May 27, 2010
Palumbo's Political Game with Immigration Reform Bill
Rep. Peter Palumbo (D-Cranston) gained some kudos from conservatives and immigration reform proponents for submitting an Arizona-like immigration bill. Palumbo further benefited amongst the same group when it was learned that his immigration bill wouldn't get a hearing because House Speaker Gordon Fox killed the bill (something I commented on myself). In short, the perception was that Palumbo had tried to do the right thing on immigration but was foiled by the too-powerful Speaker of the House.
Turns out that wasn't so much the case. Now Palumbo has stated (on WPRO) that he never sought a hearing and that, essentially, he submitted the bill for show because he was upset about the reaction to Arizona bill. So there was no hearing to kill because Palumbo admitted he never requested one. Knowing this, he still allowed people to get their agida up and rail against the system that allows one person (the Speakah!) to kill debate. That criticism is warranted in the abstract, but now, unfortunately, the proximate cause for this discussion and the planned protests turns out to have been nothing but a political ploy.
So let's not martyr Palumbo. It's clear he was playing games, which is something conservatives and other good government reformers should remember, and that he's hardly an outsider. For lest we forget, it was Palumbo who indicated his approval of perpetual union contracts when he sponsored the legislation calling for the automatic extension of expired union contracts (teachers and firefighters) when negotiations had stalled. So, instead of hitching a wagon to a veteran player, maybe conservative and reformist folks should look to Palumbo's 2010 RI Legislature opponent, Don Botts.
I made this exact point via Facebook comments to Colleen Conley and Dan Yorke. Arguments made from commenters were they are going to ride Palumbo on this bill, and come election time, vote him out. It is not that simple. Conley and the Tea Party people are doing their movement a disservice by hitching their wagon to him. Palumbo is a minion for Fox and will support his progressive agenda. It is giving the electorate a false impression that they support him, that he is a conservative.
Thanks for the mention Marc. I will be announcing Tuesday, June 1, 5pm, at Aqueduct Field in Cranston.
Posted by: Don Botts at May 27, 2010 12:29 PMPalumbo has really screwed up.No other way to put it.
He should be ashamed of himself for getting Terry Gorman out there on behalf of a ploy,nothing more.I would ask Terry as someone I think a lot of to cancel this rally because he was used in the worst way.
Terry is a very sincere guy and takes heat from scum like Peter Asen and Fred Ordonez for being a racist when he is nothing of the sort.
Palumbo should apologize,because he HAS submitted some very good legislation during his tenure.I think most people would accept his apology.Any of us are capable of stepping in it now and then.
There are enough things legitimately wrong with fox to give us all the political ammo we need.We don't need to invent reasons to take him to task.
Colleen Conley sounds more like Madame DeFarge every day.Her way or the highway.
Isn't that what we want to avoid as conservatives?
I heard that Palumbo is now saying he served in Vietnam with Blumenthal.
Posted by: Swazool at May 27, 2010 1:18 PMAside from the story of the story, then why did Karen Lee Ziner print a story that she was given press from Larry Berman that Fox said he didn't think this was not the time to take up this matter.
Then what's the real issue, that Palumbo submitted a bill, Fox said no or that our liberal left Speaker would never let a bill like this get a hearing?
FWIW, Cote's eVerify is supposed to get a hearing on Tuesday.
Posted by: Roland at May 27, 2010 5:38 PMIs it Peter Palumbo or the very irritable and irrational Dan Yorke playing the games here?
Palumbo said he INITIALLY was not going to request a hearing on a RI application of the Arizona illegal alien law but after the volume of feedback he got from people he changed his mind and approached committee chair David Caprio. Caprio then scheduled a hearing and put it on the calendar.
If there was no request for a hearing then how did one get scheduled and put on the calendar?
Hellooooo..........
Truth is Palumbo did in fact request a hearing, it was put on the calendar and was ultimately squished by Gordon Fox.
No question Peter Palumbo likes the limelight this issue brings. Not sure why that bothers Yorke so much since his wacko bud Steve Laffey self promotes every breath he takes in life.
