"Border czar" answer to illegal drug & immigration from Mexico?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
As President Obama travels to Mexico, the U.S. continues to grapple with the spill over violence from Mexican drug cartels and the enormous problem of illegal immigration. So - in typical government style - the administration has decided to add another layer of bureaucracy in the hopes of solving these problems.
The Obama administration has appointed former federal prosecutor Alan Bersin to fight illegal immigration and deadly drug violence along the Mexico/U.S. border.
They've named a so-called "border czar" to oversee the efforts of ending drug cartel violence that killed almost 7,000 people last year; and slowing the tide of people illegally crossing north into the U.S. A border czar. Why don't they just close the damn border?
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano named Alan Bersin to be the czar. He's a former Justice Department official who worked on cracking down on illegal immigration in the 1990s. And judging by the number of illegal aliens in the country, that wasn't exactly a home run.
The Obama administration has promised to target border violence and work with Mexican officials to stop drug and gun trafficking. They've already committed $700 million in aid to Mexico and are sending hundreds of federal agents along with high-tech surveillance gear and drug sniffing dogs to the region.
If we want to get serious about fixing these issues, the answer is to secure the border, which remains open almost eight years after the 9/11 attacks; and enforce the laws that are already on the books regarding illegal immigration. And don't forget the huge appetite for illegal drugs in the U.S., which is fueling the Mexican drug wars.
More government bureaucracy is hardly the solution.
Here’s my question to you: Is a "border czar" the answer to our illegal drug and immigration problems with Mexico?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Penalizing parents if their kids misbehave at school?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
British parents could soon be fined if their kids act up in school... A new government study across the pond takes a look at different ways to keep children in line in the classroom. It suggests that it's time for parents to "share the responsibility for maintaining discipline."
Cafferty: Parents may take more of an interest in disciplining their kids if they have to shell out a few bucks each time they misbehave.
Now there's an idea...
Parents can be fined the equivalent of $75 if their kids are caught in a public place without a good reason within the first five days of being suspended or expelled. The fine doubles if it's not paid within a month. And - parents have to be interviewed by teachers before their child is allowed to return to school.
Schools can also require parents of children who are misbehaving to take parenting classes. If they don't attend, they can be fined up to $1,500.
These guidelines come as teachers warn that existing methods of disciplining students were failing. The Telegraph reports that some schools have been handing out prizes if kids promise to behave - things like plasma screen TVs and iPods - instead of punishing them if they act up.
U.S. schools should pay close attention to how this experiment works. My guess is parents of disruptive little mutants might take more of an interest in disciplining them if they have to shell out a few bucks each time they misbehave. And then the teachers might actually be able to get down to teaching.
Here's my question to you: Is it a good idea to penalize parents if their children misbehave at school?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What if New York becomes 5th state to legalize gay marriage?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
New York could become the fifth state to legalize gay marriage. Governor David Paterson is expected to introduce legislation tomorrow that would make marriage between same-sex couples legal in New York.
Last week, Vermont became the first state to enact a same sex civil marriage law through legislation, and not a court order.
Paterson has previously said he's committed to bringing "full marriage equality in New York state," adding it's a problem that gays and lesbians who live in a civil union aren't entitled to around 1,300 civil protections that are available to married couples.
Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer introduced the same bill back in 2007 - it passed the Assembly but died in the state Senate. It's expected the bill would pass the Assembly once again, but would need support from some Republicans in order to pass the Senate.
Supporters are hoping that the momentum is there for the bill to pass this time around. That's because Iowa's Supreme Court recently overturned a ban on same-sex marriage; and Vermont's Legislature also just voted to allow gay couples to marry. Same-sex marriage is also legal in Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Although these four states have legalized gay marriage, polls suggest the majority of Americans remain opposed to the idea. A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll from December shows 55 percent of those surveyed don't think gay marriages should be recognized by law as valid; 44 percent think same-sex marriages should be recognized.
Here's my question to you: What would it mean if New York becomes the fifth state to legalize gay marriage?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What to do about rise in right-wing extremism?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Yet another sign that when economic times are tough, things can get ugly: A new report suggests that right-wing extremism in the U.S. may be on the rise. The Department of Homeland Security says these groups might be using the recession and the election of the country's first African-American president as tools to recruit members.
The Department of Homeland Security says membership in extremist groups like this may be increasing.
