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Source: http://www.opensecrets.org/news/2011/11/-supercommittees-unelected-influenc.html

Diana Degette Bill Delahunt Rosa L. Delauro James W. Demint Charles W. Dent

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Herman Cain faced new accusations of sexual harassment on Monday when a Chicago-area woman went before television cameras with graphic details. Judy Woodruff discusses what the fresh allegations mean for Cain’s White House bid with Politico’s Jonathan Martin.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Herman Cain faced new accusations of sexual harassment today. This time, they came from a Chicago-area woman who went before television cameras with graphic details.

Sharon Bialek today became the first woman to come forward publicly and accuse Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain. In New York today, Bialek said she met Cain at a National Restaurant Association

conference in 1997, when Cain ran the organization. Soon after, she sought his help in finding a new job after being fired by the trade group.

Bialek recounted a meeting with Cain in July of that year in Washington.

SHARON BIALEK, accuses Herman Cain of sexual harassment: I met Mr. Cain in the lobby of the bar at the Capital Hilton at around 6:30 p.m. We had drinks at the hotel. And he asked how I liked my room, which is kind of normal. And I was very — I said I was very surprised. I said, I can’t believe that I have got this great suite. It’s gorgeous.

Mr. Cain kind of smirked and then said, “I upgraded you.”

He then took me to an Italian restaurant, where we had dinner. During dinner, Mr. Cain looked at me and said, “Why are you here?”

I said, “Actually, Herman, my boyfriend, whom you met, suggested that I meet with you, and cause he thought you could help me, cause I really need a job. I was wondering if there’s anything available at the state association level or perhaps if you could speak to someone at the foundation to try to get my job back, perhaps even in a different department.”

He said, “I will look into that.”

He — while we were driving back to the hotel, he said that he would show me where the National Restaurant Association offices were. He parked the car down the block. I thought that we were going to go into the offices so that he could show me around.

At that time, I had on a black pleated skirt, a suit jacket and a blouse. He had on a suit with his shirt — with his shirt open. But instead of going into the offices, he suddenly reached over and he put his hand on my leg under my skirt and reached for my genitals.

He also grabbed my head and brought it towards his crotch. I was very, very surprised and very shocked.

I said: “What are you doing? You know I have a boyfriend. This isn’t what I came here for.”

Mr. Cain said, “You want a job, right?”

I asked him to stop, and he did. I asked him to take me back to my hotel, which he did right away. When I returned to New Jersey, where I was staying with my boyfriend that Mr. Cain had been — I told — when I was staying — when I was returned back to New Jersey, where I was staying, I told my boyfriend, Mr. Cain had been very sexually inappropriate with me, and, shortly thereafter, I told another friend of mine, who has been a mentor, the same thing.

I didn’t tell them the details because, quite frankly, I was very embarrassed that Mr. Cain had been sexually inappropriate to me.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Bialek said she came forward after reports surfaced that at least three other women said Cain had sexually harassed them.

SHARON BIALEK: I’m coming forward to give a face and a voice to those women who cannot or, for whatever reasons, do not wish to come forward, and on behalf of all women who are sexually harassed in the workplace, but do not come, out of fear of retaliation or in public humiliation.

I really didn’t want to be here today and wouldn’t have been here if it had not been for the three other women who have alleged sexual harassment against — against Mr. Cain.

I want you, Mr. Cain, to come clean. Just admit what you did. Admit you were inappropriate to people.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Cain’s campaign immediately released a statement that said — quote — “All allegations of harassment against Mr. Cain are completely false.”

The embattled candidate has spent the past eight days trying to quell the controversy, including this on the NewsHour last Monday.

HERMAN CAIN, (R) presidential candidate: I have never sexually harassed anyone.

JUDY WOODRUFF: The allegations and Cain’s shifting responses may be taking their toll, but it’s not clear. A Reuters poll released Sunday showed his favorability rating down nine points in the past week. A USA Today/Gallup survey out today had Cain tied with Mitt Romney for the lead in the Republican field.

For more on these latest allegations and the impact on the presidential campaign, we’re joined by Jonathan Martin, senior political reporter for Politico. He was on the team that broke the original story last week.

Jonathan Martin, thank you for being here.

JONATHAN MARTIN, Politico: Thank you, Judy.

JUDY WOODRUFF: What more is known about this woman, Sharon Bialek, who brought these charges today?

JONATHAN MARTIN: Well, we know that she worked for the organization for about a year in Chicago.

How it works is, this is a (INAUDIBLE) based in D.C., but their foundation is actually out in Chicago. And so they have a close tie to that city and they actually have their annual conventions there each May. So, she worked for that wing of the organization for about one year back in the late ’90s.

So this is not somebody that is just sort of appearing out of the ether. This is somebody that the NRA has confirmed to us that did in fact work there for this organization back in the late ’90s. And she’s making what are the first allegations against Mr. Cain that have two things that we have not seen yet. First of all, we have a name and a face. Second of all, we have details, and very explicit ones at that.

JUDY WOODRUFF: And she said that — basically, as we just reported, she said had been let go by the organization. She went back to Herman Cain for help and that’s when all this happened.

JONATHAN MARTIN: Right.

JUDY WOODRUFF: She also said, Jonathan Martin, that she saw Herman Cain about a month ago at a…

JONATHAN MARTIN: Right.

JUDY WOODRUFF: What kind of an event?

JONATHAN MARTIN: A Tea Party event. So this is somebody who is a Republican. In fact, at the very onset of today’s press conference, Gloria Allred made very plain that she was in fact a registered Republican.

This lady said that she saw Mr. Cain and that he acted very awkward when he saw her. So there was some kind of recent contact between these two. But, again, I think what is important here are obviously the graphic nature of what she’s saying, but it’s also someone who is putting a name and a face for the very first time with these allegations.

JUDY WOODRUFF: How does this fit, what she’s saying happened, into what is known — and you have done a lot of this reporting — from…

JONATHAN MARTIN: Right. Right.

JUDY WOODRUFF: … from the other accusers, who have not come forward?

JONATHAN MARTIN: Right.

Well, as far as the other accusers go, the closest that we have had in our reporting to details about one of them is that, in the late ’90s, this woman also an employee of the NRA, was in a hotel room with Mr. Cain during one of the trade group’s events, and that he made an explicit sexual overture to her, and that she was so angry at that, that she then told a board member of the organization mere hours later what had happened.

So we had — that was the closest thing that we had, was a sexual overture in a hotel room. This obviously is far more detailed than that.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Now, Cain himself, his campaign, flatly denying this, saying this didn’t happen.

JONATHAN MARTIN: Right.

JUDY WOODRUFF: So how much credibility can we attach to this woman Sharon Bialek?

JONATHAN MARTIN: Well, Mr. Cain has from the get-go said that he has not harassed anybody. But he has not yet been confronted by somebody by name with an actual incident at a time and a place, like this manner today.

So, in my conversations today, Judy, with a lot of folks in the GOP, they’re saying, in light of these new allegations, Mr. Cain has to come forward and be transparent and be forceful and say what has happened, what he did and didn’t do, answer these allegations in more detail.

