The baby boomers are reaching early retirement age (62). Should they take their social security benefits now or wait until they reach full retirement age? According to retirement experts they should delay taking benefits until their full retirement age or later, given the likelihood they could live into their 90's or beyond.
Humberto Cruz has a good column about the advantages of making your car last. According to Consumer Reports , with proper care, many cars today can last 200,000 miles or more with few if any major repairs.
In a relatively close vote, the UAW agreed to a four year contract with Chrysler. Usually, these kind of agreements are overwhelmingly approved, but this time only 56% of production workers and 51% of skilled trades workers voted for the agreement. Now the UAW turns to Ford Motor Company.
Negotiatiors are lowering expectations even before the start of the Darfur peace talks. There were almost no key rebel leaders present to negotiate an agreement with the sudanese government. Without the key rebel leaders, there is little hope for a quick peace agreement.
This is River West's latest blog, published at www.Volpac.org. As always, River has a terrific way of reminding us all of what President Bush has done regarding this problem and many others. River has given me permission to reprint her blog on this site.
LET ME BRING YOU THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
The Administration's Comprehensive Immigration Reform
07:45 AM - October 27th, 2007
I would want all republicans to have read from the same page at least.
This is approximately what president bush has been saying for several years now.
Make note the date of this latest update please.
river
President Bush Discusses Comprehensive Immigration Reform
"I view this as an historic opportunity for Congress to act, for Congress to replace a system that is not working with one that we believe will work a lot better. In other words, this is a moment for people who have been elected to come together, focus on a problem, and show the American people that we can work together to fix the problem."
President George W. Bush
June 26, 2007
August 10, 2007
Improving Border Security and Immigration Within Existing Law
Today, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff And Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez Announced A Series Of Reforms The Administration Will Pursue To Address Border Security And Immigration Challenges. The following reforms represent steps the Administration can take within the boundaries of existing law to secure our borders more effectively, improve interior and worksite enforcement, streamline existing guest worker programs, improve the current immigration system, and help new immigrants assimilate into American culture.
BORDER SECURITY
* 1. The Administration Will Continue To Strengthen Security At The Border With Additional Personnel And Infrastructure. We are committed to implementing the following border security measures by December 31, 2008:
* 18,300 Border Patrol agents
* 370 miles of fencing
* 300 miles of vehicle barriers
* 105 camera and radar towers
* Three additional UAVs
We will also work to ensure that 1,700 more Border Patrol Agents and an additional UAV are added in 2009.
* 2. The Administration Will Maintain The Policy Of "Catch And Return" For Illegal Aliens Apprehended At The Border. For years, limited detention space forced the release of many illegal border crossers from nations other than Mexico with nothing more than a Notice to Appear for a hearing before an immigration judge. Many aliens ignored these notices and instead blended into U.S. society. The Administration has ended this practice and instituted a policy of "catch and return," ensuring that all removable aliens caught trying to cross the border illegally are held until they can be removed.
o The Administration Will Further Increase Funding For Detention Beds So There Are Places To Detain 31,500 Illegal Aliens Until They Can Be Returned.
o The Administration Will Also Press Recalcitrant Countries To Work With The United States To Repatriate Citizens Who Are In The United States Illegally.
* 3. The Departments Of State And Homeland Security Will Strengthen Legal Efforts To Keep International Gang Members Out Of The United States. Gangs are at the root of many U.S. crime problems today, and many of the most dangerous gangs draw significant membership from abroad. The Federal government already denies visas to known members of certain gangs from China, the former Soviet Union, and El Salvador. Today, the President is directing the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expand this list of dangerous organized gangs from other nations and to ensure that members of those gangs are barred from entry into the United States.
* 4. The Administration Will Expand Exit Requirements So Persons Who Overstay Limited-Duration Visits To The United States Can Be Identified.
o By The End Of 2008, The US-VISIT Exit Requirement Will Be Underway At All U.S. Airports And Seaports. The Department of Homeland Security will continue to explore effective and cost-efficient means of establishing biometric exit requirements at land border crossings.
o The Administration Will Establish A New Land-Border Exit System For Guest Workers, Starting On A Pilot Basis. This will help ensure that temporary workers in the country now follow the mandate to leave when their work authorization expires.
* 5. The Administration Will Require All Travelers To Our Ports Of Entry To Use Passports Or Other Similar Secure Documents. Since January 2007, air travelers have been required to carry a passport for entry into the United States. Because of passport processing backlogs, a temporary accommodation has been made for U.S. citizens traveling in the Western Hemisphere, which will be phased out. Starting January 31, 2008, DHS will phase in a requirement for passports or other secure documents for sea and land ports of entry.
