A Changing Landscape

By ThinkProgress War Room

Key States Set for Dramatic Increases in Size of Latino Electorate

Spurred on by their historically poor performance with Latino voters in last year’s elections, some Republicans are getting on board with immigration reform that includes a roadmap to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in a bid to avoid permanently alienating this key voting bloc. The so-called Gang of 8 in the Senate (four Democrats and four Republicans) could introduce an immigration reform bill as early this week. And supporters of reform including a path to earned citizenship are holding a major rally here in Washington D.C. on Wednesday afternoon.

New research out today from our Center for American Progress colleagues underscores one reason why Republicans may finally be eager to deal with the issue: the challenges associated with the GOP’s reliance on a base of older, whiter voters. The size of the Latino electorate in key states is set to increase dramatically over the next two election cycles, further complicating the GOP’s efforts to successfully contest national elections if they continue to rely almost exclusively on white voters.

The report groups the politics of immigration into four categories: the past (California), the present (Virginia, Florida, Colorado, and Nevada), the near-term future (Arizona, North Carolina) and the long-term future (Georgia, Texas). The report’s conclusion of how these politics will continue to play out is very clear:

Even leaving California out of the picture, the states analyzed in this issue brief comprise 137 electoral votes. In 2012 Democrats won 332 electoral votes to the Republicans’ 206, but if Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia were to shift Democratic, that would bring the grand total of electoral votes to 412—an insurmountable margin.

Whether these states flip from red to blue is an open question. But two things are abundantly clear: In each of these states, voters of color, particularly Latino voters, are becoming an ever-larger share of the total voting population. These voters care deeply about how both parties talk about immigration, and use it as a litmus test for how candidates from either party feel about their communities as a whole. In fact, immigration reform has become the number one political issue for Latino voters. The voters have spoken, and the message is clear: Getting right on immigration and getting behind real and enduring immigration reform that contains a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in our country is the only way to maintain electoral strength in the future.

For all of the details, you can check out the entire report HERE.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

Study: blacks waited twice as long as whites to vote in 2012.

Conservative groups marginalizing anti-immigration reform Heritage Foundation.

Senate Majority Leader: shame on GOP senators who want to deny gun violence victims a vote.

The modern GOP would not embrace Margaret Thatcher.

Culture wars don’t really pay off for conservative any more.

10 pro-gun myths busted.

Louisiana Gov. Jindal dumps highly unpopular plan to raise taxes on the poor, slash on the wealthy.

Media coverage of a female candidate’s appearance hurts her chances of winning.

Senate delays vote on judicial nominee so Senate Minority Leader can attend a basketball game.

Julie Rodriguez, The White House

Buenas Tardes,

Last night the President delivered his State of the Union address outlining his plan for a strong middle class and a strong America (disponible en español aquí). The President’s plan builds on the progress we’ve made during our first term and strengthens the middle class by making America a magnet for jobs and manufacturing, equipping every American with the skills they need to do those jobs, and ensuring that hard work leads to a decent living.

We believe that investments in manufacturing, clean energy, infrastructure, and education will grow our economy from the middle class out—not from the top down—and, when combined with the President’s plan for balanced deficit reduction, none of these proposals will add a dime to the deficit. In case you missed it, below is a full video of the President’s address.

For nearly three decades, extraordinary Americans who exemplify the themes and ideals laid out in the State of the Union Address have been invited to join the First Lady in her viewing box.

Each of these individuals has a unique story that lends itself to the American ideal of putting words into action to create a stronger nation. One of the First Lady’s guests was 20-year-old Alan Aleman, who was born in Mexico City, Mexico and raised in the United States. On August 15, 2012, he applied for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals – the first day the U.S. government began accepting applications. The College of Southern Nevada student received his permit in mid-October 2012 and hopes to eventually pursue a career in medicine and join the Air Force.

Like so many other undocumented Americans, Alan chose to emerge from the shadows to call for change. This courage, together with the hope for a better future, has the ability to inspire greater advocacy for the 11 million aspiring Americans awaiting a path to citizenship.

From teachers and students to DREAMers and members of the armed forces, the 2013 State of the Union Address guests included remarkable individuals from all walks of life. What they all have in common is a strongly-held belief in moving the country forward to build a better America.