I think that when you had women with no names attached, it was easier for him to sort of bash the media. When you have somebody out there who is lodging these charges at a press conference with her name and her face for all the world to see, it puts him in a much more difficult spot.

JUDY WOODRUFF: But at this point, is it simply she said/he said? Is that all? I mean, is there going to be any more to this?

JONATHAN MARTIN: Well, I mean, unless — she has the two witnesses.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Because there was no one there with her.

JONATHAN MARTIN: There was not witnesses, right.

She said that there were two people that she told contemporaneously. So they could potentially come forward. There’s also the possibility that other women could emerge and tell their side of the story, too. Again, for the last week, we have had women who have been very hesitant to talk, for all the obvious reasons. This could change that.

JUDY WOODRUFF: What effect, Jonathan, is this having on the campaign so far, or is it having an effect?

JONATHAN MARTIN: It’s fascinating, because there are, Judy, basically two campaigns are going on at once.

There’s a campaign where President Obama, the incumbent, and Mitt Romney, the top challenger simply ignore this. And they have their own campaign going on. Then there’s the campaign where Herman Cain is leading in almost every state and national poll, and doesn’t seem to be impacted by this.

So it’s sort of interesting. At what point do the two campaigns converge? At what point do the other candidates in the race, be it Obama or Romney or the lower-tier candidates, actually start talking about this? Or does that ever happen at all? It’s been a fascinating spectacle over the course of the last week, a top candidate for president with some explosive charges against him, and his rivals don’t mention it.

JUDY WOODRUFF: And yet — and today — well, for the rest of the week, there will be encounters with the media. There’s a debate scheduled later…

JONATHAN MARTIN: There’s a debate Wednesday night in Michigan. So he will face questions there, and then Saturday in South Carolina as well.

JUDY WOODRUFF: Jonathan Martin with Politico, thanks very much.

JONATHAN MARTIN: Thank you, Judy.

Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec11/cain_11-07.html

Kevin Patrick Brady Robert A. Brady Bruce Braley Bobby Neal, Sr. Bright Paul C., Jr. Broun

Ramesh Ponnuru counters the GOP’s spending myth, but acknowledges the reality behind it: There are elements of truth in the conservative story. Bush-era Republicans did spend too much, refusing to make room for increased security budgets by cutting anything else. Bush?s sincere belief that K-12 education could be reformed from Washington was naive. The Republicans? [...]

Source: http://www.theamericanconservative.com/larison/2011/11/15/trying-to-have-it-all-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=trying-to-have-it-all-2

Arne Duncan Joseph R. Biden Jacob J. Lew Austan Goolsbee Bill Daley

GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain has a Muslim problem. Cain has already publicly suggested that Muslims are not guaranteed First Amendment rights and that he would not hire any observant Muslims in his hypothetical administration. His strategy, as with most of his other problems, has been to deny having said any of the things he has said, and then, when pressed, to insist that he’s answered the question already, end of story, period. But Cain appears to have shot himself in the foot once again. Chris Moody attended Cain’s event at the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, a Biblical amusement park, and reports that Cain started his speech off with a curious anecdote:

He did have a slight worry at one point during the chemotherapy process when he discovered that one of the surgeon’s name was “Dr. Abdallah.”

“I said to his physician assistant, I said, ‘That sounds foreign–not that I had anything against foreign doctors–but it sounded too foreign,” Cain tells the audience. “She said, ‘He’s from Lebanon.’ Oh, Lebanon! My mind immediately started thinking, wait a minute, maybe his religious persuasion is different than mine! She could see the look on my face and she said, ‘Don’t worry, Mr. Cain, he’s a Christian from Lebanon.’”

“Hallelujah!” Cain says. “Thank God!”

This isn’t the first time Cain has discussed his fears of Dr. Abdallah. It was a stripped-down version of this same anecdote, told during an interview with CBN’s David Brody, that first sparked interest in Cain’s anti-Muslim views in February. That Cain’s still beating the drum seven months later tells you a good deal about the seriousness and discipline of his campaign; it also says a lot about Herman Cain. (My colleague Adam Serwer, meanwhile, can fill you in on why, if you’re looking for villiains in the Lebanese Civil War, there’s plenty of blame to go around.)

    

Source: http://motherjones.com/mojo/2011/11/herman-cain-muslim-doctors-scare-me

Geoffrey C. (Geoff) Davis Lincoln Davis Susan A. Davis John Nathan Deal Peter Anthony Defazio

Rick Perry did Herman Cain a favor in the Michigan GOP debate. By failing to remember the name of the third federal agency he intended to shut down if elected president, he claimed unflattering next-day headlines that might have otherwise at least been shared by Cain.

When the former Godfather’s Pizza executive was asked during the debate about sexual harassment charges leveled against him by several women, he again called them “unfounded,” adding “I value my character and my integrity more than anything else.”

If Cain is being truthful, and there is nothing to the allegations made by four different women and two other witnesses to incidents where Cain engaged in possibly inappropriate behavior, then this episode will eventually fade away.

It will be left at “she said, he said” phase with no corroborating evidence. The Georgia businessman will be able to stand on his repeated denials, and maybe even his charge — still unproven — that the claims are the result of “the Democrat machine.”

Recent history, in fact, reminds us that prominent politicians have survived personal allegations, even acknowledged misbehavior, by sheer political skill. Often this means undermining the reputation of the women involved or attacking the reporter and the news organization covering the story. As Mark Halperin points out in an upcoming issue of Time magazine, both President Bill Clinton and Sen. John McCain managed to pull this off.

At the same time, modern political history is also replete with politicians who first denied, and later had to acknowledge, personal misconduct. In October 1974, then-legendary House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Wilbur Mills, D-Ark., initially denied, through spokesmen, that he was in a car with an Argentine stripper, Fanne Fox, when it was stopped at 2:00 a.m. near Washington’s Tidal Basin. Later, he had to admit he’d not only been there, but he’d been drinking heavily, and had had a personal relationship with her for several months. After a second public episode, he stepped down from his chairmanship, and went into treatment for alcoholism.

In May 1987, then Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado, who had recently announced he was running for the Democratic nomination for president, was confronted by reporters from the Miami Herald, after they saw a young woman enter his Washington townhouse, not to reappear until the next day. Asked initially about rumors of womanizing, Hart had said, “Follow me around, I don’t care … if anybody wants to put a tail on me, go ahead. They’d be very bored.” On the day reporters did just that, Hart continued to insist he and the woman had no relationship. A week later, he dropped out of the race, criticizing the news media.

Then, in January 1998, President Bill Clinton famously denied having had “sexual relations” with Monica Lewinsky, before his acknowledgement that August that, indeed, he had engaged in “an improper relationship” with the former White House intern.

Of course the most easily recalled from the past few years is former Democratic Vice Presidential nominee John Edwards, who first vigorously denied he had an extramarital affair with a former campaign worker, then, in 2008 admitted it was true. He continued to deny he had fathered her child, but last year, finally acknowledged that as well.

The misconduct of all these successful public figures varies, but the pattern has been identical: first, deny; only acknowledge when confronted with evidence or compelling testimony otherwise. Cain’s favorability ratings are starting to slip, but without further proof, and with a loyal conservative fan club, he just may overcome this.

