Florida Rep. Steube files bill “to arm school personnel”

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On February 27th , Florida Representative W. Gregory “Greg” Steube,  filed HB 1097 – School Safety, which takes a hard look at safety in Florida’s schools. Rep. Steube, an Army paratrooper and Iraq War combat veteran, states, “The safety of our school children and the dedicated teachers and personnel who educate them is a paramount concern to all communities.”

“We are all deeply concerned about the well-being of our children and we must come to a consensus on how to prevent violent crimes from occurring on school grounds. As a father and a son of a teacher, I feel a responsibility to my community and my state to address the safety of our students and teaching personnel. With this bill, schools will be better equipped to protect their faculty and students,” notes Rep. Steube.

HB 1097 would allow a school principal to designate one or more members of school personnel to carry a concealed firearm or weapon while performing his or her official duties. 

The bill requires that “designated personnel must complete additional training and coursework that covers emergency procedures, life safety, methods of prevention, terrorism awareness and firearm proficiency to ensure they are prepared to respond appropriately in the event that a threat arises on campus. Also, the bill would require each school to have a school safety officer present on campus, unless the principal has already designated a member of school personnel to carry a weapon or firearm on that campus.”

Below, you can find more information regarding HB 1097, as well as important tools that may help you advocate for your concerns.

HB 1097

HB 1097 Press Release

Legislative Tracking System

EDITORS NOTE:

Greg Ridgeway, Ph.D., Deputy Director National Institute of Justice, in a recently released document states, “On average there are about 11,000 firearm homicides every year. While there are deaths resulting from accidental discharges and suicides, this document will focus on intentional firearm homicides. Fatalities from mass shootings (those with 4 or more victims in a particular place and time) account on average for 35 fatalities per year. Policies that address the larger firearm homicide issue will have a far greater impact even if they do not address the particular issues of mass shootings.”

This document provides a cursory summary of select initiatives to reduce firearm violence and an assessment of the evidence for the initiative. To read the document click here.

Watch this video statement by Christian Ziegler, State Committeeman from Sarasota, FL:

US Supreme Court Voting Rights Case and its impact on Florida

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The US Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case of Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder beginning today. The issue according to the SCOTUS Blog is, “Whether Congress’ decision in 2006 to reauthorize Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act under the pre-existing coverage formula of Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act exceeded its authority under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments and thus violated the Tenth Amendment and Article IV of the United States Constitution.”

The ruling on this case will impact as many as five Florida Counties. According to Larry Kahn of KeysNet.com, “Section 5 covers Monroe and four other Florida counties, as well as some local jurisdictions in California, North Carolina, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York and South Dakota. It also covers all of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Alaska, Arizona and Virginia.”

Kahn reports, “Last year, then-Monroe County Elections Supervisor Harry Sawyer battled Gov. Rick Scott on the national stage over how many early-voting days should be allowed in the November election. Scott ultimately won — eight days instead of Sawyer’s preferred 14 — but that battle and more will be heard today by the U.S. Supreme Court.”

Kahn notes, “‘Last year we got an umbrella from Section 5 because it helped Mr. Sawyer fight and the voters were heard from,’ said Elections Supervisor Joyce Griffin. ‘If we weren’t under Section 5, they wouldn’t have been heard from’.”

Mr. Sawyer wanted to use Section 5 of the voting rights act to bypass the governor and state of Florida.

In the column, “Voting Rights at the Supreme Court Today“, Amy Payne reports:

The Voting Rights Act provides “broad and powerful protection against discrimination,”explains Heritage’s Hans von Spakovsky, a former Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. Regardless of the Supreme Court’s take on Section 5, the Voting Rights Act remains in effect to protect all Americans from voter discrimination.

But Section 5 outlived its purpose decades ago—and the federal government is still forcing some voting jurisdictions to justify all of their local rule changes. Von Spakovsky points out:

[Section 5] effectively presumes that all voting-related actions by certain states and jurisdictions are discriminatory and therefore requires that they obtain pre-approval from the federal government for otherwise ordinary and routine actions, such as moving a polling station from a school that is under renovation to another one down the street or drawing new redistricting plans. This is a major and unusual imposition on state sovereignty.

What was originally intended to safeguard individual liberty has become a way for the feds to attack state liberty. For the Department of Justice and many activists, Section 5 merely exists to bully local authorities.

Von Spakovsky says that if Section 5 were struck down, “The only change would be to curb the abuses of federal bureaucrats and check the power and influence of the liberal activist groups that rely on Section 5 to enforce their agendas.”

Watch this Heritage Foundation video to understand what the arguments on Section 5 are:

Florida has the most schools offering the International Baccalaureate but is it worth it?

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In 1971, the United Nations International School (UNIS) became the first school authorized “to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) and awarded the first IB degree in the world.”

As of February 21, 2013 there are 1,403 International Baccalaureate (IB) World Schools in the U.S. which offer one or more IB programs. Florida leads the way in schools offering IB Programs with 144 or over 10% of U.S. IB World Schools.

Debra K. Niwa has issued her annual update on IB World Schools in the U.S. With 91% of IB programs funded by public dollars, Niwa notes, “Public financing of IB World Schools begs the attention of anyone who values education and cares about how taxpayer money is spent in the public school system. Local, state, and federal taxpayer dollars are covering public school costs for programs offered by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) — an entity under Swiss law that claims non-profit status. IBO is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland; a regional office opened in Bethesda, Maryland in 2010.

Niwa presents in her annual update the following red-flag issues surrounding IB programs:

• IB programs add unnecessary costs to school operations (these vary with each IB program). IB school fees, new staff positions (non-teaching and teaching), student registration and subject fees, student assessment fees, and periodic program evaluation visit fees, to name a few, Plus, IB requires training (that incurs participant fees, travel, meals, and lodging expenses) at destinations that are out-of-state or out-of-country for most attendees. “It costs an average of about $8,000 to train a staff member.” Thereafter, re-training comes every few years as IBO changes curriculum.

• The “pre-university” two-year IB Diploma Program (DP) is not cost effective (nor are the other IB programs). IB DP “candidates” are often a tiny portion of a high school’s total enrollment. In 2009, a proponent in Virginia “shared statistics that indicate 72% of IB Programs have less than 10 diploma candidates each year and that was the norm.”6 Nevertheless, substantial six-digit amounts accommodate the IB DP. In July 2011, Tucson Unified School District revealed its annual costs for the Diploma Program at one high school. For the first two IB graduating classes, TUSD spent more than $1 million the first year (2009-2010) and $800,000 the second year (2010-2011). Five students received the IB Diploma in that period.

