Latino Issues, A Conservative Blog

Cross posted on my RedState.org Diary : I suppose this is to be expected, but I was still amazed at what I discovered in today's Denver Post endorsements list. On state ballot measures, Denver Post is endorsing both referendum C & D. Now, C is being debated, but to let the state borrow money on income that is not guaranteed is simply insane. But, wait! There is more! In Aurora, Issue 1A--a property tax increase--Denver Post says YES. In Denver, Issue 1-A--a hotel tax increase--Denver post says YES. In Lakewood, Question 2A--a sales tax increase--Denver Post says YES. The Denver Post also lists City Council, and School board members it is endorsing. I don't have the time tonight to look up each name, but I wonder how many of those names are registered Democrats. I would bet most of them. I realize many of you may be asking, "What's the big deal...Its to be expected." But, to me, its important that this ALWAYS be a big deal. Bloggers need to continue saying it, ...

TruthLaidBear has made a call to all bloggers to go on record with their stance on the Miers nomination. I will implement some code this weekend to search for the phrases above, and generate a running list of bloggers for, against, and neutral on the nomination. This will be much more interesting than a standard online poll, as it will ensure "one-blog-one-vote", and avoid the usual ballot-stuffing silliness of online surveys. I, of course, have made various posts here in favor of Miers nomination. I thought this would be a good time to give an update on what I have been seeing in the media and in the blogsphere on the Miers nomination and the ensuing battle. I have to be honest, at this time with the events of the past weeks, I am beginning to question whether I made the right endorsement. But, a strong reason for my endorsement still stand--Bush has a record of making the right choice on nominations and I trust that. Miers may not be quick on her feet, and but I still beli...

Via CitizenLink email . "The propitious smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself has ordained." -- George Washington

This from Val over at Babalublog.com . They choose to propagate the myths and lies about Castro's Cuba, and ignoring the suffering and deaths of thousands who have died at the hands of a murderer! This is not what I call a love for liberty. Read the storybelow and Val's comments, and follow the discussion over at babalublog.com . Here's something to get you all riled up for the weekend, via commenter Retread, from LGF , we have the following : Join CODEPINK for New Year’s in Cuba December 27-January 2, 2006 Cuba is one of the most beautiful and fascinating countries on Earth—and George Bush says you can’t go there. Well, we’re going anyway, and we invite you to join us! This New Year’s CODEPINK will be organizing a large group of fun-loving and freedom-loving Americans to break George Bush’s ban on travel to Cuba. Join co-founders Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans, together with Academy Award winning producer Paul Haggis, as we visit with farmers at their co-ops, ...

On October 4th, I wrote a letter to Colorado's Sen. Allard and Salazar asking for their comments and commitment to cutting pork. The first response to my letters came into my email box this morning from senator Wayne Allard. Below is the full email text. In it, the senator states he is "deeply concerned with the current deficit, particularly the portion of it comprised of new discretionary spending. Every time new programs are added to the Budget a long term fiscal obligation is created." He concluded his response saying, "If we must change Senate rules, current law, or even amend the Constitution to instill fiscal discipline in this process so be it." These are strong words, and I appreciate the Senator's willingness to make it on the record. Myself, as I am sure many other voters, now hope to see results in a leaner government that spends less. The great problem in our nation is that there are still millions who continue to demand much from our governme...

The following excerpt are from Colorado Pols. Excelent argument for why I am against Referendum C & D. I have to repeate here the key point: "Education funding and reform aren’t the only things to consider when voting for C & D - vote how you will - but those spreading the scare tactics about schools ought to be ashamed of themselves." Here is the rest of the excerpt. …I beg someone to logically refute the following facts: 1. Colorado spends more per pupil in real dollars on K-12 education now than ever before. In fact, Colorado’s per-pupil spending was at an all-time high right BEFORE Amendment 23 was passed… and has reached an all-time high each year thereafter. 2. Colorado spends less than 58 percent of education dollars in the classroom. (Maybe it’s how we are spending the money, not how much….) 3. From 1992 to 2003, Colorado significantly improved its ranking on national test scores while its national ranking in per-pupil spending went down. 4. The reason Colora...

Outragous news coming via "A Certain Slant of Light" on activist judges posing as legislators. This time around the 2nd District Court of Appeal in California has ruled that an employer in Torrance, California, must pay worker's compensation benefits to an illegal alien it had employed and who claimed an on-the-job injury. The Houston Chronicle (registration required) has the story. The 2nd District Court of Appeal ruled in a case involving Torrance, Calif.-based coffee roaster Farmer Bros. Co., which had tried to deny workers' comp benefits to an employee who was in the country illegally. Farmers Bros. argued that federal immigration laws superseded the state's workers' compensation system. The plaintiff, Rafael Ruiz, 35, claimed he injured his shoulders, back, neck and hands by lifting sacks of coffee beans. There was no immediate comment from Farmer Bros. More comments from "A Certain Slant of Light" . You can read the rest of hi...

Interesting supportive comments from Mark Noonan at Blogs for Bush on recent statements on the news about illegal immigration and the goal to return every illegal immigrant back to their home country. We've had a lot of comments of late from some conservative quarters that President Bush doesn't listen to the conservative base - that he just takes it for granted. I'd put it differently - a President can do a lot of things, but he can't do everything all at once. This President has been concentrating on a few issues (you know, the war and what not) and so other issues - some of them of vital importance to various parts of the conservative coalition - have been left on the sidelines. The answer to this is not to carp and complain, but to press the issue. You can read the statements by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao to Congress via the Washington Times . Over at Blogs for Bush, Noonan also writes: I've been a supporter...

