Is Obama’s Quick Fix, a Political Gambit?

There is a type of people who have no respect for local or the global laws; they are the ones who, despite the tough rules in place, are usually able to successfully migrate to foreign lands without getting caught. Shamelessly, they have no respect for the rights of those who are already lined up waiting for clearance to legally immigrate. The said que jumpers end up as illegal immigrants. Indeed, it’s frustrating scenario.

 The ongoing rise in illegal migration to the U.S. from certain Mexican border points and from other countries via available channels  have caused a serious headache for the United States of America.

Historically, U.S. presidents through the years have been making a variety of changes through their executive actions. But, executive orders have the potential to harm millions of Americans costing the taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars.

Having adopted the “middle ground approach” to fix the broken system, President Obama has actually opted for paving the way for better economy through halting the painful deportations.

We can’t blame those who are uncomfortable with President's executive order to grant DE facto amnesty to five millions (out of eleven million illegal aliens). Let’s realize the order is aimed at helping illegal immigrants brought to America as children and those who are parents of children with legal status.

The nervous Americans are afraid that the president’s wrong decision may cause an aggravation of racial tensions. Because, illegal immigration increases the supply of low-skilled workers, which drives down wages for the less educated black and white Americans.

Obviously, the Native Americans are bound to face more competition for positions paying significantly above the federal minimum. It translates into millions of illegal immigrants getting qualified for work permits, hence, the enablement to grab better-paying jobs.

In other words, it is not difficult to figure out why many white Americans would perceive illegal immigration as undermining their culture, standard of living and the rule of law. They label the Democrats as opportunists who would damage the constitution to maintain their grasp on power.

Obama’s stance: He has waited more than a year for House Republican leaders to put an “immigration reform plan” to a vote after the “Democrat-controlled Senate” passed one. He has bypassed the Congress on immigration reform, saying the country can no longer wait to fix a broken system.

Triggering Irritants: like many others, the Washington Times Headlines highlighting “Illegals get a pay raise while current American workers’ checks could get squeezed,” are surely creating a sense of dissatisfaction for a large majority of the legal residents.

Of course, the Illegal immigrants stand to make out nicely, seeing a big jump in their wages under President Obama's policy.

Republicans are angry over Obama's decision to use an executive order to put forth his plan, shielding of illegal immigrants from deportation.

On the contrary, Obama acknowledged that criticism directly. "Leaving this broken system the way it is" ... "that's the real amnesty," he said. He then called mass amnesty "unfair" and "mass deportation ... both impossible and contrary to our character."

The question is why the Republicans have been ignoring the passage of Immigration reforms?.

The Constitution:

"The term "executive power" Article II, Section 1, Clause 1 of the Constitution, refers to the title of President as the executive. He is instructed therein by the declaration "take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed" made in Article II, Section 3, Clause 5, else he faces impeachment."

"An executive order of the President must find support in the Constitution, either in a clause granting the President specific power, or by a delegation of power by Congress to the President." "If Congress shall be in gridlock, the President will have the authority to legislate".

Clearly, if the U.S. President has the power to make executive orders, the Congress and the Senate have the power to shut down the government and impeach the President.

It’s the ongoing opinion that impeachment is not a viable option, and Republican lawmakers might be challenging executive orders in federal court.

Main beneficiaries of the president's actions are immigrants who have been in the U.S. illegally for more than 5 years but whose children are citizens or lawful permanent residents. After passing background checks and paying fees, those individuals can now be granted relief from deportation for 3 years and get work permits.

Obama is also broadening his 2012 directive that deferred deportation for some young immigrants who entered the country illegally.

Obama will expand eligibility to people who arrived in the U.S. as minors before 2010, instead of the current cut off of 2007, and will lift the requirement that the applicants be under 31. The expansion is expected to affect about 300,000 people.

The Obama executive order is great news for many young "dreamers" and their families—great, great news. If only it were as good as it seems—if only it were a real solution.

BUT, a long-term solution still has to go through Congress—and it has to be bipartisan.

The President announced new deportation priorities that would compel law enforcement to focus its efforts on tracking down serious criminals and people who have recently crossed the border, while specifically placing a low priority on those who have been in the U.S. for more than 10 years.

