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Will it ever be over? Pious Bologna! Newt Gingrich can dish it out, when he plays “Johnny 3-Wives”
Is everyone tired of the debates? Will they run out of things to talk about? I have stopped watching and just catch the reruns.
Who is going to come out the winner of all this and will the voters just be totally sick of all of them?
From the AILA Blog:
Under the twisted immigration law the husband or wife of a US citizen is barred from applying for a green card in the US if they originally entered without proper inspection by an immigration officer. To obtain lawful status the immigrant must leave the US and apply for a visa at a US embassy in their home country. But once they leave the US they are barred from returning for up to 10 years unless they can prove their US citizen or legal resident spouse will suffer extreme hardship in their absence. But the process–known as an “unlawful presence waiver”–can take months, even years. In the meantime the family is separated, the foreign spouse may be stuck in a dangerous place–like Ciudad Juarez, Mexico where many immigrants have lost their lives–and there is no way of predicting if or when the family will ever be reunited.
The proposed rule change is huge because it will allow undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens to apply for a provisional waiver while in the U.S.–something not permitted under the current rule. If the waiver is granted, the foreign national will then leave the U.S., apply for his or her immigrant visa abroad, and return to his or her loved ones. The change will give countless American families a chance to stay together safely and legally.
The move is also smart enforcement because it will reduce the illegal immigrant population and allow the Department of Homeland Security to better focus its resources on keeping America secure and safe.
This is very welcome news for our friends who have loved ones out of status. It’s all too easy to brush off these kinds of problems with platitudes and sound bites. However, if it is your husband, wife, child, sibling, it becomes much more than a sound bite. I have had two situations with people I know in the past few years that turn this issue into much more than an ‘illegal is illegal’ question.
So my goal today was to work on an article for the blog about a land use application happening in the Occoquan District. The Mayor,Ernie Porta, has written an extensive op-ed on the proposed development on Tanyard Hill Road. One of the major issues with this rezoning is that serious negative impacts of storm water run off to the town of Occoquan.
Although I have the article in PDF format, my understanding was that Mayor Porta had been published in the Journal Messenger. So, I go to search the newspaper, and what jewel do I find front page you might ask? An article titled “Cleaning the Chesapeake Bay Watershed“.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va. —
Prince William County is preparing to play its part in the cleanup of the
Chesapeake Bay Watershed.The problem is, officials don’t know exactly
how to prepare due to a lack of guidance from the federal and state governments,
Prince William Watershed Management branch chief Marc Aveni said.
Really, PWC doesn’t know how to prepare? How about starting with implementing proper development guidelines! This impending rezoning in Occoquan is a fabulous opportunity to take charge and stop burying your “head” in the sand. One way or another this county has to make a real effort to become compliant or ALL citizens will be covering the fines levied on PWC by the EPA.
The county is still factoring how much of the cost of stormwater management
will fall on the backs of its residents or businesses, Aveni said. Right now,
single-family homeowners pay $26.36 a year in fees through their monthly
mortgage bill, while residents of townhouses, condominiums and apartments pay
$19.78 a year. Businesses pay $12.80 per 1,000 square feet of impervious
area.
Here is a portion of the article written by Mayor Porta of Occoquan. I hope the BOCS heeds his warning and sets the example that PWC taxpayers will no longer be responsible for funding the substandard development practices that have previously been allowed to unfold.
PWC can no longer run from its watershed responsibilities, it simply costs too much and the long term consequences are too critical. We all need safe drinking water, it isn’t a choice.
OAKS III REZONING–BAD FOR PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY
On Tuesday, January 10, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors (BOCS) will vote on a rezoning application that is adamantly opposed by Occoquan Supervisor Mike May, the Town of Occoquan, and representatives from nearby communities. If approved, the rezoning would permit the construction of a 32,500 sq. ft. office building along Tanyard Hill Road, which we are convinced will significantly and negatively impact both storm water and traffic flows into and around Occoquan. But the implications of the rezoning’s approval extend beyond simply the Town of Occoquan and surrounding environs, for approval would also result in the BOCS rewarding the type of developer behavior the county should be actively discouraging, particularly when environmentally-challenging property is involved.