To that end, join us tomorrow to discuss what the State of the Union means for the Latino community and all Americans!

Who: Cecilia Muñoz, Director, Domestic Policy Council, The White House; Secretary Ken Salazar, Department of the Interior; Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy, The White House

What: Conference Call on the State of the Union for Latinos

When: Thursday, February 14th at 3:00pm ET

RSVP: Participants MUST pre-register online to obtain call-in number: http://ems6.intellor.com/index.cgi?p=600016&t=1&do=register&s=&rID=3&edID=2

In addition to State of the Union information and updates, below are a few agency updates from the Department of Justice, Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of Agriculture.

As always, please share with your networks and we look forward to working with you on all of the important policy ideas the President laid out in his State of the Union address!

Julie Chavez Rodriguez
Associate Director
White House | Office of Public Engagement

Agency Updates

At-risk Latinas targeted in heart attack awareness campaign
February 4, 2013
The Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health (OWH) launched its new heart attack awareness campaign targeting Spanish-speaking women age 50 and over. The “Haga La Llamada, ¡No Pierda Tiempo!” campaign builds on OWH’s successful “Make the Call, Don’t Miss a Beat” campaign that began in 2011. The new Spanish-language campaign aims to educate and empower Spanish-speaking women to call 9-1-1 when they experience any of the seven symptoms of a heart attack and to do the same for their mothers, sisters and friends.

US Labor Department investigation reveals Silicon Valley employer significantly underpaid workers from Mexico
February 4, 2013
Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Bloom Energy Corp. has been ordered to pay $31,922 in back wages and an equal amount in liquidated damages to 14 workers that the company brought in from Chihuahua, Mexico, to the company headquarters. A U.S. District Court judge ordered the payments after an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division disclosed that the employer willfully violated the minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. (Disponible en español aquí.)

Court Approves Consent Decree to Desegregate Tucson Public Schools
February 06, 2013
The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona approved a consent decree filed by the Department of Justice, together with private plaintiffs and the Tucson Unified School District. The consent decree is a detailed and concrete plan to desegregate Tucson public schools that will provide African-American and Latino students the educational support and programs they need to learn and thrive. “The plan approved by the court today is a game-changer for the children of Tucson,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “It reflects the collective efforts of families and educators in Tucson, and the strong collaboration of the parties in this case, to forge a new path forward for the Tucson public schools.”

Reminder: Hispanic and Women Farmers and Ranchers Claims Must be Postmarked by March 25
February 08, 2013
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack reminds Hispanic and women farmers and ranchers who allege discrimination by the USDA in past decades that there are 45 days remaining in the filing period closing March 25, 2013. “Hispanic and women farmers who believe they have faced discriminatory practices in the past from the USDA have 45 days left to file a claim in order to have a chance to receive a cash payment or loan forgiveness,” said Secretary Vilsack. “USDA urges potential claimants to contact the Claims Administrator for information and mail their claim packages on or before March 25, 2013.”

HUD Issues Rule Formalizing Standard On Discriminatory Effects In Housing
February 08, 2013
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that it is issuing a final rule to formalize the national standard for determining whether a housing practice violates the Fair Housing Act as the result of discriminatory effect. “Through the issuance of this Rule, HUD is reaffirming its commitment to enforcing the Fair Housing Act in a consistent and uniform manner,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “This will ensure the continued strength of one of the most important tools for exposing and ending housing discrimination.”

Blog Highlights

President Obama Participates in Fireside Hangouts on Google+
On Thursday, February 14th at 4:50 p.m. EST, President Obama will sit down with Americans from all across the country for a “Fireside Hangout” – our 21st century take on Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fireside chats. The President will join a live, completely virtual interview from nowhere other than the Roosevelt Room in the White House’s West Wing. Do you have a question that you’d like President Obama to answer? Right now, you can submit a text or video question for the President, and also vote on your favorites. Then, be sure to tune in for the hangout live on Thursday, February 14th at 4:50 p.m. EST. Watch it live on the White House YouTube Channel, Google+ page and at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

Obama Administration Launches College Scorecard
Too often, students and their families don’t have the right tools to help them sort through the information they need to decide which college or university is right for them. The search can be overwhelming, and the information from different colleges can be hard to compare. That’s why our Administration released a “College Scorecard” that empowers families to make smart investments in higher education. As the President said last night, we want to help families get the most bang for their educational buck.