Follow Judy Woodruff on Twitter.

Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/11/woodruff-5.html

Keith Ellison Brad Ellsworth Jo Ann Emerson Eliot Lance Engel John Eric Ensign

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The eyes of the nation were on the political firestorm in Wisconsin last winter when Republican Gov. Scott Walker took on the labor union representing the state’s public employees. Wisconsin Public Television’s Frederica Freyburg explores how the tables have since turned on Walker.

JUDY WOODRUFF: The eyes of the nation were on the political firestorm in Wisconsin late last winter, when Republican Gov. Scott Walker took on the labor union representing the state’s public employees.

Fast-forward to today, and the tables have turned, as we hear from Frederica Freyberg of Wisconsin public television in this report.

VIRGINIA LINK, state worker: I feel like I’m in Vegas. We’re here all week.

FREDERICA FREYBERG, Wisconsin Public Television: Virginia Link took vacation from her state job to set up shop along a city street…

VIRGINIA LINK: You know, you can download petitions online.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: … gathering signatures to recall the governor and lieutenant governor.

VIRGINIA LINK: I have a 13-year-old car, and Walker’s telling me I’m a have? I’m not a have.

WOMAN: Walker has lied to the people of Wisconsin, and he is destroying our state.

WOMAN: We want to take on a petition to recall Gov. Walker.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: Fort Atkinson voter Julie Wells hand-delivered the official recall filing to the state elections board.

WOMAN: We’re going to do this. We’re taking back our state.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: And so launched the statewide push to gather more than 540,000 signatures, 700,000 for safety.

The recall drive is a joint effort that includes a group called United Wisconsin and the state Democratic Party.

MIKE TATE, Wisconsin Democratic Party: From the beginning, we have built this signature-gathering effort working with our friends at United Wisconsin to be a truly statewide effort. I know factually yesterday that there were signatures being collected in all 72 counties of this state.

LYNN FREEMAN, United Wisconsin: In Appleton, in Green Bay, in Wausau, there’s hundreds of people showing up just to sign.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: For their part, Republican Party officials say Gov. Walker’s leadership will prevail.

BRIAN SCHIMMING, Wisconsin Republican Party: He’s not afraid of this battle at all, not at all.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: But veteran campaign operatives claim the so-called ground game being worked for this recall effort is as good as President Obama’s 2008 campaign operations, only more energized. Party-paid professionals man recall offices across the state. It’s a ground game that takes lots of money.

MIKE TATE: We’re going to do the best we can. We know we will be outspent, but I think we will have enough money to win.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: You will have big union money, won’t you?

MIKE TATE: I think that obviously organized labor has a big stake in this fight.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: Some estimates suggest a recall election of the governor and lieutenant governor could cost $80 million to $100 million in campaign spending.

The state Republican Party says — quote — “We will have what we need.”

BRIAN SCHIMMING: We will spend enough to make sure the governor’s message is out there and that people understand what this is really about. And for him, he’s — this is truly a time when good policy is good politics.

MAN: We have a good neighborhood around here. We have got Democrats and we have got more Democrats.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: Apart from the big money pouring in, on the recall-Walker side, there is an army of volunteers hitting the streets for signatures.

MAN: And do the same thing for the yellow form. That’s for Kleefisch.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: This drive-through recall post is staffed by revolving shifts of 77 retired teachers angry over education cuts.

MAN: Basically, what people do is, they see the sign that there is a drive-through ahead, just like McDonald’s drive-through ahead.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: But even in Democratic strongholds like Madison and Milwaukee, there are staunch Scott Walker supporters.

MAN: It’s a fraud. It’s a scam.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: Why?

MAN: Because the voters — the voters chose Walker.

MAN: My issue is that I think the — I think Scott Walker should be applauded for what he has done.

BRIAN SCHIMMING: From our perspective, the governor is welcoming the opportunity to go out there and talk to the voters.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: Gov. Walker started talking the voters with new TV spots this week, saying his budget-balancing policies are working.

MAN: I think we are doing the very best thing that Wisconsin has seen in probably a generation.  

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

(SHOUTING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: … Wisconsin’s working families!

FREDERICA FREYBERG: The fervor on both sides is just heating up. At a recall-the-recall event featuring Republican budget-writer Robin Vos, an interloper disrupted the message.

Both sides can claim unsportsmanlike behavior, or worse.

MIKE TATE: We’re seeing a lot of dirty tricks being played by the Republicans. We have filed a complaint with the Government Accountability Board. Actually, we have filed multiple complaints. There were some people, Republicans making threats online that we referred to them. We take this very seriously. And I believe the Government Accountability Board does as well.

BRIAN SCHIMMING: If I had every opportunity, every minute to file every bogus complaint that the state Democratic Party or their — their allies, their groups are going to try to throw at the governor or throw at the state party or whatever, I wouldn’t have any time to do anything else. They’re desperate.

FREDERICA FREYBERG: But a new St. Norbert College/WPR poll shows a majority, 58 percent of respondents, including a growing number of Republicans, favor Scott Walker’s recall.

Petitioners have 60 days to gather the required signatures to trigger an election, an historic political exercise that, like the events earlier this year, will have all eyes on Wisconsin.

Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec11/wisconsin_11-18.html

Mario Diaz-Balart Norman Devalois Dicks John David, Jr. Dingell Charles Djou Christopher John Dodd

Washington, DC (MMD Newswire) October 5, 2011 – - DHS is focused on smart and effective enforcement of U.S. immigration laws in a manner that best promotes public safety, border security, and the integrity of the immigration system.

Fact: Our Southwest Border is Safe and Open for Business

Protecting the nation’s borders–land, air, and sea–from the illegal entry of people, weapons, drugs, and contraband is vital to our homeland security, as well as economic prosperity. Over the past several years, DHS has deployed unprecedented levels of personnel, technology, and resources to the Southwest border.

Mayors, police chiefs, community leaders, and recently an array of publications including USA Today, The Washington Post and Wall Street Journal have reiterated–security along the US border with Mexico is at an apex and those who live and work along it continue to say it is safe and open for business.

- Along the Southwest border, DHS has increased the number of boots on the ground from approximately 9,100 Border Patrol agents in 2001 to more than 18,000 today;

- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has deployed a quarter of all its personnel to the Southwest border region–the most ever–to dismantle criminal organizations along the border;

- Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has deployed dual detection canine teams as well as non-intrusive inspection systems, Mobile Surveillance Systems, Remote Video Surveillance Systems, thermal imaging systems, radiation portal monitors, and license plate readers to the Southwest border;

- Illegal immigration attempts have decreased 36 percent in the past two years, and are less than one third of what they were at their peak;

- Over the past two and a half years, DHS has seized 75 percent more currency, 31 percent more drugs, and 64 percent more weapons along the Southwest border as compared to the last two and a half years during the previous Administration.

Implementing an Effective Immigration Enforcement Strategy

DHS is working to make sure that our limited resources are applied in a way that enhances public safety, border security, and the integrity of the immigration system, while respecting the rule of law. As part of that process, ICE has adopted new policies, including a new process that ensures that those enforcing immigration laws make appropriate use of the discretion they already have in deciding the types of individuals we prioritize for removal from the country.