* 6. Beginning This Fall, The Secretary Of Homeland Security Will Deliver Regular "State Of The Border" Reports. These reports will keep the American people informed of the Federal Government's progress in securing the border and hold the Administration accountable for continuing improvement.
INTERIOR ENFORCEMENT
* 7. The Administration Is Training Hundreds Of State And Local Law Enforcement Officers To Address Illegal Immigration In Their Communities. The Administration is maintaining the 287(g) program and expanding other measures that help State and local law officials. These measures include a broad array of enforcement tools, such as formal task forces, greater use of the ICE Law Enforcement Support Center, delegated border search and seizure authority under Title 19, and enhanced partnerships to address location-specific threats, such as gangs.
* 8. By This Fall, U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement Teams Devoted To Removing Fugitive Aliens Will Have Been Quintupled In Less Than Three Years. There were 15 seven-member Fugitive Operations Teams in 2005. As of this week there are 68; there will be 75 by the end of September.
* 9. The Justice Department Will Initiate Regulatory Action To Close The "Voluntary Departure" Loophole Manipulated By Many Illegal Immigrants. Illegal immigrants who settle their cases by agreeing to voluntarily depart sometimes then gain extra time inside the United States by filing a procedural motion to reopen the case. New regulations will clarify that filing such a motion will terminate the voluntary departure status and make the alien subject to the order of removal. They will also set a presumptive $3,000 civil penalty for failing to comply with a voluntary departure agreement.
WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT
* 10. Today, The Department Of Homeland Security Issued A "No-Match" Regulation That Will Help Employers Ensure Their Workers Are Legal And Help The Government Identify And Crack Down On Employers Who Knowingly Hire Illegal Workers. In cases in which an employer has a significant number of employees with inaccurate personal identity information, the Social Security Administration will send the employer a "No-Match" letter. The regulation clarifies that employers may be held liable if they ignore the "No Match" problems by failing to take specified steps within 90 days of receiving the letter.
* 11. In The Coming Months, The Administration Will Publish A Regulation That Will Reduce The Number Of Documents That Employers Must Accept To Confirm The Identity And Work Eligibility Of Their Employees. Presently, no fewer than 29 categories of documents can be used to establish identity and work eligibility. Employers have little capacity to verify the authenticity of these documents, and the sheer quantity of accepted documents is an invitation to fraud. This regulation will reduce unlawful employment by weeding out insecure documents now used often for identity fraud.
* 12. As A Civil Counterpart To The Administration's Strategy Of Using Criminal Investigations To Deter Illegal Employment, The Department Of Homeland Security Will Raise The Civil Fines Imposed On Employers Who Knowingly Hire Illegal Immigrants By Approximately 25 Percent. Efforts to secure the border will fail unless the "magnet" that attracts illegals is turned off. Unfortunately, the fines for relying on illegal workers are so modest that some companies treat them as little more than a cost of doing business. DHS will use existing authority to update civil fines for inflation in order to boost fines by about 25 percent, as much as is allowed under current law.
* 13. The Administration Will Continue To Expand Criminal Investigations Against Employers Who Knowingly Hire Large Numbers Of Illegal Aliens. Arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for criminal violations have increased from 24 in FY 1999 to a record 716 in FY 2006. There have been 742 criminal arrests since the beginning of FY 2007 (through July 31), and there is anecdotal evidence that companies are taking notice and adjusting their business practices to follow the law.
* 14. The Administration Will Commence a Rulemaking Process To Require All Federal Contractors And Vendors To Use E-Verify, The Federal Electronic Employment Verification System, To Ensure That Their Employees Are Authorized To Work In The United States. The Federal government ought to lead by example. As there are more than 200,000 companies doing Federal business, this will significantly expand use of E-Verify, and make it more difficult for illegal immigrants to obtain jobs through fraud.
* 15. The Administration Will Help States Make Greater Use Of E-Verify. Some States already mandate the use of E-Verify by some or all of their hiring agencies, and other States are considering similar requirements. The Administration will assist such efforts through outreach and offers of technical assistance.
* 16. The Administration Will Bolster E-Verify By Expanding The Data Sources It Can Check. This will make it easier to catch individuals who commit identity theft. New sources of data will include cross-checks of visa and passport information.
