Daddy Yankee Endorses McCain

[Laurel Scott]

Open Letter to Daddy Yankee

August 25, 2008

Dear Mr. Ayala,

I just finished reading an article* that stated you are endorsing John McCain. The quote from the article is as follows:

"I believe in his ideals and his proposals," Yankee said. "He's been a fighter for the Hispanic community. He's been a fighter for the immigration issue."

I agree with your assessment of Senator McCain’s character and stance on the issues. I have a lot of respect for the Senator. He is a good man and has had the political courage to stand up to his own party on the issue of immigration. He has been the co-sponsor of several bills intended to improve conditions for immigrants, especially those who are out of status. However, I disagree with your decision to endorse McCain over Obama.

McCain’s repeat failed attempts at getting positive legislation passed shows that while he is willing to go against his party, he is unsuccessful in getting them to join him. Furthermore, in his most recent attempt to pass immigration legislation in the summer of 2007, he sacrificed too much in the negotiations, so that the bill originally intended to help immigrants morphed into a bill that would have gutted family-based immigration. It was an unacceptable compromise for him to make. Yet even after the bill became an assault on lawful family immigration, he inexplicably continued to tout it as a pro-immigrant bill. Voters who believed in McCain, but who did not understand the details of the bill, were lead astray and naively advocated for his bill. The country very nearly followed McCain into a disaster. Fortunately for everyone, the bill was defeated.

In the struggle for immigration reform, it is not enough to be right. If that were all it took, we would have had our reform long ago. We are up against racial fears, righteous indignation over the violations of the law, and misinformation, sometimes blatant, distributed by hate groups and conservative pundits. The challenge is daunting. We need more than reason, dedication or courage. A quality bill will only pass when opinions are changed. We need a leader who not only seeks a just and practical solution, but who also has the qualities that inspire others to look at matters differently and change their opinions. We need Obama.

Sincerely,

Laurel Scott
Immigration Attorney
Houston, TX

* McCain notes ‘very honorable opponent’, by Mike Glover, Associated Press, Aug 25, 2008

[Laurel Scott]

Although I agree with you that Obama is the most inspirational speaker of my lifetime, I think it is only fair to point out that McCain's failure to obtain the passing of comprehensive immigration reform can be directly attributed to Obama's efforts that effectively killed the bipartisan legislation that McCain/Kennedy co-sponsored.

Your statement presupposes that there was a positive piece of legislation to work with. But the bill that was introduced after backdoor negotiations was unacceptable the moment it hit the floor of Congress. I was stunned by how much political ground we had lost in a single year just as I was stunned that McCain and Kennedy were willing to have their good names associated with it. When I read the text my jaw dropped and I immediately began advocating to simply kill the bill because there was already no room to negotiate. On the AILA forum there was a sometimes heated debated among those who thought we should negotiate and try to get something better and others like me who said we were at an intolerable starting point and we had to walk away. There was never a bill on the floor that didn't need a poison pill.

[losguerra]

:) great idea!

[christytorres]

well written!!!!

[simply-heartfelt]

Very well said!!!

[Auntlily]

Thumbs up from me!

[Kolken]

Although I agree with you that Obama is the most inspirational speaker of my lifetime, I think it is only fair to point out that McCain's failure to obtain the passing of comprehensive immigration reform can be directly attributed to Obama's efforts that effectively killed the bipartisan legislation that McCain/Kennedy co-sponsored.

Barack Obama — A “Poison Pill” To Immigration Reform

ARLINGTON, VA — Today, McCain spokesman Brian Rogers issued the following statement on Barack Obama’s remarks at the NALEO conference where he conveniently glossed over his record of putting politics ahead of reforming our immigration system:

“It’s quite audacious for Barack Obama to question John McCain’s commitment to immigration reform when it was Obama himself who worked to kill the Senate’s bipartisan immigration reform compromise last year. Barack Obama voted for five ‘poison pill’ amendments designed by special interests to kill the immigration reform deal. These efforts were strongly opposed by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), the Democrat who led the fight for immigration reform, because he understood they would have the effect of ending the bipartisan work toward immigration reform.

“The reality is that Barack Obama has never reached across the aisle to lead in a bipartisan fashion on an issue of major importance to the American people when his own political interests were at risk. The American people are tired of typical politicians like Barack Obama. While John McCain was reaching across the aisle to solve the tough problem of immigration reform, Barack Obama was working for politics as usual in Washington.”