DHS has implemented common sense policies that govern the allocation of our enforcement resources by:

- Establishing as a top priority, the identification and removal of public safety and national security threats;

- Expanding the use and frequency of investigations and programs, like Secure Communities, that track down criminals and gang members;

- Deterring individuals from illegally crossing the southwest border, by prioritizing the apprehension of recent border crossers;

- Eliminating worksite raids that did nothing to enhance public safety. Instead, we focused on targeted worksite enforcement programs like I-9 audits and criminal prosecutions of employers who egregiously violate employment laws;

- Prioritizing the removal of those that repeatedly violate our immigration laws and immigration fugitives.

Over the past few years, DHS has achieved significant results in implementing an effective immigration enforcement strategy:

- In FY 2010, ICE removed over 195,000 convicted criminals– more than had ever been previously removed by ICE and 81,000 more than removed in FY 2008.

- For the first time in decades, in FY 2010, 50% of the aliens removed by ICE had been convicted of a criminal offense. In FY 2011, ICE will again remove a record number of convicted criminals from our country.

- Similar results have been achieved with regard to setting priorities for the removal of those termed “non-criminals.” More than two-thirds of those removed in 2010 were either recent border crossers or repeat violators.

Source: DHS

Source: http://www.mmdnewswire.com/effective-border-security-70232.html

Stephen Earle Buyer Robert Carlyle Byrd Ken Calvert David Lee Camp John (Of California) Campbell

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In other news Thursday, there was no public sign of movement by Congress’ deficit supercommittee just days from its deadline. Instead, 72 House Republicans sent a letter opposing tax increases. Democrats also face divisions over spending cuts. Also, Italy’s new government won an overwhelming vote of confidence from Parliament.

KWAME HOLMAN: Wall Street had another day of the jitters over debt problems here and in Europe. The Dow Jones industrial average lost nearly 134 points to close at 11,770. The Nasdaq fell more than 51 points to close just below 2,588.

There was no public sign of movement by Congress’ deficit super committee today. Instead, 72 House Republicans sent the panel a letter opposing any tax increases. It underscored the division in Republican ranks over raising taxes as part of a deal to cut deficits by at least $1.2 trillion over a decade. Democrats face their own divisions over major spending cuts.

Italy’s new government won an overwhelming vote of confidence from Parliament, as the prime minister unveiled his plan to save the country from bankruptcy. Mario Monti pledged to overhaul the pension system, fight tax evasion and reform welfare, among other things.

Monti told the Italian Senate ahead of the confidence vote that leaders have no choice but to act now.

MARIO MONTI, Italian prime minister (through translator): We must commit ourselves to ambitious goals on balancing the budget, on the decrease of the ratio between debt and gross domestic product. But we won’t be credible if we don’t start to grow.

If we are able to take advantage of this opportunity all together to start a constructive dialogue on general goals and decisions, we will be able to redeem the country and rebuild confidence in its institutions.

KWAME HOLMAN: The rescue plan was announced as anti-austerity demonstrations took place across the country. The gatherings turned violent, as thousands of protesters clashed with riot police in Milan, Rome and Turin.

President Obama arrived in Bali, Indonesia, today for a summit of East Asian nations. It’s the first time a U.S. president has taken part in one of the group’s meetings. It comes as the U.S. is trying to build up regional alliances to counter China’s growing influence.

Earlier, Mr. Obama rounded out his visit to Australia by addressing U.S. and Australian troops in Darwin. He’d already announced the U.S. military will deploy more forces to Australia.

In Syria, government troops launched a series of new raids today. They were aimed at Hama province, where army defectors attacked a checkpoint on Wednesday, killing at least eight government soldiers.

We have a report narrated by Jonathan Rugman of Independent Television News.

JONATHAN RUGMAN: This could have been a jihadist video. But it’s not Afghanistan or Iraq. It’s apparently a bomb attack on an army convoy in Syria. In Homs, the epicenter of the violence, government tanks are seen firing in built-up areas.

And then a tank is hit, more cries of “God is great,” while Russia’s foreign minister is talking of civil war.

SERGEI LAVROV, Russian foreign minister (through translator): This is already completely similar to a real civil war.

JONATHAN RUGMAN: In the capital, Damascus, President Assad’s opponents burned tires. The French and Moroccans have withdrawn their ambassadors, while the Arab League has given Syria three days to stop appalling scenes like this in Dara’a, where it all began.

Syria’s northern neighbor, Turkey, is also harboring rebel commanders, yet calling upon the world to mediate.

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Turkish prime minister (through translator): We have to see the tragedy in the area, to hear the screams and urgently take measures to stop the bloodshed.

JONATHAN RUGMAN: The Arab League will visibly stay in the lead, though. It’s meeting Syrian opposition leaders in Cairo on Sunday, and its rich Gulf states could persuade the Russians not to veto a new U.N. resolution.

But neither the so-called Free Syrian Army nor their political allies enjoy the legitimacy they seek. Scenes like this mean that economic and diplomatic pressure are mounting, even if nobody yet knows just what would replace him.

KWAME HOLMAN: The European Union’s foreign policy chief appealed today for additional action to make Syria stop its crackdown. And China left open the possibility it might reverse course and support U.N. sanctions.

From Louisiana to the Carolinas today, they tallied the deaths and damage from deadly storms overnight. At least six people were killed and dozens hurt in a series of tornadoes. Scenes like these today from Davidson County, N.C., showed smashed houses and wreckage strewn across the countryside. The storms also knocked out power to thousands of people.

Sponsors of California’s Proposition Eight, a statewide ban on gay marriage, won a round in their legal fight today. The state Supreme Court allowed them to defend the ban in court, even if the governor and attorney general won’t. Last year, a federal trial judge struck down the marriage ban, saying it violated the civil rights of gay citizens. Backers of the marriage ban now want a federal court of appeals to accept today’s state court decision and allow them to pursue the case.

Those are some of the day’s major stories.

Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec11/othernews_11-17.html

Mary Matalin Paul Begala Roland S. Martin William Bennett Timothy F. Geithner

By Heritage Foundation

By Chuck Donovan

Evolution and inevitability are words much in the news lately regarding same-sex marriage. The victory for marriage redefinition advocates in New York has sparked a new round of assertions that Americans can stop thinking about and debating this basic institution of civil society.Vice President Joe Biden sounded a similar theme after the repeal of the military law on homosexual conduct last December. “Inevitability” is a hardy perennial, therefore, but hardly correct. The debate over marriage has entered a new phase, but it is nowhere near an endgame.

First, the redefinition of marriage in New York is not permanent even in the Empire State. It can be reversed by a future legislature or by a legislatively authorized referendum on the issue. The National Organization for Marriage—which was a key player in California’s popular vote to overrule legal approval of homosexual unions—plans a multi-million-dollar campaign in New York to restore traditional marriage via the ballot box. Despite gay activists’ claims of momentum, to date no popular majority in any U.S. jurisdiction has voted to adopt a same-sex marriage law.