• The IB Middle Years Program (MYP) — for ages 11 to 15 — is poor preparation for the DP. IB teachers criticize that “MYP suddenly stops in Grade 10. There is no articulation between MYP and IB Diploma” and “The MYP . . . doesn’t really provide the opportunity to hone the skills needed to be successful DP students.” What about the many MYP graduates who don’t qualify for the Diploma Program? In 2012 the IBO will allow IB DP schools to offer an IB “Career-related Certificate” for students ages 16 to 19 years old.

• The IB Primary Years Program (PYP) – for 3 to 12-year-olds — is bad for academic support. As staff at PYP schools have remarked: “. . . the IB program has NO place in elementary school. It takes too much emphasis off learning the basics, it takes the teachers out of the classroom for too many meetings, and it takes our administrators on expensive cross-country business trips.” “ . . . there was so much time spent on the IB stuff and time taken away from the true academics — very frustrating when you have . . . students that you need to help on academics but can’t.”

• IB changes education’s purpose, content, and teaching methods — predictably supporting the agendas of the IBO which, since 1970, has been an official NGO of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Strip away the IB marketing puffery and suddenly the IB drivel about “rigor”, “international mindedness” and “quality education for a better world” become nothing more than phrases that obscure the integration of non-academic goals that support United Nations* issues, such as Agenda 21 sustainable development.

Niwa asks parents, Florida taxpayers and Florida’s political leadership this question: How deeply does IB reach into the public school system in your state?

In the case of Florida it runs deeply starting in 2005 with the first IB program created under former Governor Jeb Bush.

ABOUT DEBRA K. NIWA

Debra K. Niwa

Debbie Niwa began researching education issues five years ago when she started questioning the policies and changes occurring in the school district in Tucson, Arizona that her son was enrolled in. She has devoted thousands of hours researching local, state, federal, and global school reform issues, as well as actively advocating for academic quality in education. Since 1980, she has worked professionally on the design and production of publications as well as the gamut of other graphic design projects.

Florida Task Force: All persons have a fundamental right to stand their ground

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Tallahassee, FL – Today the Task Force on Citizen Safety and Protection, delivered their final report to the Office of the Florida Senate President, Office of the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and the Executive Office of the Governor.

The Task Force concluded that Florida Statute 776 is a good law and should not be overturned. On page five of their final report the Task Force’s top recommendations states:

The Task Force concurs with the core belief that all persons, regardless of citizenship status, have a right to feel safe and secure in our state. To that end, all persons who are conducting themselves in a lawful manner have a fundamental right to stand their ground and defend themselves from attack with proportionate force in every place they have a lawful right to be.

Governor Rick Scott said, “I want to commend the 19 members of the Citizen Safety Task Force and Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll for their thorough and thoughtful consideration of Florida Statute 776. This diverse Task Force listened to the people of Florida and provided a platform for different viewpoints to be shared on the important issue of citizen safety. I met with Trayvon Martin’s parents and our hearts go out to the entire family for their loss, especially as we approach the anniversary of his death. We look forward to reviewing this final report as we approach the beginning of the legislative session.”

The final Citizen Safety Task Force report, video links to all of the task force meetings, correspondence and public input considered is located on the Task Force website.

Link to Task Force website and final report: http://www.flgov.com/citizensafety/.

The Task Force on Citizen Safety and Protection, led by Lt. Governor Jennifer Carroll, held public meetings in seven cities across Florida and listened to subject matter experts and citizens. They concluded that Floridians have the right to defend themselves and the right to stand their ground when attacked. They concur that Floridians have the right to arm and protect themselves and their families from violence.

Killing charitable deductions slowly – the sunset of PEP and Pease

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Roberta Flack’s 1973 hit tune “Killing Me Softly with His Song” comes to mind when writing about how the tax codes have dramatically changed effective January 1, 2013. Two of the major changes are charitable deductions under the Personal Exemption Phase-out (PEP) and the Pease deduction cap under 26 US Code § 68.

According to the Indiana University Foundation:

As of January 1, 2013, itemized deductions will be limited in several ways:

The Pease limitations will reduce the amount of certain itemized deductions high-income taxpayers can claim: either 3% of the taxpayer’s income over the modified adjusted gross income limit, or up to 80% of certain deductions (whichever amount is less).

The taxpayer threshold for claiming medical expenses as an itemized deduction will be increased from 7.5% of AGI to 10% (though individuals age 65 and older will continue to use the 7.5% threshold from 2013 to 2016).

As was the case in 2012, the option to deduct state and local sales taxes rather than income taxes will not be available.

Kelsey Snell from Politico wrote in December, 2012, “Tax rate increases aren’t the only way in which Democrats are aiming to collect more tax dollars from the rich — they’re also looking to resurrect a dormant pair of oddly named laws that targeted the wealthy for decades.”

Snell states:

Known as PEP and Pease, they’re a little bit like the original “Buffett rule.”

The Personal Exemption Phase-out, or PEP, and the “Pease” deduction cap — named for the late Rep. Don Pease (D-Ohio) — were introduced in the 1990s to try to help balance the budget by getting the rich to chip in more. PEP reduced the value of exemptions for high-income earners by as much as 2 percent for every $2,500 earned over a set amount. Pease limited itemized deductions for the wealthy.

Read more.

According to Barbara E. Little, an associate with New Jersey based Schnader Attorneys at Law in their Tax and Wealth Management Department and the Trust and Estates, Nonprofit and Higher Education Practice Groups.:

On January 2, 2013, President Obama signed into law the “American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012” (ATRA). In this Alert, we explore the good news and the bad news that charitably minded individuals received with the passage of ATRA.

Bad News

Let’s start by getting the bad news out of the way. ATRA revived the itemized deduction limitations, also known as the “Pease Amendment” (named after Congressman Donald Pease, the amendment’s proposer in the 1990s). Under Pease, total itemized deductions are reduced by 3 percent not to exceed 80 percent, of the amount the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income exceeds the threshold amount – $250,000 for single filers, $275,000 for heads of household and $300,000 for married filing jointly (indexed for inflation). Charitable deductions are included in the limitation equation.

Depending on the taxpayer’s income level and other deductions, this limitation could adversely affect charitable contributions. For example, consider a married couple with $60,000 of itemized deductions ($25,000 mortgage interest, $10,000 state taxes and $25,000 charitable deduction) and an adjusted gross income of $450,000. The couple’s adjusted gross income exceeds the threshold by $150,000. The couple must reduce their total itemized deductions by 3 percent of $150,000 or $4,500.

The other bad news is that two charitable deductions were not extended: 1) contributions of book inventories to public schools; and 2) corporate contributions of computer inventory.

