Demonstrators Protest Arizona Law Outside White House

By Linn Grubbstrom - Talk Radio News Service

Religious and immigrant rights activists gathered outside the White House Wednesday to urge the Obama administration to approach immigration reform and voice support for the Justice Department’s recent challenge of Arizona’s hardline immigration policy.

“The people here are gathered, in prayer, in peaceful protest, to urge the Obama administration and the federal government, one, to stop S.B.1070, the harsh discriminatory law in Arizona and two, to take responsibility for the mess that is the immigration system, to stop this chaos of 50 different states trying to pass 50 different immigration laws,” said Shuya Ohno, the Assistant Communications Director with the National Immigration Forum

Arizona’s immigration bill was signed into law on April 23rd. It allows law enforcement officials to request identification from those who they believe are in the country illegally. There has been six different lawsuits that have argued that the law is unconstitutional. The latest was filed Tuesday July 6th by the Department of Justice.

Blowout Prevention Act Must Be Met With Bipartisan Support Says Republican

By Linn Grubbstrom - Talk Radio News Service 

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) said Tuesday at a House Energy and Commerce Committee meeting that new legislation to prevent future oil well blowouts deserves bipartisan support.

Despite criticism that the bill does not clearly define “high-risk” oil wells, the Republican said it’s an issue that everyone needs to pay close attention to.

“We want to improve safety procedures,” Barton said. “We want to make it possible to continue drilling, both in an environmentally safe and economically positive way…We stand ready to work in a bipartisan basis.”

Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Hayes suggested to the committee that America take example from European countries like Norway who have similar safety regulations already in place.

“I think we can learn from each other, and we need to both have better performance standards but also prescriptive standards where appropriate,” said Hayes. “Personally, the sense I have is that Norway [has] put in place perhaps better systems at this point than we have and that’s not acceptable. We need to be leading the world here, in terms of safety.”

Top Democrat Says War Bill, Domestic Spending May Be Split

By Linn Grubbstrom - Talk Radio News Service

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) told reporters Tuesday about a possible split in the Afghanistan war spending bill and a domestic spending package, making room for Democrats to vote on each issue separately.

Hoyer said that this is the approach leadership would likely take and is looking for Republican support in order to pass legislation before the July 4th holiday break.

“I would hope my Republican friends would support that,” Hoyer said during his weekly news briefing at Capitol Hill. “They say they’re for the funding of the troops.”

Army Gen. David Petraeus told Congress Tuesday that legislation must be passed in order to secure success in Afghanistan.

“Enabling further such progress … and successfully implementing the president’s strategy will require that our work in Afghanistan is fully resourced,” he said.

U.S. May Soon Resemble Greece Economically, Says House Republican

By Linn Grubbstrom
Talk Radio News Service

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) is afraid that the U.S.'s mounting debt could match Greece's in a number of years.

"Our debt levels right now are above Spain, Ireland and Portugal," Ryan said Thursday. "That's the most important statistic. In five years, our debt level, on our current trajectory, is going to be up there with Greece and Italy," said Ryan.

One possible solution, said Ryan, would be modified the tax system.

"I would replace the current tax system with a modified flat tax. It's a boon to progressivity, meaning 10% on the first 100,000 dollars for couples 25% above that. No other tax on capital or saving. Meaning no dividends, capital gains or death tax. Those are taxes that are double taxes on capital, they retard economic growth and innovation," he said.

Ryan, the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee, also suggested changes in health care, social security and job training programs.

Podesta Claims Gulf Coast Spill Could Be Oil's Final Nail In the Coffin

By Linn Grubbstrom - Talk Radio News Service

John Podesta, the head of the think tank Center for American Progress, said Tuesday that the disastrous oil spill off the Gulf Coast could be the catalyst to finally move the U.S. away from oil.

"It's our hope that 2010 will be remembered as the year the U.S. began to turn away from oil in a meaningful, serious way. We've been talking about it for probably 40 years now," said Podesta during a forum held by the National Italian American Foundation. "I think ... maybe 2010 will be that moment were we really do begin that long march towards cleaner sources of energy."

However, to be able to do that Podesta, who served as Chief of Staff in the Clinton administration, wants President Barack Obama and Congress to take several immediate steps toward the development of renewable energy.

"I would like to see him go faster, I would like to see the Senate move forward this summer," said Podesta.