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For months, Republican obstruction has slowed work on immigration reform in the Senate. And now we know why. Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl have been working on a bill that ignores real immigration reform so they can continue to use immigrants as a political punching bag. The Senators from Arizona have concocted a bill that does nothing to fix our broken immigration system. Their “border-only” bill focuses merely on enforcement and security – it doesn’t help our families, our communities, or our economy. It’s what you’d expect from senators who agree with their state’s decision to legalize racial profiling.
Click here to sign your name and send a fax The border-only bill does nothing to move the debate forward. All it does is provide political cover for people trying to stop real comprehensive immigration reform. We need a real debate on the floor of the Senate, not partisan posturing. Send a message to your Senator: we need debate, not false solutions. Thank you, p.s. We need to get 5,000 faxes to Senators today to show them how strong the opposition to this bill is – click here to send your fax, then forward this email to a friend!
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Tag Archives: king of pop
ThinkProgress.org
IMMIGRATION — TEXAS TEACHER SINGLES OUT LATINO STUDENT DURING SB-1070 DISCUSSION, SAYS MEXICANS ‘EXPECT HANDOUTS’: A high school English teacher in San Antonio, TX has been “removed from the classroom” after she reportedly singled out a Latino student wearing a Mexican soccer jersey and publicly insulted him with racist remarks. According to the student, Augustine Ortiz, what began as a discussion about Arizona’s new immigration law (SB-1070) escalated to an anti-Latino, racist attack. Ortiz said the teacher — whose name is being withheld pending an investigation — told him to sit in the front row, “proceeded to single him out repeatedly,” and made racist remarks about how Mexicans always “expect handouts.” The teacher also told the class that “soon it’s going to be the United States of Mexico,” according to Ortiz, and said Mexicans are “the racist ones.” The San Antonio Express-News reports that two students defended the teacher, saying Ortiz “was late to class and missed crucial aspects of her lecture.” They didn’t dispute the bulk of Ortiz’s account. However, another student in the class that day, Reina Mondragon, corroborated Ortiz’s story.” Mondragon said the teacher also “questioned why documents in the United States frequently are translated into Spanish and whether Mexicans should be allowed to own land in this country.” She said the teacher’s lecture “felt more like an attack, and like she was judging people from Mexico,” than a balanced discussion. According to Ortiz, when he went to complain about the incident, the vice principal “brushed him off.” However, once the school’s principal learned of the episode, administrators removed the teacher and launched an investigation. Ortiz also noted that the English teacher had been his favorite instructor. “She actually said we need to stand up for what we believe in,” he said. “And now I’m standing up for what I believe in.” About 93 percent of the students at the school are Hispanic.
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Republicans Block Democrats’ Efforts To Hold BP Accountable — GOP Leaving Taxpayers On The Hook For Bailing Out BP May 18, 2010
Today, Democrats took to the floor to explain the urgent need to pass this legislation to hold BP accountable and protect the American taxpayer, but Republicans blocked us for a second time in less than a week. Excerpts of Democrats’ remarks today are below.
By blocking Democrats’ 2nd attempt to pass the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act – which would ensure BP pays for the full cost of its disastrous negligence by raising the outdated liability cap from $75 million to $10 billion – Republicans are leaving American taxpayers on the hook for bailing out BP.
Nevada Senator Harry Reid: “The fundamental principle behind the Wall Street bill we’ll finish this week is accountability. Those who created the mess bear the responsibility for cleaning it up. One of its most important provisions promises taxpayers they will never again be asked to bail out a big corporation that acted recklessly and put our economy at risk. When it comes to the ongoing catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico, our motivation is no different… We have to put our foot down and make clear that taxpayers will not pick up the tab. I will do everything in my power to make sure the polluters pay the price.”