Obama Voted For Five “Poison Pill” Amendments Designed To Kill Immigration Reform Compromise:

S.A. 1169 (Bingaman) — Obama Voted In Favor Of Lowering The Annual Visa Quota For Guest Workers From 400,000 To 200,000. “Bingaman, D-N.M., amendment no. 1169 to the Kennedy, D-Mass., substitute amendment no. 1150. The Bingaman amendment would lower the annual visa quota for guest workers from 400,000 to 200,000 per year.” (S. 1348, CQ Vote #175: Adopted 74-24: R 27-21; D 46-2; I 1-1, 5/23/07, Obama Voted Yea, Kennedy Voted Nay, McCain Did Not Vote)

S.A. 1181 (Dorgan) — Obama Voted In Favor Of Sunsetting The Guest Worker Visa Program After Five Years. “Dorgan, D-N.D., amendment no. 1181 to the Kennedy, D-Mass., substitute amendment no. 1150. The Dorgan amendment would sunset the temporary guest worker visa program in the bill after five years.” (S. 1348, CQ Vote #178: Rejected 48-49: R 9-38; D 38-10; I 1-1, 5/24/07, Obama Voted Yea, Kennedy Voted Nay, McCain Voted Nay)

S.A. 1202 (Obama) — Obama Sponsored And Voted In Favor Of An Amendment That Would Sunset The Merit-Based Evaluation System For Immigrants. “Obama, D-Ill., amendment no. 1202 to the Kennedy, D-Mass., substitute amendment no. 1150. The Obama amendment would sunset the merit-based evaluation system for immigrants after five years.” (S. 1348, CQ Vote #200: Rejected 42-55: R 1-47; D 39-8; I 2-0, 6/6/07, Obama Voted Yea, Kennedy Voted Nay, McCain Voted Nay)

S.A. 1267 (Bingaman) — Obama Proposed And Voted In Favor Of His Amendment That Would Remove The Requirement That “Y” Visa Holders Leave The U.S. For One Year Before Being Able To Renew The Visa. “Bingaman, D-N.M., amendment no. 1267 to the Kennedy, D-Mass., substitute amendment no. 1150. The Bingaman amendment would remove the requirement that ‘Y’ non-immigrant visa holders leave the United States before they are able to renew their visa.” (S. 1348, CQ Vote #189: Rejected 41-57: R 4-44; D 35-13; I 2-0, 6/6/07, Obama Voted Yea, Kennedy Voted Nay, McCain Voted Nay)

S.A. 1316 (Dorgan) — Obama Voted To Sunset The Y-1 Non-Immigrant Temporary Worker Visa Program After Five Years. “Dorgan, D-N.D., amendment to the Kennedy, D-Mass., substitute amendment. The Dorgan amendment would sunset the Y-1 non-immigrant temporary worker visa program after five years.” (S. 1348, CQ Vote #201: Adopted 49-48: R 11-37; D 37-10; I 1-1, 6/6/07, Obama Voted Yea, Kennedy Voted Nay, McCain Voted Nay)

Obama-Backed Amendments Dealt “Potentially Fatal Blows To The Fragile Coalition Backing The Bill”:

Obama “Backed 11th- Hour Amendments” To The Bipartisan Immigration Bill That Imperiled The Immigration Reform Compromise. “Obama was part of the bipartisan group of senators who began meeting in 2005 on comprehensive immigration reform. But last summer, with the presidential nominating race well under way, Obama backed 11th-hour amendments - supported by labor, immigrant rights, and clergy groups - that Republicans saw as imperiling the fragile compromise. None of those measures passed. But Obama was part of a 49-to-48 majority that voted to end after five years a temporary worker program that had been a cornerstone of the immigration deal. The vote, backed by labor, was seen as a major setback to bipartisan negotiations.” (Ariel Sabar, “For Obama, Bipartisan Aims, Party-Line Votes,” Christian Science Monitor, 4/17/08)

Obama “Voted For One Amendment … Designed To Insert A Deadly ‘Poison Pill’ Into The Bipartisan ‘Grand Bargain’ On Immigration Reform.” “But then, on the floor of the Senate last week, Obama voted for one amendment - backed by the AFL-CIO and sponsored by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) - designed to insert a deadly ‘poison pill’ into the bipartisan ‘grand bargain’ on immigration reform.” (Mort Kondracke, Op-Ed, “Pandering to Base, 2008 Candidates Risk More Division,” Roll Call, 6/14/07)

Obama Proposed An Amendment That Was Seen As Part Of An Effort To Offer “Potentially Fatal Blows To The Fragile Coalition Backing The Bill.” “They first had turned back a Republican bid to reduce the number of illegal immigrants who could gain lawful status. They later rejected two high-profile Democratic amendments. One would have postponed the bill’s shift to an emphasis on education and skills among visa applicants as opposed to family connections. The other, offered by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., would have ended a new point system for those seeking permanent resident ‘green cards’ after five years rather than 14 years. All three amendments were seen as potentially fatal blows to the fragile coalition backing the bill, which remains under attack from the right and left.” (Charles Babington, “Immigration Deal Survives Senate Challenges, Backers Cautiously Optimistic,” The Associated Press, 6/7/07)