They say there's "no specific information" on planned violence by domestic right-wing terrorists; but real-estate foreclosures, unemployment and tight credit could all lead to a "fertile recruiting environment." There's even the possibility of confrontations between these groups and government authorities.
The report says many right-wing extremists are antagonistic toward President Obama and his perceived policies on issues like immigration, expanding social programs to minorities and restrictions on owning guns.
It also points to concerns about anti-Semitism, saying some people are blaming the loss of jobs and home foreclosures on a conspiracy planned by a "cabal of Jewish financial elites."
The report cites "lone wolves and small terrorist cells" as the biggest threat - because their low profile makes it hard to catch them before they act.
The Southern Poverty Law Center agrees that President Obama's election may have boosted membership in some groups, but questions the link to the economy.
Meanwhile at least one conservative radio talk show host suggests that this report is meant to step on free speech and First Amendment Rights - which the Department of Homeland Security denies. It's probably worth pointing out that the Obama administration also issued a warning about left-wing extremists in January.
Here's my question to you: What should be done about a potential increase in right-wing extremism?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
U.S. less safe under Pres. Obama?
A U.S. Coast Guard machinery technician patrols New York Harbor. (PHOTO CREDIT: Tom Sperduto/U.S. Coast Guard via Getty Images)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Most Americans disagree with Dick Cheney when he says President Obama's actions have increased the risk of another U.S. terror attack.
A new CNN-Opinion Research Corporation Poll shows 72 percent of those surveyed disagree that the new president has made the country less safe; only 26 percent agree with Cheney. The poll shows a pretty significant partisan divide; 53 percent of Republicans agree with Cheney while more than 90 percent of Democrats are behind President Obama.
Cheney recently suggested that the Bush administration's anti-terror policies were "absolutely essential" to preventing any further attacks after 9/11. He called it a "great success story" and added that as President Obama rolls back some of those policies, he is increasing the risk of another attack.
The current Vice President, Joe Biden, fired back at Cheney... calling him "dead wrong." Biden insists the country is safer now. He says the Bush administration left the U.S. in a weaker position than we've been at any time since World War II, less respected and stretched more thinly. And, it seems like most Americans are on the same page as Biden when it comes to national security.
Here's my question to you: Is the U.S. less safe under President Obama than it was under President Bush?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Confidence in Pres. Obama to fix economy?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
"By no means are we out of the woods," said President Obama in a warning to Americans regarding the economy. In a speech today, the president once again talked of "glimmers of hope," yet balanced that by saying there's no doubt that times are still tough.
Despite economic woes, the U.S. majority places its trust in the president.
President Obama says a full recovery depends on a new foundation for the economy. He also blamed politics as usual and the media for making the situation worse. Nonetheless, even as President Obama warned that tough economic times and choices lie ahead, it looks like he has a majority of the country behind him.
In fact, Americans place more trust in the president than anyone else when it comes to fixing the economy. A new Gallup poll shows 71 percent of those surveyed have confidence in the president to do or recommend the right thing for the economy. Compare that to 49 percent who have confidence in Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke; and 47 percent who have confidence in Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.
We're talking here about people who are specifically tasked with fixing the economy, yet the president rates much higher.
Mr. Obama also kills the Republicans on this issue. A new CNN-Opinion Research Corporation poll shows more than twice as many Americans say the president has a clear plan for solving our economic problems than Republicans in Congress - 58 to 24 percent.
Not even Republicans are confident in Republicans - only 36 percent of them think the party's leadership has a clear plan.
Here's my question to you: How much confidence do you have in President Obama to fix the economy?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
5 months after election, still no winner in Minnesota
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Minnesota has become a joke - unless you live there and would like your voice represented in the United States Senate. 161 days after the election and they're still trying to figure out who won the senate race between incumbent Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken.
Franken (L) has urged Coleman (R) to let him "get to work as soon as possible."
A three-judge panel has now ruled against Coleman, saying that "Franken is entitled to receive the certificate of election" after defeating Coleman by 312 votes. But it's unlikely that the Minnesota secretary of state will issue that certificate until all legal challenges are exhausted.
I'm exhausted watching this... looks like a Three Stooges movie. Coleman has 10 days to appeal the ruling to the state Supreme Court; and if he loses at the state level, there's always the federal level.
Coleman's lawyer says they'll appeal to the State Supreme Court because the lower court's order "wrongly disenfranchised" thousands of voters. I wonder if they'd be appealing if Coleman had 312 more votes.
