by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Brian Bilbray really likes to grandstand on immigration. Heck, he was a lobbyist for an anti-immigration group. And last year, along with Bush Dog Heath Shuler, he introduced HR 4088.  A quick take on HR 4088 from NDN:

Unfortunately, H.R. 4088 is not a solution or even a stop-gap measure. If enacted, it would simply make a bad situation worse, providing a windfall to bad employers by making workers more exploitable, pushing them deeper underground and off the tax rolls. It would harm U.S. workers displaced by the flawed employment verification program, and waste even more U.S. tax dollars trying to detain and deport peaceful workers instead of focusing in on those who mean us harm.

Well, I bring this up because today the San Diego U-T has an article about how the decrease in cross-border traffic has hurt the economy of the border region:

The number of people crossing into the United States at San Ysidro has fallen 21.4 percent from a peak three years ago, a precipitous drop that economists and others attribute to frustrating border waits, dwindling tourism and a struggling U.S. economy.

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by Lucas O'Connor [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Fresno peace activists are taking it to Jim Costa.  A coordinated effort from throughout the region is coming together

to "pressure Democratic Representative Jim Costa to vote NO on the September bill to continue funding the occupation of Iraq." [Peace Fresno president Bill] Simon wrote that "each group will take one day a week to picket in front of Costa's office and perhaps to go into the office to say 'No more funding'. We will also encourage passers by to call their Congressman and Senators."

Rep. Lynn Woolsey recently said that moderate Democrats need to hear the message that people in their district care.  In Fresno, the message is getting through to local activists.  Jean Hays, President of WILPF (Women's International League for Peace and Freedom) explains the strategy: "Some say Congress is not listening to us; we say maybe WE ARE NOT TALKING LOUD ENOUGH!!"

This is how we apply pressure and bring about change.

by Paul Rosenberg [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]