison to vote for the bill, which would allow young immigrants who attend college or join the military to gain legal status.

Starting today, 13 students from the main University of Texas campus at Austin, and about 30 more in UT Dallas, UT Brownsville and UT Pan Am are joining in the strike. A group of students at Texas A&M will do a one-day fast in solidarity but will not continue the hunger strike after that, says Lucy Martinez, a UT San Antonio student leading the protest.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who won his re-election thanks to the overwhelming majority of Latinos who voted for him in Nevada, promised to bring the DREAM Act to a vote on the floor after Thanksgiving.

Martinez, a sophomore at UTSA who was brought into the country illegally when she was 6 years old, tells The Lookout that she is advocating such an extreme protest because nothing else has worked.

"There's 2.1 million of us out there, it's not like just five or 10 people who decide to go on a hunger strike just to do it. Some people tell you to blame your parents for getting you in that situation. But I can't blame my mother, because she brought me here for a better life. You do it for survival. You have to eat, you can't have your kids starving. Naturally they're going to want a better life for you," Martinez said.

Martinez says she has friends who graduated with college and even advanced degrees and ended up working in the United States picking up trash or waiting tables because they could not apply to professional jobs as illegal immigrants. In Texas and in nine other states, residents can attend college at in-state tuition rates regardless of their immigration status. Undocumented students are graduating with college degrees that are in part subsidized by taxpayers,--,and are then often unable to enter the job market.

"A lot of us will be pushed into the economy of waitressing and cleaning hotels or dish-washing," she said.

Martinez, a Mexican-American studies and women's studies major, says America is her home and she wants to be able to work here.

The people who would qualify for a path to citizenship under the DREAM Act "were brought here when they were young. They didn't even know that they were coming here illegally, and now they have gone to school and done all this studying and all-nighters for finals because they know they can contribute to society as well as everyone else," says Zuriel Morales, a UTSA senior who stopped his hunger strike due to a family emergency.

The bill, which has been floating around Congress for 10 years, would allow youths who were brought to the country as children to qualify for legal residency if they join the armed forces or attend college. Opponents of the bill argue that it is amnesty for illegal immigrants and will encourage more illegal immigration. You can read our guide to the DREAM Act's provisions here.

Courtney Sanders, a spokeswoman for Hutchison's office, says the lawmaker still opposes the measure. "The Senator appreciates their passion but strongly believes that they should pursue safer and more constructive methods of promoting their cause," Sanders said in a statement. Hutchison says she fears the bill would help legalize more than "the intended group of children who grew up in the U.S. and attended primary and secondary schools here."

Hutchison supported an earlier version of the bill, which is why the students hope she may yet support this one.

North Korea Initiates Artillery Exchange With South Korea

Just when we think nothing more could possibly go wrong in the world, America wakes up to the news of North Korea bombing a small island in South Korea.  I can't help but think of all our US troops in South Korea on high alert. They are locked and loaded awaiting a reaction or orders.  Please Lord, no more. 
This conflict has been brewing for some time now. Kim Jong Il has the weapons and he's itching to use them and it's also in the face of the US which now has to decide what to do and how to respond. Hopefully this doesn't land as a full scale nuclear attack and we're dealing with fallout from South Korea all along the Asian region. With an all ready crippled economy this is only going to shake it up even further.


These mindless chess matches have been around for years and only the players are different. The waiting game starts and threats are made and as of right now the military there in South Korea has no where to go. Retaliation need not be made and but readiness must be plain. This must be a reactive defense as so not to aggravate the situation or give provocation to the enemy waiting for an excuse. Pray people. - Cihuapilli




North Korean dictator-in-waiting linked to deadly artillery attack John Garnaut HERALD CORRESPONDENT


November 24, 2010

NORTH KOREA has burnished the leadership credentials of its 26-year-old dictator-in-waiting with a deadly artillery attack on South Korean territory, causing its neighbour to return fire and scramble F-16 fighters.

Two South Korean marines died, and at least 12 were wounded. There were reports of civilian injuries and houses were set ablaze as scores of shells fell on Yeonpyeong island.

A North Korea expert at Beijing's Central Party School, Zhang Liangui, told the Herald that Kim Jong-un was deliberately destabilising the environment in order to mobilise the military and consolidate his power.

The South Korean President, Lee Myung-bak, held an emergency meeting and told officials to ''respond sternly'' but to avoid aggravating the situation. The military were placed on high alert.