Franken says he's confident he'll eventually be certified. He's calling on Coleman not to appeal and to "let me get to work as soon as possible." He added it's time for Minnesota to have 2 senators like every other state.
Minnesota is starting to look like a third world country - the land of 10,000 lakes and a dysfunctional democracy. We send people to monitor elections in foreign countries. Maybe next time we should send some to Minneapolis.
Here’s my question to you: What's wrong with Minnesota if 5 1/2 months after the election they still don't know who the winner is?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Does press have better things to cover than Obamas' new dog?
(PHOTO CREDIT: WHITE HOUSE)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It may just be the most closely followed campaign promise made by President Obama... we're talking about the puppy he promised his two young daughters. And the media are all worked into a frenzy now that the long-awaited news is officially out...
The Washington Post reported in a front page story yesterday that the Obama girls were getting a six-month-old Portuguese water dog - a gift from Senator Ted Kennedy. The Obama girls named it "Bo." The puppy is due to arrive at the White House tomorrow - although the First Family and "Bo" have already met.
The Post insisted it was supposed to have the exclusive on the story, but word leaked out ahead of time. Several web sites got fired up about the news - with one publishing a photo on Saturday of what it claimed was the new first puppy. The White House called that photo a fake.
We're talking about a puppy here. But it seems like the American people - and by extension the media - can't get enough of the Obamas, especially their personal lives. Where will the girls go to school? What designer is the first lady wearing? Has the president quit smoking?
Nonetheless - it's not like the media don't have enough to focus on... you know, the struggling economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Somali pirate hijacking and on and on.
Here's my question to you: Should the press have better things to do than cover the story of the Obamas' new dog?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What can be done about increase of piracy?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It was about time. The Navy SEALs ended that hostage crisis off the coast of Somalia yesterday with three fatal shots in the dark killing all three pirates aboard the lifeboat. But the military action came only after the band of ragtag troublemakers held Captain Richard Phillips hostage for five days as U.S. Navy ships floated and watched in the surrounding waters.
Cafferty: Piracy is getting worse because there hasn’t been a high enough price for pirates to pay to stop it.
It got to the point where a handful of pirates in a lifeboat were making the mightiest navy on earth look like little more than a collection of plastic bathtub toys. But President Obama authorized the use of lethal force if there was imminent danger to the captain's life; and the mission was a success.
Meanwhile the U.S. military acknowledges that its actions to rescue Phillips could now increase violence. And already Somali pirates are vowing revenge - saying they will kill U.S. and French sailors "if they happen to be among our future hostages." A French raid on Friday had killed two other pirates.
The piracy in this part of the world is getting worse because so far there hasn't been a high enough price for the pirates to pay to stop it. The first officer of the ship that came under attack is calling on the world to "wake up" to the dangers of piracy. He says it's a crisis and that the U.S. should be at the forefront of the fight.
Here's my question to you: What can be done about the increasing piracy on the high seas?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Saudi judge refuses to annul marriage of 8-year-old girl
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Last week in the Cafferty File we told you about a new Afghan law that legalizes rape. This week's outrage story comes courtesy of another one of our allies in the Mideast, Saudi Arabia - where a judge has refused for a second time to annul a marriage between an eight-year-old girl and a 47-year-old man.
The Saudi girl pictured here (unrelated to this particular news item) buys a soft drink as her mother waits for her in the city of Jeddah.
The same judge rejected a petition back in December from the girl's mother, who was trying to get a divorce for her daughter. A relative of the girl tells CNN that the Saudi judge says he's sticking by his earlier verdict, and that the girl can petition the court for a divorce once she reaches puberty.
The mother's lawyer says that it was the eight-year-old girl's father who arranged the marriage in order to settle his debts with the man. The judge required the girl's husband to sign a pledge that he wouldn't have sex with her until she reaches puberty. Right.
Child marriage is a controversial topic in the Saudi kingdom. Human rights groups have been calling on the government to pass laws that would protect young girls. But the country's top cleric says it's okay for girls as young as 10 to get married.
This stuff is beyond sick. But there isn't much the U.S. can do or say... is there? We're completely dependent on Saudi Arabia's oil. Saudi Arabia - the country that gave us many of the 9/11 hijackers and a place where it's alright for grown men to marry children.
Pretty disgusting.
Here’s my question to you: What does it mean when a Saudi judge refuses to annul a marriage between an 8-year-old girl and a 47-year-old man?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
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