Bush to order new crackdown on U.S. border - Mike Allen - Politico.com

BREAKING NEWS: Bush to order new crackdown on U.S. border -

One Young Boys Personal Story as An Illegal Immigrant

While immigration may not be an issue in Congress, it still is a hot topic all across the public.

Rumors state that immigration reform may come in parts, with Congress taking up issue by issue in lieu of comprehensive reform. One such issue is the Dream Act.

Listen to this boy's thoughts on the Dream Act.

Hispanic Republicans Celebrate 33 Years

Today the RNHA celebrates its 33rd Anniversary. On this day in 1974, Republican National Committee Chairman, George H.W. Bush, created the RNHA.

“Today, the Republican National Hispanic Assembly proudly celebrates is anniversary and rich history of Hispanic involved in politics,’ said Chairman Pedro Celis. “Much like our first chairman, Ben Fernandez, who was the first Hispanic to run for U.S. President, our members will continue making strides in politics.”

To send your “Happy Birthday” and we will post them on our web page and blog.

For more information, about GOP history visit Grand Old Partisan

La Raza Reeves Up Voter Registration Drive

This is a busy month for many Hispanic advocates (many from the other side) NCLR (aka La Raza) is having their convention in Miami, Florida and LULAC will be having their convention in Chicago, IL later this month.

Tuesday in Miami, Janet Murguía, NCLR's President, announced the launching of Ya Es Hora ¡Ciudadanía! (Now is the time, citizenship) campaign at a news conference in downtown Miami's Freedom Tower. The program has several sponsors, including Univision, the Spanish Language Network. NCLR hopes to register 6 million new Hispanic voters in time for the primary and elections.

According the the Palm Beach Post:

"If we learned anything from the recent immigration reform debate, we need to show our political muscle," Murguía said.

The voter drive focuses on 11 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, Nevada, North Carolina and Texas.

More Bad News for McCain

More bad news from the Hispanic friendly Senator from Arizona. According to CNN the campaign will have to let go about 10 more senior staffers.

Though things seem bleak I wouldn't count him out just yet. .. Look at Dean, at one point the shinning star of the party, in a brief second it was all pulled away..... but the reality is it will be almost impossible for him to raise money

Campaign spokesperson Danny Diaz expressed confidence that today's shakeup will not affect outside the beltway voters. Diaz: "Senator McCain is the most prepared and best equipped candidate to move the country forward. He will continue to address the important issues confronting the American people and lay out a plan for keeping America safe and prosperous."

RNHA Convention Biggest Turn Out with GOP Candidates

The Republican National Hispanic Assembly's convention is only days away. As of today, two GOP presidential candidates have confirmed their attendance with three more likely on the way.

If all goes as planned the RNHA National Convention will be the Hispanic Event with the most GOP candidates.

Live Earth Vs. Soccer... Soccer Wins!

Al Gore's Live Earth concerts, whose purpose was to raise environmental awareness, didn't shake up the masses as was hoped by the former Vice President. In fact, it didn't even shake up TV ratings.

According to Nielson Media, more people watched the Copa America soccer match between Argentina and Peru on Univision, than Live Earth on NBC (roughly 2.75 million). Copa America, is the main football competition for the South American football confederation. It is the oldest international tournament in the world starting in 1916.

And while many touted the concert as strictly non-political, saying environmentalism doesn't belong to a party, I guess no one told rocker Melissa Ethridge, who went into a political tirade against Bush. She even unveiled a new anti-Bush, pro-Cindy Sheehan song. (check out the article on NRO). Some have regarded Live Earth as a failure for its lack of unified message. Each rocker commented on something from recycle, to ethanol, to reducing the use of water, but there wasn't one concrete message that a viewer could walk away with knowing that this was their action item.

Some concert goers were just upset Gore didn't announce his candidacy... but who really want to see that anyway.....