North Korea accused South Korea of firing first. ''The South Korean enemy, despite our repeated warnings, committed reckless military provocations of firing artillery shells into our maritime territory near Yeonpyeong island,'' the military supreme command said.

The north's military ''will continue to make merciless military attacks with no hesitation if the South Korean enemy dares to invade our sea territory by 0.001 mm'', it said in the statement carried by the official news agency. ''It is our military's traditional response to quell provocative actions with a merciless thunderbolt.''

There have been previous skirmishes along the border - including the deaths of 46 South Korean sailors when the corvette Cheonan was torpedoed on March 26 - but the stakes are getting higher.

The exchange follows the revelation last week of a hitherto unknown North Korean uranium enrichment plant to a visiting US scientist. Siegfried Hecker, who previously directed the Los Alamos National Laboratory, told The New York Times he had been ''stunned'' by the plant's sophistication. North Korea said it was operating 2000 centrifuges.

If verified, this would take Pyongyang towards creating a far more powerful arsenal than the estimated eight to 12 plutonium-based warheads that have been built over the past five years.

The US special representative for North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, arrived in Beijing last night to brief officials on North Korea's new enrichment facilities.

Chinese North Korea specialists believe the brinkmanship is designed to mobilize the country around the anointed successor of Kim Jong-il, his son Kim Jong-un.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman expressed ''concern'' at yesterday's attack and warned against further escalation. He said it was ''imperative'' that six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions be resumed.

A French diplomatic source said the United Nations Security Council would hold an emergency session.

The White House said it was ''firmly committed to the defence'' of its ally, Seoul.

The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, was briefed on the situation last night. She condemned the attack and said Australia was consulting closely with South Korea, Japan and the US.

Professor Zhang said the latest incident was unlikely to escalate because the North was mainly ''venting anger''.

Beyond the succession, he said the North wanted concessions from the South and to be acknowledged internationally as a nuclear state.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/north-korean-dictatorinwaiting-linked-to-deadly-artillery-attack-20101123-185p1.html

Pass The Dream Act

A group of University of Texas San Antonio students on a hunger strike are in our nation's capital trying to convince lawmakers to pass the Dream Act.  If it passes, the Dream Act would put undocumented students on a path to citizenship. The striking students are now on their 12th day.  70% of Americans, including me, believe in the Dream Act.

UTSA students walk, fast, and talk civil disobedience with DREAM Act in sight

By Joshua A. Hughes
Before leaving for a 14-mile walk from UTSA’s 1604 campus to San Fernando Cathedral Saturday morning, a group of UTSA students and their supporters circled together less than 10 feet away from a statue depicting a family crossing the Rio Grande. The group walked to raise awareness and support for the DREAM Act, a bill proposed in the U.S. Senate that would allow a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who are pursuing higher education or military service. (Full Article)

Aiyana Mo'nay Stanley-Jones Shot By Police, And Everyone Says Her Environment Is To Blame.

Everybody wants their stupid 15 minutes.  The loss of a daughter in this sort of incident is an unspeakable tragedy. 

The police had the suspect under surveilance earlier, why didn't they take him then? Did Detroit Police have a Operational Plan?  Were the police just 'mugging' for the camera? I'm curious to see what the State Police investigation turns up.

What Killed Aiyana Stanley-Jones?

IT WAS JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT on the morning of May 16 and the neighbors say the streetlights were out on Lillibridge Street. It is like that all over Detroit, where whole blocks regularly go dark with no warning or any apparent pattern. Inside the lower unit of a duplex halfway down the gloomy street, Charles Jones, 25, was pacing, unable to sleep.

Aiyana Mo'nay Stanley-Jones, slept on the couch as her grandmother watched television. Outside, Television was watching them. A half-dozen masked officers of the Special Response Team—Detroit's version of SWAT—were at the door, guns drawn. In tow was an A&E crew filming an episode of The First 48, its true-crime program. The conceit of the show is that homicide detectives have 48 hours to crack a murder case before the trail goes cold. Thirty-four hours earlier, Je'Rean Blake Nobles, 17, had been shot outside a liquor store on nearby Mack Avenue; an informant had ID'd a man named Chauncey Owens as the shooter and provided this address. (Full Article)

Thanksgiving Safety With Your Pet

Please take care of your furbabies this holiday season. Read this article which was published on the website of a dog & cat food maker & pass it along to your family & friends.

