NDN has joined many other groups in opposition to H.R. 4088, The Secure America through Verification and Enforcement Act (SAVE Act). The SAVE Act was introduced by Representatives Heath Shuler and Tom Tancredo, still surging at 1 percent among GOP primary voters, among others. You can find the summary of it on THOMAS.
The letter to which we signed on is below:
We, the undersigned organizations, write to express our strong opposition to H.R. 4088. The Secure America through Verification and Enforcement Act, introduced by Representatives Heath Shuler and Tom Tancredo, among others, offers a false promise to the American people and will not solve the issue of undocumented immigration.
We demand more from our leaders in Congress than harsh rhetoric and ineffective solutions. Congress needs to fix our immigration system in a smart way, not just throw more money at the problem. For the past twenty years, the Federal government has dramatically increased immigration enforcement and yet, enforcement-alone has not worked to stem undocumented immigration. There are now more than 12 million undocumented immigrants living and working in this country. They are here because our economy is beckoning them and because we do not have a channel for hard-working people to come here legally. Yet, the Shuler-Tancredo bill does nothing to address that, nor the devastation that this broken system creates: exploited workers, thousands of deaths in the desert, and over three million U.S. citizen children living in constant fear that their parents will be deported.
These problems exist because Congress has ignored reality and failed to update our immigration laws. Unfortunately, H.R. 4088 is not a solution or even a stop-gap measure. If enacted, it would simply make a bad situation worse, providing a windfall to bad employers by making workers more exploitable, pushing them deeper underground and off the tax rolls. It would harm U.S. workers displaced by the flawed employment verification program, and waste even more U.S. tax dollars trying to detain and deport peaceful workers instead of focusing in on those who mean us harm.
H.R. 4088 is a misguided political response to a policy problem where voters already have spoken. The vast majority of Americans think that rounding up and deporting 12 million undocumented immigrants is a fantasy and a waste of federal dollars. Furthermore, Americans do not want to wait an estimated 91 years and spend the projected $200 billion it would take, to round undocumented immigrants who are mostly hard-working people. They want real solutions. H.R. 4088 is not only about preserving the failed status quo on immigration, but about intensifying its negative effects. We urge Congressional leaders from both parties to get to work and pass the type of immigration reform legislation that addresses the issue at its root, not ineffective laws that waste resources and offer false promises to the American people.
For more on NDN's efforts to pass comprehensive immigration reform, visit our website.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid issued the following statement on the National Intelligence Estimate's analysis of Iran's nuclear program:
“Today this nation’s senior intelligence analysts concluded that Iran halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003, directly challenging some of this Administration’s alarming rhetoric about the threat posed by Iran. Democratic Committee leaders and I requested this assessment early last year so that the Administration could not rush this Congress and the country to another war based on flawed intelligence. I am very glad that the Administration has finally provided the NIE and I will examine carefully the full classified version in coming days.
“I hope this Administration reads this report carefully and appropriately adjusts its rhetoric and policy vis-à-vis Iran. The Administration should begin this process by finally undertaking a diplomatic surge necessary to effectively address the challenges posed by Iran. President Reagan had the wisdom to conduct diplomacy with America’s adversaries in order to advance U.S. interests. President Bush should follow Reagan’s example.”
UPDATE: President Bush's response (from the Washington Post): President Bush said Tuesday that the international community should continue to pressure Iran on its nuclear programs, asserting Tehran remains dangerous despite a new intelligence conclusion that it halted its development of a nuclear bomb four years ago.
"I view this report as a warning signal that they had the program, they halted the program," Bush said. "The reason why it's a warning signal is they could restart it."
- REMINDER: Set your DVRs to record the Republican candidates' answers from tonight's CNN/YouTube debate. The debate starts at 8pm EST. NPI Director Peter Leyden gave us a preview of the debate in a previous post, and he'll be giving his take on the event afterwards, so be sure to check back.
