Wednesday May 18, 2011
President Obama and Republican Congressman Paul Ryan agree that
$20 billion in annual U.S. farm subsidies are ripe for major federal budget-cutting.
The liberal-leaning Environmental working Group tags farm subsidies as a "corporate giveaway," and complains:
"The vast majority of farm subsidies go to raw material for our industrialized food system, not the foods we actually eat. Even less money goes to support the production of the fruits and vegetables that are the foundation of a healthy diet...
The conservative CATO Institute classifies farm subsidies as "federal welfare system for farm businesses," and House Speaker John Boehner called the 2008 Farm Bill, which authorized farm subsidies for another five years, a "slush fund."
And yet, farm subsidies will be very, very difficult to reduce, much less eliminate from the federal budget.
Read why at my new article, What Are U.S. Farm Subsidies?, which is the first article in my brand-new section on Food and Farming Issues.
Check back often for my new series of articles addressing the politics of food and U.S. farming, and the related impact on public health, U.S. trade policy, the economy and more.
(Photo of an Imperial Valley, California agribusiness: Brent Stirton/Getty Images)
Thursday May 12, 2011
President Obama delivered a terrific speech this week in which he outlined a
four-step plan to reform U.S. immigration, a plan that thoughtfully balances legal enforcement and personal accountability with fairness for immigrants and much-needed economic benefits for the U.S.
Given the deeply vitriolic debate over the failed Immigration Reform Act of 2007, I believe President Obama is smartly using alternative strategies to build bipartisan consensus to support future passage of immigration reform measures.
Let's face it... tackling the thorny issue of immigration head-on by introducing massive legislation, then attempting to ram it through Congress, would fail miserably. Shades of health care reform. Hopefully, Democrats have learned that painful, no-win political lesson. Thus, I believe the New York Times gets it wrong when it insists:
"To move things forward, Mr. Obama will have to do a lot more. He needs to outline legislation, push Congressional leaders -- including those in his own party -- to back it and make the case repeatedly to Americans."
Been there, done that on cantankerous issues such as immigration and health care reform. It didn't work then, and it won't work now in today's highly polarized 112th Congress.
Barack Obama is a shrewd poker player, as he deftly proved again in his daring take-down of Osama bin Laden. And he clearly learned valuable lessons from his fearful bobbling of health care reform legislation. Instead of the usual hit-'em-hard with bluster and a bill, Obama is:
- Building consensus with through a groundswell of meetings and negotiations with leaders, both conservative and liberal, from business, government, law enforcement, legislative, and religious communities.
- Speaking out frequently and forcefully, as President Obama did two days ago. No more pussy-footing around, afraid of Republican ire. (Loved it when Obama orated, " We have gone above and beyond what was requested by the very Republicans who said they supported broader reform as long as we got serious about enforcement. All the stuff they asked for, we've done.")
- Moving ahead, where feasible. In tandem with the President's speech, DREAM Act legislation for educated minor immigrants who were brought here as children was reintroduced by Democrats in both the Senate and House.
President Obama has repeatedly stated that he wants to sign this legislation which rights the terrible inequities of "punishing innocent young people for the actions of their parents by denying them the chance to stay here and earn an education and contribute their talents to build the country where they've grown up."
The DREAM Act was passed by the House on December 8, 2010. The Senate passed it then by a vote of 55 to 41, not reaching the filibuster-proof threshold of 60 votes.
The process to passing reform of U.S. immigration laws will be arduous. It's also inevitable, given that:
"Hispanics were responsible for 56% of the nation's population growth over the past decade. There are now 50.5 million Latinos living in the U.S. according to the 2010 Census, up from 35.3 million in 2000, making Latinos the nation's largest minority group and 16.3% of the total population." (Source - The Pew Research Center)
President Obama is on the right track to ultimately passing immigration reform. I support his patient efforts, and ask you to do the same. It may not be a fast track, but I have faith that he'll get there.
Related Reading
President Obama's 4-Step Immigration Reform Solution
Obama to Use Post-Bin Laden Political Capital on Immigration Reform
Obama Imperiled in 2012 by Taking Latinos for Granted
(Photo: Roger Wollenberg/Getty Images)
Sunday May 8, 2011
Now that the President Obama's political capital is at its highest point since his 2009 inauguration, expect immigration reform to be a pressing priority of the Obama administration.