Second, the next state-level fights over the definition of marriage are likely to occur in places where traditional marriage champions are very strong: Minnesota, Indiana, New Hampshire, and Iowa. Faced with gubernatorial resistance to their cause in New Jersey, marriage redefinition advocates are turning to the courts again. But most of these efforts have failed, and courts must reckon with the fact that the headwinds against marriage redefinition remain potent in the vast majority of the states.

Finally, the meaning of marriage and its significance to society are getting fresh attention as matters of both economic and social concern. Expunging marriage between a man and a woman from the law does not erase it from reality. Marriage is a pre-political institution whose decline in or absence from a community will define that community’s prospects and shape its ability to thrive.

In this sense, events in Albany may echo events in Boston eight years ago, when one state’s decision to impose same-sex marriage on the eve of an election year launched a national debate with enormous consequences. The stakes are even higher now. Informed elections, not the natural selection of “evolving” views, will play the larger part in determining whether same-sex marriage is inevitable or ephemeral.

Source: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/is-gay-marriage-really-inevitable

Michael Dean Crapo Ander Crenshaw Mark S. Critz Joseph Crowley Henry Cuellar

By The Greenlining Institute

San Francisco Examiner
by Katie Worth

South San Francisco is already split between two supervisorial districts ? and now it could be split between two state Assembly districts and two Senate districts as well.

?There?s one neighborhood where the line is drawn just down these small residential streets,? said Mayor Kevin Mullin. ?You?d think they?d draw lines on a big street like Hickey or Chestnut [streets], but they?re just randomly drawn across that neighborhood. It?s kind of frustrating.?
This week, Mullin wrote a letter to the California Redistricting Commission saying South San Francisco would be better served in a single state Assembly and Senate district.

Every decade, the state is required to redraw the lines for state Assembly, Senate and congressional districts. In the past, this was done by the Legislature itself, but this year, the work is being done by the voter-created California Redistricting Commission, an independent body that is tasked to avoid the gerrymandering of the past.

Earlier this month, the commission revealed the first draft of its proposed maps to the public. The new maps solve Daly City?s problem ? that city is split in two in the current district configuration ? but shifts it to South San Francisco.

The new Assembly lines would also split the San Mateo County coast in half as well.

In a commission hearing on Monday, John Oehlert of Montara argued that the coast should be reunited. The maps currently propose placing Pacifica through Moss Beach in a northern Peninsula district and everything south of it in the Silicon Valley district. The coast, which is driven by agriculture, fishing and tourism, has ?very little in common with the ?over the hill? group,? Oehlert stated in his written testimony.

The commission faces the complex task of drawing lines that have the same amount of people in them, but also ensure that groups with similar interests ? like people who live in the same city ? are not split between districts.

Mullin said he knows there?s no way to draw the lines that will please everyone, but said that splitting a city so that 45 percent of it is in one district and 55 percent is in another is an inelegant solution.

?I understand they have to put that line somewhere; it?s just unfortunate that it?s our city,? Mullin said.

kworth@sfexaminer.com

Menlo Park is to the north of East Palo Alto, but has more in common with the cities to the south of it. East Palo Alto is south of Menlo Park, but has more in common with the cities to the north of it.

Have fun with that puzzler, California Redistricting Commission.

At Monday?s commission hearing in San Francisco, two perspectives were heard on the problem.

Michelle Romero of the Greenlining Institute, an advocate for low-income communities, argued that East Palo Alto should be drawn into the congressional district district to its north ? the district that includes Redwood City, San Mateo and Daly City, all of which contain working-class, diverse neighborhoods similar to East Palo Alto.

But other speakers, such as Menlo Park City Councilman Peter Ohtaki argued that his city is a Silicon Valley town that belongs in the same district as the affluent suburbs to its south and west, including Palo Alto, Atherton and Mountain View.

The proposed drafts pull East Palo Alto and most of Menlo Park to the northern district, and the rest of Menlo Park to the southern district. Ohtaki said his highest priority is reuniting the city into a single district.

The trouble with granting the wishes of both cities is it would require what some may describe as gerrymandering ? skirting the lines around the edge of Menlo Park to reach East Palo Alto, which the commission has been specifically ordered to avoid whenever possible.

Romero argued that the commission?s highest priority should be placing East Palo Alto in a district where it would receive the best political representation possible, since the low-income neighborhood has been historically disenfranchised, she said.

?For East Palo Alto, it really is make-it-or-break-it. I don?t think they stand a fair chance to be represented in a district that is its opposite,? Romero said.

Source: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/redrawn-lines-upset-south-san-francisco-coast

Paul C., Jr. Broun Corrine Brown Henry Edward, Jr. Brown Scott P. Brown Sherrod Brown

Speakers Outline Threats in Central America, West Africa, Afghanistan; As Two-Day Debate on Crime Prevention, Criminal Justice and Drug Control Concludes

New, York, NY (MMD Newswire) October 7, 2011 – - The power of organized criminal groups trafficking in drugs and weapons could destabilize countries, and even whole regions, if States did not strengthen international cooperation and provide more resources for the fight against them, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) was told today, as it concluded its general discussion on crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control.

Regions finding themselves on trafficking routes faced a fight against one business — the illicit narcotics trade — that dwarfed their entire security allocations, several representatives said. The cost of that crime also absorbed limited resources from other sectors, such as health and education.

The representative of Costa Rica, for example, said that, while his was a safe country with a solid institutional infrastructure, it risked infiltration by drug traffickers simply because it was located between drug production centres to the south and the world’s largest drug market to the north. It was, thus, subjected to a “dynamic of death” existing between those two regions.

The representative of Côte d’Ivoire said his country was at a significant crossroads in West Africa, a region that had experienced recent successive crises that had created a favourable environment for the trafficking of drugs, banditry and transnational crimes, even terrorism. “In Côte d’Ivoire, the trafficking and consumption of drugs have seen a relative increase these past years,” he said.

Sierra Leon’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation added that such drug trafficking could disrupt the security and socio-economic stability of post-conflict countries. Cocaine trafficking to Europe was one of the biggest threats to West Africa, especially when it was accompanied by illicit arms and human trafficking, corruption and subversion of legitimate State institutions, he said.

Faced with that threat, delegates also called for strengthened cooperation and funding against the scourge of drug trafficking, including sufficient financing for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC), with some calling for big drug consumer States and arms producers to shoulder their responsibilities without delay.

Iran’s representative said traffickers bringing drugs from Afghanistan, the world’s main producer of opiates, endangered the stability of his country’s eastern borders. Iran’s concerted efforts had made 89 per cent of the world’s opium seizures and 32 per cent of heroin seizures, but despite collaboration with neighbours, regional bodies and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), more help was needed.

Since considerable amounts of opiates originating from Afghanistan were destined for European countries, he said, the problem should be considered a shared responsibility and tackled collectively. “To that effect, granting financial contributions and technical support to Iran, as the shortest transit route for the western market, is of great importance,” he said.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Maldives also participated in today’s debate, as did representatives from Myanmar, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Sudan, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

A representative of the International Organization for Migration also spoke.

The Third Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m., Monday, 10 October, to begin its consideration of the advancement of women.