McCain in Trouble

The McCain camp is in even more trouble...

breaking news from Politico.com

John McCain's campaign manager and top strategist announce they are leaving the campaign, only a week after disappointing fundraising figures led to across-the-board staff cuts.
Full story: http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0707/Weaver_and_Nelson_out.html

Colombians Vote Against the FARC

From our friends at Venezuela News & Views:

Colombia fights back, and it is only starting

There was an election today in Colombia and the FARC lost by landslide. In every major city of Colombia hundreds thousands of people, all in white shirts went out to demand that the FARC stops violence, that it surrenders the bodies of the 11 provincial legislators who had been held as hostages for FIVE years and who were killed by the FARC. The FARC tried to pin the deaths on a military operation but so far it seems that there is only the FARC to be blamed for these deaths. It is known that the FARC hostage guards have orders to kill the hostages if they try to escape or if some authority were to stand a chance to free them.

Ron Paul Over McCain?

Ron Paul, who was seen by most as a LONG SHOT for the Republican nomination, apparently has more cash on hand than McCain.

Ron Paul has experienced significant support on the internet, with a rather large virtual following. He reported to have $2.4 million cash on hand, compared to John McCain's $2 million.

Venezula and Cuba

Yesterday Venezuela celebrated its birthday. So much for freedom in Venezuela. With each day Chavez takes away another freedom from the people of Venezuela. The country is moving in the direction of Cuba.

For those who still confused about Fidel and Che... here is something for your viewing pleasure brought to you by babalu blog to the music of the Police.

Hispanic Republican Garza won't run for Governor

Tony Garza, a super star in the Hispanic Republican world, announced today he will not run for Texas Governor.

Garza, who is currently the U.S. ambassador to Mexico, became the first Hispanic Republican to win a statewide election in Texas when he won a seat on the three-member Railroad Commission in 1988.

In the past he has served as Texas secretary of state under Bush. Garza, a close friend of President Bush, was the first Republican county judge of Cameron County in modern times.

According to the Star-Telegram:

Political analyst Harvey Kronberg, editor of the online Quorum Report in Austin, said Garza's decision to forgo a return to the political arena could be a blow for the GOP's effort to present itself as a party of diversity.

"Garza has been widely seen as the most likely Hispanic to be the first to lead a statewide [Republican] ticket," Kronberg said. "I don't think there's anybody else standing in the wings."

Among those who might seek the Texas Governorship are Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, former U.S. Commerce Secretary Don Evans, and possibly Gov. Rick Perry might want a third term.

Happy Birthday Mr. President

Today is President George W. Bush's birthday!

Wish him a very happy birthday! I know he is probably shaking is "bom bom" at the White House.... Today he turns 61 years old.

Yesterday I saw him doing a little pre-birthday celebration at RKF stadium at the National's baseball game, as the Nats played the Cubs. Bush, a former part owner of the Texas Rangers, is a big baseball fan. We are sure he had a great time as he scarfed down some hot dog and hung out with his parents.

Happy Birthday Mr. President. Hope you good health, you'll need it now with the Dems in control of congress.

Bloomberg a GOP Spoiler

According to a new poll if NYC Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, entered the race with Rudy GOP Giuliani and Democrat Sen. Hillary Clinton running as the candidate for their perspective parties, Giuliani is the one that comes out hurting..

A Quinnipiac University poll in AP stated:

THE NUMBERS - WITHOUT BLOOMBERG

Rudy Giuliani, 47 percent

Hillary Clinton, 44 percent

___

THE NUMBERS - WITH BLOOMBERG

Rudy Giuliani, 36 percent

Hillary Clinton, 36 percent

Michael Bloomberg, 18 percent

COMPLETE RESULTS: http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1299.xml?ReleaseID1080

Immigrants No More

Thousands of legal immigrants are becoming American citizens. According to new reports, there has been an increase of about 80% from last year. Many immigrants say they are finally doing the step because of the immigration debate.

Telling the New York Times, Angel Ivan Alvarez, a 24-year-old legal immigrant from Mexico stated:

“I realized that I want to be able to vote and speak up for my people because they are not getting enough support. I want everybody to be able to come out of the shadows.” said Alvarez.

There has been a national push by Spanish media to get legal residents to become citizens, including Univision. In addition many legal immigrants were motivated by the new increase in fees, trying to become a citizen before a 69% increase in price.

Currently the RNHA of Washington State holds citizenship classes to help legal immigrants become US citizens.

Salute to America

Happy Fourth of July America!

Today we celebrate our nation's independence. We also honor our good fortune's on being American's and living in the best country on this planet.

Many times we forget how luck we are to be living in America, the land of plenty, the land of freedom and the land of independent thought.

