AUSTIN — A state lawmaker has withdrawn legislation to impose sanctions on employers who hire undocumented immigrants, saying he wanted to thank the state’s largest business organization for joining a Hispanic coalition in fighting what they call “anti-immigrant” bills in the Legislature.The Texas Association of Business joined the group of Hispanic groups in calling for immigration reform by Congress, not the Texas Legislature.

“The Texas Legislature should take no action with regard to immigration unless and until the U.S. Congress passes a law for comprehensive immigration reform,” TAB President Bill Hammond said.

“The federal government is perfectly capable of inflicting pain and suffering on business. We don’t believe the Texas Legislature needs to be piling on.”

State Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, said he’d filed House Bill 351 to impose sanctions on employers who hire undocumented immigrants. He said it was “in response” to bills that put sanctions on immigrants.

“As a symbol of our solidarity and cooperation, I’m withdrawing HB 351,” Anchia said.

How interesting. The sanctions would have been that businesses that employ undocumented workers would have been prohibited from receiving grants (free texas money) from the Texas Enterprise Fund. Good thing he is pulling it as a symbol of his solidarity with business. I know I am going to sleep better knowing that while our legislators may still pass HB 28 and 29 that both affect human beings that we won’t be sanctioning the businesses that hire those human beings.

Technorati Tags: TAB, Texas Association of Business, Hispanic, Rafael Anchia, HB 351, HB 28, HB 29

WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives laid the groundwork Tuesday for an ambitious new museum honoring Latinos.

Supporters of the proposed National Museum of the American Latinos still face a long road ahead, but moved a crucial step forward when the House agreed to spend $3.1 million on a commission to study the idea.

“Walk through the National Mall in Washington, D.C., visit our outstanding national museums and you can learn a lot about who Americans are and where we have been,” said Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif. “Yet the official narrative still fails to recognize the significant contributions made by Latinos to the culture and history of the United States.”

Of course a National Museum of the American Latinos is missing from the National Mall and probably worth having. I just find the timing of this a little suspect. Let’s honor Latinos and pass English as the official language laws and maybe they won’t be quite so offended. It just rubs me the wrong way.

Technorati Tags: Congress, immigration, National Museum of the American Latinos, National Mall, Washington, Xavier Becerra, English Only, Latinos, hispanics

Very, Very Disappointed

The Republicans wanted to be clear. They were disappointed.

“We are disappointed,” said U.S. Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow.

“We’re clearly disappointed,” said Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri.

“I’m disappointed, as are some others,” echoed Rep. Key Granger of Texas.

“I am very disappointed,” sighed David Dreier of California.

Why were these forlorn Republicans so dejected?

Because, said Putnam, the Democrats “missed [an] opportunity to really change the way that the House does business.”

The disappointment centered around the Republicans being the minority party in Congress for the first time in 12 years. Playing second fiddle is no fun, so the Republicans have come up with a “Minority Bill of Rights” to better include them in the legislative process.

It is, said Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., “based on the exact text that then-Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi submitted in 2004 to then-Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert.” He added it would ensure “all sides are protected, that fairness and openness is in fact granted by the new majority.”

Ah, such a wonderful concept. In all fairness and openness, and to make sure all sides are protected, shouldn’t the Democrats adopt the bill?

What McHenry didn’t say was that the Republicans certainly didn’t embrace “the exact text” in 2004 when they were the majority party.

Okay, okay what we have here is the republicans floating the same “minority bill of rights” that Nancy Pelosi herself tried to throw out there when the republicans were in charge. Instead of being disappointed in her reaction now shouldn’t they be kicking themselves for their reaction in 2004. I don’t see anyone on that side of the aisle taking any responsibility for putting themselves exactly where they are. Their behavior over the last 6 years deserves a heck of a lot worse than what the democrats have been giving them. It seems to me they should be thanking the heavens they aren’t being treated with the same contempt they showed the minority party during their reign of terror.

What happened to fairness and openness back then? Reported The Washington Post, “In keeping with the general atmosphere of the House these days, aides to Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., said he will not respond to the two-page proposal from Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.”That same news account quoted Dreier, who was then chairman of the House Rules Committee. He said the Democrats were crying about the process, while his mission was “to move our [Republican] agenda, and to do it in the fairest and most responsible way possible. And I do it in that order.”

Hastert didn’t even think it was worth his time to respond, why in the heck would those silly republicans be running around being “disappointed”? Seems like they missed their chance to me.

I have to say I have been getting a kick out of all the whining they have been doing lately I might even have sympathy if they weren’t complaining about rules they put in place and used liberally during their time in the majority. For the record I am not saying they are being treated unfairly, they have certainly been treated with more respect than they treated the democrats with during the last 6 years. I guess they just figure if they scream they are being treated unfairly that someone might believe them. Sadly, for them, I don’t think it will play since the democrats are doing things like this..

ABC News: House passes more ethics reform, budget rule:

The rules changes also try to ensure that House-Senate negotiations on bills are more open, with participation by the minority party, and that final drafts of legislation are not subsequently altered in secret.

and saying things like this..

“We have no intention of keeping our foot on your necks as you did to us,” House Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise Slaughter, a New York Democrat, said to Republicans.

Maybe if they keep up the whining about how badly the democrats are treating them while the democrats continue to walk the higher path they will finally be unmasked for the liars they are.

Technorati Tags: Nancy Pelosi, Dennis Hastert, republican, democrat, congress, house of representatives, spin