Brookings Scholar Predicts Arizona Lawsuit Will Fail

Philip Bunnell - Talk Radio News Service

Darrel West, the Director of Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, predicted Wednesday that the lawsuit filed recently by the Justice Department against Arizona will likely fail.

“The Justice Department claims that states can’t make immigration policy when in fact states have been passing immigration laws for decades,” West said during an afternoon Webchat. “I don’t think the courts will buy the idea that only the federal government can make immigration policy.”

Explained West, “In the 19th century, Southern states limited migration to their states based on race and property. California tried to exclude the Chinese in the late 19th century. And governors today sign all sorts of immigration laws.” 

The Department’s lawsuit, filed Tuesday, was a reaction to Arizona’s new hard-line immigration policy, which allows law enforcement officials to request proof of citizenship from those suspected to be in the country illegally. Critics have charged that the law will ultimately lead to racial profiling and threaten public safety by allowing the public’s trust in police to erode.

The lawsuit is based on the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause, which dictates that legislation passed at a state level cannot trump federal law.

Although West stated that he does not believe the lawsuit will be effective, he noted that the law was far from ideal.

“The new Arizona law creates more problems that it solves,” West said.

Panel Spars Over Christian Legal Society V. Martinez

Sarah Mamula - Talk Radio News Service

What started as a panel discussion on the Supreme Court’s 2009-2010 term, eventually evolved into a heated debate over the Court’s ruling against the Christian Legal Society.

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court upheld a non-discrimination policy at the University of California’s Hastings College of Law, requiring student organizations to allow any and all students to join whichever organization they chose. The Christian Legal Society acted against this policy by having members sign a Statement of Faith, prohibiting the enrollment of non-Christians and the gay and lesbian community.

Professor at the University of Chicago Law School Richard Epstein said he disagrees with the school’s non-discrimination policy.

“I have never heard of a stupider, less coherent and indefensible property than a take all-comer’s policy with respect to organizations that maintain any form of intellectual coherence,” Epstein said.

Gregory Garre, partner at Latham & Watkins LLP, said the court’s ruling was justified because the organization was school funded.  If the organization was independent from the university, Garre said the Statement of Faith would then become a plausible filter for admittance to CLS.

Garre, agreeing with a statement made by Solicitor General Elena Kagan during her confirmation hearings alst week, said that it is the duty of the Supreme Court to interpret the laws and rule accordingly

“It is the role of the Courts to go in and second guess what is a ‘stupid’ or responsible academic policy,” said Garre.

Today At TRNS

The Washington Bureau will be covering:

Community and Faith Leaders from Arizona hold a 24 hour vigil in front of the White House.

The Brookings Institute “Rethinking Immigration Policy in the United States.”

Tennis player Venus Williams delivers an address on topics such as her Wimbledon experience this year and her new book.

The Heritage Foundation discusses Supreme Court decisions during the 2009-2010 term.

The Sierra Club holds a conference to discuss experiences touring the oil damage in the Gulf with religious leaders.

Elizabeth Urges UN To Rise To Global Challenges

In her first address at the United Nations in more than 50 years,  Queen Elizabeth II lauded the UN’s growth and achievements over the past half century but also called on delegates and diplomats to keep sight of their commitment to the organizations principles and strengthen cooperation among member states.

“When I was first here there were just three UN operations overseas. Now over 120 000 men and women are deployed in 26 missions across the world. You have helped to reduce conflict, you have offered humanitarian assistance to millions of people affected by natural disasters and other emergencies and you have been deeply committed to tackling the effects of poverty in many parts of the world. But so much remains to be done…”

The Queen’s last appearance at the United Nations General Assembly was in 1957, a time when fallout from the Korean War, Cold War tensions and decolonization highlighted the fractured relationships among  member states. This afternoon, Elizabeth II emphasized the UN’s ability to adapt and overcome past challenges. She identified terrorism and climate change as the world body’s new test.

“In my lifetime , the UN has moved from being a high minded aspiration to being a real force for common good. That of itself has been a signal achievement, but we are not gathered here to reminisce. In tomorrow’s world we must all work together as hard as ever if we are truly to be United Nations…”

UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon also addressed delegates, thanking the Queen for her leadership as the head of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, noting that the four largest providers of peacekeeping troops are Commonwealth countries.

“In a changing and turning world, you are an anchor for our age, your reign spans the decades, from the challenges of the cold war to the threat of global warming, from the Beatles to Beckham, from the television to twitter, you have become a living symbol of grace, constancy and dignity”

This is the first time the Queen has been in New York since the bicentennial anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1976. She is also scheduled to visit Ground Zero later this evening.

International Pressure Could Prevent Iranian Mother's Stoning, Says Author

Robert Hune-Kalter-Talk Radio News Service

Sakineh Mohammandi Ashtiani could be stoned to death at any moment. This sentence comes after a 2006 court in Iran found the 42 year old mother guilty of adultery.  Ken Timmerman, an author and Executive Director of the Foundation for Democracy in Iran, says the international community has the power to prevent this death sentence.

“The Iranian regime is not a regime of law, it is an arbitrary regime. Anything can happen, in any direction.  The woman could be suddenly acquitted should there be a tremendous amount of international pressure on the regime.  They could acquit her tomorrow,” Timmerman said in an interview with Talk Radio News.

Stoning was reinstated by the Ayatollah in 1979 after the Islamic Revolution.

According to Timmerman, The supporters of stoning in Iran are the hardline supporters of the Islamic regime under Ali Khamenei, the Republic’s supreme leader.

“They are young people, as well as old people.  They are the people who benefit from the regime, predominantly in rural areas, socially conservative areas, and areas of a male dominated society,” Timmerman said.