Duke1676 has this update from yesterday posted over at Migra Matters:
The bill, which incorporates most of the provisions of the bill originally sponsored by Sen.Kennedy(D-Ma) and Sen. McCain(R-AZ) calls for the most massive reform of the immigration system in twenty years. It contains the comprehensive measures to allow for a path to citizenship for the 12 million undocumented immigrants living and working in the US. It also has provisions for a guest worker program and a plan to allow for 1.5 million agricultural workers and their families to work legally. Additionally an amendment was added to the bill that guaranteed that humanitarian aid workers and others providing services to immigrants would not be subjected to criminal penalties.
continued below the fold…
The biggest observation I have on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s deliberations from yesterday is the fact that the bill was passed without a majority of the majority. Only four of the committee’s ten Republicans voted in favor of the final measure to be sent to the floor of the Senate (McCain Specter, Graham, DeWine and Brownback). The Democrats remained united, with all eight voting in favor (12-6 final vote).
I think this is the first time something like this, a bipartisan coalition, has formed under the Bush Regime for such a big issue. I’m cautiously optimistic that a moderate bill was advanced, unfortunately it will now be offered up for two weeks of thrashing from Senators like Tom “Lesbianism is so rampant” Coburn and Trent “Strom Thurmond is my hero” Lott.
The markup of this piece of legislation could restore some of the most offensive portions of the House measure (HR4437). It will be on Frist’s head if any arm-twisting or back-alley deals are made in the dead of night, as they did with Medicare reform destruction. It’s up to the people to continue sending their message in the streets. It appears to be working:
“All of those people who were demonstrating were not necessarily here illegally,” said Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, who sponsored the legalization measures with Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Democrat of Massachusetts. Mr. Kennedy described the people who would benefit from the bill as “our neighbors,” adding: “They’re churchgoers. They’re the shop owners down the street. They’re the people we know.”
La Raza Unida Jamás Será Vencida
The people united will never be defeated
Update [2006-3-28 15:41:16 by Man Eegee]: Duke just posted a new BooTrib diary breaking down the competing bills in the House and Senate.
from Latino Politico. Click the picture above for an LA Indymedia article with great pictures and commentary on La Gran Marcha on Saturday (hat tip to Arcturus for the linkage)
Manny, this is thrilling to witness, these throngs of people peacefully marching through the streets of American cities. I wonder at their organization and how they spread the message and mobilized so many at the same time. It remimds me of a flock of birds in flight and the near silent call or signal that causes them all to change direction as one.
My heart swells because I’m certain we are witnessing the birth of a great civil rights movement.
Can you imagine if we could get similar numbers of people to make a statement about the war or impeachment?
When we work together we can accomplish almost anything.
has a great article detailing the behind-the-scenes coordination of the LA March. The spanish-speaking media united to urge the people to raise their voices.
That’s interesting, because I’m sure most white people don’t even know an organized Spanish speaking media exists in the US.
On Saturday I was out in a Latino neighborhood shopping at second hand stores and I got really hungry so I stopped into a little restaurant that I’d been to once before with my kids. But this time I was by myself and when I sat down with my plate of yummy food that I couldn’t name because it was mostly in Spanish and didn’t have pictures, I noticed that I was the only white person there and everyone else was speaking happily in Spanish. The TVs were all tuned to spanish tv. It was weird for me being so out of my element. But I never felt stared at, everyone was really nice.
Next time though, I’ll ask someone to help me order. 🙂
If your religion does not prohibit pork, or if it does but you find it deliciously wicked to eat it anyway, ask for tacos or a torta (like a submarine sandwich) al pastor.
I ended up getting a shredded beef taco because that’s about the only thing I recognized, and it was good, but everyone around me was eating stuff that looked so much better! One guy had some kind of submarine sandwich…what does al pastor mean?
it is pork marinated in spices and pineapple juice, served chopped fine.
Another good one, carnitas, are pork slow roasted till very tender, then chopped.
Also ask if they have mole, can be any meat, but usually chicken or turkey in a sauce made from many different spices, including chocolate, however, it is NOT sweet, just addictive. 😉
Mexican food is good when the restaurant is full of Latinos. 🙂
I second DtF’s suggestion. Al pastor…mmmmmm
My family loves Mexican food and most of the small restaurants around here are both staffed by and frequented by Mexicans but most have menus in English. This one didn’t even pretend to cater to those outside their neighborhood and that’s why I thought it was so cool.
a pic of tacos al pastor. The pork is marinated in spices similar-tasting to chorizo. It’s spiciness depends on the chili used, but once you’ve tried it, you’ll ditch the machaca (shredded beef) quickly. 🙂
Yum.
According to Lou Dobbs whatever measley taxes they pay are nothing compared to the overwhelming cost of educating their children, providing medical care, and supression of wages for working, flag-waving Americans.
I wonder what in Lou’s past causes him to hate Mexicans so much. He’s absolutely venomous.
He just had some sort of episode on CNN. They had to cut the link of the Spanish language TV reporter he was “talking” to. Or she may have cut it herself, just to try to spare him embarrassment, despite his openly contemptuous manner toward her.
The reporter, by the way, was Maria Elena Salinas, for those who will appreciate the extremity of this incident.
seizure disorder that is triggered by the sight of brown people waving flags of other nations.
I started to watch that segment but was so disgusted by as you said Duct his openly contemptuous demeanor and patronizing facial expressions that I quit watching so I guess I missed his ‘meltdown’?
He really is fanning the flames of hate toward immigrants in this country with his relentless phobic scaremongering on his damn tv show-the stupid bastard.
thanks for my new tag line..
I’ve been saying this for years about the whole tax paying deal..just like when I mention gay people paying taxes but not having full and equal rights..and people just look at me like I’m the crazy one.
.
LAS CHEPAS, Mexico (AP) 30 minutes ago — Six months ago, officials bulldozed a third of the houses in this border village, hoping to shut down a staging ground for illegal migrants. But the widely publicized action instead lured more people to Las Chepas.
Migrants walk in the border village of Las Chepas, Mexico as a border patrol car is parked on the other side.AP Photo/Guillermo Arias
“They made us famous and the migrant flow got worse,” said Ramon Guzman, who lets people sit on his patio until nightfall, when they set out for the border.
At least 2,270 migrants passed through Las Chepas in February, compared to 1,180 in January, according to Grupo Beta, a government-sponsored group that tries to discourage people from crossing and aids those stranded in the desert.
“But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
Noticed this at LA Indymedia
It will be good show, but I don’t think the upcoming debate of the full Senate really matters very much.
What matters is what happens in the conference committee that will have to reconcile radically different bills from the House and the Senate.
The way the evil Frist/Hastert Republicans have been operating, the conferences are done in complete secrecy, Democrats are not allowed to participate, and outside lobbyists do the real work in the middle of the night. The huge public demonstrations will work some restraint. But as an immigration lawyer for 20 years, I really fear what might come out of the conference.
Abuse of the conference has been going on a long time in immigration law. Prior to the abomination of HR 4437, the most ferocious anti-immigrant legislation was the IIRAIRA statute of 1996. That year the final bill that came out of conference, and was signed by President Clinton, bore little resemblance to the laws that had passed the House and Senate. Moreover, it is well established that the draconian heart of the bill was drafted in conference by lawyers for FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform. That arch-nativist group is sponsored by Richard Mellon Scaife, the monster who brought us the persecution of Bill Clinton.
So I’m hopeful this week. But still very nervous about this new law.