Sunrise or full moon set? Hard to tell.
Isn’t this January warm weather divine? Are we in for a bitter spell?
For those who like the BBC sagas, don’t forget Downton Abbey season 2 starts tonight. 9 p.m. PBS. It isn’t just a chick flick.
Rick Santorum has a serious problem that has no answer. He must appeal to the conservative base. He must strike a chord with the values people. He needs to appeal to those who are known as the 3 G’s” God, guns, and gay (anti). That should not be difficult for Santorum. His reputation in the U.S. Senate definitely fits the bill as he was very anti-gay rights, pro gun, wanted school vouchers, school prayer and those sorts of things. He opposed anything having to do with reproductive rights. He was anti abortion, even the hard cases. He eschewed contraception and anything that smacked of Title X to include Planned Parenthood.
Since 1929, the FBI has defined rape as the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will.
While most state laws certainly aren’t this limited, this change in FBI definition affects crime statistics and resources that go to the states.
According to the WaPo:
The revised definition covers any gender of victim or attacker and includes instances in which the victim is incapable of giving consent because of the influence of drugs or alcohol or because of age. Physical resistance is not required. The Justice Department said the new definition mirrors the majority of state rape statutes now on the books.
The new definition will increase the number of people counted as rape victims in FBI statistics, but will not change federal or state laws nor alter charges or prosecutions.
The expansion has been long awaited because policymakers and lawmakers use crime statistics to allocate resources for prevention and victim assistance.
Often rape victims are still treated like villains in court and by defense attorneys. When the chief cop spot in the nation defines rape in such a short sighted manner, it is bound to trickle down in a less than respectful way for the victim.
I sincerely hope this issue won’t become a political issue. After all, the Obama administration was behind its implementation.
Pretty much everything I have seen thrown at Santorum ends up being deflected by the one time senator. Rather than address the questions being asked, Santorum often throws a curve ball by asking another question, not the one being posed, and goes off on a a tangent, as is seen here with the question about multiple marriage.
Unlike Romney, Santorum will end up turning voters off because of his extreme religious positions that he insists on keeping in the public light. Romney, on the other hand, freely admits that he is a Mormon but doesn’t shove his beliefs in everyone’s face.
O’Reilly called Santorum out on his position on contraception. He asked Santorum if he was ready to be demonized over things like this. Again, Santorum played the deflection game.
The culture warrior issues will defeat Santorum because he is far from the mainstream and simply refuses to accept that while people may carry whatever belief they want, these beliefs have no business being part of public policy.
How far to you think Santorum will go? I think he will get sent home from New Hampshire with his tail between his legs.
Help end the hyper-partisanship that’s dragging our country down the road to ruin. Today we are getting no where.
Go to www.nolabels.org to see what you can do to help get past this congressional gridlock. Check out the 12 ways to help.
How many people would like to see Congress work together? How many people would be disappointed and want Congress to hold out for THEIR way?
Life is good. It looks like Jiffy Lube, located in Bristow, Virginia, will be back to drinking and drugging again this coming summer. The ban on tailgating has been lifted. It will be great to know that pedestrians will have to slide through buckets of puke to get from one place to the next during a Buffet concert.
According to the News and Messenger:
Jiffy Lube Live has reversed its short-lived ban on tailgating.
Concert-goers will once again be allowed to party in the parking lot for this summer’s coming concerts. Grills and lawn chairs will be allowed. Tents, canopies and alcohol, though, are not.
Wait! Stop!! Flag on the play. NO ALCOHOL. It looks like I spoke too soon. Tailgating will be allowed but alcohol, tents and canopies are still verboten. I feel certain no tailgaters will violate any of the rules. Just to make sure, Jiffy Lube parking lot ambassadors will be patrolling the parking lot to keep law and order.
Here is a link to the NEW RULES AT JIFFY LUBE Pavillion.