New Jersey Senator Robert Menendez: “After all, BP’s profits amounted to $5.6 billion for the first three months of this year. Profits, not proceeds. Profits. That breaks down to $94 million in profits each and every day. That means their current damages liability under the law of $75 million is less than one day’s profits. Less than one day’s profits… But they want taxpayers to bail them out when they spill. It’s fundamentally wrong. Our bill is as simple as it gets. It says no bailout for BP. It says BP pays for its own mess, not the nation’s taxpayers. It says you either want to fully protect the small businesses and communities devastated by the spill or you want to protect multibillion dollar oil companies from being held fully accountable.”
Florida Senator Bill Nelson: “We are looking at a gargantuan economic and environmental disaster facing this nation but particularly those states on the gulf coast and the Atlantic seaboard… The places like the sugary white beaches of northwest Florida, where I will be this Friday, where already the cancellations are coming right and left as their tourist season starts, and hotels that would normally have 85% occupancy are less than 20% occupancy. You see the economic consequences from this… For the life of me, I can’t understand someone objecting as they are going to do in raising an artificial limit of $75 million, up to at least $10 billion, and it’s probably going to exceed $10 billion. But the argument you’re going to hear is they are going to say oh, it shouldn’t be this, it ought to be tied to profit. Now, is it really responsible public policy to say that because of a company makes less money that it should be responsible for less damage? No.”
New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg: “And we’re going to see here today, as we saw the other day, a response from the other side, and I hope that they have the courage, the guts to stand up here and say where were the ordinary American taxpayers, or maybe we like the other guys better, maybe we like big oil better. Will the United States Senate stand with fishing industries and hard-working men and women who make a living providing sustenance to our nation, or will it continue its stand with big oil?… Our colleagues, they stayed true to the oil companies, they stood up and they wanted to make sure that they blocked any attempt to pass a bill that would raise the liability. So here we are back today again to urge our colleagues to stand up for the American taxpayers who are sick and tired of bailouts.”
Washington Senator Patty Murray: “Now, Mr. President, the questions are: who should be responsible for this cleanup? Who should bear the burden for big oil’s mistakes? Should it be the taxpayers, families and small business owners who are already being asked to bear so much today? Or should it be BP, the company that is responsible for this spill and that made $6.1 billion in profits in the first three months of this year alone? Mr. President, I cosponsored the prevention act because, to me the answer’s pretty clear. I believe that BP needs to be held accountable for the environmental and economic damage of this spill, and I’m going to continue to fight to make sure that our taxpayers do not end up using a single dime to pay for the mess this big oil company created. To me, this is an issue of fundamental fairness. If an oil company causes a spill, they should be the one to pay to clean it up, not the taxpayers.”
Maryland Senator Ben Cardin: “As Senator Murray has said and Senator Menendez has said and Senator Nelson has said, it’s basically whose side you’re on. Who should pay for this disaster? Should it be the taxpayers of this country? Should it be the small business owners whose livelihood is now in jeopardy? Should it be the property owners who are going to suffer damage? No. It should be BP oil and its affiliates. That’s what the Menendez bill does. It places responsibility on the appropriate party. BP should pay.”
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar: “I recently saw firsthand the miles and miles of oil slick in the gulf coast. The scope of the disaster is staggering. This should not threaten the entire coast of our country. But beyond that, potentially, if they close the port of New Orleans, you think of the effect on Minnesota, if the oil keeps spreading the effect it will have on other parts of the country. I don’t think the taxpayers of this country should have to pay for that. That is why I support the Big Oil Bailout Prevention Act, which will ensure that the current liability act for a single oil spill will not apply to the gulf coast oil disaster. It will make sure that BP, which flaunted its record profits of $6 billion in the first-quarter of this year alone, that they pay for this. And the taxpayers of this country which are already burdened with the costs of the difficult times of this economy and what wall street has done that they are not stuck with the bill here.”
Senate Democrat Newsroom
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Weekend News/Reviews
It’s Sunday and as most of us wake up, turn on the tv we see news of incredible turmoil and violence in Bangkok that appears to be all about control .. shouldn’t we all be able to protest without getting shot? i know, but i still wonder why can’t things be done differently.