Background

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) met today to continue its general discussion on crime prevention, criminal justice and international drug control. For more information, see press release GA/SHC/4006.

Statements

KO KO SHEIN ( Myanmar) said his country was waging a war against narcotic drugs as a matter of national responsibility. Its 15-year drug control plan called for elimination of illicit poppy cultivation and improvement of living standards throughout the nation. Myanmar had undertaken specific programmes for law enforcement, raising awareness, access to communication between lowland and highland peoples, and improved living standards for those residing in border areas. Poppy cultivation in the country decreased 76.6 per cent from 1996 to 2011, while opium production fell 67 per cent during that period. Further, Myanmar had destroyed over $18 billion in drugs since 1988.

Myanmar was also actively cooperating with regional initiatives to combat illicit drug production and trafficking, he said. All stakeholders, including international organizations, local organizations and students needed to collaborate to add momentum. With its given resources, Myanmar was doing its utmost to wipe out narcotics. “To tackle the global challenges in a more comprehensive manner, the principle of common and shared responsibility by means of enhanced and better coordinated technical and financial assistance are needed,” he said.

KANIKA PHOMMACHANH (Lao People’s Democratic Republic), stressing that the world drug problem continued to pose a serious threat to public health and the safety and well-being of humankind, said that illicit cultivation must be addressed in a more meaningful and coordinated way. Governments and aid agencies must invest more in development, productive employment and increased security. Crop eradication should also play a role. In that context, national responsibilities and efforts must be supported by international assistance towards programmes that help farmers shift to alternative crops.

She said that, while illicit poppy cultivation was effectively reduced by 94 per cent and opium addiction dropped by 80 per cent as of 2007, it had increased from 1,500 hectares to 3,000 hectares in 2010. Owing to rising opium prices in recent years, the resumption of cultivation appeared to be a tempting source of income for farmers, and further reductions in cultivation depended on appropriate and sustainable alternative livelihood opportunities. In parallel, trafficking of heroin and amphetamine-type stimulants had soared, resulting in growing numbers of users in border regions. Confronting the wide-ranging impacts of that phenomenon had become a top national priority and the Government had adopted a comprehensive National Drug Control Master Plan for 2009-2013 to boost law enforcement and provide economically viable alternatives for those producing opium, with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

ESHAGH AL-HABIB (Iran) said his country shared borders of 1,800 kilometres with the “Golden Crescent” countries — including 936 kilometres with Afghanistan and 909 kilometres with Pakistan — and wholeheartedly supported the worldwide effort to combat drug abuse and smuggling. Iran had curtailed transit routes of illegal narcotics from Afghanistan, at a sacrifice of lives of thousands of its law enforcement officials and millions of dollars. According to UNODC, Afghanistan was still the main producer of opiates and provided more than 80 per cent of the world’s opium and heroin and its recent threat assessment indicated production there could increase in 2011. Traffickers endangered the stability and peace of Iran’s eastern borders; the country had mobilized 30,000 troops along its borders with Afghanistan and Pakistan, striving to prevent trafficking caravans and annihilate them if they infiltrated the country.

Iran had infiltrated drug gangs and set up checkpoints, surveillance and ambushes, leading to clashes with drug smuggling groups, he said. Those measures resulted in confiscation of massive volumes of various types of narcotics, amounting to 89 per cent of the world’s opium seizures and 32 per cent of heroin seizures. Iran had collaborated with its neighbouring countries, as well as “Balkan Route” countries and regular meetings and exchanges of information with Pakistan and Afghanistan had been held, in collaboration with UNDOC. As for international cooperation, he pointed out that considerable amounts of opiates originating from Afghanistan were destined for European countries; it should be considered a shared responsibility to tackle the problem collectively. “To that effect, granting financial contributions and technical support to Iran, as the shortest transit route for the western market, is of great importance,” he said.

EBUN ADEBOLA JUSU, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Sierra Leone, stressed that drug trafficking could disrupt the security and socio-economic stability of post-conflict countries. Indeed, cocaine trafficking was one of the biggest threats, especially when it was accompanied by illicit arms and human trafficking, corruption and subversion of legitimate State institutions. Despite many constraints, Sierra Leone was making steady progress in combating those phenomena. Its Joint Drug Interdiction Force had been upgraded to a fully operational Transnational Organized Crime Unit, which was deployed at the international airport and main seaport and brought together all competent agencies. The Government had also hosted a Ministerial Conference in February 2010, which resulted in the “Freetown Commitment”, which provided for the establishment of Transnational Organized Crime Units and national assistance programmes in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, as well as Sierra Leone.

She said other practical measures included revisions to the national legislative framework on terrorism, drug trafficking, migrant smuggling and corruption. With international support, training was being provided to law enforcement officials, while the country’s relevant infrastructure was being improved. Bold steps had been taken to address corruption, including by arresting and convicting both low-ranking and senior Government officials. Other anti-corruption strategies aimed at building the capacity of Government ministries, departments and agencies to raise public awareness of corruption. Sierra Leone called for further collective action on drug trafficking and transnational organized crime. It particularly appreciated support from UNODC to implement projects to curb money-laundering, human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

MOHAMED IBRAHIM MOHAMED ELBAHI (Sudan), referring to the reports and resolutions before the Committee on crime prevention, criminal justice and the drug trade, underscored the emphasis on international cooperation in one of the texts forwarded by the Economic and Social Council related to the mandate and strategies of UNODC. One report on UNODC spoke of crime, drugs and terrorism as global threats and called for technical assistance in combating them. In that context, Sudan called for an agreement on a unified definition of terrorism as an international crime. Sudan also supported a consolidation of technical support for developing countries, to build national capacity and allow them to address the threat from drugs and organized crime, he said.

For its part, Sudan was working to combat human trafficking, trafficking in human organs and organized crime, he continued. It was cooperating with International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and working to address its obligations under the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized crime. In addition, it had reached tripartite border control agreements with the Central African Republic and Chad, as well as an agreement with the Government of South Sudan, which gave added value to regional efforts in that field. Efforts to resolve the drug problem were continuing, including through a national commission on drugs. Among other things, a study on drug use among students had been carried out. Finally, he underlined the need to include the development dimension in discussions and strategies for combating crime and drugs.

A.K. ABDUL MOMEN ( Bangladesh) said his country was especially concerned about the increase in opium poppy cultivation in one of its neighbours. “The drugs are entering through our long porous borders which are very difficult to guard,” he said. “Our law enforcement agencies are trying their best to chase the drug traffickers and bring them to justice.” Illegal trading of small arms was another serious threat to Bangladesh, since its law enforcement agencies were small and not well-equipped. Anti-money laundering efforts were being strengthened, with help from international development partners, but stolen asset recovery remained a complicated challenge and Bangladesh looked forward to support from all countries in the endeavour.

Combating trafficking in persons, particularly women and children, was also a top priority and Bangladesh hoped all Member States would complement each other in the difficult task of eradicating the trans-boundary issue through information and intelligence sharing, and mutual legal assistance. But, there was a serious unmet demand for resources and capacity-building to curb organized crime. “We would like to urge upon the donor community to increase their un-earmarked contribution to UNODC, as it is very difficult for such an Organization to cater to the numerous needs of Member States with control over only 5 per cent of its resources,” he concluded.

