Posted on 01/13/2008 8:12:49 PM PST by mdittmar
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama picked up the endorsement of several Latino community leaders and legislators on Sunday, including state senator Gil Cedillo.
The Los Angeles democrat has been one of the state's leading supporters of driver's licenses for undocumented immigrants.
Hillary Clinton has said she opposes such licenses.
Clinton has so far won most of the endorsements from California's major Hispanic leaders, including L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez.
This comes on the same day that Obama, while campaigning in Las Vegas, unveiled an economic stimulus package costing up to $120 billion that his campaign said would put money in the hands of workers and seniors, stem the foreclosure crisis and cover state budget shortfalls.
"Obama believes we cannot wait until he becomes president to give workers the tax relief they need," according to a policy paper.
Obama, a senator from Illinois, called on the government to make available a $250 tax credit to 150 million workers to offset the payroll tax paid on the first $8,100 of earnings. He urged a further $250 tax credit per worker if employment declines three months in a row.
He also would give a one-time, $250 payment to Social Security recipients who would not benefit from the tax credit, followed by another $250 payment if employment declines three months straight.
The immediate relief would cost $45 billion, plus another $45 billion if the economy weakened.
Obama also pledged $10 billion to increase pre-foreclosure counseling and help "responsible homeowners" refinance their mortgages or sell their homes.
The plan also calls for $10 billion to help states and local governments facing budget problems as a result of the housing crisis, caused by falling property values and sales tax revenue.
Obama also wants $10 billion to extend unemployment insurance while loosening the eligibility criteria to include many part-time and nontraditional workers.
The plan would have to be approved by Congress and President Bush to go forward, which is not likely. But Obama's campaign said it represented the kind of relief he would pursue if he were president now.
Austan Goolsbee, a senior economic policy adviser to Obama, said the plan was slightly larger than the $110 billion package advocated by Obama's chief rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, on Friday.
Goolsbee said Obama's plan would have a more immediate impact because checks for tax credits and Social Security payments could be issued right away, while Clinton's plan to subsidize such things as higher heating bills would require an application process.
"Those are things that would take many months if not a year or more before the money would get out the door," Goolsbee said. "If you're going to have fiscal stimulus, the absolutely most imperative thing is to get the money into people's hands immediately so that they can use it and prevent the slowdown."
She did until Obamamama said, “Si se puede!”
Well, the illegal immigrant vote and the Latino vote aren’t quite the same thing.
Anyway, this L.A. Latina does not support Obama.
Fred ‘08
Everyone needs to go to www.freedomsenemies.com/more/obama.htm. Obama is a MUSLIM. He will be a disaster for America. This country will be history if he wins. Please consider the seriousness of this threat to our liberties. Hillary will be almost as bad so neither should ever be considered for the office of President of the United States.
Yes it is,when it comes to democrats!
There needs to be more of you in LA.
I doubt Obama or her Heinous would do well in my hometown. Back in 1992, folks in the barrios had “Viva Bush!” bumper stickers.
This is misleading. While Obama probably did get support from Dem Latino leaders, this may not translate to ordinary Latino voters.
There’s always a few idiots that claim to represent the entire Latino, Hispanic, Mexican American, Chicano, population. Speaking of minorities, has anyone noticed how quiet Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have been on Obama? It seems like they should be jumping up for joy at the thought of a black president.
“Obama also wants $10 billion to extend unemployment insurance while loosening the eligibility criteria to include many part-time and nontraditional workers. “
What is a nontraditional worker?
A swimmer.
Look for Secret Service retirements to skyrocket if it’s Obama. Who wants to be detailed to Africa when retirement is at hand. May be true with hillary too, for other reasons.
There will be flying lamps in Nevada tonite...
Forget the popcorn, get the chips and guacamole. I suspect that there will be a split in the Hispanic Dems, most will go for HRC, as they see Obama as a black candidate first. And there is no love lost in LA between segments of the black and hispanic communities. If you think I am blowing smoke, check out the Florencia gang’s “ethnically motivated” murder/initiation.
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