Obama's immigration plan: Too far or not far enough? [Contra Costa Times]
The
crowd at East San Jose's iconic Our Lady Of Guadalupe church erupted in wild
applause after President Barack Obama finished announcing the details of his
controversial plan to give temporary legal status to millions of illegal
immigrants….But other immigrants gathered in churches, restaurants and living
rooms across Northern California said Obama didn't go far enough with his plan
to temporarily shield up to 5 million illegal immigrants from deportation while
beefing up border security and making it easier for some tech workers and
students to stay here. And other residents chastised him for abusing his
presidential authority….California's farmers and ranchers, and their seasonal
immigrant workforce, also need a more permanent solution, California Farm Bureau
Federation President Paul Wenger said. "We're afraid his action may
complicate efforts to achieve a comprehensive, long-term solution," Wenger
said. "To truly serve farmers, ranchers and immigrant employees, it's time
for the president and Congress to stop trading competing statements and start
trading concrete proposals for reform."
Agriculture
largely left out of Obama immigration plan [Gannett News Service]
Farm
and livestock producers said President Obama's executive action on immigration
announced Thursday will do little to help farm operators struggling to get the
workers they need and could drive more agricultural production outside the
United States….Obama's decision to use his executive power to protect millions
of undocumented immigrants from deportation will likely provide relief to about
250,000 farmworkers, a small fraction of the tens of thousands toiling on
agricultural operations across the country. Senior administration officials
told reporters the new immigration plan will not allow farm workers to apply
for protection just because of their job, but they could qualify if they meet
other criteria, including having been in the United States longer than five
years….Craig Regelbrugge of the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform
said his group never expected administrative action could provide a broad
solution to the farmworker issue…."We've always known we need
legislation," Regelbrugge said.
Editorial: On immigration, a
failure of leadership [San Diego Union-Tribune]
Obama’s
directive so sours Republicans, soon to control both houses of Congress, that
it will obscure their own failure of leadership on immigration….The reprieve he
granted to millions could be just as easily rescinded by the next president.
And the 6 million or so undocumented immigrants not impacted by his orders are
still in limbo. His action does nothing to create a badly needed system of
legal seasonal agricultural workers. It does little to enhance border
security….It does nothing to create a path to citizenship that would truly
enable undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows and become more a
part of the American fabric. Obama’s speech was a good one. He made a
compelling case for comprehensive immigration reform. It is tragic we will not
now get it. In acting alone, he failed the test of leadership.
Capitol
Hill talks on drought bill dry up, to resume next year [Sacramento Bee]
Democratic
Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California on Thursday pulled the plug on secret,
high-stakes negotiations over a water bill for her drought-plagued state,
saying she and fellow lawmakers will try again next year. Feinstein’s
unexpected move ends, for now, what had become an increasingly contentious
fight over ambitious drought-fighting legislation whose details few people have
seen….“We’ve come a long way,” Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Clovis, said in an interview
Thursday. “These type of things happen in negotiations.”…Nunes also said he and
his fellow House Republicans wouldn’t stop trying to accomplish water
legislation this Congress.
Climate
change to increase flood, crop insurance losses [USA Today]
Climate
change could substantially increase losses in taxpayer-backed flood and crop
insurance programs in coming decades, according to a new government report. The
Government Accountability Office found that exposure to losses for property
insured under the two programs grew by 8% to $1.4 trillion over the past six
years because of population growth and increased property values in
hazard-prone areas….The report says the Risk Management Agency within the
Department of Agriculture, which runs the crop insurance program, and the
Federal Emergency Management Agency, which runs the flood insurance program,
have taken steps to prepare for the impact of climate change.
Editorial: Cope with the drought
by thinning forests [Palm Springs Desert Sun]
A
U.S. Forest Service analysis of the 2013 Mountain Fire showed that controlled
burns and other efforts to thin the forest were effective in some areas.
However,
the efforts have been paltry….Much more needs to be done….Rep. Michael Simpson,
an Idaho Republican, and Rep. Kurt Schrader, an Oregon Democrat, have
introduced the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act. It would invest $2.7 billion a
year for seven years to create a reserve the Forest Service could turn to when
firefighting funds expire….We urge Congress to approve the Wildfire Disaster
Funding Act and the state to invest more in thinning our forests.
Ag
Today is distributed by the CFBF Communications/News Division to county Farm
Bureaus, CFBF directors and CFBF staff, for information purposes; stories may
not be republished without permission. Some story links may require site
registration. To be removed from this mailing list, reply to this
message and please provide your name and e-mail address. For more
information about Ag Today, contact 916-561-5550 or news@cfbf.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment