As promised last night, I managed to get in a little "light reading" of SB 1070 & the federal suit against it between incoming freshmen *itching about their fall schedules. My thoughts about them, in addition to Countdown diary SOP, follow.
Well, the intent of the law – the TRUE intent – is laid out right in the first paragraph!
The legislature declares that the intent of this act is to make attrition through enforcement the public policy of all state and local government agencies in Arizona.
They want to cram undocumented workers & flood existing agencies into bending to their will.
The text of the law DOES say that a person shouldn’t be stopped just based on the color of their skin, but the text also throws in that pesky "reasonable suspicion" phrase. I don’t see that phrase defined in this law; "reasonable suspicion" could mean someone has their radio too loud for someone’s liking!
Cops can stop people WHILE THEY ARE DRIVING if they believe or, again, have reasonable suspicion, that someone is violating traffic laws, and anyone can be asked for immigration status under the guise of being stopped for going through a stop sign.
...a peace officer may lawfully stop any person who is operating a motor vehicle if the officer has reasonable suspicion to believe the person is in violation of any civil traffic law.
This law even goes into traffic laws that don’t always have diddly – poo to do with immigration! If you see someone you know in your neighborhood, and you’re driving along & decide to stop and talk to them, you could be stopped by law enforcement & asked about your immigration status. This section, I think, attempts to address people stopping in traffic to pick up people to take them to a work site, but the above scenario I just outlined could happen, as well!
To SB 1070’s "credit," there is a big ‘ol section dealing with businesses who knowingly hire undocumented workers, but it seems much more deference is given to businesses to prove they did something wrong as opposed to "Joe or Jane Citizen" who might get stopped. If a violation is deemed to have occurred before a certain date, businesses are not punished AT ALL. AND, businesses have 2 chances to break this law before their license to operate is revoked.
This paragraph nicely sums up the DOJ beef with SB 1070:
In administering these laws, the federal agencies balance the complex – and often competing – objectives that animate federal immigration law and policy. Although states may exercise their police power in a manner that has an incidental or indirect effect on aliens, a state may not establish its own immigration policy or enforce state laws in a manner that interferes with the federal immigration laws. The Constitution and the federal immigration laws do not permit the development of a patchwork of state and local immigration policies throughout the country.
The DOJ suit even addresses the downright unhumanitarian nature of SB 1070:
It will altogether ignore humanitarian concerns, such as the protections available under federal law for an alien who has a well-founded fear of persecution or who has been the victim of a natural disaster.
So, if a Haitian displaced by the earthquake find his/herself there, s(he) needs to get the spark outta town!
DHS is also a "party" in the suit, which also addresses the foreign policy implications should SB 1070 go into effect:
S.B. 1070 also interferes with U.S. foreign affairs priorities and rejects any concern for humanitarian interests or broader security objectives, and will thus harm a range of U.S. interests.
Like with...oh...let’s see...MEXICO?! And, how 'bout the effects already seen in the "Show Me Your Papers" state economy because of boycotts & threatened boycotts? Having said that, don't hold your breath that Bud Selig will move next year's MLB All - Star game out of the state.
Let's get onto "this day in history." On July 7, 1981, President Reagan announced he was nominating Arizona Judge Sandra Day O'Connor to become the first female justice on the United States Supreme Court. And, if all goes as planned for Elena Kagan, we'll have 3 female justices on SCOTUS!
On this date in 1865, four people were hanged in Washington, DC after being convicted of conspiring with John Wilkes Booth to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln.
On this date in 2005, terrorist bombings in three underground stations and a double-decker bus killed 52 victims and four suicide bombers in the worst attack on London since World War II. Hubby & I were out East when we heard about this on the radio; we even managed to find an NPR station that was broadcasting the BBC that day.
We'll end with a couple fun birthdays; Shelley Duvall is 61 today. I will always remember her fighting off bat$hit loony Jack Nicholson in The Shining!
Finally, Ringo Starr is 70 today! YEA! Here's to 70 more years for "the funny Beatle!"
Let's Countdown...
#5 "BP Oil Leak: Day 79" AKA "Ticking Time Bombs" AKA "The Sea of Holes" AKA "No Science Please, We’re BP" - There are literally thousands of abandoned unattended wells at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico that could go the way of Deepwater Horizon. Execs from big oil or the government have never bothered to look at the darn things, and, if BP/BS is any indication of behavior, no one will let independent scientists go down to study the things.
The cement caps on these abandoned wells are probably just as bad or worse than what was at the Deepwater Horizon site. BP/BS hired firms & personnel that could have potentially helped claimants in the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The time limit for many affected businesses of the spill to file claims is TOMORROW. And, insurance companies involved have already stated they will strictly adhere to timelines for submitting claims.
Many places had to file claims within 80 days of the disaster even if no oil had appeared to affect them or their businesses. SWEET! *&^%$#@! A third collection vessel is on its way to the site. Mitch Weiss helped break the abandoned well story. As long as big oil keeps filling out & submitting the proper paperwork to MMS, even though there’s evidence that papers were being initially filled out in pencil then later filled in with ink, MMS has trusted the oil companies to keep track of their own abandoned wells.