* 17. The Administration Will Seek Voluntary State Partners Willing To Share Their Department Of Motor Vehicles Photos And Records With E-Verify. Agreements to allow E-Verify access to the repository of photographs in state DMV databases will help prevent illegal immigrants from using fraudulent driver’s licenses to obtain employment. Such agreements will also lay the groundwork for further expansion of the electronic employment eligibility verification system.
STREAMLINING EXISTING GUEST-WORKER PROGRAMS
* 18. The Department Of Labor (DOL) Will Reform The H-2A Agricultural Seasonal Worker Program. No sector of the American economy requires a legal flow of foreign workers more than agriculture, which has begun to experience severe labor shortages as our Southern border has tightened. The President has therefore directed DOL to review the regulations implementing the H-2A program and to institute changes that will provide farmers with an orderly and timely flow of legal workers, while protecting the rights of laborers.
* 19. The Department Of Labor Will Issue Regulations Streamlining The H-2B Program For Non-Agricultural Seasonal Workers. Because businesses in seasonal industries such as landscaping and hospitality frequently have a difficult time locating temporary workers, the H-2B program has proven quite popular. Some employers report significant processing delays, however. DOL's proposed rule will speed processing by moving from a government-certified system to an employer-attestation system akin to the PERM system that has reduced backlogs in other areas.
* 20. The Department Of Homeland Security Will Extend The Visa Term For Professional Workers From Canada And Mexico To Attract More Of These Talented Workers To The United States. The United States must compete for foreign professional workers, and those who elect to lend their talents to the U.S. economy should be welcomed with open arms, not given a bureaucratic runaround. Yet the roughly 65,000 workers who enter the United States each year on the TN visa must go to the trouble of renewing their visa every year. This regulation will extend the TN visa duration to three years – the same term as other popular professional visas.
* 21. The Department Of Homeland Security And The Department Of Labor Will Study And Report On Potential Administrative Reforms To Visa Programs For Highly Skilled Workers.
IMPROVING EXISTING IMMIGRATION
* 22. The Administration Will Reform And Expedite Background Checks For Immigration. Current mechanisms for conducting immigration background checks are backed up, slowing processing times and endangering national security. The Administration is investing substantial new funds to address the backlog, and the FBI and USCIS are working together on a variety of projects designed to streamline existing processes so as to reduce waiting times without sacrificing security.
* 23. The President Is Directing The Department Of Homeland Security And The Social Security Administration To Study The Technical And Recordkeeping Reforms Necessary To Guarantee That Illegal Aliens Do Not Earn Credit In Our Social Security System For Illegal Work. Currently, aliens who make Social Security payments while working here legally can continue to accrue credits even if they overstay their visa. Improved data-sharing can lay the foundation for eventual Congressional action to eliminate this practice (which proved an obstacle to comprehensive reform). The relevant agencies are ordered to report to the President with a detailed plan for eliminating the problem.
ASSIMILATION
* 24. The Office Of Citizenship Will Announce A Revised Naturalization Test In September 2007. The new test will emphasize fundamental concepts of American democracy, basic U.S. history, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. It will inculcate the basic values we share as Americans, and encourage civic knowledge and patriotism among prospective citizens.
o The New Standardized Test Will Ensure Fairness By Eliminating Current Wide Variations In The Quality Of Testing Between Regional Offices.
* 25. The Office Of Citizenship Will Provide Additional Training For Volunteers And Adult Educators Who Lead Immigrants Through The Naturalization Process. In October 2007, the Office of Citizenship will introduce a web-based training program that covers U.S. government, civics education, and the naturalization process. To complement these on-line materials, USCIS will convene eight regional training conferences, beginning in October 2007, to improve the ability of citizenship instructors and volunteers to teach American history, civics, and the naturalization process to immigrant students. An on-line training module will also be available by the end of the year.
* 26. The Department Of Education Will Launch A Free, Web-Based Portal To Help Immigrants Learn English, And Expand This Model Over Time. Knowledge of English is the most important component of assimilation. An investment in tools to help new Americans learn English will be repaid many times over in the contributions these immigrants make to our political discourse, economy, and society.
www.whitehouse.gov
Written by river west, iFrist Volunteer Leader
Security forces in Pakistan attacked a stronghold of a pro-Taliban cleric in northwestern Pakistan.
This is a moving story of the death of a Sacramento County deputy sheriff, and the turmoil his death has created for his wife and small son. But it is also a beautiful story of his silver badge, and what it means to his wife and son.
A Spanish court agreed to allow the extradition to the United States of a Syrian-born arms dealer charged with conspiring to sell weapons to a Colombian terrorist group and conspiring to kill Americans.