Could it be that what bothering Yorke about this issue vis-a-vis Peter Palumbo is the heavy involvement of John DePetro in its' public telling?
Dan Yorke needs to check his lithium script. Might be time for an increase in the dosage. You know it's bad when Matt Allen couldn't believe how unhinged Yorke was today.
Regarding Colleen Conley walking away from York'e show I say good for her. Yorke has done nothing but attempt to label and marginalize the Tea Party movement here in RI for quite awhile now. If Conley has grown tired of Yorke's faux good government act can't say that I blame her.
Can you really be a good government guy and think Timmy the Tub Williamson would make a good Speaker??
lol
Tim-I for one am noy influenced in any way by what Dan Yorke says.
Fact is,Colleen Conley also supports self-promoter Laffey.
The whole deal with this bill became a clusterf**k,and I think Palumbo has to take the responsibility for that.
RI needed E-verify and the Governor's executive order codified more than it needs this law that Palumbo proposed.
You want a villain?Try Theresa Paiva-Weed.She singlehandedly killed E-verify last year.if not for that we'd have had an exodus of illegal aliens and maybe even some of their commie handlers.
Joe, my commentary was directed more at Yorke and his motivations for gong off the deep end. I didn't and don't see the need for an Arizona type law up here to begin with so this isn't about me sticking up for Palumbo out of yearning for that bill. I'm with you. If we make e-verify the law around here we'd chase the aliens away. My point is Yorke completely misrepresented how things went down and was motivated by his ill will and in-house rivalry with DePetro and DePetro's big involvement w/ Palumbo. That;s the problem with Yorke. It's not so much what's going on but rather who is involved that riles him up.
Joe it doesn't bother me if Colleen Conley supports Laffey or Palumbo or bozo the clown. This is America and she is free to support anyone she wants. I only brought her up because she's had enough of Yorke's act and I don't blame her.
10-4 Tim.I don't think you and I have any dispute here.Yorke gets personally angry with people all the time.
of course Colleen has every right to support anyone she likes.
FWIW my high school yearbook (1963)contains references to Goldwater and the John Birch Society from some of my classmates who signed the book.Meaning that I'm not new to the conservative cause and I don't need Colleen to school me in it.
I belonged to YAF in college,but our chapter actually disappeared because most of the males enlisted in the service even though deferments were available.
Neocons make me want to throw up.
I think Peter Palumbo has his heart in the right place.He needs to think things through a little better and keep the time frame in mind.
Have a nice weekend-I never "celebrate" Memorial Day-backyard cookouts are not the way to remember those who never got to live their lives out because they lost them in service to us.It's a somber holiday to be honest.
I'm still amazed Gorman let the cat out of the bag by saying of Palumbo in a public hearing, "I don't care if he wanted to feather his nest." He just broke kayfabe (the illusion pro wrestlers create that it's not an act) in a major way.
I wish Joe was right that Palumbo was using Gorman and his peeps, but they all seemed in on this together. The next time Conley, Glover and their cohorts complain about politicians feathering their nests, we should remember this.
Rhody-Im gonna give you a serious,non-hostile answer:I know Terry,and I think he feels obligated to stand up for this legislation regardless of Palumbo making a mess of things.There's smething to be said for that level of committment.same for Helen Glover.I'm not gonna defend Colleen Conley-she can do that on her own I'm sure.
My attitude is this-if we had E-verify and a codified version of Carcieri's executive order,this bill of Palumbo's would be uneeded.
Just remember-E-verify is a Federal program as is 287(g).If immigration is a Federal issue(it is)these things i suggest would just be a way for the state to sign on with existing Federal means of dealing with illegal immigration.
Fred Reed's take on immigration. Fred isn't always right, but he knows about the VMI cadets and the Treaty of Westphalia. Plus, Fred and I both had redneck youths in Virginia, so he can't be all bad.:
http://fredoneverything.net/ASHispanicImmigration.shtml
If you liked that, try the "Great Possum Squashing Beer storm of 1962".
http://www.amazon.com/Great-Possum-Squashing-Beer-Storm-1962/dp/0595151094