Solving the Sequester: The Facts
With less than three weeks before devastating, across the board cuts – the so-called “sequester” – are slated to hit, affecting our national security, job creation and economic growth, we must make sure we are having a debate over how to deal with these looming deadlines that is based on facts- not myths being spread by some Congressional Republicans who would rather see these cuts hit than ask the wealthiest and big corporations to pay a little bit more. View a fact sheet with examples of how the sequester would impact middle class families, jobs and economic security here.

President Obama to Honor Recipients of the 2012 Citizens Medal
Last April, President Obama called on the public to help identify outstanding Americans for the 2012 Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor. After receiving more than 6,000 submissions from the public, the President has selected 18 outstanding Americans to receive the award for performing “exemplary deeds of service for their country and their fellow citizens.”

Working Together With Law Enforcement on Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Last week, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano visited Texas and California to inspect border security operations at the Southwest border, meet with state and local stakeholders, and discuss the Department’s on-going efforts to secure the border while facilitating lawful travel and trade. She also met with law enforcement leaders from across the country to discuss the need for comprehensive immigration reform. Read Secretary Napolitano’s account of her travels and meetings as DHS looks ahead to advance reforms to maintain safe and security communities.

Get Involved

Join the Conversation on Heart Health
In commemoration of Heart Health Month, the Department of Health and Human Services is organizing a moderated Twitter-chat including at least 10 regional HHS Offices on Women’s Health, Latino community-based/non-profit grantees and promotoras.

The Twitter-chat will take place on February 28, 2013 from 2:00pm – 3:00pm ET. Use the hashtag #CorazonChat to join in on the conversation.

Apply for the Summer 2013 White House Internship Program
The application for the Fall 2013 White House Internship Program is now open. This hands-on program is designed to mentor and cultivate today’s young leaders, strengthen their understanding of the Executive Office of the President and engage them in public service opportunities. Learn more about the program and the application process. The deadline to apply is April 7, 2013.

Apply for the Presidential Innovation Fellows Program
This high-profile White House-sponsored program brings top innovators, entrepreneurs, and change agents into government for 6-12 months to develop game-changing solutions that benefit the American people in all kinds of ways – saving lives, saving taxpayer money, and helping to fuel job growth. The deadline to apply is March 17, 2013.

Happy V Day

Hey,

Today I became part of the revolution of women and men who will WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to violence against women and girls on 2.14.13.
 
ONE BILLION RISING is a global call to women and men across the planet to gather in their communities to dance and demand an end to violence against women and girls.
 
Will you join me? Sign up here:
 
http://onebillionrising.org/
 
Right now, 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime.
 
V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, refuses to watch as more than one billion women experience violence.
 
ONE BILLION RISING is a promise that on February 14th, 2013, we will ensure that millions of women and men rise up around the world to say, “ENOUGH. The violence ends NOW.”
 
http://onebillionrising.org/
 
Thank you!

Congressional Budget Office

H.R. 4194, a bill to amend the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act to provide that Alexander Creek, Alaska, is and shall be recognized as an eligible Native village under that Act, and for other purposes

As ordered reported by the House Committee on Natural Resources on August 1, 2012

CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 4194 would cost $30 million over the 2013-2022 period. Because those costs would increase direct spending, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. Enacting the legislation would not affect revenues or spending subject to appropriation.

S.1910, Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2011

As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on May 16, 2012

S. 1910 would make same-sex domestic partners of certain federal employees (including certain employees of the District of Columbia who were first employed by the District before October 1, 1987) eligible to receive the same employment benefits as married spouses of federal employees. Benefits that would affect the federal budget include health insurance, survivor annuities, compensation for work-related injuries, and travel and relocation benefits.

S. 3340, Mental Health Access to Continued Care and Enhancement of Support Services Act of 2012

As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs on September 12, 2012

S. 3340 would extend mental health services offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to family members of active-duty servicemembers, enhance programs for homeless veterans, and make other changes to veterans’ health care, compensation and burial benefits. In total, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would have a discretionary cost of $310 million over the 2013-2017 period, assuming appropriation of the specified and estimated amounts.

