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Today: 61 articles and 174 comments as of 12:12.
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Iraq: 6 dead, 12 wounded during Ashuraa pilgrimage
Today's Headlines
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Page 4: Opinion
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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
THOUSANDS Of Protesters Storm Government Building After Rigged Elections in Belarus
From Gateway Pundit:
TENS OF THOUSANDS of democracy protesters tried to storm government buildings today in Belarus after the rigged elections for tyrant Alexander Lukashenko.
Belarus is the last standing dictatorship in Europe.

See also NY Slimes report and AP/MSNBC report.

Hat tip Glenn Reynolds, who says "Uh oh."
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut || 12/19/2010 21:17 || Comments || Link || [4 views] Top|| File under:


Home Front: Politix
DREAM Act shattered in Senate
[Iran Press TV] The US senate has blocked a measure that offered legal status to individuals, who entered America illegally as children if they enroll in college or join the military.

Sponsors of the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, known as the DREAM Act, fell short of the 60 votes to move the act forward.

If passed the act would have allowed immigrants, who were under the age of 30 and arrived in the country before the age of 16 to apply for conditional US status if they had obtained a high school diploma or a GED.

Illegal immigrants would also have to complete two years of service in the military or enroll in college in order for them to be eligible to apply for legal immigrant status.

Those in the senate opposed the legislation called the measure "amnesty" and argued that it "incentivizes" illegal immigration, adding that it would allow some undocumented Democrats with criminal records to gain citizenship.

Immigration reform was one of US President Barack B.O. Obama's most talked about campaign promises.

While running for president Obama vowed to reform the immigration system in a way that would allow undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens.

Illegal immigration is a major problem for the United States. More than 300,000 undocumented Democrats are nabbed by US immigration authorities each year. From 1999 to 2008, about 1.4 million nabbed immigrants were transferred.
Posted by: Fred || 12/19/2010 00:00 || Comments || Link || [9 views] Top|| File under:

#1  Change that to simply say "Serve in the military 4 years Honorable service or 2 or more combat tours gives them a green card and fast track to citizenship", then I think I'm all for it.
Posted by: OldSpook || 12/19/2010 2:27 Comments || Top||

#2  One big problem with the act is it is an invitation to fraud. There is no meaningful requirement of proof of age when they entered the country - or even age now.
The other problem is credibility of government - we have offered amnesty several times before, always with the promise of improved border security, and of course the borders just got less and less secure instead. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.... fool me three times????
Posted by: Glenmore || 12/19/2010 9:44 Comments || Top||

#3  The Food "Safety" Act was also shot down. Reid had attached it to the Omnibus Spending Bill because he knew it wouldn't pass on it's own. Watta tool.
Posted by: Deacon Blues || 12/19/2010 9:50 Comments || Top||

#4  a reprieve for Farmer's Markets
Posted by: Frank G || 12/19/2010 11:07 Comments || Top||

#5  DREAM Act shattered in Senate

Your dream maybe, lefty journalist.

One of mine just came true.
Posted by: gorb || 12/19/2010 13:15 Comments || Top||

#6  As Glen Reynolds said, "This Lame Duck Congress is turning out to be pretty good".
Posted by: Deacon Blues || 12/19/2010 13:47 Comments || Top||

#7  And a reprieve for bake sales.
Posted by: anonymous2u || 12/19/2010 14:25 Comments || Top||

#8  Deacon, it's also proved to be pretty "lame" all right. Two bills have been passed - one more favorable for the Republicans than the Democrats, and one that should be vetoed by the President. Congress is supposed to "provide guidance and direction for the good order of the militia and the military". Instead, they've done something that will finally achieve their goal of crippling our armed forces. Any Rethug that voted for this steaming pile of horsehockey should face a serious primary challenger in their next election.
Posted by: Old Patriot || 12/19/2010 18:01 Comments || Top||

#9  As Glen Reynolds said, "This Lame Duck Congress is turning out to be pretty good".