Deferring deportations: 

The new deferral program will apply to any undocumented immigrant who has been in the United States longer than five years and is the parent of a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident. Applicants must pass a background check that would show they have not been convicted of a felony or certain misdemeanors.

The current deferred-action program defers deportation against immigrants brought here before Jan. 1, 2007, who were 15 or younger, were 30 years old or younger as of June 15, 2012, and have not been convicted of a felony or major misdemeanor crime. Obama is expanding deferred action to include those brought here before Jan. 1, 2010, and by removing the age cap. This isn't just about young people eligible for the DREAM Act or the Obama order.

Important:

The legal immigration system must work for all Americans, citizens, immigrants, and employers who heavily depend on immigrant skilled workers, to maintain good health of their businesses as well as to keep contributing to the national economy.

Lastly, Immigration reform is needed for fixing the flawed legal system in order to create enough legal visas.

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SOURCES: http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-to-announce-immigration-refor

www.theblaze.com/contributions/obamas-amnesty-order-lights-the-fuse-on-an-immigration-time-bomb-2/

http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/11/21/6307235/emotions-rise-as-people-hear-immigration.html?rh=1

http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/is-obama-right-to-grant-young-illegal-immigrants-work-permits

http://news.yahoo.com/obamas-immigration-actions-limits-080146065--politics.html

Racism Divides Americans

Historically, the people with racially motivated mentality were addicted to victimizing and enslaving the non white folks. Beyond doubt, the said bitter reality still haunts Americans. That’s why, the ‘civil rights leaders’ have been advocating for self reliance for people of color because they realised that people of color were brainwashed to become dependent on the Whites for the necessities of life.

The curse of racism includes individual bias, stereotyping, prejudice, hate-mongering, hate speech, assaults and murder to anti-immigrant actions, labor market segmentation, police brutality, racial profiling, and unequal incarceration rates.

However, the “civil rights movement” successfully minimized white privilege with the passing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. By ending Jim Crow segregation and overturning racist electoral practices, these laws instituted an “equal playing field” — disparities in life-chance could no longer be made on the basis of race.

But, overwhelming evidence shows that racism is alive and real in American society, __Pl See! Racism and Structural Solutions (Michael A. McCarthy) http://www.solidarity-us.org/node/1609

Obviously, American peace is in serious trouble as the St. Louis County grand jury ended weeks of uncertainty with a finding of “no true bill” — legalese for no probable cause to indict Wilson on charges of killing Michael Brown, 18, in August. http://www.thestar.com/news/2014/08/15/police_michael_brown_shot_after_store_robbery.html

Immensely destructive reaction to the verdict: Grand jury’s decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the Aug. 9 death by shooting of Michael Brown led to eruption of sporadic violence in Ferguson that grew more intense as the night wore on. Police cars were vandalized and several gunshots were fired. At least a dozen buildings were torched during night of looting, vandalism, arson and clashes between protesters and the police.

 “We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions,” the family of Brown said in a statement. “The death of Mr. Brown is "heartbreaking," as President Obama said Tuesday, but it is also a reminder of the toxic racial legacy that still infects cities and suburbs across America.” http://idolforums.com/index.php?showtopic=715235&st=0

The president said first and foremost the nation is built on the rule of law. He said despite anger and intense disagreement on either side, Americans need to accept the decision that the grand jury made. He also called on law enforcement to use restraint and also called for more training for law enforcement to treat people fairly while fighting crime and noted that many Americans feel the law isn’t applied equally. "I also appeal to the law enforcement officials in Ferguson and the region to show care and restraint in managing peaceful protests that may occur," he said.

"As they do their jobs in the coming days, they need to work with the community, not against the community, to distinguish the handful of people who may use the grand jury's decision as an excuse for violence ... from the vast majority who just want their voices heard around legitimate issues in terms of how communities and law enforcement interact. Mr Obama said the decision of the grand jury was always going to be a subject of intense disagreement across the country and called for calm. "First and foremost, we are a nation built on the rule of law," he said. "And so we need to accept that this decision was the grand jury's to make.