The holiday season is upon us. Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to come together and give thanks for what we have. Today pets are a significant part of our families and are included in the celebration. If you are like us, the Thanksgiving feast is one that you look forward to all year long. While we may be able to throw caution to the wind once a year, we must be careful of what our pets receive on that day. Both dogs and cats are not used to some of the indulgences of the day and can have serious problems.

Here are 10 things to consider to keep your pet healthy and happy on Thanksgiving.



1.Many of the traditional foods contain large amounts of fat which should be avoided. Gravy, turkey skin, the drippings from the turkey pan and other foods should be avoided. Excess fat can create problems with the pancreas and further aggravate an already overweight animal.

2.Pancreatitis is a very painful condition most commonly brought on by an excessively large meal or a meal with increased amounts of fat (there are other causes, but during the holiday season this is the most common cause). It stimulates the pancreas to produce large amounts of the enzymes needed to digest the nutrients. If there are increased amounts in the pancreas, sometimes these enzymes can’t get out of the pancreas fast enough and begin to actually break down the wall of the ducts and leak into the abdomen. This can cause vomiting diarrhea, restlessness, weakness, discomfort and can even be life threatening.

3.Bones should be avoided at all cost, especially the bones of birds as they are hollow and can break into very sharp pieces which will wreak havoc with the digestive tract.

4.Chocolate, especially dark chocolate should be avoided as there is a toxin, theobromine in all chocolate.

5.When it comes to our beloved family pets, the key word is moderation. Be careful that everyone is not slipping the pets a few tidbits from the table. Set the rules early on for who feeds the pets and when.

6.Watch out for dropped food, especially by our younger family members.

7.Make sure all garbage is secure and not left to tempt a pet when we aren’t looking. Cats and even some dogs can easily get on counter tops when we are enjoying our meal in another room.

8.Pets are also attracted to aluminum foil, wax paper and plastic wrap that has been used to cover foods. These items can cause digestive issues and even obstruction.

9.Some pets become nervous with all the excitement and may need a quiet refuge away from all the noise and excitement.

10.If you have a large family and there will be lots of doors to the outside opened and closed, be careful that there are no escapes into the wild that could ruin the day.

Thanksgiving is a great day full of great food and companionship. Make it the same for the pets in your family by planning ahead.

Latinos Will See To It That TN Rep. Curry Todd Regrets Rat Comment.

Like it or not, these children ARE U. S. citizens if they are born here. If one of these kids fell and broke an arm, would you deny treatment because his or her parents are illegal?



I come from a family of lifelong Republicans, but lately it seems like more and more bigoted, nut jobs are identifying with this party. Please, Curry Todd, resign and disavow your Republican ties. You're an embarrassment to yourself, to your constituents and to the Republican Party.

Tenn. Lawmaker Todd 'Truly Sorry' for Rats Comment
2010-11-16 12:05:14




NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A state lawmaker who likened pregnant illegal immigrants to multiplying rats is apologizing for his statement.

Republican Rep. Curry Todd of Collierville said in a statement published on the editorial page of The Tennessean newspaper on Tuesday that he is "truly sorry" for what he said.

Todd remarked in a committee meeting last week that illegal immigrants can "go out there like rats and multiply" after hearing that federal law requires the state to extend prenatal care to women regardless of their citizenship status because all children born in the U.S. are citizens.

Todd initially acknowledged that he was wrong to use those words, but as recently as Thursday said he was "not apologizing to anyone who may have been offended."

He has been criticized by immigrants' rights groups, newspaper editorials and Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen.

A Mothers Cry For Help

My daughter, Devon, has gone missing from our home on Bradley in Atascosa, TX, as of last Thursday 11/4 at about 9:50p.m. CST. She is 17 years old, 5’2” and 95 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. She may have a cream colored “Hollister” hoodie with her. If you see her please call, send a message, call the Heidi Search Center (1-800-547-4435) or go to their website http://www.heidisearchcenter.com/ or call the Bexar County Sheirff (210-335-6000). If you could forward this to your contacts/friends, we would be so appreciative. We love her so much and miss her terribly! -Cimber Mabe

Texas Chooses Non-Compliance With New EPA Rule

If Texas continues to choose non-compliance with the new rule, then the EPA needs to take harsh measures to ensure that the new rules are being followed up to cutting federal funding. Perry and Abbott seem to think that by non-compliance that they are defying President Obama. Well, they have another coming. President Obama is smarter than 20 of them, especially in Constitution law and if using Texas as an example, so be it!  I am sick of these back wooded tactics by these individuals because they don't speak for this Texan. I did not vote for them! - Cihuapilli

EPA releases new guidelines to reduce greenhouse gases; Texas not participating
State fighting feds on greenhouse gases, traditional air pollution

By Patrick Brendel
11.10.10

The Environmental Protection Agency released the first-ever guidelines for states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industrial sources, primarily through energy efficiency measures. The permitting process in Texas will not be affected, however, by new federal requirements in January for industry to institute Best Available Control Technologies, or BACT.

