As much as I love to write about Orange County, and my city, Santa Ana, there are times when I would like to weigh in on the national scene. On that note, I have decided to launch a new column, D.C. Juice, where I will discuss national news, from the presidential trail to our U.S. legislature, from my independent perspective. In today’s column we will take a look at the emerging immigration debate and an update on various presidential candidates, from John McCain to Hillary Clinton.
The Los Angeles Times has a fantastic politics page that I try to read daily. Today’s edition includes a revealing look at the immigration debate. We find therein that the GOP has a bit of an internal rift. Some Reeps, like presidential candidate and U.S. Senator John McCain, feel that “a welcoming immigration policy would boost the GOP in important swing states.”
McCain’s Republican critics are not amused by his position on immigration. Take a look at the graphic on the left – one critical website is referring to McCain as “The DNC’s Inside Man.” The same website also alleged that, “While John McCain is a registered Republican, he can’t seem to make up his mind as he often supports the Democratic point of view.”
McCain’s view is shared by at least one of his peers in the Senate, Mel Martinez (R-Florida). Martinez says that, “Hispanics make up about 13% of our country and by 2020 will be closer to 20%. It is a demographic trend that one cannot overlook.” Trust me Mel, the Democratic Party isn’t overlooking this.
The Mcain/Martinez view has its detractors. “Some argue that new citizens may be more likely to vote Democratic, so strategically it makes little sense to increase their numbers. [Rush] Limbaugh, with an estimated 13 million listeners each week, described the Senate legislation as Democrats “getting a brand new electorate, reshaping it and being able to win election after election after election.””
GOP presidential candidates Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney both slammed the immigration measure that is being debated in the U.S. Senate. Romney in particular appears to be reaching out to the Minutemen with these comments, “Romney called it an “incredible gift” to illegal immigrants and described it as a form of amnesty.”
I also found a site that explains McCain’s views in more detail. Amongst the issues that it purports McCain supports are:
- Making it possible for immigrants to do the jobs that Americans don’t want to do.
- Give everyone in the world a chance to come to America
- No more ballot initiatives against immigrants
- More help for legal immigrants when immigrating and once here
- Support for guest worker programs
The Minutemen and their allies are quite peeved at McCain (see picture above). I predict that they will go with Romney, even with their misgivings about his flip-flops and religious views. Romney has already secured many well-known GOP right wing nuts in California, for his campaign. If he wins the primary, all of that will backfire against him in the general election.
A look at John Edwards
The Times reports that, “For more than two years, Edwards has been methodically building his campaign around an issue long shunned by leading Democratic candidates: the plight of the poor and working class. He has backed up his public appearances with unusually detailed proposals to provide universal healthcare, raise taxes on the rich and eliminate poverty over the next 30 years.”
The Times article also states that “In adopting poverty and low-wage work as his themes, Edwards has struck a far more combative, populist tone than in his 2004 presidential campaign.” The Times goes on to say that his stance “has even boosted him to a lead in polls in the key early-voting state of Iowa.”
I don’t think so! IMHO, the Iowa Democrats don’t want to vote for a woman, Hillary Clinton, or an African American, Senator Barack Obama. Edwards is their default choice. But if Al Gore were to jump into the presidential race, he would no doubt be the top choice in Iowa.
While Edwards’ statements is popular with the Democratic Party base, it is so hypocritical that it is almost funny. Don’t take my word for it, here is what the Times article has to say about it, “Wealthy from his career as a lawyer, Edwards has been pummeled by reports that he spent $400 for haircuts, built himself a 28,000-square-foot mansion on a 100-acre estate, and did consulting work for a hedge fund that trafficked in offshore investing of the sort he had criticized.”
Pass the barf bag!
The Times article also provides the final nails in Edwards’ coffin, “The cost of Edwards’ campaign promises is a tidy sum
Art.
It’s Memorial Day. Don’t play head games with Hillary today. Bad enough she is dealing with Obama and now you interject Al (Internet inventor) Gore into the mix.
Have a heart. No, not Gary.
Is Ross Perot in your sights? What about Mr. Bloomberg, mayor from NYC who can toss a billion into the high roller game called being a candidate for President.
Art. As you have created this national coverage, who is your third party candidate anyway?
Best regards,
Larry G
Larry,
My favorite candidate is Democrat Bill Richardson, the Governor of New Mexico.
Of the Reeps, I am warming up to Fred Thompson. Rudy Giuliani is intriguing, but his positions on civil rights are dismaying.
I like McCain on immigration, but his ship has sailed.
Bloomberg would be interesting, were he to run. But most likely he would just hurt the Reeps and hand the White House to the Democrats.
Have a great Memorial Day! God bless all our veterans and all those who are serving now, or who have given their all in our defense.
“As much as I love to write about Orange County, and my city, Santa Ana, there are times when I would like to weigh in on the national scene.”
Art, stick to Santa Ana!
You are a Mexican who has no clue about the Americanism and Federalism.
If you think that I am wrong Art — read the US constitution and if you believe that you are behaving within the realm of it you may continue.
Poster 3 (Stanley),
Unlike you, I was born here in the U.S., as was my grandfather, who was a Tejano. My parents came from Mexico, and my mother has since become an American.
There was by the way a government in California before the U.S. government ever existed. In fact the Mexican Governor of California donated livestock and money to General George Washington.
“Two days after forcing a private Venezuelan television station off the air, President Hugo Chavez has threatened to crack down on another non-governmental TV broadcaster.”
Q: What is difference between Hugo Chavez and Art Pedroza?
A: None! They are both Latinos, Socialists and oppose free speech.
Poster 5 (Stanley Fiala),
Oh Stanley, you are so clever. That must be why so many people read your blog. Oh wait, no one does. So sorry!
Listen Stanley, it is so funny that you insist on calling me a socialist, even though you do not respect my right to publish a blog sans your imbecilic four letter words.
If only my readers knew how many of your filthy posts we have to delete every day. Are you incapable of writing a civil post with your name on it? Why do you feel that my readers want to see you writing the “F” word over and over again?
It’s like you are stuck in 3 year old mode. Stanley you are older than I am! Have you never matured at all?
It is such high comedy that you hate Latinos and yet you are married to a Latina and you live in a city where you are the minority! Give it up Stanley! Just take a page from your Bohemian ancestors and surrender already.
There is a difference between free speech and incoherent angry profane rambling. If people wanted to read the latter they would be reading your website. But nobody does. That isn’t my fault Stanley. Your filthy fake pathetic attempts at satire just aren’t very interesting.
You could still make a difference Stanley. However, modern science has yet to figure out how to extricate your cerebrum from your nether regions. Perhaps you ought to put your body into a cryogenic chamber and wait a hundred years so some doctor in the future can thaw you out and finally put things right…