Good News

One piece of good news is that under ATRA, once again, individuals 70½ years of age or older may make tax-free IRA distributions to charitable organizations. The maximum distribution amount is $100,000 per individual, per tax year.

Speaking with a Florida donor to local charitable organizations he bemoans the fact that under ATRA his personal exemptions are eaten up by other, primarily tax deductions, thus limiting his charitable giving. He is concerned that ATRA is written so that non-profit organizations, many of which are faith based, will be irreparably harmed. With the passage of ATRA the new charity will be government and its ability to redistribute tax revenues to those non-profits it see as fit for public donations.

The new normal is “government charity” at every level.

Listen to Roberta Flack singing Killing Me Softly:

[youtube_sc url=”http://youtu.be/4mpqXu0z3wU”]

Is this the best solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict?

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Dr. Mordechai Kedar, the Director of the Center for the Study of the Middle East and Islam (under formation), a research associate of the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies and a lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University in Israel visited Sarasota, Florida, while on a thirty-day tour of the United States. Dr. Kedar presented his “Palestinian Emirates” solution as part of the Israel@65 celebration hosted by the Sarasota/Manatee Jewish Federation.

Dr. Kedar’s solution is based upon the realities of Arab culture in the Middle East.

Dr. Kedar is the architect of a solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict which calls for the creation of eight Palestinian Emirates within the state of Israel. The eight city-states would comprise the areas of Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Jericho, Tul-Karm, Kalkilya, the Arab part of Hebron and Gaza. The concept is simple in its design. Dr. Kedar pointed out that the most prosperous and peaceful nation states in the Middle East are culturally homogeneous. Examples include: Dubai, Qatar, the United Arab Emeritus, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Dr. Kedar believes that the two state solution proposed by the United States, the EU and supported by the United Nations and Israeli politicians is the greatest threat facing Israel. According to the Palestinian Emirates website, the creation of two states, “could lead to the demise of our beloved Israel? After all, it’s been the mainstay policy thrust upon Israel with various international initiatives and road-maps to peace. But in reality it would bring about the opposite result.”

Dr. Kedar discusses his Palestinian Emirates solution on ReThingingIsreal.com:

The Palestinian Emirates solution is based on the following eighteen points (realities):

1. The only true loyalty for Middle Eastern Arabs is to family, clan and tribe and the local sheikhs who are their true leaders.

2. There is little trust that currently exists between peoples of the different tribes in the Arab Palestinian cities of Judea, Samaria and Gaza.

3. Any PA led government of a Palestinian state would most likely become another corrupt and failing Arab state.

4. If a Palestinian state existed the more militant Hamas would soon seize control in Judea & Samaria from the less militant, weak and corrupt PA/Fatah.

5. Israel would be faced on two borders by Hamas whose Charter openly calls for the destruction of the Jewish Homeland and the killing of Jews worldwide.

6. The PA/Fatah and Hamas are not reliable negotiating partners for peace and the concept of the Two State Solution must be abandoned.

7. Israel must now take the lead to find a workable solution in light of the recent UN vote which did not confer actual statehood to the Palestinians.

8. As tribal leaders the individual sheikhs may want their independence from the PA to chart their own destiny of peace and prosperity.

9. Israel should recognize the development of independent city-states in seven cities of Judea & Sumaria which would likely occur over a period of years.

10. The eight city-states would comprise the areas of Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah, Jericho, Tul-Karm, Kalkilya, the Arab part of Hebron and Gaza.

11. Local residents would become citizens of these eight independent city-states while those remaining in rural lands would have the choice to become citizens of Israel.

12. The Palestinian refugee problem can only be addressed once the UN realizes that there is no Right of Return for Arabs as citizens of Israel. Naturally Arabs should find their solutions in Arab states, not the one Jewish state.

13. As these independent Arab Palestinian city-states develop they may choose to form a beneficial alliance together to increase security, economic development and other aspects of common interest.

14. The leaders of these emerging city-states are more likely to accept Israel as the Jewish Homeland and root out terrorist and jihadist elements within their secure borders.

15. Israel would absorb and control the less populated areas of Judea & Samaria to enhance security for the region and expand housing and commercial development.

16. The PA leadership will eventually disappear from Judea & Samaria once the city-state movement takes root.

17. Gaza remains an ongoing problem requiring possible future Israeli defensive military action and will only have freedom and opportunity for it’s citizens once Hamas and the other jihadists no longer behave like terror groups against Israel, but rather manage their state for the sake of their people.

18. Jerusalem will remain as it has been since 1967, the undivided capital of Israel that welcomes peaceful people of all religions to live, visit and pray there.

As Victor Hugo (1802-1885) wrote, “Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come.”  Dr. Kedar’s solution may be the last best solution because it empowers the tribal peoples of the Palestinian Emirates.

Rocking Preacher’s Free Speech Violated By Florida Public School

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TEA Party Community reports, “Rock band leader, radio show host and international ministry organizer Bradlee Dean has been ejected from another school campus. This time, attorneys with the public interest firm Liberty Counsel have written to educators explaining that the Constitution applies on school grounds.”

Dean’s ministry, You Can Run But You Cannot Hide, says it delivers  messages of uncompromising integrity and moral values to audiences wherever he can reach them. His  organization told WND he had been scheduled to speak to the “American Club” at Spanish River High in Boca Raton, Florida.

Bradlee Dean writes on his blog:

“On Wednesday [February 13, 2013], I was set to perform an after-school voluntary presentation at Spanish River High School in Boca Raton, Fla., after having been invited by a student-led high school group, The American Club. The group has been established for two years, has had many speakers and followed the usual line of protocol for having a presentation, being pre-approved by the school administration. They hung posters three weeks before the event, and it was advertised on morning announcements all week.

We no sooner stepped foot on campus, but the principal and an effeminate teacher approached us and attempted to cancel the event on their campus with no justifiable explanation. They claimed they did not “vet” me, although they had not done so with any previous speakers The American Club has brought in.”

Dean states, “When we reminded them that their actions were unlawful, they told us that once we entered school property, we no longer had a First Amendment right.”

The US Supreme Court has ruled in Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) that “students do not leave their rights at the schoolhouse door”. To protest the Vietnam War, Mary Beth Tinker and her brother wore black armbands to school. Fearing a disruption, the administration prohibited wearing such armbands. The Tinkers were removed from school when they failed to comply, but the Supreme Court ruled that their actions were protected by the First Amendment.

Dean provides the following video taken of the event:

Who is Bradlee Dean?

