Monday, 13 April 2015
Saturday, 11 April 2015
Friday, 10 April 2015
Felix Vargas to speak to Democrats
Felix Vargas, chairman of Consejo Latino, is scheduled to speak at Friday’s meeting of the Tri-City Democrats.
Vargas has been a leader in calling for the prosecution of three Pasco police officers who shot a Mexican man in February. His group also promotes economic development for Hispanic-owned businesses.
His speech will be on “challenges and responsibilities in a multicultural community.”
The public is invited to attend the presentation, which starts at 7 p.m. at the Laborers’ Hall, 2505 W. Duportail St., in Richland. A potluck is scheduled for 6 p.m.
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Tuesday, 7 April 2015
Democrats quickly blast Rand Paul’s presidential ambitions
Democrats took little time Tuesday to blast U.S. Sen. Rand Paul’s presidential ambitions.
Within an hour after the Bowling Green Republican announced his candidacy on his website, Democratic National Committee chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and civil rights advocate and former Kentucky state Sen. Georgia Davis Powers of Louisville accused Paul of trying to reinvent himself.
Joined by College Democrats of America president Natasha McKenzie in a national telephone conference call, the three claimed that Paul’s views remain outside the mainstream and are bad for the middle class.
Powers, who was the first black and woman to serve in the Kentucky Senate, strongly criticized Paul on civil rights and voting rights.
“We should let the public know who he really is and how he has changed his position,” he said.
Paul created a stir during his U.S. Senate race in 2010 when he told The Courier-Journal’s editorial board that he likes the Civil Rights Act and thinks it’s a bad business decision to exclude anybody from the business.
“But at the same time,” he added, “but, at the same time, I do believe in private ownership.”
At a speech at historically black Howard University two years ago, Paul said he has never been against the Civil Rights Act and he remains for it and the Voting Rights Act.
He said the dispute “has always been about how much of the remedy should come under federal or state or private purview.”
Asked about Paul’s efforts to increase the GOP’s appeal to black voters, Powers said Paul is “simply reaching out to the minority voters to win.
“We see through that,” she said.
Powers, who said she had to stay in segregated hotels when she first went to the Kentucky Senate in 1967, said Paul needs to understand that “we solve problems with more democracy, not less.”
His record, she said, disqualifies him to lead this country in the 21st century.
Schultz, a U.S. representative from Florida, said Paul will harm this country by trying to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, belittling the rights of the LGBT community, taking away quality affordable health care that President Obama has brought to millions of Americans, and calling for less aid to Israel.
McKenzie, a student at Trinity Washington University, said it’s “frustrating” that some Americans consider Paul “a millennial outreach expert.”
She claimed that Paul opposes many issues that young Americans embrace, including gay rights and cheaper refinancing of student loans.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee criticized Paul for trying to run at the same time for president and the U.S. Senate in 2016.
DSCC spokesman Justin Barasky said in a statement that Paul’s decision to run for president confirms that he “views representing Kentucky as nothing more than a consolation prize, and Democrats are ready to put together a strong campaign that will give Kentucky a full-time senator.”
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Friday, 3 April 2015
Florida lawmaker to speak at Michigan Democratic Party event
LANSING, MICH. — The Michigan Democratic Party has announced Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz will speak at its annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner.
The event will be held the evening of May 9 at Cobo Hall’s Grand River Ballroom in Detroit.
The dinner also will honor former U.S. Rep. John Dingell and former Sen. Carl Levin. Both politicians retired this year after decades of service.
Wasserman Schultz has represented Florida in Congress since 2003. She became a Democratic National Committee chairwoman in 2011.
The Jefferson-Jackson Dinner previously has featured President Bill Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden and Sen. Al Franken.
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Thursday, 2 April 2015
Democrats want SC religious freedom law clarified
Democratic lawmakers are proposing protections to prevent discrimination against gays in South Carolina in the wake of controversies in other states over their religious freedom laws.
South Carolina passed its own religious freedom law in 1999 and there have been no complaints, Senate Judiciary Chairman Larry Martin told The Greenville News.
But Democrats said Wednesday they want to be sure the state’s law would not allow businesses to discriminate based on sexual orientation.
Sen. Brad Hutto, an Orangeburg Democrat, filed a bill Wednesday that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in five areas of South Carolina law: the sale and rental of homes, admission into hospice or home care and employment.
“For housing, for accommodations, for checking into a hospice or home care, it is not fair to think anybody in South Carolina would be discriminated against for any reason whatsoever,” he said. “As we continue to recruit these world-class businesses to South Carolina, it’s time for this state to stand up and say it is the policy for this state that we don’t discriminate, period.”
Rep. Todd Rutherford, leader of House Democrats, said he would be filing similar legislation.
“South Carolina is quickly becoming one of the best states in the nation in which to do business,” he said. “This bill will ensure that South Carolina businesses are open to everyone — no matter their race, gender or sexual orientation. This would send a signal to businesses and consumers from all over the world that South Carolina truly has one of the most inclusive and welcoming business environment in the entire country.”
South Carolina’s religious freedom law, like other states’, prohibits government action that would “substantially burden” the exercise of religion by a person, business or organization without a compelling state interest. The law and similar laws in almost 20 states are based on a federal religious freedom law passed in 1993.
Victoria Middleton, executive director of the South Carolina chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said she is not aware of any complaints with the South Carolina law.
“Fortunately, I can say we have not heard the South Carolina law being used to discriminate against people based upon their sexual orientation or other things and we certainly would oppose that,” she said.
Indiana’s religious freedom law has drawn controversy because of critics’ contentions that it would permit businesses to discriminate against gays for religious reasons. Some companies or organizations have suspended travel or business plans in the state or have voiced concerns about the law.
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence signed his state’s law last week, then asked lawmakers to address the issue of whether it might allow discrimination.
Martin said he does not believe South Carolina’s law could be used to discriminate against any group based on sexual orientation.
“That was certainly not the intent,” he said. “I don’t know of a religion that permits that kind of discrimination. And you would have to demonstrate your religious beliefs supported that kind of discrimination.”
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