Obama Not Heavily Involved In Bipartisan Immigration Reform Compromise:

Senate Staff Members And Sen. Arlen Specter Recalled That Obama Had Not Been At The Early Legislation-Crafting Meetings He Claimed To Attend. “To Senate staff members, who had been arriving for 7 a.m. negotiating sessions for weeks, it was a galling moment. Those morning sessions had attracted just three to four senators a side, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) recalled, each deeply involved in the issue. Obama was not one of them.” (Shailagh Murray and Jonathan Weisman, “Both Obama And Clinton Embellish Their Roles,” The Washington Post, 3/24/08)

Obama Was Not Heavily Involved In Efforts To Secure Bipartisan Immigration Reform. “He did support the bipartisan effort to get an immigration bill last year, winning a plaudit from McCain. But he didn’t work closely with the White House, as did Sen. Edward Kennedy.” (David Ignatius, Op-Ed, “Obama: A Thin Record For A Bridge Builder,” The Washington Post, (3/2/08) http://foro.univision.com/univision/board/message?board.id=barackobama&message.id=1231

[esprndomlgros]

Thanks Laurel!! I was very upset to see Daddy Yankee's support! Great Letter.

[ujcdv]

If that bill would have passed, and then signed into law I would have been forced to leave the country to be with my wife and kids. I would have had zero recourse to get my wife back home. At least the status quo was better for me and most of the poeple on this board. At least we have our chance.

[sinfronteras]

Although I agree with you that Obama is the most inspirational speaker of my lifetime, I think it is only fair to point out that McCain's failure to obtain the passing of comprehensive immigration reform can be directly attributed to Obama's efforts that effectively killed the bipartisan legislation that McCain/Kennedy co-sponsored.

Barack Obama — A “Poison Pill” To Immigration Reform

ARLINGTON, VA — Today, McCain spokesman Brian Rogers issued the following statement on Barack Obama’s remarks at the NALEO conference where he conveniently glossed over his record of putting politics ahead of reforming our immigration system:

“It’s quite audacious for Barack Obama to question John McCain’s commitment to immigration reform when it was Obama himself who worked to kill the Senate’s bipartisan immigration reform compromise last year. Barack Obama voted for five ‘poison pill’ amendments designed by special interests to kill the immigration reform deal. These efforts were strongly opposed by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), the Democrat who led the fight for immigration reform, because he understood they would have the effect of ending the bipartisan work toward immigration reform.

“The reality is that Barack Obama has never reached across the aisle to lead in a bipartisan fashion on an issue of major importance to the American people when his own political interests were at risk. The American people are tired of typical politicians like Barack Obama. While John McCain was reaching across the aisle to solve the tough problem of immigration reform, Barack Obama was working for politics as usual in Washington.”

Obama Voted For Five “Poison Pill” Amendments Designed To Kill Immigration Reform Compromise:

S.A. 1169 (Bingaman) — Obama Voted In Favor Of Lowering The Annual Visa Quota For Guest Workers From 400,000 To 200,000. “Bingaman, D-N.M., amendment no. 1169 to the Kennedy, D-Mass., substitute amendment no. 1150. The Bingaman amendment would lower the annual visa quota for guest workers from 400,000 to 200,000 per year.” (S. 1348, CQ Vote #175: Adopted 74-24: R 27-21; D 46-2; I 1-1, 5/23/07, Obama Voted Yea, Kennedy Voted Nay, McCain Did Not Vote)

S.A. 1181 (Dorgan) — Obama Voted In Favor Of Sunsetting The Guest Worker Visa Program After Five Years. “Dorgan, D-N.D., amendment no. 1181 to the Kennedy, D-Mass., substitute amendment no. 1150. The Dorgan amendment would sunset the temporary guest worker visa program in the bill after five years.” (S. 1348, CQ Vote #178: Rejected 48-49: R 9-38; D 38-10; I 1-1, 5/24/07, Obama Voted Yea, Kennedy Voted Nay, McCain Voted Nay)

S.A. 1202 (Obama) — Obama Sponsored And Voted In Favor Of An Amendment That Would Sunset The Merit-Based Evaluation System For Immigrants. “Obama, D-Ill., amendment no. 1202 to the Kennedy, D-Mass., substitute amendment no. 1150. The Obama amendment would sunset the merit-based evaluation system for immigrants after five years.” (S. 1348, CQ Vote #200: Rejected 42-55: R 1-47; D 39-8; I 2-0, 6/6/07, Obama Voted Yea, Kennedy Voted Nay, McCain Voted Nay)