RUBIO INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO EXPAND SCHOOL CHOICE

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Washington, D.C. – Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced legislation today to help families pay for more school options through a new tax credit. The Educational Opportunities Act creates a federal corporate and individual tax credit to promote school choice by allowing contributions to go to Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) that will distribute scholarships to a student to be used toward private school tuition or expenses related to attending a private school.

“Education plays a central role in the 21st century knowledge economy”, said Senator Rubio. “If we want our children to thrive economically, we need to equip students and families with the tools they need to succeed and make it in the middle class and beyond. Parental school choice is a critical piece in this, which is why I introduced the Educational Opportunities Act. This bill will incentivize investment in students and empower parents and K-12 students by allowing more educational opportunities, especially in low-income households that would otherwise not be able to afford it. It’s the kind of incentive that will help improve education in America and prepare our children for the jobs of tomorrow, without additional burdens on the American taxpayer.”

The Educational Opportunities Act is the first bill Senator Rubio has introduced in the 113th Congress, and is part of an effort to help build a 21st century middle class, as discussed in his speech last December at the Jack Kemp Foundation Dinner. In order to provide tax encouragement to help parents pay for the school of their choice, the bill creates a corporate and individual federal tax credit to go toward a qualifying, non-profit 501(c)(3) Education Scholarship Organization, so that students from low income families can receive a scholarship to pay for the cost of a private education of their parents choosing.

WHAT THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY IS SAYING ABOUT THE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ACT:

Former Governor Jeb Bush, Chairman of the Foundation for Excellence in Education: “Parents across the nation are struggling now more than ever and few can afford to pay for the tuition or education services their child deserves. Choosing your child’s school is as fundamental as choosing which doctor’s office is best for your child and this legislation will help make that choice more affordable to more parents.”

Kenneth Campbell, President of the Black Alliance For Educational Options: “The Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) was founded based on the belief that all children,  despite their family’s income, should have access to a quality education. We wake up every day with the knowledge that too many of our children are in crisis, therefore we fight every day to ensure that low-income and working class Black parents have both the freedom and the power to chose where and how their children are educated. The Educational Opportunities Act proposed by Senator Marco Rubio has the potential to allow tens of thousands of children across this country to access an education that would otherwise be unavailable to them. We applaud the Senator for taking this bold step and we are hopeful that our nation’s elected officials will see this bill as an opportunity to help our most vulnerable children and not allow partisan politics or ideologies to prohibit this bill from moving forward.”

Julio Fuentes, President of Hispanic Council For Reform and Educational Options: “Sen. Rubio’s bill would move the country a long way towards leveling the playing field for Hispanic students and families. We know the achievement gaps for minority students have been too heartbreakingly wide for too long. We know the expansion of parental school choice is another tool we can thoughtfully use to narrow them. A federal tax credit scholarship program will give students around the nation more options to excel regardless of their zip code or their socioeconomic background.”

Rabbi David Zwiebel, Esq., Executive Vice President of Agudath Israel of America: “Agudath Israel applauds Sen. Marco Rubio for his bold move to increase parental school choice options for low-income families nationwide. Jewish day school families, among many others, will be able to use this scholarship program to better give their children the access they deserve to a high quality education. Our children, our communities, our democracy and our nation will all be the better for it. We encourage lawmakers, Republican and Democrat, to put a bipartisan stamp on the common-sense issue that is at the heart of this bill: the ability of parents to choose the learning environment that is the best fit for their child.”

Kevin P. Chavous, former D.C. City Councilman and current Executive Counsel for the American Federation For Children: “We are grateful that Senator Rubio has introduced a bill to help children access a great education, regardless of their zip code. At a time when our nation continues to have a tragically high dropout rate and millions of kids remain trapped in traditional schools that do not work for them, we must have the courage to put all options on the table – options we know work for disadvantaged kids.  Senator Rubio understands that every child matters and we applaud his leadership and commitment to helping these kids.”

To view the bill click here.

Florida Catholics and Senator Rubio respond to Pope’s retirement

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Catholics across the state of Florida are reacting to the unexpected announcement of Pope Benedict XVI retirement. As the world appears to devolve into godlessness as Pat Buchanan noted, the world now awaits the white smoke billowing from the Vatican.

Bishop Frank J. Dewane, Diocese of Venice, issued the following statement regarding resignation of the Holy Father:

The Holy Father’s announcement that he will be resigning on February 28 was a surprise for Catholics around the world. Pope Benedict XVI has been a loyal and active Shepherd for his years as Successor of St. Peter. The Holy Father cited reasons of health and age for his decision. The Diocese of Venice in Florida joins all in continued prayer for the Holy Father. It is my wish to express gratitude for Pope Benedict’s remarkable ministry as the Successor of St. Peter. It is no coincidence that the Holy Father concluded his statement assuring the Church that he will devote his remaining years to “serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.” His writings and teachings have called Catholics to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and to help those in need. Particularly during this time, I ask all Catholics in the Diocese of Venice in Florida to join me in prayer for Pope Benedict XVI and for the College of Cardinals as they prepare to convene, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to elect the next Successor of St. Peter.

Senator Marco Rubio stated, “Pope Benedict XVI displayed the qualities of an excellent leader and a true man of God by putting the interests of the Vatican and the Catholic Church over his own papacy. Since becoming Pope in 2005, Pope Benedict XVI has served the Church honorably, particularly through his work promoting charity across the globe. I wish him well in the future and, as a Catholic, I thank him for his service to God and the Church. I also look with optimism toward the future of the Catholic Church as it prepares to welcome a new leader and as it continues to spread God’s message of faith, hope and love to all the corners of the world.”

While Catholics await the announcement of a new Pope, others are attacking Pope Benedict XVI for his stand on traditional marriage. Rachel Donadio and Elisabetta Povoledo in their New York Times column write, “Saying he had examined his conscience ‘before God,’ Benedict said he felt that he was not up to the challenge of guiding the world’s one billion Catholics. That task will fall to his successor, who will have to contend not only with a Roman Catholic Church marred by the sexual abuse crisis, but also with an increasingly secular Europe and the spread of Protestant evangelical movements in the United States, Latin America and Africa.”

The Sydney Morning Herald’s Ruth Pollard in her column “Palestinian Catholics Wary Of Pope Benedict’s Resignation” reports:

He is viewed as the Pope who helped improve relations between the Vatican and Israel, while also providing open support for the recognition of a Palestinian state. As the news of Pope Benedict’s retirement spread, Palestinian Catholics expressed their shock at his decision and their fears that it may reduce the authority of the church and the next Pope.

“We want the representative of the Holy See to be supportive of the marginalised, of the downtrodden and in this case, the Palestinians who are living under a brutal Israeli occupation,” said Zoughbi Zoughbi, the director of the Wi’am Palestinian Centre for Conflict Resolution.

