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April 15, 2004

Daily newsbrief journal for April 2004, also see http://www.usdemocrats.com/brief for a global 100-page perpetual brief and follow twitter @usdemocrats


April 15, 2004

Postby admin » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:56 am

April 15, 2004

Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa submits a report on the constitutional development to NPC, asking Beijing's permission to reform the way HK's legislature and the top leadership are chosen in 2007 and 2008.

Voting begins in South Korean parliamentary elections.

Three planets are discovered via gravitational microlensing orbiting stars many light years away, including one that is more than three times farther away than the previous record holder.

Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, reacting to the United States President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon summit, states Palestinian will never give up their struggle for an independent homeland, never abandon the claims of their refugees, nor make more territorial concessions. He states that Jerusalem will be its capital. Sharon, who wants to withdraw Israel from the Gaza Strip, faces opposition to his withdrawal plan.

Three Japanese civilians taken hostage in Iraq are released unharmed after one week in captivity.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reiterates a call for arms inspectors to return to Iraq.

An audio tape, purportedly made by Osama bin Laden, is broadcast by Al-Arabiya.

A further 2000 pro-democracy demonstrators are arrested in Nepal; all but 22 are later released.
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Re: April 15, 2004

Postby admin » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:56 am

La Última Palabra!« Thread Started on Apr 15, 2004, 1:50am »--------------------------------------------------------------------------------La Última Palabra!"I do believe it was a hateful campaign aimed primarily at Mexican immigrants who are just looking for decent work." Donna Stenitzer, Wheaton, IL, voter talking about the campaign ran by U.S. Senate Republican candidate Jim Oberweis. Oberweis lost the Republican primary and is now out of the race. [Chicago Tribune, 03/25/04]"In short, the GOP Hispanic strategy is in a shambles. Their seemingly clever strategy of targeting Hispanic voters has run into a fairly major problem: the current Republican party has little to offer an overwhelmingly working-class, immigrant-based, minority population such as Hispanics. "We're socially conservative, too" or "some of us speak Spanish" apparently doesn't cut it with a group whose real-life needs call for more government action, not less." - [Hispanic Vista, 3/24/04]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------"There are those who suggest the Republicans are cynical in their efforts to broaden the base to minorities. 'It's really all about white swing voters, and that's what is so offensive to me,' says Faye Anderson, a former vice chair of the RNC's minority outreach committee. 'Republicans have a race problem. The white swing voters will not support a party that appears harsh, so they use black and brown faces to appeal to white voters, not to take care of those [minority] voters.'" [Washington Post, 4/4/2004]
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Re: April 15, 2004

Postby admin » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:57 am

Why I'm a Democrat…« Thread Started on Apr 15, 2004, 1:49am »--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Why I'm a Democrat…"As a child I was taught to value family, education, and diversity. I was taught that every person, despite their race, gender, or religion mattered; I was taught that my views mattered. I am a Democrat because I strongly believe these values are at the core of the Democratic Party." -Cristina Villarreal, Chicago, IL--------------------------------------------------------------------------------"The Democratic Party represents the very ideals that brought my family here to America. Those ideals include: a strong public education system, support for quality healthcare for all, and the belief that immigrants are the backbone of this country and not a burden."-- Lina Garcia, El Paso, TX
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Re: April 15, 2004

Postby admin » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:57 am

Spotlight on the States: Vamos todos a Florida!« Thread Started on Apr 15, 2004, 1:56am »--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Spotlight on the States: Vamos todos a Florida!The Hispanic Leadership Summit in Orlando, Florida will bring together Latino leaders from throughout the nation to provide strategic guidance and advice to the Democratic Presidential campaign on how best to communicate with our nation's growing and influential Hispanic electorate. The Summit will also identify leadership and the state and local level and discuss the role they can play in taking back the White House and ensuring a President who will implement pro-Hispanic policies.The Summit takes place May 14-16.http://mailer.democrats.org/rdr/002PU001uG00052Click above to register.
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Re: April 15, 2004

Postby admin » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:57 am

Making a Difference for Latino Students Locally and Nationally « Thread Started on Apr 15, 2004, 1:55am »--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Making a Difference for Latino Students Locally and NationallySusan Castillo became Oregon's first Hispanic woman elected to statewide office in 2002. As Superintendent of Public Instruction she oversees more than half a million students and has pledged to develop a solid and sustainable program for funding schools, close the achievement gap between students, and improve efficiency at the Department of Education.Castillo has become a strong advocate for underserved children both in her home state and nationally after being in office for only a few months. She has been an outspoken critic of President Bush's often touted but under-funded No Child Left Behind Act. Along with Senator Ron Wyden, Castillo is currently proposing a five-point plan that would give this legislation the necessary tools to address how schools are failing our students. Their recommendations include improving fairness in student testing and school ratings, boosting teacher recruitment and retention, improving parental involvement, and recognizing the challenges faced by rural schools.
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Re: April 15, 2004