The Associated Press reports (via the Austin American-Statesman): “And while most states have signed on with EPA’s greenhouse gas reduction goals, Texas, which is the leading greenhouse gas producer in the nation, has refused to meet the new federal guidelines.”

Reporter Andrew Restuccia from our sister publication The Washington Independent writes, “Industry has been critical of the upcoming BACT requirements, arguing that they will impose prohibitive costs on building new facilities. On a conference call with reporters today, [the EPA's Gina] McCarthy said the requirements “will not significantly add to the burden or the timeline or the cost.”

Restuccia also reported oil-and-gas trade group American Petroleum Institute responded that the EPA guidelines are coming out too close to the implementation of the new rules in January. API official Howard Feldman said the “EPA is railroading job killing regulations onto states, localities and America’s businesses…”

As Texas Independent contributor Molly Davis previously reported, Texas is among a handful of states and industry groups challenging the EPA’s new “tailoring” rule in a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. In addition to the state’s fight against new greenhouse gas rules, Texas is also fighting the federal government over the state’s rewarding of “flexible permits” for industrial sources of traditional air pollution.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality spokesperson Terry Clawson told AP, “We are reviewing this new EPA guidance. However, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality will not be modifying its permit processes to include greenhouse gas emissions.”


http://www.americanindependent.com/156022/epa-releases-new-guidelines-to-reduce-greenhouse-gases-texas-not-participating

So You Voted Republican

People put you in power because you denigrated Obama for not producing 4 million jobs in two years. If the republicans produce even 2 million in two years, I will become republican. But if not... Obama stays.

My bet is on President Barack Obama!



GOP: There'll be no compromise on tax cuts
Renee Schoof
McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Republicans leader in both the House and the Senate said Sunday there would be no compromise with Democrats on whether to extend Bush-era tax cuts for the nation's wealthiest taxpayers.

President Barack Obama has said he wants to extend the tax cuts for taxpayers with a combined annual income of less than $250,000, but that the cuts shouldbe eliminated for people making more than that. He's suggested there might be room for compromise in discussions with Republicans on other tax issues.

But both Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., who's expected to become the majority leader in the House when the new Congress is sworn in next year, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Sunday news programs that they'd insist on an extension of the tax cuts for wealthy. McConnell said that higher taxes on upper income earners would harm small businesses.

"We can't negotiate it this morning but our view is don't raise taxes on small business," McConnell said on CBS "Face the Nation."

Cantor said Republicans plan to make spending cuts a priority when they take control of the House in January.

"We're going to embark on a regular diet of spending cut bills being brought to the floor weekly," he said.

Cantor said Republicans could achieve their goal of 22 percent spending cuts and rejected Democrats objections that spending that deep would cut such things as preschool education for poor children, research at the National Institutes for Health and a dismissal of 2,700 FBI agents.

"We're going to have to make some tough decisions," he said, dismissing the Democrats' list of possible cuts as a "tactic."

Both leaders said they expected to be able to work well with new members of Congress who were elected with tea party support. Many analysts believe the tea party followers will clash with establishment GOP leaders.

McConnell, however, said that although he didn't support Rand Paul in the Republican primary in Kentucky, he expected to work with him and that Paul would have an opportunity to offer his ideas.

"I think he's an exciting new member," McConnell said.

Cantor said that the tea party movement helped Republicans pick up about 60 seats in the House. About one-third of all House Republicans will be tea party supporters.

But Cantor said he would not support tea party favorite Michelle Bachman, R-Minn., for the party's No. 4 leadership position. Instead, he said he would back Jeb Heanserling, R-Texas.

While he described both as conservatives, he said he supported Henserling because he had a history of working closely with him.

http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/11/07/v-print/1914131/gop-therell-be-no-compromise-on.html#ixzz14dp3xevt

A Delish Mexican Manicotti Recipe

I've been a pasta lover since the time I went on solid foods as a baby.  While searching for something new to try, I saw this recipe on a website and tweaked it to make it my own. It is a bit labor intensive, but for special occasions, it is perfect. You can make this ahead of time and keep it refrigerated until ready to bake. You can easily to change up the ingredients to your liking as I did.  Chow down baby! 