“Anyone who comes into this position [of pope] has the responsibility of correcting injustices in all four corners of the world,” Mr Zoughbi said as he sat with friends in a café in Bethlehem.

What’s Next for Tea Party Community? An Interview With TPC’s Co-Founder

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On Saturday, February 2, 2013 the Tea Party Community (TPC) website officially launched. Billing itself as “the conservative answer to Facebook,” TPC has grown quickly, amassing 100,000 members in its first 9 days, and earning its own article on Wikipedia.

TPC is a new online platform for citizens concerned about government waste and overreach to network and organize. Although it’s a tool designed  for a political movement, there’s a lot that citizen journalists can learn from TPC. Even if you aren’t involved with the Tea Party, the community is worth a visit if only to see how citizens are using the newest social media platforms to connect. And no matter what your views are on the movement, the Tea Party is passionate about holding government accountable–a goal that all of us at Watchdog Wire can get behind.

Watchdog Wire is hosting a tweet-up with one of TPC’s founders,  Tim Selaty, Sr., on Wednesday, February 13th from Noon to 1:00 p.m. EST. Use the hashtag #WDWTU and follow @WatchdogWire to join in! Click here to learn more about how tweet-ups work.

TPC has now become a national phenomenon, but how did it start, what challenges did it face, and where is it going? We asked these questions, and many others, in our exclusive interview with TPC co-founder Tim Selaty, Sr. Watchdog Wire’s interview with Tim–and his candid answers–is below:

WDW:  TPC sounds like a great new tool for citizens. What do you hope to accomplish through the site?

Tim Selaty Sr.: The Tea Party Community is the conservative answer to Facebook. Unlike Facebook, TPC has the goal of linking like-minded conservatives to a single, friendly platform. Many conservatives have found Facebook to be unforgiving to conservative views, and many have been banned with nowhere to go. TPC will change that. Because of the mission of TPC, we will not reach the billions of users that Facebook has, but we certainly can and will reach millions. There is no other platform bringing people together like this, and the good news is that because TPC shares a few familiar similarities with Facebook, there is little change to manage. We hope to accomplish our directives with a collective and concentrated effort to compete with mainstream social media and broadcast media.

WDW: What about people who aren’t necessarily involved with the Tea Party–can they still join TPC? Is there a vetting process to sign up?

Tim Selaty Sr.: There is no “vetting” process per say. The Tea Party Community was built by conservatives for conservatives. We definitely welcome all like minded persons or groups to join.

WDW: Registration for TPC exploded the first few days after launching. Why do you think that is? Do you think it will continue? Where is registration now?

Tim Selaty Sr.: One of the key factors the contributed to our explosive growth was an article written by Mr. Todd Starnes of Fox news and a live interview on Fox and Friends. We saw a rapid growth just prior to our official launch that can also be attributed to an article written by Mr. Starnes about “The Chicks On The Right” being locked out of their Facebook account. Our membership is currently just over 100,000 and continues to grow by a few hundred daily.

WDW: One thing TPC has in common with Watchdog Wire is a focus on states. Tell me about TPC’s state hubs. What role can citizens play at the state level?

Tim Selaty Sr.: Our state hubs are currently being developed as the main vehicle to help our members to become active at the state level and even the county level. We have a detailed strategy behind their development including a citizen journalist and broadcast network in each state. While the state hubs are still new, we are currently vetting management staff to run the online hubs, grassroots organizers, event coordinators, and fundraisers alike will work harmoniously to accomplish each state’s initiatives. Let’s say that we were to get 50 million conservatives together in one place–imagine the political implications of that! Because TPC has established “state hubs,” it’s easy for Tea Party activists and other grass roots organizations to join in their state hub and begin reaching out to their audiences.

WDW: The legacy media has really distorted the image and message of the Tea Party.In your own words, what does the Tea Party stand for?

Tim Selaty Sr.: “Taxed Enough Already” is the short answer.  The TEA Party stands as a representative body of Americans who are fed up with the direction the federal government has taken our country economically with its many extreme, out-of-control, and unaccountable spending habits. We as Americans are all required to be responsible for our financial decisions and we expect the government to be responsible with the money we are required to give to them.

WDW: We’re big on holding government accountable too. But aren’t you preaching to the choir?

Tim Selaty Sr.: We don’t believe so. There are many different factions of the Tea Party that weren’t able to come together as an effective force during the last election cycle. We believe this was because each one had a different idea of how to be effective. We are hoping to work together and focus on the issues that we do agree on while working out our different issues that we don’t agree upon.

WDW: Will using the well know brand “Tea Party” limit your audience, perhaps to people who are active in local Tea Party chapters?

Tim Selaty Sr.: We don’t believe so. Many have said in the mainstream media that “The Tea Party is Dead.” We believe the Tea Party may have been disorganized and marginalized, but it is far from being dead. Our intentions are to reorganize and mobilize in a unified fashion to be an effective force during the next and future elections.

WDW: You mentioned that TPC is intended as an alternative to Facebook. What about Facebook wasn’t meeting the needs of the Tea Party?

Tim Selaty Sr.: Facebook is a great platform for its intended purpose. We believe that it has some important limitations in the ability to network on a large scale with fellow conservatives. Facebook seems to have been censoring conservative material and accounts (whether this is mostly due to an automated report and flagging system is unclear). We know this from our own personal experiences and that of other conservative groups like Chicks On The Right,  Jan Morgan and fellow Patriots whose content or accounts have been moderated. There have been TPC members who have stated that their accounts on Facebook were either unjustly moderated, warned, suspended, and some even terminated without reason.

WDW: Why did you use a model similar to Facebook? Is there any concern about patent or copyright infringement?

Tim Selaty Sr.: We decided to provide conservatives with a type of social media platform that shared similarities and standard community features that they were already accustomed to seeing. We didn’t want our members to have a large learning curve when being introduced with a new platform.

The Social Engine platform that we have chosen (PHPFOX) has been available for sale to the public for a few years now and is used by several hundred other websites to date. Although our color scheme and layout shares a few similarities, it’s not exact. If you visit the two sites you’ll see the clear difference in design, layout, and functionality.

We are in the process of gathering funds which will enable us to continue adding staff and developers for the new unique social engine software we’re already creating (behind the scenes). The new software will be built from the ground-up and will reveal and hopefully surpass that of our competitors in the near future. We have not been contacted by Facebook with any type of cease and desist. We also clearly state this disclaimer on our home page as not to be confused with Facebook: DISCLAIMER: Tea Party Community is not associated or affiliated with Facebook© or Facebook.com.