A Darfur rebel group accuses foreign oil companies of sponsoring violence and tries to force them out of Sudan. Why doesn't this surprise me. The Justice and Equality Movement, an Islamist rebel group in Darfur, wants to drive out foreign oil companies, which they claim are funding government violence in Darfur.
I think this is just another sign of the times we live in. Even our diplomats won't volunteer for duty. It seems like the only people volunteering for anything in this country are our military personnel.
The United States Senate has approved former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's nomination to the board of an international aid program that seeks to encourage democracy and openness in poor countries.
These two Republican Senators are always stepping up to the plate.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, today re-introduced legislation to make permanent the ability of Texans to deduct state sales taxes on federal tax returns. Sens. John Cornyn (R–TX), Lamar Alexander (R–TN), and Bob Corker (R-TN) are also original cosponsors of the bill.
“It is essential that in our country we have the same treatment for the people of every State regarding how they pay their State taxes,” Sen. Hutchison said. “Since I came to the Senate, I have tried to equalize this inequity. Finally, in 2004, we were able to do that, and now we cannot let this equity go. Sales taxes must be made permanently deductible in order for all taxpayers in all states to be treated equally.”
“This is a matter of fundamental fairness for Texas taxpayers,” Sen. Cornyn said. “Making the sales tax deduction permanent will put our state on a level playing field with others that can deduct their state income tax. Texans should be allowed to keep their hard-earned money, not be punished with an additional tax.”
“Making state sales taxes deductible will put more than $400 in the pockets of nearly 600,000 Tennesseans who itemize their taxes this year,” Sen. Alexander said. “Doing so permanently is an issue of fairness for Tennesseans.”
“This is a simple matter of tax fairness and common sense,” Sen. Corker said. “Tennessee is fortunate not to have a state income tax, but Tennesseans should not be penalized for this on their federal tax returns. Making the state sales tax deduction permanent keeps more money in the pockets of hard-working families and it’s the right thing to do.”
Losing this deduction would cost Texans almost $1 billion a year, equaling $310 per year for the average family of four. Over 52 million Americans live in the eight states that do not levy income taxes (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming).
“Texans have their purchases taxed by the state government, and then are taxed by the federal government on the income they use to pay the sales tax,” Sen. Hutchison said. “It’s just not fair for Texans to pay additional taxes on the very money they used to pay their state tax.”
Before tax reforms were signed into law in 1986, taxpayers were allowed to deduct their sales taxes on their federal tax returns. Sen. Hutchison worked with Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) to include this deduction in the 2004 tax relief bill. That legislation included a temporary deduction that expired at the end of 2005.
In 2006, Sen. Hutchison secured a two-year extension of the sales tax deduction, but continues to push for making this equitable deduction permanent. On January 4, 2007, the first day of the 110th Congress, Sen. Hutchison also introduced legislation to provide a permanent state sales tax deduction and marriage penalty tax relief. On March 22, she passed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 Senate Budget Resolution to make the state sales tax deduction permanent.
Vonage has settled with Verizon by agreeing to pay as much as $120 million to settle their patent dispute. Seems like a lot of money to me.
Gary McDowell has an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal in which he reviews the battle over the last 20 years (ever since Judge Bork was denied a seat on the United States Supreme Court) between liberals and conservatives and activist judges vs. judges who interpret the law.
Chris Gaylord reports for the Christian Science Monitor that with millions of people watching shows and movies online, service providers may become overwhelmend that the Internet may seem outmoded.
Ben Arnoldy, staff writer of the Christian Science Monitor, has a good story about the high tech revolution that is coming. It's called "cloud computing." According to Mr. Arnoldy, which side you are on in the war between the revolutionaries and the counterrevolutionaries depends on where your software and data sits. In the traditional model, people buy software and load it on the hard drives of the pc's. In the new era, users' software and data sits on the network. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
It is pretty clear that the Federal Government has performed almost flawlessly in helping the victims of the California fires. Kudos to Michael Chertoff and R. David Paulison, but most of all to President Bush and Governor Schwarzenegger. I have always maintained that the initial responsibility in any disaster lies with the local and state governments. I think this disaster proves that.
This is a really different concept. A wealthy African has created a $5 million annual prize to reward good leaders in Africa. The first winner is Joachim Chissano, the former president of Mozambique. I have a real problem with rewarding any leader for doing what they should do for their country. I'm sure they all take some sort of oath of office swearing to uphold the laws of their country. How can we reward them for doing what they are required to do?
Well, it seems not all Venezuelans are happy with Chavez. Isn't that strange?