All eyes now are focused on Ferguson, where the evening announcement came as an alliance of more than 50 protest groups were gearing up for mass demonstrations against the decision. Protests are also planned in more than 75 other U.S. cities right from Los Angeles to New York. The protesters/marchers waved signs and shouted chants of “Hands Up! Don’t shoot,” the slogan that has become a rallying cry in protests over police killings across the U.S. The demand is arrest Darren Wilson. Make it happen, Mr. President. You have the power insofar as no one can really stop you from doing whatever you want to do. Then inform the mob that, having gotten what they wanted, they can all just go home.

As discussed above, “Jury found 'no probable cause exists' to file charges.” "They discussed and debated the evidence among themselves before arriving at their collective decision," Mr McCulloch said. "After their exhaustive review of the evidence, the grand jury deliberated over two days, making their final decision."

The shooting death of the unarmed teen ager, a resident of the predominantly African-American city of Ferguson, sparked days of riots and protests. The grand jury, with nine white and three black members, had been meeting since late August and heard evidence including witnesses called by the prosecution as well as a private pathologist hired by the Brown family to review the shooting.

Furthermore, lawyers for the victim’s family claimed the teen was trying to surrender when he was shot at least six times, while Wilson's supporters said he feared for his life and opened fire in self-defence.

Brown was suspected of having stolen cigars from a nearby convenience store shortly before the incident.

Recommendation: 
An environment of the existing deep mistrust between communities needs to be replaced through media and during the schooling years to ensure national unity based on equality rights with guaranteed fair treatment for all. The police must be focused on “to serve and to protect.” Defusing the crisis depends on Mr Obama as he enjoys the right of issuing executive order to solve the crisis when Congress and the Senate are inactive.

Additional Info Sources: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1028790,http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-25/fury-in-ferguson-as-jury-clears-officer-over-shooting-death/5915572, http://www.thestar.com/opinion.html , http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2848308/Obama-begs-calm-rioters-set-fires-attack-police-cars-Ferguson-grand-jury-refuses-indict-police-officer-Michael-Brown-case.html, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfy5FiqzWHI&sns=em, http://www.todayszaman.com/world_missouri-police-officer-not-charged-in-black-teens-shooting_365264.html

Menace of Islamic State and Islamophobia

The ongoing rise of IS (Islamic state, also called DAISH) along with growing Islamophobia are quite irksome. The embattled region of Mid East is in trouble so is Pakistan where “Operation Zarb-i-Azb” by the Pakistan Army in North Waziristan has successfully eliminated the threat of TTP and other militant organisations including Al Qaeda, the Haqqanis, Uzbeks and Uighurs. Also, the ‘infrastructure of terrorism’ which existed there such as training camps, arms caches, communications facilities etc., has all been successfully destroyed. In this operation, more than 4,000 terrorists have been killed and hundreds captured.

As a result of the military pressure, the TTP has broken up splitting into several factions. All militants in the area have disappeared resulting in the sharp decline in the frequency of terrorist attacks. The Wagah bombing against the soft target of innocent civilians was an act of desperation, yet the public opinion is firmly behind the anti-terrorist campaign. Actually, the Wagah suicide attack has strengthened the domestic consensus in favour of the ongoing ‘operation zarb e azb.’

Shocking development: The provincial government of Balochistan has conveyed a confidential report to Islamabad, and the relevant law enforcement agencies have been warned of the “increased footprints” of militant organisation “IS” in two provinces of Pakistan namely Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunwa.

This indicates a huge trouble ahead; like Iraq and Syria, there is a bad news in the making for the people of Pakistan and a real challenge for Pakistan Military and Civil Armed Forces.

The sources disclosed, the IS has claimed to have recruited a massive 10 to 12,000 followers from the Hangu and Kurram Agency tribal areas. "It has been reliably learnt that Daish has offered some elements of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and Ahl-e-Sunnat Wai Jamat (ASWJ) to join hands in Pakistan. Daish has also formed a ten-member “Strategic Planning Wing," in retaliation to the army-led Zarb-i-Azb operation. A heightened vigilance and security measures in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are surely needed to prevent and pre-empt such attacks.

