Process hijacked at Legislature: Sen. Ortman springs surprise Secure Communities homeland security immigration biometrics plan
UPDATE 5/19: MIRAc Calls Press Conference on State Capitol Steps Friday 12:30PM: NO More Deportations in Minnesota!
[Reprinted from Rich Neumeister's Open Secrets blog. TCIMC Collective member comment: Immigration advocates know Secure Communities is a dangerous Homeland Security program with weakening public support nationwide. Everyone else should realize the purpose is to collect biometrics on everyone. Plenty of spreading opposition & no surprise these unpopular programs have to get put in secretly: to avoid triggering opposition movements! Graphic by TCIMC]
By Rich Neumeister – As I stated in a previous posts, the last week or so at the Legislature the democratic process is compromised for sake of expediency, but sometimes it is done to keep discussion on a subject to a minimum. This happened today with an initiative by Senator Ortman.
The Omnibus Data Practices bill, SF 1143, was heard on the floor of the Senate today. As the bill goes through process, there are amendments. Sen Ortman offered an amendment that would have the State participate in the Department of Homeland Security, Secure Communities Program. The amendment was adopted. Some givens, the amendment was not introduced as a bill, sometimes a bill is introduced, but not given a hearing, therefore, legislators try to get the bill on a proposal that is on the passage of becoming law.
With the Ortman amendment not being introduced as a bill, people did not know about the possibility of this legislation. So today in the Senate, opportunity for her amendment. No public notice and no process for public input on the floor of the Senate.
When I found out that the amendment was adopted I was surprised. I know that there has been controversy on the Secure Communities program nationally. A number of national organizations have raised concerns and criticisms of the program. For example, the ACLU and American Immigration Council have position papers on the program. There papers are linked on the organizations names. Recently, there have been articles reporting criticism of the program in the media. Even the state of Illinois recently pulled out of the program.
I knew that the Secure Communities program has privacy and civil liberties issues. With it being on the Senate bill I knew more than likely the issue could have a full hearing when the bill got to a conference committee which may be in a day or so. This is done many times by legislators where an amendment is done in one body, but not in the other, and it is worked on in the conference committee. When the process is done this way, organizations and groups are given notice, and also made aware that in conference committee they will have an opportunity to be heard.
But, low and behold at approximately 9:30pm, I saw on tweets that there was going to be a surprise policy amendment on the Crime Conference bill. I said to myself, what could that be. I thought maybe the familial DNA, then it appeared on the twitter machine, the Secure Communities amendment.
The amendment was placed on the Crime conference bill without due diligence public notice, no opportunity for interested parties who oppose or critical to testify, and done in a way which the democratic ideals are made a mockery.
There should have been a proper opportunity for people who so wished to testify on this amendment to be heard.
Good legislation is made when both sides can be presented and be heard.
Comments
Dishonesty in passing unpopular bills.
This is how to pass unpopular bills without the consent of the people, or the officials elected by the people.
Just as in the Wisconsin budget bill that was passed in violation of open hearings policies, this is similar. The WI bill in which Walker said all along that it was necessary to remove union' s collective bargaining rights to address the budget shortfall, but, then, in order to do away with the union's rights by voting over the protests of Democrats, removed the budget concerns of the bill and thereby not needing a quorum, then under protest at the time it was occurring, with the Republicans rushing through the vote not allowing any debate, nor discussion, and violating the rules passed the bill. A very sneaky dishonest vote. That is how you pass unpopular legislation, just be disengenuous and vote against the people.
Hitler's Enabling Act was passed even though the Nazi Party historically were very much in the minority and could not muster the votes to pass it, so by circumventing the rules, being dishonest and outright carrying out a deception on many levels,passed a bill that became law, giving Hitler the ability to make laws by decree. He immediately abolished all political parties but the Nazi Party took over the education system, took over all media outlets, put people to work making armaments, thereby rearming Germany violating the Treaty of Versailles, stopped all reparations violating the Treaty of Versailles, set in motion a 7 million member Nazi youth movement, and began the rise and fall of Nazi Germany. The bitch of Nazi Germany is that it became strong with the consent of the people in many ways due to the promises by Hitler, which made the Nazi Party popular. The point is that there was a deception in passing unpopular bills. Under the noses of other legislators.
it hink it is very good.
it hink it is very good.