Postby admin » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:58 am

Low Income Taxpayers to Find Relief Thanks to Rep. Xavier BecerraCongressman Xavier Becerra (CA-31), the first Latino to serve on the powerful House Committee on Ways and Means, recently introduced "The Low-Income Taxpayer Protection Act of 2004", a proposal aimed at assisting low income taxpayers in preparing and filing their tax returns and protecting them from unscrupulous refund anticipation loan (RAL) providers. RAL providers offer immediately available high interest loans to taxpayers secured by their anticipated tax refunds — with annualized interest rates ranging from 97 to 2,000 percent.According to a report prepared by the Consumer Federation of America and the National Consumer Law Center entitled "All Drain, No Gain," RAL fees cost consumers approximately $1.14 billion in 2002, up nearly $200 million from the year before. Additional fees for electronic filing, "document preparation," and "applications" added another $406 million to the total. Families who can afford it the least are suffering a $1.5 billion drain on their tax refunds. Congressman Becerra's proposal will protect low-income taxpayers from these abuses.
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Re: April 15, 2004

Postby admin » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:58 am

No Economic Progress for Hispanics Under Bush« Thread Started on Apr 15, 2004, 1:54am »--------------------------------------------------------------------------------No Economic Progress for Hispanics Under BushThe monthly unemployment figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirm that Hispanics are not seeing any progress under the Bush administration. The unemployment rate for Hispanics stood at 7.4 percent in March, but 25,000 more Hispanics became unemployed, bringing the total Hispanics without a job to 1.4 million. This means that in the first quarter of this year, more than 164,000 Hispanics have joined the ranks of the unemployed.While more Hispanic families go to bed wondering where their next meal is coming from, Republicans in the Senate still refuse to vote to extend unemployment insurance for workers who have lost their jobs, or increase the minimum wage for those who are lucky enough to have one.
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Re: April 15, 2004

Postby admin » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:58 am

Hispanic Community Sets Record Straight on Bush Broken Promises« Thread Started on Apr 15, 2004, 1:52am »--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hispanic Leaders Set the Record Straight on Bush Broken PromisesOn the eve of a scarcely attended Florida rally in which Jeb Bush kicked off the Bush-Cheney Hispanic steering committee, national Hispanic leaders supporting John Kerry's candidacy for President held a conference call to tell the true story about George W. Bush's broken promises to the Hispanic community.Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros, Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Florida Representative Bob Henriquez, Los Angeles City Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa, and DNC Hispanic Outreach Director Nelson Reyneri highlighted John Kerry's record of standing with Latinos on the issues that matter to working families, from rebuilding America's economy to expanding access to affordable health care and improving public schools."Republicans frankly can kick off any effort they want, but they are a long way off on the issues," said Cisneros.No Economic Progress for Hispanics Under BushThe monthly unemployment figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics confirm that Hispanics are not seeing any progress under the Bush administration. The unemployment rate for Hispanics stood at 7.4 percent in March, but 25,000 more Hispanics became unemployed, bringing the total Hispanics without a job to 1.4 million. This means that in the first quarter of this year, more than 164,000 Hispanics have joined the ranks of the unemployed.While more Hispanic families go to bed wondering where their next meal is coming from, Republicans in the Senate still refuse to vote to extend unemployment insurance for workers who have lost their jobs, or increase the minimum wage for those who are lucky enough to have one.
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Re: April 15, 2004

Postby admin » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:58 am

Kerry Holds Wide Lead Among Hispanic Voters« Thread Started on Apr 15, 2004, 1:51am »--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Kerry Holds Wide Lead Among Hispanic VotersDemocratic Presidential candidate John Kerry holds a 25-point lead over President Bush among Hispanic voters, according to a new national poll conducted by The Miami Herald and Zogby International. After three years of broken promises and empty rhetoric, George W. Bush continues to lose ground among Hispanic voters, who are disappointed with his lack of leadership.Some highlights from the poll:58 percent of Hispanic voters said they would vote for Senator Kerry while only 33 percent said they support President Bush. 62 percent of Hispanics expressed it is time for "someone new" in the White House. More than half of Hispanic voters believe that the country is heading in the wrong direction. When it comes to the U.S. policy toward Latin America, an issue that is a top priority for 90 percent of Hispanic voters, only one in three thinks that Bush is doing a "good" or "excellent" job.
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Re: April 15, 2004

Postby admin » Thu Jan 26, 2012 6:59 am

State Spotlight: North Carolina« Thread Started on Apr 15, 2004, 1:48am »--------------------------------------------------------------------------------State Spotlight: North CarolinaThe Hispanic population in the southern states is rapidly approaching 13,000,000 -- kudos to North Carolina Dems, who at the forefront of organizing the Latino community. Last month the Hispanic Democrats of North Carolina (HDNC) hosted the first South Eastern Hispanic Democrats Conference in Durham, N.C. Activists from six states, including SC, VA, NC, Al, NM and CO responded to the invitation that HDNC sent out. The sessions included trainings on how to form local and state Hispanic Democratic chapters and discussions on how to build coalitions and partnerships at the local and national level. More than 100 participants also worked on developing an organizational strategy and message to attract more Hispanic Americans, both native and foreign born, to the Democratic Party and on how better to address the issues that directly affect the Hispanic community in the southern states. This historic gathering is part of the national Democratic efforts to strengthen and continue developing our relationship with Hispanic voters.
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