Obama seeks Latino vote with $20 million effort
juantornoe.blogs.com
Written by ANN SANNER
Posted on 2008-07-29

July 29, 2008
By ANN SANNER

Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee are setting aside $20 million to target and mobilize Hispanic voters in the presidential election this fall, the Obama campaign said Tuesday.

The campaign plans to spread the money in all 50 states but will emphasize their efforts in swing states such as Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and Florida, Temo Figueroa, the Latino vote director for the Obama campaign, said at a news conference.

Figueroa said the four states were picked based on their Hispanic electorate, the closeness of the states in previous elections and the operations the campaign has put together in each.

During the last presidential election, Hispanics in key swing states such as these represented anywhere from 8 percent to more than 30 percent of voters, according to exit polls, and their numbers are expected to grow this year.

The campaign said the $20 million will be spent on registering and mobilizing voters, advertisements and online organizing. It also plans to put additional staff in the four states and aims to train about 500 Latino organizers. …more HERE

A picture is worth 1000 words HERE

Marietta Daily Journal

D.A. King: Ask a fifth-grader: Compliance with law is not optional
07/30/2008

To this long-time Cobb citizen, it is becoming somewhat comical to watch the endless discussion and intentionally created confusion concerning the language and intent of the 2006 Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act, written by state Senator Chip Rogers…

HERE

The same is true of all six cities in Cobb.

Marietta Daily Journal

Status whoa!
07/26/2008

MARIETTA – Mayor Bill Dunaway took issue with Cobb Commission Chairman Sam Olens for taking credit for being the first government in Georgia to verify the immigration status of every applicant for what is commonly referred to as a “business license.” …HERE

Marietta Daily Journal

Cobb to verify all business applicants’ status
07/25/2008

MARIETTA – In a precedence-setting move, Cobb Commission Chairman Sam Olens said Thursday that Cobb plans to start checking the immigration status of every applicant for what is commonly referred to as a “business license…

HERE

Marietta Daily Journal

Olens: Cobb checking status of immigrants 07/24/2008

MARIETTA – Cobb Chairman Sam Olens disputed allegations that the county is violating state law requiring officials to verify the immigration status of applicants for public benefits, such as business licenses

… HERE PLEASE SEE COMMENTS SECTION

Letter to the editor, published July 24, 2008, Marietta Daily Journal
‘Inalienable rights’ apply to immigrants, too

DEAR EDITOR:

During the six years of my residence in Cobb, I have seen an influx of residents from all over the world, from varied cultural and religious backgrounds, and have witnessed all of the bounties and challenges which this change and diversity brings.

I know that sometimes we might tend to view our immediate surroundings as “the world” and forget that there is an incredible universe of diversity and wonder outside our own neighborhood, county, state and country.

While the Internet and cable TV certainly bring some of this wonder into our homes the only way to really experience it is to travel, both in our country and others, and not only as a tourist to the usual attractions but to really meet other people where they live (to find out that not only are we all really the same, but each culture and each individual has special capacities and a distinct “flavor” to contribute to the whole-or to “the melting pot” of America and humanity).

I have taught my children that they can never really know and fully understand their own selves and their community without experiencing other people and communities, both here and overseas, because sometimes we are just “too close to the trees to see the forest” and we have to see it from another perspective and through the eyes of others.

While traveling with family on July Fourth weekend I had the privilege of visiting an area of the United States in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, which really cherishes and values its immigrants, not getting as caught up in the technical or legal issues of whether they are temporarily undocumented or not, and secure in their history and knowledge that every immigrant population which came to these shores were temporarily undocumented and had to withstand all types of persecution at the hands of a vocal and vociferous minority until the good people of America, which constitute the majority, caused its government to grant them legal and equal status.

And, as I paused to read over and reflect upon our great country’s Declaration of Independence and Constitution, I am secure in my history, as a third-generation descendant of Italian immigrants (who were once considered “illegal” and undocumented; who were blamed for not assimilating and learning English fast enough; who were attacked as taking the jobs of “true” Americans), that the good people of this country will once again welcome the present wave of undocumented immigrants from Latin American and other countries with a pathway to citizenship which they have earned through their blood, sweat and tears on behalf of this country-just as other immigrants did before them.

I am confident that, representing the good people of America, our next Congress and president will live up to the spirit of the stirring words from the “Declaration of Independence”: “We hold … that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

I am sure that they will see that these words and inalienable rights to apply to “all men” and not only to citizens and those with present “legal” status.

So I implore the good people of Cobb and Georgia to also join in with the majority of good Americans around this country, past and present, to welcome our newest immigrants, regardless of their present “legal” status (which will soon change anyway, as noted above), all of whom have worked and are working tirelessly to build and uplift our communities, as all immigrants-all of our ancestors – did before them.

Let us become independent of our irrational and unfounded fears, and help them to pursue happiness, life and liberty in our American tradition – which, in turn, will bring a richer happiness to all of our lives.

Rich Pellegrino

Executive director

Cobb Immigrant Alliance

Mableton

CLICK HERE for original letter and comments

HERE for BONUS info from “the thinker” Pellegrino

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children what it was once like in the United States when men were free”.

Ronald Reagan, Address to the annual meeting of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, (03/30/1961).

Marietta Daily Journal

D.A. King: Change comes to Cobb: It’s ‘Adios’ to ‘business license’
07/23/2008

“Any individual, partnership, corporation or entity which engages in any activity with the object of gain, profit, benefit, or advantage in the unincorporated area of Cobb County is considered to be engaged in business and must obtain a Cobb County Business License or Business Registration Certificate for each location in Cobb County prior to engaging in these activities…

READ THE REST HERE. See comments section below column

Cobb sued over not checking legal status for business licenses

By TOM OPDYKE
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 07/18/08

An opponent of illegal immigrants says Cobb County is violating state law by not requiring applicants for business licenses to show they are legal residents.

D.A. King of Marietta claims in a lawsuit that Cobb is getting around the requirement by making an artificial distinction in its licensing.

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“The law says that before issuing ‘public benefits,’ Georgia agencies must first require an affidavit attesting to either U.S. citizenship or lawful immigration status … ,” King said in an e-mail statement. “Commercial licenses are defined as public benefits.”

Although Cobb officials declined comment on the lawsuit, they have said in the past that the county does not require proof of legal U.S. residency for its conventional license, which is an occupational tax certificate. Applicants for a license that involves any of about 10 regulated businesses must undergo a criminal background check, officials have said.

Semantics, King said.

“They have redefined the word [business license] to subvert the intent of the law,” he said.

Lawyer Jamie Hernan, whose firm often represents immigrants, said King was stretching state law.

“What’s next? Fire service, police services, emergency medical service? Is it going to be limited to people who can establish legal residency?” Hernan said.

He said King’s lawsuit reflects another attempt to get rid of illegal immigrants by making their lives difficult.

“It fails to recognize that a lot of undocumented immigrants who are here are economic or political refugees from conditions that are far worse than anything Georgia can create for them,” said Hernan, who has clashed with Cobb over local ordinances governing boarding houses and day laborers.

King has challenged the county commission about the issue since December. He said he filed the lawsuit because he has not been satisfied with the county’s response.

Last December, the county told King it had more than 25,000 enterprises operating with an occupational tax certificate — the license most businesses have. It also said the county regulates 10 types of businesses through licensing that requires a special permit and a criminal background check.

As of December, the county reported it had issued about 1,100 regulatory business licenses for enterprises such as astrologers, door-to-door salespeople, carnivals, pawn shops, flea markets, taxicabs, vehicles for hire and modeling agencies.

HERE