Harry Reid on Obama's First 100 Days

Reid says Democrats to tackle big issues

BY DEBORAH BARFIELD BERRY
GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

WASHINGTON -- Buoyed by more Democrats in the House and Senate and a Democratic president-elect, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said he expects lawmakers next year to take on hot-button issues from immigration to health care.

The Nevada Democrat also said Congress will try early on to undo some of President George W. Bush's recent executive orders, including ones on environment policies.

Last week, Reid discussed his priorities for the next Congress.

QUESTION: What are your priorities for the first 100 days of the session?

ANSWER: We're going to have to take care of a lot of nominations. ... We have to finish our appropriations process. We have a number of issues to repeal -- presidential orders (Bush) put in in the last few weeks. ... On the environment, for example, we're looking at clean-air regulations.

Q: Will it be an easier pitch with more Democrats in Congress?

A: Yes, next year it will be much easier to do. ... I'll have a larger majority here; so will ( House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi. We'll have a new president. And I think the Republicans come from the same states we come from. They have a lot of issues they need help with.

Q: What failed efforts disappoint you?

A: I wish we would have passed the speculation bill dealing with oil. I wish we could have gotten more money for infrastructure. We got quite a bit. But ... we should have a major infrastructure development program in our country.

Q: With more Democrats in the Senate and the House and a Democrat in the White House, how do you see congressional efforts playing out on such issues as health care and immigration?

A: On immigration, there's been an agreement between (President-elect Barack) Obama and (Arizona Republican Sen. John) McCain to move forward on that. ... We'll do that. We have to get this economy stuff figured out first, so I think we'll have a shot at doing something on health care in the next Congress for sure.

Q: Will there be as much of a fight on immigration as last time?

A: We've got McCain and we've got a few others. I don't expect much of a fight at all. Now health care is going to be difficult. That's a very complicated issue. We debated at great length immigration. People understand the issues very well. We have not debated health care, so that's going to take a lot more time to do

Telenovelas in Front of Our Eyes

"No Puedo Pasar" - painting by Ana Teresa Fernandez exhibited at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. Her painting reads "No puedo pasar indiferente ante el dolor de tanta gente" which translates to I cannot pass here with indifference considering the sorrow of so many people.

Today I visited the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. A new exhibition, titled "A Declaration of Immigration" opened on July 4th. The images that depict the experience of immigrants and the politics surrounding immigration policy are conveyed in 100 pieces of art being shown, including the painting by Ana Teresa Fernandez titled "No Puedo Pasar" -

Fernandez' work brings to mind our current diorama - the millions of undocumented people in the U.S. - thousands of which getting arrested and deported - while the rest of us watch. Those of us who are documented see the videos on tv and youtube. We see photos of crying babies on the front pages of newspapers. We hear the stories of arrests and detentions - of workers being yelled at by ICE officers with guns in their hands. Imagining the sounds of the helicopters hovering over a raid site. Some of us wonder, "how can this be happening?"

Amid outrageous gas prices, the mortgage crisis, continuing deaths in Iraq and the threat of war against Iran we are still affected when we hear of the Postville raid, or the Bedford Mass. raid, or the nursing babies that became dehydrated because ICE separated them from their mothers-

Sometimes we wonder if there is any need to air telenovelas because we have our very own drama in front of our eyes. How can we be indifferent to this?
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National Museum of Mexican Art

exhibit:

July 4 - September 17, 2008

A Declaration of Immigration is an exhibition that depicts many of the experiences and viewpoints within U.S. immigrant communities. The works of over 70 artists will help visitors increase their understanding of this complex issue by providing immigrant perspectives that are seldom included in the national debate. As a vital part of the democratic process, artists and community-based institutions play a critical role in any civic dialogue and struggle for social justice. Immigration is indisputably the foundation upon which this country was built. The National Museum of Mexican Art has a responsibility to take a proactive stance, and provide a platform from which many immigrants can speak out – especially at a time in our history, when once again, countless immigrants are being scapegoated and blamed for many of the nation’s
problems. This exhibition will launch the Museum’s three-year commitment to immigrant centered programs.

from the exhibition brochure