ASLAM SHAKIR, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, said his Government was currently pursuing every possible avenue to develop its response to drug control and organized crime, and to strengthen its existing judicial system. Because the deficiencies of the previous regime in terms of responsible governance were increasingly apparent, the current Government had decided, for the first time in the history of the Maldives, to make public the financial details of State expenditures on a weekly basis. While it was grateful to UNODC for agreeing to support the repatriation of the Somali drifters apprehended in Maldivian waters, the Government remained very disappointed in the slow progress in that regard, and called on UNODC to expedite the process.

The Maldives remained concerned, he said, by its placement on the Tier-2 watch list by the United States in the 2010 Trafficking in Persons report, he said. Although it was committed to addressing that issue, the Government was severely constrained by a lack of human and material resources. Nonetheless, it planned to put forward an anti-trafficking bill to Parliament before year’s end and was taking a number of steps to remedy the situation in concert with its donor partners. Efforts included further training of law enforcement personnel and the judiciary on human trafficking. Also, his Government had learned that treating the victims of drug dependence as criminals was unsustainable. It had, therefore, undertaken comprehensive efforts to rehabilitate and reintegrate addicts into society, while also addressing the social and health dimensions associated with drug abuse. The Maldives believed, however, that greater intensity was needed from the international community on the unholy nexus between drug trafficking, corruption and other forms of organized crime.

YOUSSOUFOU BAMBA ( C ôte d’Ivoire) said crime and drug trafficking were international scourges that could only be combated with effective cooperation. Building the capacity of legal systems, and combating trafficking and corruption, and prevention and treatment for people using drugs were some areas his country would focus on with UNODC. But, Côte d’Ivoire was at a significant crossroads in West Africa, a region that had experienced recent successive crises in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea that resulted in a precarious environment. The conditions allowed the movement of militias and the recruitment of mercenaries and were, thus favourable for the trafficking of drugs, banditry and transnational crimes, even terrorism. “In Côte d’Ivoire, the trafficking and consumption of drugs have seen a relative increase these past years,” he said.

Thousands of kilograms of drugs had been seized and around 5,500 people had been prosecuted from 2007 to 2010, he said. The Government was aware of its responsibilities, and had undertaken domestic actions along with increased cooperation with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It was also part of a pilot project to strengthen borders and increase application of the law through the West African Coastal Initiative. Partnerships with UNODC and other organizations had helped support transborder operations in West Africa to combat organized crime, while at a national level, the Ivoirian Government was working to re-establish port and penal infrastructures damaged in its post-electoral crisis.

EIMAN KHAMIS AL-RAISY ( United Arab Emirates) underscored the need for international cooperation on transnational organized crime and trafficking in drugs and human beings. Her Government had ratified or acceded to the international conventions and protocols on transnational organized crime and enacted the necessary national legislation to fulfil its commitments under those international instruments. The United Arab Emirates had also acceded to all conventions on combating terrorism, including two regional conventions on that issue. Its efforts to combat terrorism included initiatives to prevent funding of terrorism, with specific provisions of its federal law on money-laundering directly addressing that issue.

The United Arab Emirates was also cooperating with all international and regional efforts to combat human trafficking, she said. It was part of the Group of Friends United against Human Trafficking and supported the General Assembly’s Global Plan of Action against Trafficking in Persons. To translate national goals into concrete action, the Government had launched a national campaign against human trafficking, established a national committee against trafficking in persons and concluded several bilateral agreements. Finally, she voiced concern about emerging crimes that harnessed information technology and highlighted a recent law that criminalized electronic terrorism and organized crime.

HASAN KLEIB ( Indonesia) said stronger international measures were needed to combat “emerging crimes”, such as cybercrime, trafficking of cultural properties, trafficking of timber and wildlife, and illegal fishing practices. Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing practices remained one of the greatest threats to the marine ecosystem, threatening the food security and economies of many countries. Fighting corruption also remained a high priority for Indonesia, which had voluntarily taken part in review mechanisms and undertaken several national measures, including a National Plan of Action against Corruption.

Indonesia was committed to tackling trafficking in persons, but increased international cooperation was needed. On the subject of terrorism, the greatest challenge was to implement the United Nations Global Counter Terrorism Strategy in a coordinated, balanced manner. Complex root causes to terror needed to be addressed, with law enforcement complemented by the promotion of tolerance, in efforts consistent with rule of law, respect for human rights and democratic principles. Cooperation at all levels was needed in a holistic approach to “alarming developments” in the illicit manufacturing and trafficking of drugs. Indonesia’s “alternative livelihood in urban areas” initiative provided alternative employment for former and potential drug couriers.

EDUARDO ULIBARRI ( Costa Rica), noting that consumption of illicit drugs remained on the rise, said this was an “old story” that, among other things, indicated current strategies for drug control were not sufficient in addressing the problem. The links between organized crime, the drug trade and human trafficking constituted grave challenges to the very social fabric of many countries and regions. Certainly, Latin America was trapped in that dynamic. While it was a “safe country with a solid institutional infrastructure”, Costa Rica ran the risk of being infiltrated by drug traffickers simply because of its geography. Located between drug production centres to the south and the world’s largest drug market to the north, it was a target of the “dynamics of death” between those two regions, and found itself in a formidable and disproportionate fight in which just one business alone — drug trafficking — mobilized a thousand times the value of all of Central America’s security allocations. The cost of that crime was exorbitant and absorbed limited resources to the determinant of other sectors, such as health and education.

In that context, Costa Rica demanded that the international community, and particularly the big consumers States and arms producers, fully and without further delay shoulder their responsibilities, he said. An integral approach to violence was also needed and should aim to strengthen institutions and the rule of law and take a more comprehensive approach to prevention and the fight against crime. For its part, the United Nations must play a more central role in coordinating the fight. Thus far, that leadership had been too limited, owing in part to insufficient resources, as well as inadequate strategies and a dispersion of efforts. The Commission on Narcotic Drugs and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice must become an integrated governing body. Costa Rica also called for a robust, comprehensive Arms Trade Treaty capable of controlling the flow of the “death machines” that threatened mankind and spurred conflict around the world.

MICHELLE KLEIN-SOLOMON, of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said her organization had helped fight trafficking by providing training to over 600,000 migration officials and giving technical support to develop counter-trafficking policies. It had also assisted over 15,000 victims of trafficking in the past 15 years with safe accommodations, medical care, psychosocial support, legal assistance, and return and reintegration activities. But, the Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking, created in 2007 to foster cooperation in the fight, could be a more active and useful structure to monitor the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons.

IOM could also significantly partner with Member States and organizations to confront terrorism, she said. Restrictive migration policies were a natural response to terrorism, but it was unclear whether they worked. Restrictions also pushed migrants into even more vulnerable positions to be exploited by criminal groups. Terrorism could grow out of failed or non-existent integration policies, but IOM helped Governments adopt integration policies that could help build more stable societies. “In many countries, anti-terrorism legislation has included controversial provisions for detention and deportation of migrants,” she said. People would continue to move, even in the face of great risk, and greater partnerships across political borders and economic sectors could be built in a way that benefitted everyone.