WDW: The media likes to twist the Tea Party’s words to make its members sound extreme. Do you have a policy on what can and cannot be posted? What guided your thought process in creating this?

Tim Selaty Sr.: As with any community online there usually is, and should always be, a clear set of guidelines to protect the members of that community, and the business entity behind said community. We do believe in “Free Speech” but don’t allow what’s considered “Illegal Speech.”

Some of the main rules we ask TPC members to abide by include respect for persons of all races and religions and refraining from derogatory comments or violent language. We do not tolerate hate speech, calls for armed aggression or other violence, threats against people or groups, or obscene or indecent content. We encourage you to check out our full list of terms and conditions, which includes our speech policy, before you join.

WDW: What happened the weekend that TPC launched? There are rumors that the site was hacked, with some sources saying a high volume of traffic was coming from China that shut down the site.

Tim Selaty Sr.: TPC experienced a Denial of Service botnet attack just 35 minutes prior to our live radio/video broadcast on the Trento Vision show with special guests co-founder Ken Crow and media partner Jan Morgan of JanMorganmedia.com. While we caught the attack early, we spoke our hosting provider and was agreed to temporarily disable network access to the website through a process of “null routing” our server’s IP to prevent over saturating the network and reducing the collateral damage to other sites from the attack. As with most BotNet attacks, traffic came from all around the world but the largest amount of traffic (packets) came from Mississippi.

WDW: Who all is involved in TPC? How are you funding it? Do you hope to make this a profitable venture or is it a non-profit?

Tim Selaty Sr.: TPC was founded and created by Tim Selaty Jr., Michelle Selaty, and myself, along with Ken Crow and Kevin Jackson. Our community and the funds needed to drive the growth of the website is solely funded at this time by donations from the community. With the donations to-date, we’ve been able to add new functionality and enhance existing site features to better tailor to the needs of the community. We’ve also hired several talented individuals with different but important roles and we’re looking to continue increasing our staff including but not limited to: state hub directors, forum moderators, site feed moderators, graphic designers, petition directors, developers, database administrators, etc.

There are several for-profit models built-in into TPC (from PHPFOX’s original software) such as self-placed advertising,a  store and actions (coming soon), and featuring several different types of content for an additional cost.

We have had over one thousand volunteer applications submitted to us over the last 4 weeks and are in the process of vetting other key people in top level management, spokesman, and other various positions within our organization. TPC is currently seeking investors who share our dream and are as excited as we are about the possibilities and future to come.

Here’s what some people are saying about TPC. Not everyone sounds pleased with the idea of conservative activists networking on social media!

TEA Party Community – League of Their Own – Daily Kos

Tea Party launches Facebook-like site for conservatives – MSNBC News

Tea Party Community, an Unsocial Facebook Rival? – Technorati

Tea Party Republicans Leave Facebook, Launch Own Community – Black Enterprise

Tea Party Community Facebook alternative hit by hackers on official launch day – UK Examiner

American Law for American Courts bill advances

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The Florida Family Association issued the following report:

Florida House Civil Justice Subcommittee votes 9-4 to approve bill which prohibits courts from considering certain provisions of international laws including Islamic Sharia law.

The Florida House Civil Justice Subcommittee voted on HB 351 – Application of Foreign Law in Certain Cases during the scheduled February 7, 2013 8:00 am meeting.

Application of Foreign Law in Certain Cases: Clarifies that public policies expressed in act apply to violations of natural person’s fundamental liberties, rights, & privileges guaranteed by State Constitution or U.S. Constitution; provides that act does not apply to corporation, partnership, or other form of business association, except when necessary to provide effective relief in proceedings under or relating to chs. 61 & 88, F.S.; specifies public policy of this state in applying choice of foreign law, legal code, or system in proceedings brought under or relating to chs. 61 & 88, F.S., which relate to dissolution of marriage, support, time-sharing, Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction & Enforcement Act, & Uniform Interstate Family Support Act; declares that certain decisions under such laws, codes, or systems & certain choice of venue or forum provisions in contract are void; provides for construction of waiver by natural person of person’s fundamental liberties, rights, & privileges guaranteed by State Constitution or U.S. Constitution; declares that claims of forum non conveniens or related claims must be denied; limits construction of provisions in certain circumstances.

The language of this bill has been narrowed compared to the legislation offered in the 2012 session.

Florida Family Association applauds Representative Larry Metz’s sponsorship of HB 351 – Application of Foreign Law in Certain Cases.

 

Unlike 2012 when this subcommittee voted 13-0 to approve the bill, all four Democrats voted against the legislation this year.   Here is how the Florida House Civil Justice Subcommittee voted:

Y  Boyd (R)                Y  Goodson (R)      Y  Oliva (R)       Y  Spano (R)
Y  Stone (R)              N  Clelland (D)       Y  Hager (R)     Y  Passidomo (R)
N  Stafford (D)          N  Waldman (D)     Y  Davis (R)      Y  Metz (R)
N  Rodríguez, J. (D)

 

Representative José Javier Rodríguez (Democrat representing part of Miami-Dade) led the charge against the legislation with a litany of questions and challenges.
Representative James W. “Jim” Waldman (Democrat representing part of Broward County) mocked Franklin Holder’s testimony in favor of the bill by laughing at his comments.

 

Perhaps Democrats gleamed from the 2012 elections that a certain constituency affected by this legislation voted overwhelmingly for Barack Obama.

Sadly for all Americans, these four Democrats did not see the importance of honoring only American laws in American courts but only saw the importance of votes to keep their political longevity alive.

Click here to see the video of the February 7, 2013 meeting.  The discussion on this bill began at 10:10 am.

Here is the vote from the Florida House Civil Justice Subcommittee in 2012 where a 13-0 vote was taken on January 31, 2012:

Abruzzo Y  Gaetz Y  Kiar Y  Passidomo –  Stargel Y  Bernard Y  Hager Y  Metz Y  Plakon Y  Steinberg Y  Eisnaugle –  Harrison Y  Oliva Y  Soto Y  Weinstein

Enterprise Florida: Economic Development or Corporate Welfare?

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Today, Integrity Florida, an independent ethics watchdog group, in partnership with Americans for Prosperity – Florida, released a research report titled “Enterprise Florida: Economic Development or Corporate Welfare”.

According to co-authors Ben Wilcox and Dan Krassner, “The report illustrates Enterprise Florida’s apparent conflicts of interest, appearance of pay-to-play and its practice of picking of winners and losers in the marketplace.”