Gloria’s Letter: “Dear Mr. President”

Sep 17, 2012 by     BarackObamadotcom

Are you in? http://OFA.BO/ntNwXC

Dear Mr. President,
I’ve waited close to 30 years for this moment.
Today my family and I have the opportunity to live the dream of thousands of immigrant families who have been embraced by this generous country. My children have the privilege of studying in American Universities and will be able give back and become useful and productive citizens of this country.
That time has come and now we have a voice. With our vote we want you to know that we support you because you believe in the very essence of the dream we are living. You are willing to work and speak up for the Latino community.
Like you I believe there is work to be done and that regardless of our political affiliation, whether we’re black, or white, or Latino, we can work together for the greater good of this nation to overcome the challenges we face. As brand new American citizens please know that my family and I are with you all the way.
May God bless you and your family and may God bless the United States of America.
Respectfully, Gloria Palacio and family

VIDEO: How to Fight Voter Suppressio​n!

How To Fight Voter Suppression! We Need Your Support To Fight Back! This year our country faces an important election and the Latino vote will matter more than ever before. But there are powerful groups trying to prevent us from making a difference. Contribute $15 to help us fight voter suppression and racist voter id laws through exciting, informative and controversial videos that give power to our community. It is projected that more than 12 million Latinos could go out and vote in this year’s election. That would be an increase of 25% from 2008! What’s even more important is that Latino voters could decide key swing states like Colorado,Nevada and Florida. Unfortunately 23 states across the country have either passed or introduced legislation that would make voting more difficult not just for Latinos, but other minority groups, as well as young voters and seniors. That is why empowering the Latino community to vote is imperative this election. Now we need YOUR help to do more and mobilize record numbers of Latino voters! Through key, effective and powerful partnerships with Latino organizations doing amazing work on-the-ground and Cuéntame’s innovative video and social media reach, our efforts are making an impact. Our first electoral video, “How To Fight Voter Suppression” in partnership with NCLR has garnered widespread media attention. Please donate $15 and help us get the funding we need to get more Latinos registered and voting this November. Your financial support will allow us to pursue more partnerships and reach Latino voters in key states. We cannot do it without you. As a token of appreciation, we will send you our commemorative Cuéntame sticker pictured below, so that you too can spread awareness about the power of the Latino vote this November! Donate Today!

Who Supports Obama’s New Immigration Policy?

By         ThinkProgress War Room

Republicans Keep Digging On Immigration

Republicans have been thrown into disarray by the president’s very popular announcement on immigration, with Mitt Romney and others simply refusing to say where they stand. Well, we wanted to know where they stand so that you could know too. So ThinkProgress called the offices of every single Republican in the House of Representatives and Senate to ask if they supported the president’s new immigration policy or not.

Here are the results — and they aren’t pretty.

The only exception was Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18), a Cuban immigrant who previously voted for the DREAM Act.; she expressed her support for the policy. Reps Erik Paulsen (R-MN) and Lee Terry (R-NE) also said they would support a legislative initiative, but opposed the policy because of the way it was put into place.

Mitt Romney Continues to Hide the Ball

During one of the many recent interviews in which he’s refused to give a direct answer on immigration, Romney said he didn’t want “to football with” the issue. (Yes, he used football as a verb.) In reality, it seems that Romney is simply interested in hiding the ball when it comes to his real views on immigration.

Yesterday, the Romney campaign refused to answer reporters’ questions on immigration, promising more details in today’s big speech to the national conference of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials. Unfortunately,almost one full week after the president’s announcement, Romney once again refused to say if he’d let the new policy stand.

Romney also left a few other things out of his remarks to the Latino officials gathered before him.

**   Romney forgot to mention his attack on the president for standing up to states who pass discriminatory anti-immigrant laws:

“The right course for America is to drop these lawsuits against Arizona and other states that are trying to do the job Barack Obama isn’t doing. And I will drop those lawsuits on day one.”

**  While Romney told the crowd,”when I make a promise to you, I will keep it,” he forgot to remind them of his promise to veto the DREAM Act:

“And I have indicated I would veto the DREAM Act if provisions included in that act to say that people who are here illegally, if they go to school here long enough, get a degree here that they can become permanent residents. I think that’s a mistake. I think we have to follow the law and insist those who come here illegally, ultimately return home, apply, and get in line with everyone else.”