- John Edwards has often been credited as the only one in the presidential race who discusses the issue of poverty at great length. Last week he unveiled his plan to fight hunger as well as his One Can Change America.
- If you haven't yet read it, David Brooks has a fantastic column on Rudy Giuliani's immigration position. Simon posted on it earlier today, but I figured I'd mention it again since it's something we've followed for quite some time.
- In an incredibly emotional interview with David Brody, Joe Biden talks about the tragedy in which his wife and daughter were killed by a drunk driver about six weeks after he was elected to the U.S. Senate.
- As usual, there a quite a few new ads up: Rudy Giuliani's third TV ad, "Challenges"; Mike Huckabee is up with "Believe"; John Edwards is up in Iowa with "Mess"; Bill Richardson is also up in Iowa with "Bold Plan"; Fred Thompson is up with "Marie" and "Service"; Mitt Romney is up with "Take Charge"; John McCain is up with "Love America Enough"; and Joe Biden is in newspapers with his ad (PDF version available here).
- Barack Obama joins the Caucusing made easy camp with the launch of the Obama Caucus Center. Obama, who spent a day on the trail with Nightline, wrote an op-ed in the LA Sentinel on inequity in the criminal justice system.
- The Romney campaign is making a concerted effort to reach out to students with ComMITT 2 the Future. The campaign is also hoping to influence Christmas shopping with the UltiMITT Holiday Gifts.
- Adding to the videos emphasizing the link between celebrities and presidential politics/general patriotism that already exist, I give you a bit of levity from a real American, Hulk Hogan.
For more information on NDN's coverage of the 2008 Presidential election, click here.
As we head into Thanksgiving, check out this new ad from John Edwards. Also check out this new ad from Barack Obama - "Hope and Change" - running in South Carolina. Enjoy the holiday, everyone!
For more information on NDN's coverage of the 2008 Presidential election, click here.
This past week has been a perfect example of the influence NDN is having in the immigration debate, reflected below by the number of press appearances we've been in:
Kronholz cites NDN and its new report, Hispanics Rising, to show how catastrophic the GOP's immigration strategy could be:
Hispanics made up 8% of the national vote in 2006, but their growing numbers and anger with the Republicans over such talk could mean electoral gold for the Democrats. NDN, a nonprofit Democratic think tank, predicts "there is no reasonable [Republican] road map to victory in 2008" if growing Hispanic populations tip several key states into the Democratic column.
In his piece, David Lightman compares the opinions of the Democratic candidates to those of the Republicans in advance of the Nevada debate. He said of the Democrats, "Democratic presidential candidates are likely to sound similar Thursday night at their Las Vegas debate when they discuss illegal immigration -- if they talk much about it at all."
This audio interview features commentary between Tara Setmayer and Joe Garcia, Director of NDN's Hispanic Strategy Center. Joe discusses the Nevada Presidential debate, and other issues in the presidential debate focusing on immigration, with a specific focus on Tom Tancredo's extremely controversial TV ad.
Michael Luo sets the distinction in the very opening of his piece:
THE Republican presidential candidates talk about illegal immigration as if they were in an arms race on toughness. The Democratic candidates have begun to tread more warily on the issue, as their debate last week in Las Vegas showed, but they still favor the language of accommodation over alarm.
It's very much worth mentioning that the piece acknowledges the existence of polling data that shows heavy support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Alexandra Marks states early on what the positions of the various candidates are on immigration. She then moves swiftly into discussing the aftermath such positions could have on each party, even citing our new report, Hispanics Rising:
A recent report called "Hispanics Rising" done by NDN, a progressive Democrat-leaning think tank, notes there was "a dramatic reversal" of Hispanic voting patterns as a result. In 2004, 40 percent of Hispanics voted Republican, according to exit polls cited by NDN. In 2006, only 30 percent pulled the lever for the GOP.
The piece closes with an interesting quote: "If a Democrat does get elected, there will be a serious effort to come back to something that, ironically, won't be too different from what President Bush proposed [in 2006]." Interesting...