Today we salute the men and women who have made this country the glorious nation it is today. God bless America. God bless American freedom.

Here is a picture of Monticello, the home of the great American patriot Thomas Jefferson, our third President.

His vision and leadership help engineer the modern American thought and political system. He will be forever be known as the author of the deceleration of independence and the framework for our bill of rights. (I recently went on a trip and it was breathtaking.)

More Sicko Reallity

From our friends at Babalu Blog:

These people are very sick indeed. Patients in Cuba's much lauded health care system.

CAUTION, graphic pictures.

Hype Vs. Reality: The GOP Hispanic Vote

All of us in the Hispanic Republican world are trying to figure out what are the long term implications the immigration debate will have on Hispanic American voters.

According to the Pew Hispanic Center, in the last major election, 2004, Hispanics made up 14 percent of the U.S. population and 8 percent of registered voters, but only 6 percent of voters on Election Day.

Documentary film maker Neil H. Simon asks

"For all the hype around Hispanic voters, with the Democrats rearranging their calendar to put Hispanic-heavy Nevada right after the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses, and Florida intending to hold its primary Jan. 29, Hispanics still have to meet the campaigns halfway to dispel any doubts about their growing clout. "

Then you have extreme right talk show host Rush Limbaugh who says Hispanics were never GOP voters.:

"How can we lose voters we never had? How can the Republican Party lose voters? This is a big myth, and the myth is being spread. It's designed to frighten you, but more than that, it's designed to frighten Republican elected officials so that when this comes up again -- and it will somewhere down the road -- that they do something about it, because the Democrats still don't benefit from this."

Limbaugh, and conservative talk radio, who are being blamed for the demise of the immigration bill, are trying to say that Hispanics will never be part of the GOP base.

Many of us in the Latino GOP know that Hispanics are Republicans, they just don't know it yet, as stated by Regan in 1979. Issues such as "traditional marriage, tax breaks for families and small business, school choice, military preparedness, the right to life, personal savings accounts, and faith-based social-service programs" all resonate with the Latino community. The GOP must continue focusing on its agenda and get the message out and prove the nay-sayers wrong.

History has taught us that if you target Hispanic constituencies and talk about the Republican platform, monumental gains are made. Read a little Richard Nadler for some historic perspective.

The Real Sicko

As Micheal Moore goes off and continues to do biased documentaries of his twisted view of the world, here is some light on the reality of the Cuban Health Care system.

Cuba may have a lot of Doctors but no medicine. So someone can tell you that you have a headache but can't give you an aspirin to fix the problem.

Clinton Continues to Court the Latino Vote

Hillary Clinton continues to try to win the Hispanic vote. Here is a press release distributed today.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, July 3, 2007

Contact: Fabiola Rodríguez-Ciampoli, (703) 875-3408
frodriguez@hillaryclinton.com

Clinton Campaign Launches

Bilingual Social Networking Web Page

Effort Will Help Expand Outreach To Hispanic Voters

Hillary Clinton's campaign is making history today by launching a bilingual social networking page expanding on its efforts to reach Hispanic voters across the nation. The new website hosted by the online community MyGrito.com builds on the campaign's efforts to engage these important voters and find new ways to continue her conversation with Americans throughout the country.

Clinton 's bilingual social networking effort is focused on maximizing her outreach to communicate directly with supporters by providing regular campaign updates, including information about the campaign activities and photos and video from events.

"Latino voters will play a key role in this election and my campaign is committed to reaching them in innovative ways," Clinton said. "This is an exciting initiative that will help us expand our outreach efforts."

To visit Hillary Clinton's website on MyGrito.com go to:

http://www.mygrito.com/profile.php?sub_section=username&id=HillaryClinton

Relevant Facts and Figures

• 78% of Latinos who are English-dominant and 76% of bilingual Latinos use the Internet, compared with 32% of Spanish-dominant Hispanic adults.
• 76% of U.S.-born Latinos go online, compared with 43% of those born outside the U.S.
• 80% of second-generation Latinos, the sons and daughters of immigrants, and 71% of third generation Latinos go online.
• 89% of Latinos who have a college degree, 70% of Latinos who completed high school, and 31% of Latinos who did not complete high school go online

Source: Pew Hispanic Center