**  And he also didn’t remind Latinos that just a few months ago he called the DREAM Act a “handout”:

They want good jobs in America and rising incomes. If they want a president who is going to talk to them about a handout or more benefits for free, they got that guy.

He also failed to mention his preferred solution to the 11 million undocumented immigrants already in this country — making their lives so miserable that they’ll “self-deport”:

“Well, the answer is self-deportation, which is people decide they can do better by going home because they can’t find work here because they don’t have legal documentation to allow them to work here.”

Romney also didn’t mention his strong support for Arizona’s “papers please” law. Nor did he remind the crowd that one of his top advisers on immigration is Kris Kobach, the author of the Arizona and Alabama anti-immigrant laws. And he didn’t bring up his close association with former California Gov. Pete Wilson, one of America’s most notoriously anti-Latino politicians.

Finally, Romney chose not to use the offensive term “illegals” to refer to undocumented immigrants, a word he used with impunity throughout the Republican primary.

IN ONE SENTENCE: Mitt Romney may want to hide the ball when it comes to his real views on immigration, but he can’t Etch A Sketch away his and other Republicans’ extreme views on the issue.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed

Even a top Republican Latino consultant was unimpressed by Romney’s speech today.

Grover Norquist visited his subjects in the House of Representatives today to remind them of his orders.

Mitt Romney to Republican governors: please stop telling people the economy is getting better.

Karl Rove’s latest effort to make a mockery of what little is left of our campaign finance laws.

Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) wants you to know that he has “secret meetings” with “kings and queens” “every day.”

The Supreme Court say that you can be obscene on TV, at least if the government doesn’t warn you not to be in advance.

Nancy Pelosi vows to replace the health care mandate if the Supreme Court ignores 200 years of precedent and strikes it down.

The battle between the Obama campaign and Karl Rove is heating up.

States who went for austerity are doing worse economically.

Other recent Progress Reports

Jun 20, 2012: Do You Want to Pay for a Tax Break for Millionaires?

GOP Plan: Raise Your Taxes, Slash Them for Millionaires As we’ve been discussing for months, the core of the Romney-Ryan budget plan is massive tax cuts for wealthy paid for by increasing taxes on the middle class and slashing funding for Medicare, Medicaid, and basically everything else the government does — including programs that benefit [...]

Jun 19, 2012: GOP Backup Plan on Immigration: Deceive Latinos

GOP Trying to Etch A Sketch Away Its Record on Immigration Two new polls out this week show the peril of the Republican Party’s vehemently anti-immigrant policies. First, Gallup reported that anti-immigration sentiment is at a historic low, with 66 percent of Americans saying immigration is a “good thing.” And then just today a Bloomberg [...]

Jun 18, 2012: SEVEN Issues Mitt Romney Won’t Take a Position On

What Is Mitt Romney Hiding? Mitt Romney’s campaign is well-versed in the art of secrecy. Hard drives from state-owned computers while he was governor of Massachusetts? Purchased by his staffers and erased. The 23 years of tax returns he provided to the McCain campaign in 2008 while being vetted (and passed over) for vice president? [...]

Jun 15, 2012: HUGE News on Immigration!

President Obama Leads After Republicans Obstruct This morning, the Obama administration made a hugely important announcement that will impact the lives of nearly 1 MILLION young undocumented students. It will allow them to avoid deportation and seek work authorization. While comprehensive immigration reform legislation is still necessary, today’s announcement is a welcome step forward on [...]

the Progress Report : Immigration

GOP Backup Plan on Immigration: Deceive Latinos

By         ThinkProgress War Room

GOP Trying to Etch A Sketch Away Its Record on Immigration

Two new polls out this week show the peril of the Republican Party’s vehemently anti-immigrant policies. First, Gallup reported that anti-immigration sentiment is at a historic low, with 66 percent of Americans saying immigration is a “good thing.” And then just today a Bloomberg News poll reveals that Americans overwhelmingly back the president’s new immigration policy. Just 30 percent of likely voters oppose it, while 64 percent support it — including independent voters, who back it by a 2:1 margin. Some polls have also shown President Obama leading Mitt Romney by a nearly 50-point margin among Latinos.

So has the GOP decided to moderate its stance before it permanently alienates Latinos? No, not really.