The report states:

“Floridians have entrusted Enterprise Florida, a public–private partnership focused on economic development, with significant public resources to deliver high quality job creation results, yet the organization has failed to accomplish its goals. Why has Enterprise Florida struggled as an economic development program? To better understand its operations, we take a close look at the incentive agreements executed by Enterprise Florida in the 2012 fiscal year. We selected 2012 because it presents the most recent data. It’s also a year that the Florida Secretary of Commerce has boasted of being an exemplar of success, referring to previous years’ efforts as “marginal at best.”

In addition to illustrating the failure to meet legislative expectations, this report documents Enterprise Florida’s apparent conflicts of interest, the appearance of a pay-to-play scheme for winning favorable treatment and its repeated practice of picking winners and losers in the marketplace through targeted business, favoritism, and selective incentive deals.” [My emphasis]

The report finds:

1. Enterprise Florida has failed to meet its job creation objective: In 1992, the Florida Legislature created Enterprise Florida with an initial objective of creating 200,000 high-wage jobs by 2005. After operating for twenty years and despite negotiating more than 1,600 transactions involving economic development incentive agreements worth more than $1.7 billion,iv Enterprise Florida reports that only 103,544 jobs have been delivered since 1995 – half of their original target and eight years beyond its original target date.

2. Enterprise Florida has failed to obtain its required level of private sector support: As a public-private partnership, Enterprise Florida is expected to obtain private sector support to help pay for its costs of operation. The Florida Legislature required Enterprise Florida to obtain 50% private sector contributions by Fiscal Year 2000-01. As of Fiscal Year 2010-11, more than 85% of Enterprise Florida’s funding comes from government and less than 15% comes from the private sector.

3. Enterprise Florida has the appearance of pay-to-play: Enterprise Florida, while subject to the dominion and control of the Florida Legislature,viii collects on average $50,000 each from corporate members for about half of the seats on the organization’s board of directors.ix Several Enterprise Florida board member companies received incentive agreements and vendor contracts following negotiations with Enterprise Florida staff during the 2012 fiscal year giving the appearance of pay-to-play.

4. Enterprise Florida has apparent conflicts of interest: The Enterprise Florida Board of Directors and the organization’s staff have a relationship that may be a conflict of interest. Enterprise Florida staff bonus pay of nearly $500,000 ($427,500 for staff, $70,000 for President/CEO) in 2012 was provided by Enterprise Florida board member companies that were also Enterprise Florida vendors and others that were recipients of incentive deals in the 2012 fiscal year.

5. Enterprise Florida is picking winners and losers: A number of executed agreements detailed in the 2012 Enterprise Florida Incentives Report demonstrate clear state government favoritism of some companies and industries. Enterprise Florida issues unnecessary benefits packages to entice businesses that should already be attracted Florida’s business friendly environment. These benefits are not necessarily enjoyed by competitors across an industry or all businesses moving to or expanding in Florida.

Click here to read the full report.

TRUE THE VOTE SUES ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA

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HOUSTON, TX. February 4, 2013 –True the Vote announced today that it filed a lawsuit against the St. Lucie County, Florida Supervisor of Elections, to enforce record inspection rights under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) and the Florida Constitution.

True the Vote demands that all records pertaining to the recent 18th Congressional District election and subsequent recounts between Rep. Allen West and Patrick Murphy be reviewed in order to perform a comprehensive third-party audit (True the Vote, Inc. v. Gertrude Walker in her official capacity as St. Lucie County Supervisor of Elections, Civil Action (No 2:13cv14046.)).

Watch the video announcement:

True the Vote seeks to compel St. Lucie County election authorities to grant complete inspection rights to all election records pertaining to the 18th District race and voter registration records under federal and state law. In addition, True the Vote demands that the court order the Supervisor of Elections to preserve all records. If granted access, TTV will determine a precise vote count, document any illegal participation in the election and offer solutions to prevent similar failures in future recounts.

“This dramatic recount was an extraordinary example of how our elections can suffer systematic failure,” True the Vote President Catherine Engelbrecht said. “We run the risk seeing episodes like this becoming ordinary if citizens do not demand answers and hold election officials accountable. The American people own the voting system – we have the right to ask tough questions when we witness the failure of one of America’s core functions.

“The clock is ticking on the opportunity for a comprehensive, outside audit of this recount,” Engelbrecht continued. “Each passing day heightens the risk of critical documents being disposed of. If you thought voter fraud could erode America’s confidence in elections, unchecked incompetence in the vote tabulation process will destroy all faith remaining in our systems.”

“Gone are the days when Motor Voter is a law used only by a couple of special interest groups. The law requires physical inspections, I hope we reach a quick agreement,” attorney J. Christian Adams of the Election Law Center said.

On November 6, St. Lucie County election administrators admitted that ballot tabulation machines suffered a malfunction, preventing early vote totals from being properly counted. County workers were forced to hand-feed ballots into tabulation machines as a result.

On November 8, West demanded a full recount of early votes and copies of poll sign-in records to compare voter participation against ballots cast. West’s requests were denied and ignored, respectively.

On November 9, West demanded that a Florida state court impound all ballots and voting machines, but made no claims of the sort True the Vote makes today in federal court. West’s requests in state court were denied.

On November 10, St. Lucie County “unofficially certified” the vote count for CD-18 and publicly acknowledged “uncertainty” over the early vote totals. St. Lucie County called an emergency meeting to “recount all ballots cast during early voting.” The county later reversed itself, only performing a partial retabulation. After the partial retabulation, the lead for Patrick Murphy decreased.

On November 13, Defendant Gertrude Walker held a press conference admitting that her staff acted with “haste” and that “mistakes were made” throughout the tabulation and partial recount process. Florida Division of Elections auditors were dispatched to investigate how 799 votes disappeared or changed hands during the partial recount.

On November 16, Defendant Walker claimed to find 306 early votes in a box at her office that had not been counted. The St. Lucie County Canvassing Board ordered a recount of all early votes, with a deadline set for noon on November 18.

On November 17, the full recount operation was relocated to a privately-owned property. County workers were evicted from the premises late at night, suspending the recount until the next morning.

On November 18, County workers failed to meet the deadline, instead certifying the original November 10 tabulation, which officials claimed “uncertainty” over the accuracy of the results.

True the Vote later demanded to review poll books, “voter credit” lists, felon files and others to perform a comprehensive audit of the CD-18 tabulations. Inspection rights were not granted and so this lawsuit was made necessary.

“My clients are demanding that Walker immediately allow an in person public inspection of all records relating to the election in Florida’s 18th Congressional District between Allen West and Patrick Murphy,” local counsel Michael A. Barnett said.

True the Vote filed its complaint in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida – Fort Pierce Division.