CNS News is reporting that the "comprehensive approach" to immigration reform that couples stepped-up border security with legal and financial benefits for illegal aliens is untenable because federal judges are likely to strike down enforcement measures while leaving "amnesty" provisions intact.
Carl Levin, the Senator from Michigan threatened to hold Michigan's presidential nominating contest on the same day as the New Hampshire primary in order to end New Hampshire's "cockamamie" first in the nation role.
Captain Ed has the story - the Dream Act is dead again. Durbin continues to push the legislation but by a vote of 52 to 44, the Senate failed to invoke cloture.
President Bush today blistered Fidel Castro and challenged the international community to help the people of Cuba. It was President Bush's first speech about Cuba in a long time.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that AT&T is negotiating to buy either EchoStar Communications Corp. or DirecTV. As a long time DirecTV subscriber, I would not be happy with AT&T buying them.
Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says a number of alliance members have offered more resources for the military campaign in Afghanistan. That is certainly good news for the United States, but one that I haven't seen reported in the MSM.
October 18, 2007 -
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Mel Martinez (R-FL) and George V. Voinovich (R-OH) today joined with House Republican Leaders and several members to introduce a bill to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The measure contains a full reauthorization of SCHIP, a $1,400 per child health care tax credit, and an aggressive outreach program to ensure all children eligible for the program have the opportunity to sign up for insurance. It also allows states to explore various efforts to reduce the number of uninsured and the cost of health care; improve quality and access to care and expand information technology.
“This bill gets the job done. It insures 10 million children and does it in a way that preserves and protects the quality of health care for all on the program,” said Martinez. “As Republicans and Democrats, we need to move forward with viable alternatives – this bill will ensure the reauthorization of an SCHIP that covers the intended population and expands private health insurance coverage for families in need.”
“We all want to cover more uninsured children but we should not unnecessarily increase a government program beyond its intent when the private sector is already providing coverage,” Sen. Voinovich said. “Our nation already invests $2 trillion in health care each year – it’s time to look at how we’re currently spending this money. Our bill looks at the big picture and finds ways to increase funding for SCHIP while using the tax code to insure millions of children. It also recognizes that, while health reform proposals are bottled up here at the federal level, states are in a unique position to demonstrate ways to do the job better. Our bill gives states the ability to examine various strategies to reduce the uninsured, lower costs and improve quality of care.”
It's estimated that between 500,000 and 1.5 million children are currently eligible for SCHIP coverage but are not enrolled simply because the families don't know the program exists. The bill encourages states to find innovative ways to identify and enroll that population.
Introducing the House version of the bill are Representatives Marilyn Musgrave (CO-4), Tom Price (GA-6), Tom Feeney (FL-24) and Tim Walberg (MI-7). There are currently more than 40 cosponsors including Minority Leader John Boehner (OH), Republican Whip Roy Blunt (MO), and Deputy Republican Whip Eric Cantor (VA).
Senate cosponsors include Senators Mel Martinez (FL), George Voinovich (OH), Jim DeMint (SC), Lindsey Graham (SC), John Cornyn (TX), John Thune (SD), Jeff Sessions (AL), Jim Inhofe (OK), and Saxby Chambliss (GA).
Republican Party leaders on Monday recommended punishing five states for shifting their nomination contests earlier, moving to strip New Hampshire, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan and Wyoming of half their delegates.
Fred Thompson says he will campaign the way he wants to. Reminds me of the Frank Sinatra song "I Did It My Way". Good for Fred. I'm not sure if it will work, but you have to give him credit for sticking to his plan.
Wildfires fanned by fierce desert winds have forced the evacuation of 250,000 people in Southern California.
Talk about excitement. The demand for World Series tickets by Colorado Rockies fans was so great that it shut down the Rockies computer system.
Osama Bin Laden has asked terrorists in Iraq to unite. Do you think he knows they are losing?
Microsoft's announcement said "We will not appeal the September decision to the European Court of Justice and will continue to work closely with the Commission and the industry to ensure a flourishing and competitive environment for information technology in Europe and around the world." Microsoft has already paid $1.43 billion in fines to the commission, which will decide by the end of the year whether Microsoft must pay an additional 1.6 billion euros.
Michael Barone is one of my favorite journalists. He always makes a lot of sense to me. Today he writes about the lack of imagination of the Democrats, and the fact that things have not worked out the way Congressional Democrats thought they would. That is good news for Republicans.
Steeler Report Card for Week 6. The Steelers lost to Denver 31 to 28, to bring their record to 4 and 2. Believe me, the loss was a team effort, and the Report Card reflects that.
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