Readers have been posting good comments on the problem with bilingual education and the dominance of Spanish in immigrant states such as California. LaLinda points out the direct effects of bilingual education to drop out rates! Just for that reason, states should think twice about this sort of multiculturalistic well-intentioned social policies. In California, as in any state in the union, English is a language of great importance to learn! Anybody who denies this, is not living in the real world. Bilingual Ed in California was voted out by the voters and now they will probably find another proposition that will have to be voted on regarding the 'dual language' idioticy that is now in use in some school throughout the state. It was proven that bilingual ed caused too many Latinos to drop-out of school in this state. Since it was eradicated, the number of drop-outs has decreased and more and more Latinos are enrolling in college. If this 'dual language' mentality conti...

A Spanish judge is going out on a limb in issuing an arrest warrant for 3 American soldiers. What a joke! Jose Couso, who worked for the Spanish television network Telecinco, died April 8, 2003, after a U.S. army tank crew fired a shell on Hotel Palestine in Baghdad where several journalists were staying to cover the war. Reuters cameraman Taras Portsyuk, a Ukrainian, also was killed. The Spanish judge said he issued the arrest order because of a lack of judicial cooperation from the United States regarding the case. U.S. officials insist the soldiers believed they were being shot at when they opened fire. Following the Palestine incident, Secretary of State Colin Powell said a review of the incident found that the use of force was justified. In late 2003, the National Court, acting on a request from Couso's family, agreed to consider filing criminal charges against three members of the tank crew.

I wish this was not so, but it is what it is. To be clear, I am not against legal immigrants retaining the knowledge and history of their culture, including language, as long as there is an intentional process of assimilation--which must include basic history of America, and a grasp of the English language. It goes to show for the need for better efforts towards integration and assimilation in the major immigrant states. This quote comes via IconCulture email Iconwatch . In California, Spanish is more important than English. I haven't found any inconvenience because I don't speak English & I don't need to speak English. If you can speak Spanish, you can drive, employers can have clients, you can order in restaurants, you can do anything. MARTIN PAIK, A SPANISH-SPEAKING KOREAN IMMIGRANT TO LOS ANGELES BY WAY OF ARGENTINA, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS 9.26.05

It seems there is a lot of attention on illegal immigration coming from D.C. RedState.org had a couple interesting stories. The first comes from the Bush White House, who is reportedly mounting an immigration offensive. You can read the whole story from RedState.org here . The Washington Post reports the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing today on "comprehensive immigration reform." According to the Fort Worth Star Telegram , Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao will testify at the hearing and are expected to outline the Administration's latest plans for an immigration reform. The Star Telegram also reported White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan suggested that President Bush may now be advocating a more comprehensive approach to immigration reform that includes a temporary worker program as well as "steps to strengthen our border and improve the interior enforcement of our immigration laws." T...

For some that may wonder why it is I am against Colorado's referendum C & D, despite support by many Republicans and businesses, I would like to suggest you read this article . Matt Kaufman at Boundless.org articulates with great insight the dangers of government-forced "compassion" . Referendum C & D supporters may have great compassionate motivations for forcing the rest of us CO residents to fork over our hard-earned money, but it does our State no good. My argument is that while the motives may be great, the methods are not the best or the right ones. If you want to argue that there are problems with TABOR, thats fine, but weakening it is not the solution, and giving more money to our State politicians to spend is not going to improve anything. You can argue for some government programs on the grounds that they're necessary, and that no other alternatives will do: The argument may be wrong in many cases, but it's not inherently dishonest. You can...

Update: I thought this piece by Rush Limbaugh was relevant . I hope he is right. I do agree with him that the right move is towards the right, not more towards the center. For decades conservatives have considered judicial abuse a direct threat to our Constitution and our form of government. The framers didn't create a judicial oligarchy. They created a representative republic. Our opposition to judicial activism runs deep. We've witnessed too many occasions where Republican presidents have nominated the wrong candidates to the court, and we want more assurances this time--some proof. The left, on the other hand, sees the courts as the only way to advance their big-government agenda. They can't win national elections if they're open about their agenda. So, they seek to impose their policies by judicial fiat. It's time to call them on it. And that's what many of us had hoped and expected when the president made his nomination. Some liberal commentators mistaken...

Here is a thought for supporters of C & D who insist we need more money for education. This comes via a Beyond The News email from Salem Radio Network. So, for pro-ref C & D people, don't talk to me about the need for more money to improve education! I have been an educator in impoverished areas, and it does NOT take $8,000 to educate a child! Character, leadership, and respect for civic duty are values that are passed on, not bought with money. Intelligence, and a capacity and desire to learn are also values that are passed on by good parents, mentors and teachers--it is NOT something you can buy with hard cash. --Michael Medved American education faces serious problems, but a lack of spending isn't one of them. The Census Bureau shows we now spend more than $8,000 per student in primary and secondary public schools. This means that even for a comfortably small class of 25 students, we invest the amazing sum of $200,000 a year. Allotting the teacher a handsome salary--...