Talkingheads are talking Primaries coming up this Tuesday ; we are at a time when people need to decide… the choice of taking Political sides… history shows that Republicans have questionable behavior; it also has to be understood what would happen if anyone from the Tea Party is voted into Political Office to represent We the People; when in fact the tea party people do not represent all the people only a select few and that does not include people of colour in my opinion. In some cases Republican Politicians have made comments that suggest women need to stay in the kitchen and off the floor of Congress. It’s an obvious choice to me because Republicans practice exclusion; say they want less govt but go to Wall Street, Big Banks, AIG and big Oil Corp for money to support them; even our Supreme Court has helped Republicans and that move to legally deem corporations and individuals equal
The idea of hearing Sarah Palin talking is bad enough but when she gets out there and gets paid… This woman is hardly qualified to be speaking for anyone … she is an ex-Gov of Alaska who apparently couldn’t finish out her job and some in Alaska do feel she abandoned them is now trying to tell the President what to do and campaigning for anti-abortion? it’s offensive to hear her talk, it’s offensive for her to be out there taking money to say negative things about other Politicians when she is a Political quitter herself; it’s offensive to think she honestly feels she is a supporter of Women or Family; because clearly she is not, WHY? includes all things effect by families: her inability to separate Church from State, a right to choose, English or else? marriage for all people, how did she do among blacks and 1st nation families in Alaska and immigration will affect women and their families.
Today the Gulf Coast Benefit is being held all day and headliners involved and performing include: Lenny Kravitz, Mos Def, Neville Brothers and more …
The BP effort to plug up a siphon tube is starting to work and is it just me or did anyone else feel strange watching all those fisherman standing in line getting pay checks? especially after the interviews, it definitely felt like some were getting better deals than others … pitting them against each other is just wrong and like some of them said… they? whoever can rectify the problem needs to start rotating boats … everyone should get a piece of the action … speaking of action … there should not be a small print clause about what happens … the people there still should and expect more … contracts with a no lawsuit clause are just wrong.
I get why they are using dispersants but the definition doesn’t get lost on me either …where will the oil plus poison go after being dispersed … EPA?
immigration … Gov Brewer has made a choice to go after the President and we all must remember how Brewer got her job and after looking at her FB page the idea of the ole bait and switch came to mind; not only was she considered sane at some point she was appointed to Obama’s federal council of governor’s panel, had many ideas that seem good in writing yet one has to wonder …is it power, politics and control that is making Arizona an example of how not to act if you truly are an American? or is it
Other News …
**Banks cut Emergency lending from Fed
**44thou Military Helmets recalled due to design problems
**California’s bleak financial outlook has deep cuts coming to social programs
**PBuchanan has it out for Jews? very offensive
**BP efforts to plug siphon tube is starting to work at this time
**All those near Oklahoma need to stay away as a tornado headed or is there… if you are near underground facility get there now
**UK is going to be closing airports again as the Volcano spews ash
**NCarolina… Republican territory has about a $788mil deficit,will be slashing teachers
**Feds approve of dispersals
**Former Mexican Senator is missing
C-SPAN
Monday at 2:30pm (ET) on C-SPAN
Senate Hearing on the Response to the Gulf Coast Oil Spill
Gregg: GOP Not Trying to Stop Financial Reform
On C‑SPAN’s Newsmakers, Budget Committee Ranking Member Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) clarified that Republicans were not interested in stopping financial reform but hoped their amendments could improve the bill. In particular, he went over Republican efforts to change the bill’s language regarding derivatives, saying the current bill will hamper the “nation’s ability to be resilient and economically competitive.”