S.A. 1267 (Bingaman) — Obama Proposed And Voted In Favor Of His Amendment That Would Remove The Requirement That “Y” Visa Holders Leave The U.S. For One Year Before Being Able To Renew The Visa. “Bingaman, D-N.M., amendment no. 1267 to the Kennedy, D-Mass., substitute amendment no. 1150. The Bingaman amendment would remove the requirement that ‘Y’ non-immigrant visa holders leave the United States before they are able to renew their visa.” (S. 1348, CQ Vote #189: Rejected 41-57: R 4-44; D 35-13; I 2-0, 6/6/07, Obama Voted Yea, Kennedy Voted Nay, McCain Voted Nay)

S.A. 1316 (Dorgan) — Obama Voted To Sunset The Y-1 Non-Immigrant Temporary Worker Visa Program After Five Years. “Dorgan, D-N.D., amendment to the Kennedy, D-Mass., substitute amendment. The Dorgan amendment would sunset the Y-1 non-immigrant temporary worker visa program after five years.” (S. 1348, CQ Vote #201: Adopted 49-48: R 11-37; D 37-10; I 1-1, 6/6/07, Obama Voted Yea, Kennedy Voted Nay, McCain Voted Nay)

Obama-Backed Amendments Dealt “Potentially Fatal Blows To The Fragile Coalition Backing The Bill”:

Obama “Backed 11th- Hour Amendments” To The Bipartisan Immigration Bill That Imperiled The Immigration Reform Compromise. “Obama was part of the bipartisan group of senators who began meeting in 2005 on comprehensive immigration reform. But last summer, with the presidential nominating race well under way, Obama backed 11th-hour amendments - supported by labor, immigrant rights, and clergy groups - that Republicans saw as imperiling the fragile compromise. None of those measures passed. But Obama was part of a 49-to-48 majority that voted to end after five years a temporary worker program that had been a cornerstone of the immigration deal. The vote, backed by labor, was seen as a major setback to bipartisan negotiations.” (Ariel Sabar, “For Obama, Bipartisan Aims, Party-Line Votes,” Christian Science Monitor, 4/17/08)

Obama “Voted For One Amendment … Designed To Insert A Deadly ‘Poison Pill’ Into The Bipartisan ‘Grand Bargain’ On Immigration Reform.” “But then, on the floor of the Senate last week, Obama voted for one amendment - backed by the AFL-CIO and sponsored by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) - designed to insert a deadly ‘poison pill’ into the bipartisan ‘grand bargain’ on immigration reform.” (Mort Kondracke, Op-Ed, “Pandering to Base, 2008 Candidates Risk More Division,” Roll Call, 6/14/07)

Obama Proposed An Amendment That Was Seen As Part Of An Effort To Offer “Potentially Fatal Blows To The Fragile Coalition Backing The Bill.” “They first had turned back a Republican bid to reduce the number of illegal immigrants who could gain lawful status. They later rejected two high-profile Democratic amendments. One would have postponed the bill’s shift to an emphasis on education and skills among visa applicants as opposed to family connections. The other, offered by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., would have ended a new point system for those seeking permanent resident ‘green cards’ after five years rather than 14 years. All three amendments were seen as potentially fatal blows to the fragile coalition backing the bill, which remains under attack from the right and left.” (Charles Babington, “Immigration Deal Survives Senate Challenges, Backers Cautiously Optimistic,” The Associated Press, 6/7/07)

Obama Not Heavily Involved In Bipartisan Immigration Reform Compromise:

Senate Staff Members And Sen. Arlen Specter Recalled That Obama Had Not Been At The Early Legislation-Crafting Meetings He Claimed To Attend. “To Senate staff members, who had been arriving for 7 a.m. negotiating sessions for weeks, it was a galling moment. Those morning sessions had attracted just three to four senators a side, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) recalled, each deeply involved in the issue. Obama was not one of them.” (Shailagh Murray and Jonathan Weisman, “Both Obama And Clinton Embellish Their Roles,” The Washington Post, 3/24/08)

Obama Was Not Heavily Involved In Efforts To Secure Bipartisan Immigration Reform. “He did support the bipartisan effort to get an immigration bill last year, winning a plaudit from McCain. But he didn’t work closely with the White House, as did Sen. Edward Kennedy.” (David Ignatius, Op-Ed, “Obama: A Thin Record For A Bridge Builder,” The Washington Post, (3/2/08) http://foro.univision.com/univision/...essage.id=1231

And about Daddy Yankee Endorsing McCain...Let me explain you guys a little bit more why most Puerto Ricans are not falling inline with the DNC Presumptive Presidential Nominee. Well Obama has been endorsed by Aníbal S. Acevedo Vilá, the governor of Puerto Rico, who has been charged, by the FBI with 19 criminal counts related to the financing of three political campaigns from 1999 to 2004, including conspiracy to violate federal campaign laws, wire fraud and illegally using campaign funds for his personal use...

You can read more about it here:

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/27/puerto.rico.governor/index.html

Here you have a video about Anibal Acevedo Vila, Puerto Rico Governor, endorsing Obama.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hINtqW1eCug