Click here to read True the Vote’s filing.

True The Vote (TTV) a nonpartisan, nonprofit grassroots organization focused on preserving election integrity is operated by citizens for citizens, to inspire and equip volunteers for involvement at every stage of our electoral process. TTV empowers organizations and individuals across the nation to actively protect the rights of legitimate voters, regardless of their political party affiliation. For more information, please visit www.truethevote.org.

True The Vote NOW (TTVN) is a public policy organization dedicated to reforming our voting systems at state and federal levels. True the Vote NOWpromotes solutions that increase citizen engagement and restore faith in our elections. For more information, please visit www.truethevotenow.org.

Voto Honesto (TTV) es una organización sin fines de lucro, no partidaria, enfocada en preservar la integridad en las elecciones y operada por ciudadanos para ciudadanos, ara inspirar y equipar a voluntarios para envolverse en cada una de las etapas del proceso electoral. TTT capacita a organizaciones e individuos a través de la nación para activamente proteger los derechos de los votantes legítimos, sin importar a que partido político perteneces. Para más información, por favor visite www.truethevote.org.

Why Education Emancipation is the Moral Imperative of our Time

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The reform of public education has been an elusive goal. All seem to agree that public school reform is much needed. International rankings and national tests show American public school students falling behind their peers. Many scholars have studied public schools and their failures, governments have written thousands of studies addressing this issue. So what must happen to truly change public schools for the better?

A natural disaster like hurricane Katrina!

Walter Isaacson, a former managing editor of TIME, president of the Aspen Institute and chairman of the board of Teach for America, in his 2007 column “The Greatest Education Lab” wrote:

“Paul Vallas, the man who took over the troubled school systems of Chicago and then Philadelphia and upended them, stood before a crowd of New Orleans parents in a French Quarter courtyard earlier this summer and offered a promise. ‘This will be the greatest opportunity for educational entrepreneurs, charter schools, competition and parental choice in America,” he said. Call it the silver lining: Hurricane Katrina washed away what was one of the nation’s worst school systems and opened the path for energetic reformers who want to make New Orleans a laboratory of new ideas for urban schools‘.” [My emphasis]

What did New Orleans do to reform its broken public education system? It chartered every school in the district. Hurricane Karina emancipated the parents and students from the old public school structure and allowed them to achieve control of what was once a government monopoly.

C. Bradley Thompson in his article “The New Abolitionism: Why Education Emancipation is the Moral Imperative of our Time” wrote:

“I begin with my conclusion: The ‘public’ school system is the most immoral and corrupt institution in the United States of America today, and it should be abolished. It should be abolished for the same reason that chattel slavery was ended in the 19th century: Although different in purpose and in magnitude of harm to its victims, public education, like slavery, is a form of involuntary servitude. The primary difference is that public schools force children to serve the interests of the state rather than those of an individual master.” [My emphasis]

A radical conclusion notes Thompson. But is it?

Thompson wrote, “Twenty-first century Abolitionists are confronted, however, by a paradoxical fact: Most Americans recognize that something is deeply wrong with the country’s elementary and secondary schools, yet they support them like no other institution. Mention the possibility of abolishing the public schools, and most people look at you as though you are crazy. And, of course, no politician would ever dare cut spending to our schools and to the ‘kids’.”

Thompson states unequivocally, “The solution is not further reforms. The solution is abolition.” Read more here.

The Emancipation Proclamation was signed 150 years ago. Perhaps it is time for an Education Emancipation Proclamation?

Food Fight Over Senator Rubio’s Immigration Initiative

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Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has taken the lead in attempting to solve the broken immigration system. According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, Florida spends over $5.4 billion annually to incarcerate, medicate and educate illegal aliens. Americans have seen old/new initiatives like these end in failure, while contributing to the end of the careers of Republican politicians. John McCain comes to mind.

Will Rubio’s political career end on a sour note? 

Florida resident and immigration expert George Fuller notes, “People talk about Immigration all the time but what is the purpose and do we in fact have a need? We have no lands to settle. We are world’s third most populated country and we should be able to provide all the brainiacs needed for industry, if not, then there is a terrible problem with our education system. To me no one ever asks the question: If we need immigration and why?”

The Shark Tank reported that in 2009 candidate Rubio had a different take on immigration than Senator Rubio in 2013. Javier Manjarres in his column Marco Rubio, The Immigration Reform Savior or Fraud? quotes then candidate Rubio on immigration in a video interview conducted March of 2009:

“No. Never have been. I am strongly against amnesty. The most important thing we need to do is enforce our existing laws. We have existing immigration laws that are not being adequately enforced. Nothing will make it harder to enforce the existing laws, if you reward people who broke them.

It demoralizes people who are going through the legal process, its a very clear signal of why go through the legal process, if you can accomplish the same thing if you go through the illegal process. And number two, if demoralizes the people enforcing the laws. I am not, and I will never support any effort to grant blanket legalization/amnesty to folks who have entered, stayed in this country illegally.“ [My emphasis]

Fast forward to this statement from Senator Rubio during an interview in January 2013:

“So, we have 11 million people that are undocumented. We understand that we have to deal with this issue because we have 11 million people that, by all accounts, are going to be here the rest of their lives with or without documents. Our objection has been in the past that we can’t do anything to deal with 11 million people that number one, is unfair to the people who have done it the right way. Or number two, that would encourage illegal immigration in the future.”

Some, like Eric Erickson from RedState.com think the Rubio initiative is a mistake. Erickson wrote in his column I Don’t Like Marco Rubio’s Plan, “I think this plan is warmed over McCain-Kennedy and will do nothing to solve the problem. I say this as someone to the left of much of the readership here at RedState and the conservative base.” “The GOP was smart to put Marco Rubio as the face of the plan because many of us like him personally, support him still, and consequently don’t want to seem critical. But the plan makes the actual problem of immigration more difficult to solve,” writes Erickson.

So what is the real issue behind this Rubio initiative? Why votes in 2014.

Senator Rubio states in a reply posted on RedState.com answering Erickson’s concerns that, “On the political front, a growing number of voters of Asian and Hispanic descent have been convinced by the left that conservative opposition to immigration reform equates to being anti-immigrant. This is unfair, and it is untrue. But they have pulled it off and, as a result, our ability to convince these fast-growing communities that the principles of limited government and free enterprise are better for them than big government and collectivism has been impaired.”

The fundamental questions are: Do we really need immigration at all, do we want carry the huge financial burden of illegals aliens? Are we a nation of laws or or men?

RELATED COLUMNS:

Immigraiton Reform Requires Caution

Reforming America’s Immigration System