When Mr. Weiss asked MMS if this so – called "honor system" might have to go by the wayside, MMS responded with crickets. The GAO back in 1994 recommended that MMS put in a more active abandoned well inspection policy. Ira Leifer is one of the oceanographers begging BP/BS to be able to go down & study the Deepwater Horizon spill. Flow rate information is absolutely vital information on many levels, including environmental & possible penalties assessed to BP/BS. Rep. Ed Markey has also asked BP/BS to allow these independent studies – no response.
#4 "Grand Opposition Party" AKA "Fighting the Fake Fight" - St. Sarah from Wasilla is still trying to "one – up" her death panels shtick in the HCR battle by crying "rationing" at President Obama’s recess appointment to lead government Medicare efforts. Dr. Donald Berwick, President Obama’s choice, even comes highly recommended from the dude in GWB’s Daddy’s administration who did the same job! Mitchie McConnell decided to throw in his way – less – than 2 cents’ worth on behalf of actual elected GOBPers in office:
...apparently the Obama Administration intends to arrogantly circumvent the American people yet again by recess appointing one of the most prominent advocates of rationed health care to implement their national plan.
Number one, I thought the Senate was on vacation! And, number two, GWB did how many recess appointments during his little reign compared to how many President Obama has done up to this point in HIS administration? ALL PRESIDENTS do this, Mitchie, so go back to your horse farm or tobacco field in Kentucky & SMOKE IT!
David Weigel gets to talk Gandhi & Medicare. ;D As both Dave & Dr. Berwick pointed out, health care is ALREADY BEING RATIONED. Dr. Berwick is a big patient – rights person as opposed to the bottom line or technology. OK, DAVE WEIGEL IS MY FOREVER HERO WITH THE PRODUCERS REFERENCE! Sorry for the all caps, but, after today, I needed the giggle! ;D
** Look at all those steaks running down the streets in Spain! Some models in Paris just can’t handle the high heels. We get Justin Beiber news here?! DUDE! Did your producers force you to do this??!! **
#3 "GOP Filibuster, Via West Virginia" - The Dem Governator of WV has changed his mind & just might throw his hat into the ring for the Senate seat so long held by Robert Byrd! I hope he makes up his mind damn soon so the damn GOBPers & Ben Nelson in the Senate can’t keep scuttling unemployment benefits. The appointment could be made by the Governator NOW or in a special election in November; let’s do the "now" option. Gov. Joe Manchin won’t appoint himself, but it sure sounds like he’s interested to me! Get now – impeached Gov. Potty Mouth to help you see if that seat’s sparkin’ golden – HA! ;D Financial reform might be scuttled, too. RICHARD WOLFFE – a sight for sore eyes after today!
He gets to chat up politics WV style! The Governor’s wife could even be appointed? Hell, why not? Richard’s not real thrilled with Gov. Manchin taking his own sweet time on this replacement issue with so many pressing issues in the Senate being stymied. The governor is definitely weighing his political options. Richard’s correct; Ben Nelson could get the bur out of his sorry hind quarters & stop siding with the damn GOBP in the Senate! Does Senator Nelson think unemployment benefits are a disincentive for people to go out & find a job, too? Richard really wants Gov. Manchin to "poo" or get off the pot on this issue! Richard is NOT THRILLED with Senator Nelson; I love it when he gets riled up! ;D
"Tea Time" We get another Sharron Angle update! She’s not going to sue Harry Reid, and her new political ad has her name spelled wrong. Oh well, correct spelling is ELITIST! Here’s Clarence Thomas’ wife rearing her ugly rear again. She’s asking for donations, and those donations can be kept secret; Keith is insisting "Justice" Thomas resign from SCOTUS unless the little Mrs. discloses her donors. Don’t hold your breath on that honey.
WPITW – Golly, the Lonesome Rhodes sponsorships just keep growing & growing! The Detroit Tigers shipped the guy who pitched the perfect game except for the umpire sparking up the call down to the minors??!! DUDES!! Did he really get THAT BAD really fast? Hawaii’s Governator just now vetoed civil unions that was passed by that state legislature back in April. The president of Discovery Benefits cut off a woman’s COBRA benefits because she was off by a penny in figuring up her bill that she never got. When she threatened to go the media, they had a change of "heart."
#1 "The LeBron Show" - I could give a tinker’s damn where LeBron James ends up. Hells bells, Michael Jordan didn’t even demand a damn hour on ESPN! OK, if he’s going to announce where he’s going to play in the first 10 minutes, what’s to keep people from turning off the show afterwards to either go drown their sorrows or go dancing in the streets? Harry Shearer likes the round ball! He’d probably rather talk about his other than possible oil in New Orleans. Harry wants dancing girls; give the man dancing girls! ;D Jim Gray is the MC of tomorrow’s gig. President Obama wants LeBron to go to the Bulls, of course. Harry thinks LeBron will stay in Cleveland. HELLO CLEVELAND!