Post-bin Laden and post-birth certificate silliness, President Obama is riding high in public favor. Very high, and likely never higher with conservatives, the voter group most adamantly opposed to loosening U.S. immigration laws.
To win reelection in 2012, President Obama must energize and draw a hefty majority of votes from two particular demographic groups: youth, especially college students, and Latinos.
Latinos, though, have been openly disappointed with President Obama's lack of accomplishments on behalf of immigration reform. Six months ago, former Denver Mayor Federico Peņa noted that "political frustration is high among many Latinos in the U.S." Colorado is expected to be a swing state in the 2012 presidential election, as it was in 2008.
The President is moving forward quickly on his immigration reform agenda. At the White House Cinco de Mayo celebration last week, President Obama remarked:
" I strongly believe that we've got to fix this broken system so that it meets the needs of our 21st century economy and our security needs. I want to work with Republicans and Democrats to protect our borders, to enforce our laws and also to address the status of millions of undocumented workers. I want to sign the DREAM Act into law.
" This is not going to be easy. It's going to require bipartisan support. I'm going to need your help. We've got to keep doing the hard work of changing minds and changing hearts and changing votes, one at a time."
And New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg wrote in the Wall Street Journal last week in A New Immigration Consensus:
"Last month, President Obama convened a diverse group of business executives, mayors, law enforcement leaders, ministers and advocates at the White House to discuss a problem that threatens America's economic future--our broken immigration system."
At last, the time might be right for immigration reform in 21st century America. As I noted two months ago, some Republicans appear to be wising up about immigration politics. In 2011, a few Republican-red bastions are quietly opening their doors to undocumented workers, while others are fighting back against conservative bigotry. (See details of Republican changes on immigration at Obama Imperiled in 2012 by Taking Latinos for Granted.)
Word has it that President Obama plans a major speech in El Paso, Texas next Tuesday, May 10, on immigration reform. Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters:
"The speech will reflect the president's continued commitment to find a bipartisan way to create comprehensive immigration reform. The fact that we were not able to achieve that in the first two years only means that we need to refocus our efforts and try to find that compromise."
Check back here after the President's immigration reform speech; I'll analyze and evaluate his ideas and new approach and proposals for you.
Thursday May 5, 2011
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida was elected yesterday as the new Chair of the Democratic National Committee. The four-term Congresswoman becomes only the third woman to lead the Democratic Party nationally, and, at age 44, one of the youngest ever party leaders.
I expect that four-term Rep. Wasserman Schultz will be terrific as DNC chair for many reasons:
- She's a confident, astute spokesperson for Democratic goals and views, and is a frequent, well-received TV political commentator;
- She's a prolific fund-raiser, one of the best in the House of Representatives; and
- She's an energetic, confident, tenacious campaigner.
She was also nominated by President Obama for the voting constituencies she should bring in to support Obama's 2012 reelection campaign:
- Women voters, as she's avidly pro-choice and pro-women's issues. Women comprise decidedly more than 50% of Democratic voters.
- 2012 battleground state Florida voters, a state she's called home since her mid-1980s college days. She enjoys tremendous support from voters in her south Florida district.
- Jewish voters, as Wasserman Schultz is Jewish and a staunch supporter of Israel.
When recently asked by NPR's Michel Martin what her priorities will be as Democratic Party Chair, the Congresswoman replied, "Well, my number one priority is to help re-elect President Obama to a second term. And to make sure that we can take the 25 seats back that will return the Democrats the majority in the House of Representatives and hold the Senate. Those are - that's the three-legged stool. But, you know, our main driver will be re-electing President Obama."
But Debbie Wasserman Schultz is more than busy politician and political party leader. She's also wife. Mother of three young children. Breast cancer survivor.
To learn much ore about the Democratic Party's new leader, read my Profile of Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, DNC Chair.
I predict that Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz will easily be the most effective DNC chair since Howard Dean at connecting with grassroots voters and activists across the nation.
Count me in as fully supportive of her leadership, and of her agenda and goals.
