Federal Judge Stalls Controversial AZ Immigration Law

By Brandon Kosters - Talk Radio News Service

U.S District Judge Susan Bolton has blocked the controversial provisions of the Arizona immigration law, S.B. 1070. Bolton filed a preliminary injunction against the sections of the law which allowed Arizona police officers to check citizens’ immigration status and required immigrants to carry proof of citizenship with them at all times.

She said that the law could easily lead to wrongful imprisonment of legal residents and that it called for police to perform tasks and exercise authority reserved for the federal government.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer is expected to appeal Bolton’s ruling and the case is expected to reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

Proponents of the law claim that action must be taken to mitigate the incredibly large number of illegal immigrants in Arizona and that the state is simply taking action that the federal government has declined to take.

Opponents of the bill have said the law leads to racial profiling and hurts tourism to the area, particularly from Mexico.

Outspoken critics of the law include President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, a prospective Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Arizona.

Leaked Documents Do Not Reveal New Intel, Says Commander-In-Chief

President Barack Obama told reporters Tuesday that although he is concerned that the recent disclosure of sensitive information from Afghanistan’s battlefield may jeopardize operations, the leak of information does not reveal any new information.

“The fact is these documents don’t reveal any issues that haven’t already informed our public debate on Afghanistan,” Obama said. “Indeed, they point to the same challenges that led me to conduct an extensive review of our policy last fall.”

The President said that his change in policy is being reflected in the way the United States has continued its operations in Afghanistan. 

“We’ve substantially increased our commitment, insisted upon greater accountability from our partners in Afghanistan and Pakistan, developed a new strategy that can work and put in place a team that can execute that plan,” Obama said. “Now we have to see that strategy through.”

Obama urged the House today to pass legislation that would extend funding to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, legislation that has already unanimously passed through the Senate.

Obama Pushes Senate To Pass Disclose Act

With the August recess just around the corner, President Barack Obama urged the Senate Monday to pass an upcoming bill aimed at revealing entities responsible for funding respective campaign ads meant to influence elections.

The announcement comes in response to the Citizens United v. Federal Election Committee, where the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 vote that corporate funding, both foreign and domestic, of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited under the First Amendment and the source of income for each broadcast is not obliged to reveal itself.

“These shadow groups are already forming and building warchests of tens of millions of dollars to influence the Fall elections,” Obama said. “Now, imagine the power this will give special interests over politicians.”

The president argued that these corporations will have overwhelming influence over the way Congressmen are voting threatening them with an “onslaught of negative campaign ads” if they do not vote a certain way.

The Disclose Act is a bill Obama said would change this before November’s midterm elections, requiring campaign ads to name their source of funding. Foreign contributors would also be restricted from spending money to influence American elections.

“Nobody is saying you can’t run the ads, just make sure the people know who, in fact is behind financing these ads,” he said.

Obama pushed Senate Republicans to discontinue efforts in preventing this measure from progressing and to vote to pass this legislation when it arrives at the Senate for vote Tuesday.

“This should not be a Democratic issue or a Republican issue, this is an issue that goes to whether or not we’re going to have a government that works for ordinary Americans, a government of, by and for the people,” Obama said. “That’s why these reforms are so important and that’s why I urge the Senate to pass the Disclose Act.”

Obama Signs Improper Payments Legislation

President Barack Obama today signed into law the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Act, proving that he is determined to not only talk the talk, but to walk the walk when it comes to reigning in excessive government spending.

The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.), will force the federal government to look for ways to eliminate overpayments involving benefit checks, as well as Medicare and Medicaid outlays. According to the White House, it will help achieve the President’s new goal of lowering wasteful, improper payments by $50 billion between now and 2012.

“This goal is fully achieveable,” said the President.

Today’s event could demonstrate to Americans that less than 24 hours after Obama signed a bill aimed at holding Wall Street more accountable, he is committed to doing the same within his own government. In fiscal year 2009, the federal government misspent almost $110 billion. In addition to wasting tons of money on entitlement programs, the government sent millions of dollars worth of checks to dead people, and frequently overpaid contractors.

With the nation’s debt level slowly approaching $14 trillion, the President pledged earlier this year to take serious steps to crack down. Obama issued executive orders and memos establishing “do not pay” lists for fraudulent contractors, forcing departments to spend less on construction costs and reforming the federal hiring process. Signing Carper-Murphy marks yet another effort by the administration to combat waste and abuse.

“I think we’re headed in the right direction,” said Obama.

Notes From Today's Joint White House Press Conference

President Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron held a press conference today in the East Room of the White House.

The two leaders, addressing each other on first-name basis, stated that they had excellent discussions and that they still enjoy a truly special relationship. There were jokes about beer and their children before going on to more serious topics. They both honored the sacrifices of the brave soldiers that are fighting together in a series of conflicts around the world.

“Our alliance thrives because it advances our common interest,” Obama said.

He continued to say that we have no closer ally and stronger partner than Great Britain. Prime Minister Cameron called it an “absolutely essential relationship.”

Both the United States and Great Britain are taking action on fiscal responsibility. Both leaders said the economic goal will take a strong and stable growth process and a sustained economic recovery willbe the effects of “a reformed financial system that will never again be open to the abuses of the past.”  

In their opening remarks the two leaders brought up the many isues concerning the Middle East, specifically with Iran and Afghanistan.

Both President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron said they want to see a secure, peaceful and stable Middle East.  First of all, Obama and Cameron need Iran to give up their pursuit of nuclear weapons and resume negotiations with the international community.  It is not too late for them to come to the table, however, if Iran chose not to, the sanctions package set by the UN Security Council will be implemented with vigor.

In terms of Israel and Palestine, Prime Minster Cameron refered to the situation as a desperate need for a two-state solution. He added that it is necessary for it to provide security, justice and hope.

“It is time for direct talks, not least because it is time for each, Israel and Palestine, to test the seriousness of the other,” Cameron said.

Focus then shifted towards BP and the alleged connection they may have with the release of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the Lockerbie bomber.  When asked about opening a government investigation around the release, President Obama said,”All of us in the United States were surprised, disappointed and angry about the decision, so we welcome any additional information.”

Prime Minister Cameron made it clear that he did not agree with the decision.

“I’ve asked the Cabinet Secretary today to go back through all of the paperwork and see if more needs to be published about the background to this decision,” Cameron said. “I don’t need an inquiry to tell me what was a bad decision. It was a bad decision.”

There were also questions regarding the extradition of computer hacker Gary McKinnon, and both leaders acknowledged the discussion, but did not make any specific comments. Instead they talked about the importance of cooperation in terms of dealing with cyber security.