Patrons put up a hue and cry after the tailgating ban went in to effect. They took their case to Facebook. Apparently the consumers were heard. Perhaps Jiffy Lube felt it couldn’t afford the loss of revenue.
[Please note, some of the above is tongue in cheek.]
Yesterday, President Obama made 4 recess appointments. He appointed 3 people to the Board of Labor Relations and 1 to the newly formed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The CFPB appointment is the most contentious.
The new head, Richard Cordray, received an appointment even though the chamber was technically only in session every few days. Technically seems to be the big IF. The senate technically did not recess over the holiday, so there was no precedent for what President Obama did.
When Republicans took control of the House, going into pro forma sessions became the norm since neither chamber can recess for longer than three days without the consent of the other.
But now that Obama has decided that pro forma sessions don’t matter much, Republicans warn there is no stopping presidents from undermining the Senate’s traditional advise-and-consent role.
Senators who live close by in Maryland and Virginia are usually the ones who come in and gavel a session into formal existence and then close the session. The pro forma sessions only last minutes.
Bear sent this one down from New York. You know, I am so tired of the caucuses, the primaries, and the wannabees. This is a joke! Warning! No little ears should be around.
The redneck cred got me. Actually, I have found Canada to be one of the cleanest countries around.
So what’s good about Canada and what can we learn from them?
(and yes, that was put up as a joke.)
Did anyone happen to catch the Quadrantid Meteor shower this morning? That had to be one freezing cold sky watch. I couldn’t muster up the courage to even go as far as my car. It was about 14 degrees out there.
Happy birthday Elena.
Punchak’s comments about Cantor made me curious so I went hunting for the video.
I agree with her. Cantor seems insincere and disingenuous. I like his wife. I feel good knowing that she is in charge of the state nest egg.
The voice bellowing rudely in the background is Cantor’s press secretary Brad Dayspring yelling “That just isn’t true! And I don’t want to let that stand!”
The ghost of Ronald Reagan quickly appeared to make sure Stahl’s honor was defended and that she was telling the truth. Dayspring got the AH award of the week for that intrusion. Talk about wiping out any good Canot managed to do with his Leslie Stahl interview in less than ten seconds.
So is Cantor showing a kinder, gentler face? I haven’t seen it.
Place your bets here. Who will win the Iowa Caucus? What happens to the losers? I am not sure how this all factors in to the final product. Steve, how does this work?
How much do good looks have to do with elections now? I know that no one wants to be thought of as that superficial, but how do you turn off that impulse to not pull the lever for the person who is most pleasing to the eye. And speaking of eye candy, which candidate is the best looking? Michele Bachmann shouldn’t count because she is the only female and she is an attractive woman. Her husband is a lucky man. (MEOW)
What topic will be considered the most important to voters? Immigration, employment, war, economy, values, abortion?
Is anyone offended by the amount of money spent just on this mini campaign or any campaign in general?
Who will drop out after Iowa?
Disclaimer: The content of the guest contribution is the opinion of the guest and does not necessarily represent the opinion of the management of Moonhowlings.com.
Some things just have to explain themselves.
Colonel Morris Davis speaks with RT.com:
“The slogan “Close Guantanamo” sounds fairly simple. Actually following through and doing it is a much more difficult process,” he said.“Guantanamo is still open, the military commissions have resumed and in my view the president just didn’t have the balls to follow through with doing the right thing.”
So, is Colonel Davis spot on? Did President Obama learn more information or does he simply lack the …nads? I want to think he learned things were harder once one became president than during a campaign when the decisions aren’t real.
Are issues of war always that cut and dry? My guess is that things look easier from the outside than from inside, when you know all the facts and what you have to work with. Take Harry Truman for example. How would you have liked to have been that poor bastard? He knew nothing about the atomic bomb. Here he was FDR’s vice president. He knew NOTHING about this weapon that he had to make the final decision to drop.
Harry Truman always seemed like the practical sort from what I have read. But can you imagine he didn’t know about the atomic bomb? Churchill knew there was such a thing but our own vice president did not. What was FDR thinking?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/truman/player/
