GarveyBlog by Ed Garvey

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June 19, 2012
Romney the magnificent
The more we see of Mitt, the less we understand him. An exasperated Chris Matthews asked (and it was not a question), "Who is this guy?" Frankly, he is little more than a rich kid with a desire to be called "Mr. President." He will say anything to achieve that goal.

I don't think he is passionate about anything. Take the Dream Act. As a candidate in the GOP primary he did not hesitate to pledge that he would veto it if it was put on his desk. But now that Obama has put forth a reasonable solution to the illegal immigrant problem that comes close to the Dream Act, Romney has lost his voice. Bob Schieffer asked him at least five times about his response and five times Romney looked like a guy who could wait no longer to get to the bathroom.

I am eager to figure out our plans at Fighting Bob Fest. September 15. Jim Hightower will be there again. I don't think we would have a real Fighting Bob Fest without Hightower!

Terry O'Neill, president of NOW, will lead the discussion on the "war on women."

Mark the date on your calendar. September 15 for the biggest Bob Fest yet!

Nun of the GOP: Good for the nuns! The more the Vatican's old boys (and I mean old) instruct the nuns to ride in the back of the bus the more determined the nuns are, as they jump onto the budget protest bus to ride up front! Rosa Parks taught them well.

That bus will visit nine states, and in every stop the nuns will hammer the Republican austerity policies. They are determined to show how the Ryan budget will affect low-income families! Huzzah!

The tour is organized by Network, a Washington-based Catholic social justice group. Network was recently criticized by the Vatican for spending too much time focusing on economic injustice. I am not making this up.

Ryan will have his hands full as he bows his head before the portrait of Ayn Rand. The nuns will not let him slip away without comment.

There is the dream act and then there was the Ryan nightmare act.




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Not a real big fan of Matthews but he had it right. Romney isn't a candidate, he is a speaker system. Speaker for every interest group, front group, big money group that will support him. In regard to the Dream Act I can tell you that living close to the border here in Las Cruces NM will open some eyes. For one thing it is very different for this former Wisconsinite to live in place where not only laborers but lawyers, doctors, professors, dentists, and business owners are Hispanic. It is also heartening to see how many young Hispanics are trying to get ahead. I have taken a couple of history classes down here. They have full NMSU credit but were held at the local community college, which has nearly seamless ties to NMSU (another lesson for Wisconsin) and the great majority of the student at the Community College are young Hispanics trying to get ahead. Sure, some are there to gain the financial aid system. It shows too. But most are serious and we are better off for it. I have no idea how many would come under the Dream Act, that kind of distinction doesn't seem to matter much to people down here. But for anyone who buys into all the negative stereotypes of Hispanics my advice is wake up. If you, and your kids, don't shape up the next thing you may be calling some of these Hispanic kids is "boss".

-Griebnotz Doerkpfester | (Really Glad) I Escaped, WI. | June 19, 2012


I worked an entire summer with a Mexican family. They put me to shame with their hard work, strong values and generosity. Wish more Americans had the same opportunity to discover the goodness in others. Can hardly wait for the time when Hispanics will actually lead this country forward.

-Pietr Haikuu | Hurley, Wis | June 20, 2012


Pietr - On a personal level I have to agree with you. When I was a young boy an Hispanic/Mexican family from Laredo moved into our lily white neighborhood. One family of local roughnecks went around to the neighbors trying to get them booted out. My father, who had a Mexican fox hole buddy from Texas during WW II would have nothing to do with it. These people had a little run down house but over the years they fixed it up, moved ahead, and their son is now a federal judge. I have no idea, outside of some time in juvi, whatever became of the rough neck neighbors.

On a political level I would be a bit cautious. I took a class on NM History and you really end up learning a lot about the Spanish heritage of bad governance when you do that. NM still suffers from a lot of that old "patron" type stuff. Still, things are changing and the young are leading that change. It is like so much else in this world. When the people are real to you and you interact with them and not just a stereotype attitudes change. We all have a lot more in common than we know.

-Griebnotz Doerkpfester | (Really Glad) I Escaped, WI. | June 20, 2012


 

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