Obviously, the US withdrawal is an opportunity for the IS to focus on Pakistan and Afghanistan. In other words, Pakistan faces a perceived threat which can become real threat if Pakistan security apparatus fails to check footprints of the “IS” which is headed by Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi.

Furthermore, wall-chalking in support of IS in some cities of Pakistan, including Karachi and Khanewal is quite thought provoking.

Although, the challenge facing the West is of lone-wolf sympathizer attacks, yet the brutal IS has been actively involved in killing hundreds of Muslims and some American, Canadian and UK citizens, including journalists and aid workers. The problem is the IS organization has been succeeding in having attracted foreign fighters from every corner of the world, including Canada. The latest federal report from Ottawa, indicated more than 130 Canadians abroad taking part in terrorist activities, and another 80 returned to Canada. (http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/4941649-no-connection-between-ottawa-gunman-and-quebec-attacker-rcmp-say/)

It seems as if the ferocious Islamic State elements intend to turn the West against “Islam and the Muslims” through their dirty inhuman work. If the “IS” is really targeting Islam, it needs to be looked at carefully by the international community without prejudice.

The spread of Islam is based on logic, not forcible conversion - there is no compulsion in the matter of religion. The Quran is not a man made book; it was revealed as the final version to the final Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) through the angel Gabriel. The said book is guidance and a manual of successful pious life for all humankind including the Muslims.

Unless read and understood in entirety, there should be no nonsense opinion about the noble Qur^an. Sadly, the media only tries to sell misinformation to the naive public that is too blind to see the truth; reliance on the media news without confirmation is unethical. As the Quran makes sense, Islamophobia stands no chance.

Lack of responsibility: Shame on the religious zealots who interpret erroneous picture of Islam and spread radical and extreme views among masses to inflame the fragile situation.

Other factor is, despite the airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the radical group enjoys a “successful recruitment strategy” through social media attracting young Westerners. The question is what are the root causes that lead the Western youths to forsake their identities and lifestyles to swell ISIS ranks as fighters?

Historically speaking, Iraqis were rich people living with the highest quality and same is true for Libya. Also, the world back then was a much safer place. Both Russia and China were against regime change in Libya and Iraq. Russia opposed helping and arming rebels in Syria as well.

Bigger trouble: The Islamic State (faking) has become the most compelling and attractive organisation for the troubled/confused/vulnerable youths around the world in a very short time.

Major threat: The so called Islamic state continues to cause even greater unrest in countries where Muslims aren't a majority. The Islamic State group is bent upon tearing apart the whole Middle East making a mess/unrest for the present and future generations.

The countries with heavy Muslim population are nervous for sound reason: India has the world's second-largest Muslim population, but is in shock after Islamic State sympathisers have turned up from Kashmir in the north to Tamil Nadu in the south.

Suspicions will easily be raised by Islamophobes in the west including Canada, the US, and Europe.

Chaos: The so called “Islamic State” has already sparked political and theological instability across the Middle East, and if they continue expanding, the region would certainly slip into even greater turmoil.

As, the terrorist “IS” has prompted blasts and fighting in Lebanon, Jordan and Kuwait, the governments are worried that sleeper cells may be striking any moment.

No wonder, Saudi Arabia is extremely worried that the Islamic State group will come after them with force.

In a recent interview, a senior Islamic State defector said their next stop would be Saudi Arabia, which includes Mecca and Medina. (http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/security/2014/07/syria-opposition-is-saudi-arabia.html).

Saudi rulers are now in full panic, sending money to the Lebanese army, funding UN counter-terrorism efforts, and even getting senior Muftis to condemn the group.

Guess what! The Saudi government is most likely to be asking Pakistan Army to security-guard against the IS.

As terrorism has no religion, the faking Islamic State (IS) cannot be preaching nor can it be practising Islam; the barbaric force is most likely a sponsored proxy terrorist force aimed at showing “ISLAM” as a bad guy. Motive of course seems to be the commercial profiting.

There is a need of collective effort and shared response from media, civilian institutions, political parties and security forces to combat terrorism, radicalism and extremism.
Islam teaches only moderation, yet a well funded education programme is need of the hour to eradicate radicalization and Islamophobia in the West.