It’s Saturday … and as the weather heats up so does the political climate all over the country; what with primaries, laws that legalize racial profiling, Arizona is out of control … laws like the birther, the shoes please and now a ban on Ethnic Studies, reports of American troops leaving Haiti completely; troop numbers dropped to 900 and will drop again to 500 in June, a group of national business lobbyists in Florida want to take away health care from fellow Americans have joined in a suit against the new law of the land, capping that oil dump on the Gulf Coast, which, if you watched the hearings last week; it was the other guys fault show and continues to play itself out on national tv like the 3 stooges, only it wasn’t funny at all; it was offensive.
The President stated that watching them fall all over each other to blame and or point fingers at the other was offensive. We the People got the impression there was a whole lot of bad acting going on; 3 huge Corporations pretending to care but in the end seem to be standing firm on the liability cap amount and willing to waive the costs to taxpayers with the help of Republicans and some conserva-dems… how much more can Americans take. This oil dump will take a toll on every aspect of life on the Gulf Coast and includes oil drilling as well so … alternatives need to be started asap.
Other News …
**Striking at a lucrative bank business, the Senate on Thursday voted to force credit card companies to reduce fees for debit card transactions and permit merchants to offer customer discounts based on their payment method. The 64-33 vote inserted the fee requirement in a package of new financial rules the Senate is considering to ward off a repeat of the financial crisis.cbsnews
**Npr is reporting that McFarlane and her drains/bridges have helped save Haiti
**A joint lawsuit led by Florida, now 20 states was filed on March 23 by mostly Republican attorneys general.
Congress close to deal to pay for tax cutsCongress is finally getting around to extending more than 50 popular tax breaks that expired at the end of last year, including money savers for homeowners, businesses and shoppers in states with no income tax. Lawmakers want to raise taxes on investment fund managers to help cover the cost.
**The ban on Ethnic Studies could force Arizona int losing 10% in federal funds;Arizona plans to force schools to comply or be punished? State or Fed funds should be withheld immediately
**Feds/Justice Dept opens up criminal investigation regarding WVA underground mine
C-SPAN …
Today at 7pm (ET) on C-SPAN
America and the Courts: Sixth Circuit Judicial Conference Panel Moderated by U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan
President Obama Police Ceremony
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar
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Five hidden dangers of Facebook (Q&A) by CBS Interactive staff
Facebook claims that it has 400 million users. But are they well-protected from prying eyes, scammers, and unwanted marketers?
Not according to Joan Goodchild, senior editor of CSO (Chief Security Officer) Online.
She says your privacy may be at far greater risk of being violated than you know, when you log onto the social-networking site, due to security gaffes or marketing efforts by the company.
Facebook came under fire this past week, when 15 privacy and consumer protection organizations filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, charging that the site, among other things, manipulates privacy settings to make users’ personal information available for commercial use. Also, some Facebook users found their private chats accessible to everyone on their contact list–a major security breach that’s left a lot of people wondering just how secure the site is.
In two words, asserts Goodchild: not very.
On “The Early Show on Saturday Morning,” Goodchild spotlighted five dangers she says Facebook users expose themselves to, probably without being aware of them:
- Your information is being shared with third parties
- Privacy settings revert to a less safe default mode after each redesign
- Facebook ads may contain malware
- Your real friends unknowingly make you vulnerable
- Scammers are creating fake profiles
Below is an edited transcript of the interview.
Is Facebook a secure platform to communicate with your friends?
Here’s the thing: Facebook is one of the most popular sites in the world. Security holes are being found on a regular basis. It is not as inherently secure as people think it is, when they log on every day.
Certainly, there are growing pains. Facebook is considered a young company, and it has been around a few years now. It is continuing to figure this out. They are so young, they are still trying to figure out how they are going to make money. It is hard to compare this to others; we have never had this phenomenon before in the way [so many] people are communicating with each other–only e-mail comes close.
The potential for crime is real. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, victims of Internet-related crimes lost $559 million in 2009. That was up 110 percent from the previous year. If you’re not careful using Facebook, you are looking at the potential for identity theft, or possibly even something like assault, if you share information with a dangerous person you think is actually a “friend.” One British police agency recently reported that the number of crimes it has responded to in the last year involving Facebook climbed 346 percent. These are real threats.
Lately, it seems a week doesn’t go by without some news about a Facebook-related security problem. Earlier this week, TechCrunch discovered a security hole that made it possible for users to read their friends’ private chats. Facebook has since patched it, but who knows how long that flaw existed? Some speculate it may have been that way for years.
Last month, researchers at VeriSign’s iDefense group discovered that a hacker was selling Facebook usernames and passwords in an underground hacker forum. It was estimated that he had about 1.5 million accounts–and was selling them for between $25 and $45.
And the site is constantly under attack from hackers trying to spam these 400 million users, or harvest their data, or run other scams. Certainly, there is a lot of criticism in the security community of Facebook’s handling of security. Perhaps the most frustrating thing is that the company rarely responds to inquiries.
Do people really have privacy on Facebook?
No. There are all kinds of ways third parties can access information about you. For instance, you may not realize that, when you are playing the popular games on Facebook, such as FarmVille, or take those popular quizzes–every time you do that, you authorize an application to be downloaded to your profile that gives information to third parties about you that you have never signed off on.
Does Facebook share info about users with third parties through things such as Open Graph?
Open Graph is a new concept for Facebook, which unveiled it last month at its F8 conference. It actually is basically a way to share the information in your profile with all kinds of third parties, such as advertisers, so they can have a better idea of your interests and what you are discussing, so Facebook can–as portrayed–“make it a more personal experience.”
The theory behind Open Graph–even if it has not implemented it–is its whole business model, isn’t it?
That is the business model–Facebook is trying to get you to share as much information as possible so it can monetize it by sharing it with advertisers.
Isn’t it in Facebook’s best interest to get you to share as much info as possible?
It absolutely is. Facebook’s mission is to get you to share as much information as it can so it can share it with advertisers. As it looks now, the more info you share, the more money it is going to make with advertisers.
Isn’t there also a security problem every time it redesigns the site?
Every time Facebook redesigns the site, which [usually] happens a few times a year, it puts your privacy settings back to a default in which, essentially, all of your information is made public. It is up to you, the user, to check the privacy settings and decide what you want to share and what you don’t want to share.
Facebook does not [necessarily] notify you of the changes, and your privacy settings are set back to a public default. Many times, you may find out through friends. Facebook is not alerting you to these changes; it is just letting you know the site has been redesigned.
Can your real friends on Facebook also can make you vulnerable?
Absolutely. Your security is only as good as your friend’s security. If someone in your network of friends has a weak password, and his or her profile is hacked, he or she can now send you malware, for example.
There is a common scam called a 419 scam, in which someone hacks your profile and sends messages to your friends asking for money – claiming to be you–saying, “Hey, I was in London, I was mugged, please wire me money.” People fall for it. People think their good friend needs help–and end up wiring money to Nigeria.
A lot of Web sites we use display banner ads, but do we have to be wary of them on Facebook?
Absolutely: Facebook has not been able to screen all of its ads. It hasn’t done a great job of vetting which ads are safe and which are not. As a result, you may get an ad in your profile when you are browsing around one day that has malicious code in it. In fact, last month, there was an ad with malware that asked people to download antivirus software that was actually a virus.
Is too big a network of friends dangerous?
You know people with a lot of friends–500, 1,000 friends on Facebook? What is the likelihood they are all real? There was a study in 2008 that concluded that 40 percent of all Facebook profiles are fake. They have been set up by bots or impostors.
If you have 500 friends, it is likely there is a percentage of people you don’t really know, and you are sharing a lot of information with them, such as when you are on vacation, your children’s pictures, their names. Is this information you really want to put out there to people you don’t even know?
This interview, “Five Hidden Dangers of Facebook,” was originally published on CBSNews.com.
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