Instead, it appears that some conservatives have settled on a cynical effort to deceive Latinos about where they really stand.

Assuming Latinos Don’t Speak English?

Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) tried to pull a fast one on Spanish speakers by omitting his stance on border security and illegal immigration on his campaign’s Spanish site. Both of Heller’s websites have some general information on his immigration stance, but according to his English site (and only his English site):

“Businesses who knowingly hire illegal immigrants should be held accountable. Dean also believes border patrol must also have the resources necessary to end the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States and opposes amnesty for those who enter America illegally.”

Heller is not the only Republican guilty of this kind of web editing. Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is a staunch Republican who, like Heller, represents a state with a huge Spanish speaking population. On Sen. Cornyn’s English site, “Immigration” is the fourth policy listed on the “Key Issues” page — higher than “Education” and even “Homeland Security.” On the other hand, users on his Spanish site must scroll down to near the bottom of the page to learn about his immigration views.

Rep. Steve Pearce (R) from New Mexico? Look on his English site’s “issues” page and “Border Security” is the first policy explanation you’ll find. But if you switch over to his site in Spanish, “Seguridad Fronteriza” is dead last.

The GOP is also wary of communicating its immigration stance to Spanish speakers on the national scale. RNClatinos.com, a recent Republican web effort to generate Latino support — which oddly enough originally used a stock photo of the wrong ethnicity — offers no explanation of Republican immigration policy at all. To be fair, neither does the English RNC website. Still, it would seem odd that a website specifically geared towards incorporating the Latino electorate would have such a glaring omission.

Shifting Blame

One of the more interesting Republican responses to the president’s new policy has been to blame him for “politicizing” the issue of immigration. For example, just this morning, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) blamed the president for making it harder to find a permanent solution to the issue, despite the fact that just two months ago Boehner himself nixed the idea of even taking it up:

“It puts everyone in a difficult position,” Boehner said of Obama’s policy change, during a scrum with reporters. “I think we all have concerns for those who are caught in this trap, who through no fault of their own are here. But the president’s actions are going to make it much more difficult for us to work in a bipartisan way to get to a permanent solution.” [...]

Boehner’s charge that Obama’s move means less chance for bipartisanship in moving Dream Act legislation comes after he already squashed the idea that a Dream Act-type proposal offered by someone in his own party, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), could advance.

“The problem with this issue is that we’re operating in a very hostile political environment,” Boehner said in April. “To deal with a very difficult issue like this, I think it would be difficult at best.”

This ridiculous assertion also ignores the fact that Republicans almost unanimously opposed the DREAM Act in 2010, the last time it came up for a vote in Congress:

Boehner also dismissed Democrats’ calls in 2010 to take up a comprehensive solution as a “cynical ploy” and of course House Republicans were responsible for killing comprehensive immigration reform during the Bush administration.

IN ONE SENTENCE: Republicans have spent years, if not decades, demonizing immigrants and a tweak to a website here and revisionist claim there isn’t going to Etch A Sketch away their extreme record on immigration.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed

Citing a recent court ruling, the Obama campaign’s top lawyer demanded that Karl Rove’s secret money group immediately reveal its donors.

Mitt Romney, who strongly backs voter suppression laws, will attend that NAACP’s annual convention.

A GOP front group says World War II veterans fought and died to allow unlimited, secret money in our elections.

Check out photos of nuns on a bus tour protesting the GOP’s budget cuts.

Just 18 percent of Americans agree with Mitt Romney’s position that all of the Bush tax cuts should be made permanent.

Ten issues to watch on state ballot initiatives this year.

Republicans are going after food stamps — again.

Mitt Romney’s scheme to disguise his giant tax cut for the wealthy.

Study: JPMorgan gets a $14 BILLION annual subsidy from the U.S. government.

Other recent Progress Reports

Jun 18, 2012: SEVEN Issues Mitt Romney Won’t Take a Position On

What Is Mitt Romney Hiding? Mitt Romney’s campaign is well-versed in the art of secrecy. Hard drives from state-owned computers while he was governor of Massachusetts? Purchased by his staffers and erased. The 23 years of tax returns he provided to the McCain campaign in 2008 while being vetted (and passed over) for vice president? [...]

Jun 15, 2012: HUGE News on Immigration!

