Friday, November 28, 2014

Billionaires Unite to Avert Averages for Better Health Policy

 While the suburban citizens of countries from this region of the Americas hit the gym to burn fat, indigenous citizens struggle to properly nourish themselves and their young ones.  The article implies that legislators use averages to form health policies that displace a large part of the population that lives in poverty. Billionaires Bill Gates and Carlos Slim united with local governments of central american countries to help develop better health policies to target its less fortunate constituents. In 2010 Health surveys were taken to record the disparities of the poorest of the poor in Central America.  The collaboration created a programme called Salud Mesoamerica that gives  incentives to countries like Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Chiapas, Guatemala, Belize, Costa Rica and Panama to write and implement health policies geared toward improving the health of the poorer parts of their population.  

http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21633944-alliance-billionaires-and-bureaucrats-makes-difference-misleading-means

No Progress Without Congress

President Obama is dominating immigration headlines with his executive action, which is intended to relieve nearly half of the undocumented immigrant population.  With nearly 6 million individuals left out of Mr. Obama's plan, it is clear that the president's executive powers fall short without the help of congress;the legislative body of the government.  The order is predicted to boost the economy by 6.8 billion dollars and create 160,000 jobs.  Critics of the order do not think it goes far enough to change the H1B visas from its 65,000 visas a year for foreign high tech-skilled workers.  Others like the Center for Immigration Studies thinks that adding 5 million immigrants to the work force think that it is unfair for citizens who have not found jobs since the Great Recession.  Small businesses are all for an immigration overhaul because they will benefit from the low-skilled foreigners.  Over all there will be more obvious change with a reform of the entire immigration system.  Passed like Senate Bill 774 failed to pass through the House of Representatives, so the struggle continues for a large scale immigration reform.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/congress/obama-immigration-plan-good-not-great-for-economy/2014/11/22/5a4bbb96-7250-11e4-a2c2-478179fd0489_story.html

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

republican reaction to exec order

Executive order is under way and Republicans are not to far from December  when a another government shutdown may occur due to spending on the president's order.  Republicans, though have not stepped down, but rather stepped up to Obama's threat because they are not willing to be blamed for another shutdown.  They have declared that Congress will use all of the power it holds to defer any funding to the president's order.  In this manner, They will attempt to keep some of their pride and dignity, which they have revamped since their triumph of 31 seats in the senate.  Political attitudes for an immigration reform are mixed within the republican party. Some are voicing against certain measure that are going to be proposed by the president in his executive actions on Thursday November 20th.  others have omitted any comments, like governor of New Jersey, Chris Christie, because he will take a stance once he decides whether to join the 2016 race for president.  others like the Governor of Ohio, John R. Kasich, have openly stated that they are not against the idea.  All in all, Republicans have joined in their attitudes despite their celebrations of their victory on election day just 16 days ago.  The agree that there needs to be an immigration reform and that they will deal with undocumented immigrants in a fair way.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/20/us/politics/-2014-11-20-us-republican-governors-seethe-over-obamas-immigration-move.html

executive order for about four to five million undocumented immigratns

Last week, President Obama announced of an executive order that would bring relief of deportation and work permits to millions of undocumented.  This has brought backlash from the Republican party and they have promised to do everything in their power to counter Mr. Obama's order.   Aside from the drama and politics among both parties, the executive order is definitely going to be signed.  Some of the shortcomings of the executive order will be expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals to parents of D.R.E.A.M.ers, who will only possibly deferred from deportation, but not given work permits.  What will happen with D.A.C.A. is that the age limit will possibly be lifted and/or the education requirement will be lifted.  Healthcare will not be available to immigrants as it was also stated in S.B. 774 of 2013, but it will be available to the American born children of immigrants.


http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/20/us/politics/obamacare-unlikely-for-undocumented-immigrants.html?_r=0

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Documenting a New Landscape for the Undocumented

As the landscape of undocumented immigrants is being evened out, the number of immigrants living in the shadows is dwindling as well.  This is painting a different perspective on the group of 11 million or so. A new study done by the Pew Research Center, "found that half of nation's 11 million undocumented immigrants have lived here for at least 13 years and as many as 4 million have U.S.-born children." This is good news for the parents of those U.S.-born children because they might benefit from President Obama's plan on immigration.  An executive order much like DACA--Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals--could bring temporary relieve about 36% of the immigrant population.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/illegal-immigrants-more-likely-to-have-lived-in-the-us-for-over-a-decade/2014/09/03/50f70120-3382-11e4-9e92-0899b306bbea_story.html

Illiberal Regime: Democracy, Afghanistyle

On September 27, The Economist the published an article titled: Democracy, Afghan-style.  It talked about changes happening the executive branch in the country of Afghanistan.  Elections in June fell under investigation after the losing candidate, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, claimed fraud on behave of his opponent Ashraf Ghani.  The investigation was overseen by the United Nations and the results were not made public, so it can be assumed that fraud was committed by both parties.  Like any other illiberal regime--which is how Afghanistan can be categorized--it appears to be a democracy on paper, but whose practices are questionable.

<http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21620242-deal-between-two-presidential-candidates-share-power-best-outcome>.