Mexican Manicotti

(Prepare the night before baking)

1 pound lean ground beef

1 can (16 ounces) refried beans

2-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 package (8 ounces) manicotti shells

2-1/2 cups water

1 jar (16 ounces) picante sauce

2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican-blend cheese

1/4 cup sliced green onions

Sliced ripe olives, optional

In a bowl, combine the uncooked beef, beans, chili powder and oregano. Spoon into uncooked manicotti shells; arrange in a greased 13-in.x9-in.x2in. baking dish. Combine water and picante saucel pour over shells. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Uncover; spoon sour cream over the top. Sprinkle with the cheese, onions and olives if desired. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Makes 8 servings.

GOP On A Roll With Lies Instead Of Solutions

This is exactly why I don’t watch “Faux News”  Since the election the GOP have brought out their true colors.  Hitting the President with everything but the kitchen sink and solutions to this countrys problems as promised.   

I don’t remember Republicans throwing a fit when Bush flew to Saudi Arabia, China, Afghanistan, not to mention the 77 trips to Crawford Texas for a total cost of $17,407,544.00. Now these are real numbers from the GAO. Also, a little fact check, Bush visited over 70, (that's right) 70 countries during his two terms, and you know what? I don't have a problem with that. That's what we want our President to do.

No one worth reading even bothered to mention that Obama's drumming up tech jobs that will actually move from India to the US to benefit American workers. The Republicans and their followers must get their facts straight because their assumptions and lies are getting old. And by the way, to the GOP, choose your battles wisely, otherwise you just look plain silly and stupid.

Glenn Beck: Obama's Unnecessary Trip to India

GLENN BECK, HOST: I saw a story today where something is very, very wrong. And I don't know what it is yet, and the media is completely missing the real story. I can't tell you what the real story is yet, but there are too many unanswered questions.

The president's upcoming trip to India, and other points from there. Report came out that has made rounds on the Internet about the high cost of this trip. Some people say that it is up to $2 billion for 10 days. Is that true? I don't know! (full transcript)

Republicans Show No Appetite For Bipartisan Cooperation.

Surprise-Surprise! The Republicans in the house are already organizing to prevent passage of any increase in the debt ceiling, even if it means shutting down the government. The Republicans had already said as much before the election and Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell left no doubt saying their goal was Obama's defeat in 2012.


What some people fail to see is that the terrible truth is that top republicans aren't misguided or stupid. They know their policies don't work for small people and local businesses. They know that the only positive results are for billionaires and investors. They know how to spin it and spin it to keep claiming that there will be greater benefits for the rest of us later (trickle down theory) or that the failure of benefits for the rest of us to manifest is somehow the fault of anyone who disagreed with their plan in the first place.


Republicans will lame duck for 2 years, slashing away at peoples few benefits, gutting whatever programs they can, then point at Obama and claim that we're all worse off than before because we don't have a Republican president.


Sometimes, the selfishness of my follow human beings absolutely stuns me.



Obama: US can't afford two years of gridlock


By Matt Spetalnick


WASHINGTON, Nov 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama, still smarting from his Democrats' big losses in congressional elections, said on Friday the United States cannot afford to get mired in legislative gridlock for the next two years while countries like China forge ahead.

Three days after voters punished Obama's party for the weak economy, he called for "putting politics aside" as he struck a conciliatory tone with victorious Republicans, saying he was open to hearing their ideas for tackling stubbornly high unemployment.

Obama now faces a threat by Republican leaders to try to roll back his signature policies, including a healthcare overhaul and Wall Street reform, and to block his agenda for the rest of his term.

"We can't spend the next two years mired in gridlock. Other countries like China aren't standing still so we can't stand still either. We've got to move forward," Obama told reporters before departing on a 10-day Asia tour.

Voters unhappy with the sluggish economy delivered a stinging rebuke to Obama and his Democrats in Tuesday's congressional elections, handing Republicans control of the House of Representatives and trimming the Democratic majority in the Senate.

Obama spoke after the government reported a bigger-than-expected increase in employment in October but not enough to budge the 9.6 percent jobless rate.

He called the latest unemployment figures "encouraging news" but said there was still much more work to be done to boost jobs, and he urged Republicans to work with him. But he gave no sign of ceding ground on any specific issues.