Simon was on BBC World News' "The World Today" this past week talking about how the immigration issue is playing out in the US. Check it out and download it here (or by clicking the icon above).
The Politicowrites that Scott McClellan, the former Press Secretary to President Bush, "unknowingly passed along false information" about the CIA leak case of Valerie Plame Wilson to the press. Specifically, the President and Vice President (among others) allowed him to mislead the public. From the article:
Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan names names in a caustic passage from a forthcoming memoir that accuses President Bush, Karl Rove and Vice President Cheney of being "involved" in his giving the press false information about the CIA leak case.
McClellan’s publisher released three paragraphs from the book “WHAT HAPPENED: Inside the Bush White House and What’s Wrong With Washington.”
The excerpts give no details about the alleged involvement of the president or vice president.
But McClellan lists five top officials as having allowed him inadvertently to mislead the public.
“I stood at the White house briefing room podium in front of the glare of the klieg lights for the better part of two weeks and publicly exonerated two of the seniormost aides in the White House: Karl Rove and Scooter Libby,” McClellan wrote.
“There was one problem. It was not true.”
McClellan then absolves himself and makes an inflammatory — and potentially lucrative for his publisher — charge.
“I had unknowingly passed along false information,” McClellan wrote.
“And five of the highest ranking officials in the administration were involved in my doing so: Rove, Libby, the vice president, the president's chief of staff and the president himself."
- First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE BIDEN! It's not often that I'm doing a roundup on a candidates' birthday, so there you have it. On a campaign-related note, Biden announced his energy and climate plan today in Iowa. Also be sure to read Biden's op-ed in the Des Moines Registeron ending the war in Iraq, and check out "Joe is Right" if you haven't already seen it.
- The Presidential candidates are posting on VetVoice.com about issues veterans, their families, and their supporters care about. All campaigns were contacted. Six Democratic candidates posted, one Republican, Congressman Ron Paul.
- The candidates have also posted responses to WhyTuesday? As part of the Why Tuesday Challenge, the candidates are giving their views on the voting system.
- Dennis Kucinich has some advice for you: never leave home without a copy of the Constitution.
- John McCain received a big endorsement yesterday from Tom Kean, former Governor of New Jersey and 9/11 Commission Chairman.
- Former U.S. Senator John Durkin, the last Democratic Senator from New Hampshire, endorsed Chris Dodd.
- It has been a while since Duncan Hunter appeared on the update. That changes TODAY! In this new ad, Hunter discusses giving soldiers good jobs upon their return.
- Hillary Clinton has a lot going on: yesterday in Iowa she gave a speech on America's Economic Challenges, she has a new ad up in Iowa and New Hampshire entitled "Joe Ward", and be sure to check out "Machine", which is running in New Hampshire. Senator Clinton is also the top candidate with which most people would want to share Thanksgiving dinner.
- Fred Thompson isn't doing too well in New Hampshire, according to a new poll.
- Rudy Giuliani has a new ad out entitled "Leadership". Also be sure to read a recent article from the LA Times which covers Rudy's sentiment on nominating conservative Supreme Court Justices in an effort to court the Federalist Society's endorsement.
- Stephen Dinan from the Washington Timestakes a look at the types of people behind Ron Paul's impressive fundraising drive.
- Mike Gravel - who, thanks to PrezVid, revealed his Xbox gamertag - was not at the Las Vegas debate. So he decided to set up shop, sit on a stage, and commentate during the debate. Check out the video below:
For more information on NDN's coverage of the 2008 Presidential election, click here.
I just couldn't wait for tomorrow morning's roundup to post Mike Huckabee's new ad featuring Chuck Norris, I'm sorry. Check it out below. (Thanks to Brad, a former NDN intern and Arkansas native for sending this!)
For more information on NDN's coverage of the 2008 Presidential election, click here.
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- John McCain received a 
- As if you thought the Chuck Norris endorsement of Mike Huckabee wasn't enough. The Nature Boy, Ric Flair, 