Only because they are worried about 2012.
Posted by: gorb || 12/19/2010 18:11 Comments || Top||

#10  OP, I know several men who are gay who served and did their jobs. Gays served in WWII and did a good job as well. The Social climate has changed greatly since we were there and I believe as long as they do their jobs and don't inhibit Unit Cohesion there shouldn't be a problem.At one time Blacks were not allowed to fight either.
Posted by: Deacon Blues || 12/19/2010 18:51 Comments || Top||

#11  Deac, all other points aside, homosexuality is not the same as black in terms of military good order, unit cohesion and society's acceptance.

If society has changed enough then DADT is OK to open up to open service, but I am not convinced of it. But it has been a long while since I have been "in charge" of small units where this would have the most impact, so I am no longer qualified to give a completely unshaded answer either.

My preference is that Congress have listened OPENLY to the military leadership in the combat arms. They did not - the "studies" I know of second-hand were all "pushed" so that people knew they were expected to give the PC answer regardless of the honesty of the opinion sought.

So at this point, I cannot say if open service is ruinous or of no consequence. It all depoends on the troops and the small unit leaders, the guys at the pointy end of the stick.

All I know is that in my personal experience, homosexual compadres had little effect because those of homosexual orientation kept things professional when off duty and kept their sexuality out of the unit, or they were in (no pun intended) rear support or other non-critical operational roles (hospital medic, supply at HQ, deskbound intel linguist, etc), where close quarters and personal trust are not as important.
Posted by: OldSpook || 12/19/2010 20:32 Comments || Top||

#12  I think it will be OK. The problems will come with activists who claim victim status or want special privileges
Posted by: Frank G || 12/19/2010 20:45 Comments || Top||

#13  Frank G's got it. The problems will arise when somebody wants a certain duty status (& pay) until it's time to get shipped off to earn it - then they play a PC harassment card to stay back, then the short-handed unit gets legitimately resentful and harasses any others in it.
My read is EVERYBODY gets teased in a small unit, especially in a combat unit; it's kind of a subconcious testing process. If the DADT folks can take it (and it will likely be rougher than for most, at least at first) I think they'll be accepted just fine; if not ... lots of unintended consequences. Advice to DADT folks - be careful what you ask for - you just might get it.
Posted by: Glenmore || 12/19/2010 21:45 Comments || Top||

#14  my son's got a fellow GI that was Manning's battle-buddy in basic. Says he was a disliked POS even then
Posted by: Frank G || 12/19/2010 21:58 Comments || Top||



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Two weeks of WOT
Sun 2010-12-19
  Iraq: 6 dead, 12 wounded during Ashuraa pilgrimage
Sat 2010-12-18
  Three US missiles kill 54 in Pakistan
Fri 2010-12-17
  Car Bomb Explodes at a Coppe Shoppe in Monterrey
Thu 2010-12-16
  Suicide Attack Kills 33, Wounds 95 Mourners in Iran
Wed 2010-12-15
  Border Patrol agent gunned down in southern AZ
Tue 2010-12-14
  Another man arrested for plotting bomb attack on DC Metro
Mon 2010-12-13
  Six police among 13 killed in Iraq suicide attacks
Sun 2010-12-12
  Yemen jails 12 Qaeda members
Sat 2010-12-11
  Car Explodes in Stockholm, Gas Cannisters & Second Blast Involved
Fri 2010-12-10
  India's ambassador gets pat-down at US airport
Thu 2010-12-09
  Pakistan suicide attack kills 17: police
Wed 2010-12-08
  Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claims suicide kaboom on Balochistan chief minister
Tue 2010-12-07
  50 dead, 120 maimed in Mohmand double kaboom
Mon 2010-12-06
  Pirates hijack Bangladeshi ship in the Arabian sea
Sun 2010-12-05
  150 killed in Nigeria's oil delta


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