"I am open to any idea, any proposal, any way we can get the economy growing faster so that people who need work can find it faster," Obama said.

OBAMA PUSHES PROPOSALS

Obama pushed for progress on several of his proposals that have faced resistance from Republicans, including tax breaks to encourage businesses to purchase new equipment and to invest in research and development and extending unemployment benefits.

He also repeated his call for making permanent the middle-class tax cuts. The White House signaled on Thursday it was willing to negotiate with Republicans on extending expiring Bush-era tax cuts but Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell took a hard line against compromises with Obama.

Obama has invited top leaders from both parties to a meeting and a dinner at the White House on Nov. 18.

Turning to his Asia trip, Obama said: "I'm looking very much forward to helping to pry some markets open, help American businesses, and put people back to work here at home during the course of this trip."

He has set a goal of doubling U.S. exports in the next five years.

"This is a reminder as well that the most important competition that we face ... will not be Democrats and Republicans," he said, citing foreign competition.

"Our future depends on putting politics aside to solve problems, to worry about the next generation instead of the next election." (Additional reporting by Caren Bohan and Ross Colvin; Editing by Vicki Allen and Bill Trott)

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0518214820101105

Latino Votes Were Key To Winning Mid Term Elections

Now that I've had more than 24 hrs to mourn the loss of Democratic seats in our nations capital, now I'm ready to rant and rave for at least two years.

My people, my people (still shaking her head in wonderment).  The Latino vote was crucial and obviously, you know, when you look at some of the stuff that’s been going on during this election campaign, a lot of Latinos felt as though they were under assault. Sure, there was a rise in some states when bringing out the Latino vote, but it wasn’t enough. Millions cried out against the insults and racism that came with the discussion of immigration policies across this nation. I have to ask, where the hell were you during early voting and November 2nd 2010? Refusing to get out and vote, (and you will soon find out now that Congress is controlled by the GOP) is a huge step in the wrong direction. The Latino sleeping giant has is alive and well in states such as California and Nevada and it’s time for the rest of the nation to catch up.

What We Must Learn From the Most Racist Election in Decades

If the election of 2008 was a referendum on race, the midterms are feeling like a recount. The dominant political discourse of 2008 centered on an improbable question: Could a black man overcome decades’ worth of conservative fear mongering about scary, criminal, lazy black people and win a majority of voters? Today, things have changed. Now, the question is whether invoking scary, criminal, lazy Latinos and Muslims can incite enough conservative voters to reverse the Democrats’ 2008 gains.
(Read More)



http://newamericamedia.org/2010/11/what-we-must-learn-from-the-most-racist-election-in-decades.php

Love Him Enough To Hurt Him And Enough To Let Go

There are times when people are forced to do something that will hurt someone they care for, and for their own welfare. It’s done as a last resort and with loving intentions.

For example, some parents push their children out of the nest so they can begin to find a life of their own and be responsible for themselves. The parents love their children and wish they could keep them under their wings forever, however they know that would only interfere with the process of growing up and becoming a successful part of the world and future awaiting them.

One will turn to the last resort especially when one finds it difficult and impossible to let go as it is for her.

I’m talking about a young man who’s yet to experience the real world, a young man she took into her heart 8 years ago. They’ve had their ups and downs and during this last down period, she was sure there would be no mending of ways. She was wrong.  She should have just not answered the phone and let time take care of it all. She didn’t.  She allowed her feelings over ride what she knew was right in her heart. She was weak, selfish and didn’t care of the consequences.

I'm talking of a young man who’s really never been in love before, who traveled many miles to meet and be with his first love. A young man, who was torn between making the decision of leaving his family, his livelihood in order to move across country to be with her and starting a new life together.  He allowed fear to decide.

She realizes, despite her love for him, that she could not ask more of him than what she already had. Although he continues to believe and make her believe that they would be together soon, tensions rise, promises are broken and damages, well, that could not be undone. Deep inside, she knows making such drastic changes is taking a huge chance and she knows  it’s not what he really wants but will do because he loves her.

Perhaps it’s time for her to love him enough to put his dilemma to an end. It’s time to love him enough to let him go so he can experience life in a timely manner, the way it should be. To love him enough so that he can cross bridges, she’s already crossed. She comes to terms that the only way he would never return would be to do something that would cause permanent damage and cause permanent absence. I’m sure she’ll end up being the bad girl, but hopefully one day he’ll come to understand and if not, well, that’s how it goes right?

The plan is in play. There’s no turning back now. Wish me luck?