Politics, open government, and safe streets. And the constant incursion of cycling.

Month: January 2004

Like Clockwork

Noted via Atrios:

The U.S. State Department has changed its stance on a new Brazilian security process for U.S. citizens entering the South American nation. Washington is now urging Brazil to alter its new process of fingerprinting and photographing U.S. visitors. “We have told the Brazilians that we think that these are measures that provide tremendous inconvenience to travelers and that they need to be changed,” State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Tuesday.

Just last week, Boucher’s deputy — J. Adam Ereli — said the United States understood Brazil’s new policy. “This is their sovereign right to do if they want to do it.” Ereli said.

Brazil’s program began after a similar process was announced for the United States. The US-VISIT program began January 5 and applies to any visitor, including Brazilians, who are required to have visa to enter the United States. Visitors from most European nations are excluded.

Original story here.

So long as you’re *actually* picking strawberries

This is naked pandering. Well-timed, I might add. Worth noting on this is that it not only amounts to an amnesty program for the immigrants (people who will remain here anyway, and Bush gets goodwill votes for assisting them), but also a free pass for the employers who have been exploiting them and creating the market for illegal immigrant labor.

Compassionate conservatism – we take care of our own.

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