President Obama Leads After Republicans Obstruct This morning, the Obama administration made a hugely important announcement that will impact the lives of nearly 1 MILLION young undocumented students. It will allow them to avoid deportation and seek work authorization. While comprehensive immigration reform legislation is still necessary, today’s announcement is a welcome step forward on [...]

Jun 14, 2012: Do You Want the Bush Agenda, Just Updated?

Back to Bush, Only Much Worse? A few weeks ago, the Republican National Committee confirmed what we already knew: that Mitt Romney’s agenda would be the same as President George W. Bush, “just updated.” What are some of the updates? New, even larger tax cuts for the wealthy and huge corporations Tax increases on middle [...]

Jun 13, 2012: VIDEO: One Vote the GOP Tried to Suppress

Meet Florence, a 95 Year-Old Wisconsin Woman ThinkProgress traveled to Wisconsin recently to investigate how the state’s new voter ID law, if allowed to stand by the state judiciary, would affect voters in the state. Florence Hessing of Bayfield said that she’d voted in every election without any problems until voter ID was enacted. However, her [...]

Hispanic Consumer Insights; We Watch TV … Nielsen

TV Dramas Account for Most Primetime Viewing, Timeshifting and Ad Spend In the first of a three-part series of insights on how and where consumers access TV content-we look at the viewership and advertising across five traditional primetime genres. (full story)

Record Store Day, Vinyl Sales a Bright Spot for Indies Record Store Day has given independently operating music stores something to sing about — thanks in part to strong vinyl sales. (full story)

Young, Mobile and Growing: The State of U.S. Hispanic Consumers More than 52 million strong and representing the majority of population growth over the next five years, Latinos have become prominent in all aspects of American life. (full story) More News Caution Reigns Among Vietnam’s Business Leaders While most countries would covet GDP growth of 5.9 percent, that figure represents a fairly significant slow-down for Vietnam, where high inflation and sagging consumer confidence were the key themes of 2011. (full story) Nielsen Salutes Most Effective Auto Advertisers For the sixth year in a row, leading automakers convened at the New York International Auto Show for Nielsen’s annual Automotive Advertising Awards, the only awards program measuring the effectiveness of automobile TV ads. (full story)

Secret’s out – Right wing’s race-fuele​d strategy exposed …Joe Solmonese, Human Rights Campaign

HRC just uncovered a document detailing NOM’s anti-equality strategy:

“Drive a wedge between gays and blacks…”

Say NO to NOM’s race-fueled tactics. Join HRC now.

Just yesterday, we uncovered a report from the far-right National Organization for Marriage (NOM) laying out their new, chilling strategy:

“The strategic goal of this project is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks…”

With their divisive plan in place, NOM is actively organizing and fundraising for hateful, anti-equality ballot initiatives and projects around the country. This most recent revelation confirms that they’ll stop at nothing to win.

Carmen – we need you with us as we respond to NOM’s most serious offensive yet. Don’t let the right wing divide us. Stand on the side of love and equality by joining HRC today.

NOM’s report goes on to suggest that the right-wing “provoke” pro-equality activists – like you and me – to “denounce” blacks who disagree with us, widening the gap in the progressive movement.

But it doesn’t stop there. NOM lays out a detailed plan for targeting Latinos, too. The report says:

“We must interrupt this process of [Latino] assimilation by making support for marriage a key badge of Latino identity – a symbol of resistance to inappropriate assimilation.”

If you join HRC today, you’ll help level the playing field against NOM, support fair-minded candidates facing a base divided by NOM, and fight for the laws NOM opposes on Capitol Hill.

The desperation is shocking, but what do you expect from a group with its back up against an advancing wall of progress?

At HRC, we’ve invested in building a diverse coalition in support of marriage equality – and not just for diversity’s sake. The people powering this movement come in all colors, all creeds, all genders, and sexual orientations. But NOM wants to break us apart.

Say NO to NOM’s hate-fueled tactics. Join HRC now to fight back.

We know NOM is ruthless, but this newest revelation takes the cake. I’m overwhelmed by the unity of more than a million members and supporters like you who we count on every day to fight hate like this.

Race makes no difference when it comes to standing for what’s right. Your membership gift today helps prove that beyond any doubt.

Equality for all,

Joe Solmonese
President