Source: http://www.mmdnewswire.com/criminal-groups-trafficking-in-drugs-70694.html

Geoffrey C. (Geoff) Davis Lincoln Davis Susan A. Davis John Nathan Deal Peter Anthony Defazio

Source: http://reason.com/blog/2011/11/13/obama-2008-opposed-to-health-care-mandat

Steven Chu Shaun L.S. Donovan Robert M. Gates Ray LaHood Kenneth L. Salazar

Source: http://mystical-politics.blogspot.com/2011/11/i-wondered-last-night-whether-there.html

Jacob J. Lew Austan Goolsbee Bill Daley General Eric H. Holder, Jr. Susan Rice

A new poll shows GOP voters believe Mitt Romney is the candidate most likely to beat President Obama. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images.

Mitt Romney is clearly the man to beat for the GOP presidential nomination, and new ABC/Washington Post poll numbers show his greatest strength is being seen as the Republican most able to beat President Obama next fall.

Electability is a great strength to have when making a pitch to an energized Republican electorate with a vulnerable incumbent Democratic president in their sights. Thirty-three percent of Republicans say Romney is the candidate most likely to defeat President Obama. He’s running 12 points better on that score than his closest competitor.

Unfortunately for Romney, it may not be sufficient. The ABC/Washington Post poll tested a number of candidate attributes and found Romney is running even or behind on each of them other than electability. It’s that assessment of him by the Republican primary electorate that is keeping his ceiling down in the mid-20 percent range and provides his greatest challenge in getting to the nomination.

Dan Balz and Jon Cohen of the Washington Post:

In the other five areas tested in the new survey, Romney shows no greater strength than other GOP contenders. On empathy, 21 percent say Cain is the one who best understands their problems, compared with Romney’s 17 percent. On honesty, it’s Cain at 22 percent, Romney at 17 percent. The two also run closely on the economy and issues generally, while Newt Gingrich rivals Romney on upholding core Republican values.

The Post-ABC survey highlights the divide within the party between the most conservative Republicans and all others. Romney’s candidacy will be directly affected by the composition of the primary and caucus electorates. The more conservative the electorate, the more challenged he could be.

In data released Friday, Cain leads Romney 2-to-1 (30 percent to 15 percent) among those who describe themselves as very conservative. These Republicans were the least likely to rank Romney higher than his rivals on the attributes tested in the survey.

And ABC’s Gary Langer notes that Romney’s Massachusetts health care plan is a particularly acute problem for him among Republican voters.

Romney’s role in enacting mandatory health care while governor of Massachusetts, however, is another matter: Far more potential Republican voters, 48 percent, say this makes them less likely to back him, including a third much less likely. Seniors and lower-income Republicans stand out as more critical of Romney on this issue, as do conservatives compared with moderates.

Romney will spend the next two months working to convince Republicans in Iowa, South Carolina and Florida, as well as across the country, that he is not just capable of beating President Obama, but he will also be their ideological champion in Washington. If he can make that sale, he’ll have the nomination locked up pretty quickly.

CAIN CONTROVERSY

Herman Cain insists “everything has been answered” about the sexual harassment allegations that surfaced eight days ago in POLITICO, but some Republicans are channeling their inner Lee Corso and saying, “Not so fast, my friend.”

At a campaign event over the weekend in Texas, Cain scolded reporters for trying to ask about the harassment accusations, which stem from his time as head of the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s. “Don’t even go there,” Cain said, before calling on his chief of staff to provide the herd with a copy of “the journalistic code of ethics.”

“We are getting back on message. End of story,” Cain declared.

But on Sunday, two Republicans — including presidential candidate Jon Huntsman — asserted that Cain had yet to fully respond to the allegations.

“Legitimate questions have been raised and that information has to come forward,” the former Utah governor said on the NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“It’s up to Herman Cain to get the information out and get it out in total,” he added.

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, who also appeared on “Meet the Press,” said, “People need to know what the facts are,” and instructed Cain to “get those out as quickly as possible.”

That the story has been public for more than a week and questions are still being raised speaks to Cain’s mishandling of the controversy, which polls now show appear to be damaging his support among Republican voters.

A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found the percentage of Republicans who view Cain favorably dropped nine points, to 57 percent, from 66 percent a week ago.

Nearly 40 percent of Republican voters said they believed the harassment allegations against Cain were true despite his repeated denials. A majority of registered voters — 53 percent — said they believed the reports were accurate.

Cain is set to appear Monday night on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” — a setting that will not afford him the opportunity to dismiss questions about the controversy by telling the host to read his ethics code. If such a code exists for late-night comedians, it almost certainly includes pressing political candidates about harassment allegations when they appear on set.

LISTENING TO CLINTON

Former President Bill Clinton weighed in on the 2012 election in an interview with USA TODAY’s Susan Page published Monday.

As Page writes, Clinton was “classically Clintoneseque” in discussing politics and policy.

Page asked the 42nd president about Mr. Obama’s prospects at winning re-election next year.

Clinton acknowledges that no modern president has won a second term when the jobless rate is as high as even White House economists predict it will be on Election Day 2012.

“Well, that’s what the Republicans are banking on,” he told USA TODAY. “But the American people have a funny way of figuring. If they decide that the unemployment rate is that high because the Congress refused to work with the president and their numbers remain markedly lower than his, he might win anyway. I still think he’s in pretty good shape.”

There’s also this interesting nugget offered up by Clinton in his new book (and followed up on by Page) about how he and Vice President Joe Biden had tried to get the Democratic National Committee to send out centralized talking points in the run-up to the 2010 election, but “couldn’t persuade the decision-makers to do so.”

“It was bizarre,” Clinton says with exasperation. “Biden and I actually wrote these seven talking points,” laying out what Democrats stood for and contrasting it with the Republican agenda.

“They said that House Democrats would just have to be on their own because they had too many differences on health care and climate change,” he says. Senate Majority Leader “Harry Reid was fine about it. It was all about the differences in the House.”

ON THE TRAIL

All events listed in Eastern Time.

President Obama delivers remarks on tax credits included in American Jobs Act and new executive actions to put veterans back to work in the Rose Garden at 12 p.m. The president also holds a series of meetings at the White House, including with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at 3:15 p.m. and attends a campaign event at a private residence at 7:15 p.m.

Michele Bachmann addresses the Family Research Council in Washington, D.C., at 10:15 a.m.

Mitt Romney speaks at Giese Manufacturing in Dubuque, Iowa, at 1:15 p.m. and at Iowa American Water in Davenport at 6:20 p.m.

Rick Santorum hosts a town hall in Rochester, N.H., at 7 p.m.

Herman Cain appears in a taped segment on ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” at 12 a.m.

All future events can be found on our Political Calendar:

For more political coverage, visit our politics page.

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Source: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/11/new-poll-shows-why-mitt-romney-is-stuck-at-25.html

Hilda L. Solis Gary F. Locke Eric K. Shinseki Arne Duncan Joseph R. Biden