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    News Round-Up: Friday, May 24, 20013


    By: alexis.m@rockthevote.com
    May 24th, 2013

    A bridge collapses in Washington; North Korea expresses its desire for peace; the C.I.A. shifts focus back to spying; an earthquake shakes eastern Russia; IRS director Lois Lerner placed on administrative leave; a photograph of the skyline of Pittsburgh was posted on Anthony Weiner’s campaign site; four tourists were rescued from an iceberg in Iceland, and the Boy Scouts of America vote to allow gay members. Meanwhile, A&E series ‘Intervention’ is cancelled, and Amanda Bynes is arrested.

    Maura + Alexis

    CRUCIAL:

    Wash. I-5 Bridge Collapse Caused by Oversize Load, http://apne.ws/1afkcQS
    At 7 p.m. on Thursday a bridge between Seattle and Canada unexpectedly collapsed. The blame was placed on a tractor-trailer carrying a tall load that must have hit a section of the top of the bridge sending it crashing down into the Skagit River. Two vehicles were sent into the water as a result of the collapse, but the three occupants incurred only minor injuries.

    North Korea says will take ‘positive steps’ for peace, http://reut.rs/18mTmXK
    A North Korean envoy told China’s president on Friday that his country desired to ensure peace and stability on the Korean peninsula. The United States has intervened, insisting that North Korea begin denuclearization before the dialogue between North Korea and China continues. China also encourages North Korea to return to the six party talks process, which is aimed at denuclearization.

    C.I.A. to Focus More on Spying, a Difficult Shift, http://nyti.ms/10pjkYY
    President Obama spoke at the National Defense University in Washington Thursday discussing changes in the nation’s counterterrorism strategy. Obama outlined a new plan to take back some of the power the C.I.A. used to have in deciding whom to go after and ultimately whom to kill via drone strikes. While some drone activity will continue, director of the C.I.A, John O. Brennan, is now trying to shift the C.I.A.’s focus back to traditional spying and strategic analysis.

    Powerful earthquake strikes eastern Russia, http://usat.ly/12RzY37
    An earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 shook the ground in Russia’s Far East and even so far as Moscow in Russia Friday. The earthquake was reported by the U.S. Geological Survey as having a magnitude of 8.2. A tsunami warning was issued for Sakhalin and the Kuril islands but was lifted after a short period. The epicenter of the earthquake was traced back to the Sea of Okhotsk, just north of Japan.

    IRS Source: Lerner Placed On Administrative Leave, http://bit.ly/16Wu7ye
    The Internal Revenue Service’s Director of Exempt Organizations, Lois Lerner, has been placed on administrative leave. Lerner used her Fifth Amendment right and refused to answer questions at a House oversight-committee hearing Thursday stating only that she “did nothing wrong.”

    Anthony Weiner’s mayoral campaign website contains Pittsburgh skyline, http://nydn.us/1223hDf
    Just after announcing he will be running for mayor of New York, a photograph of Pittsburgh was posted on his campaign site, anthonyweiner.com. While some people missed the message, a host of Pittsburgh natives did not. After several bloggers and tweeters pointed out the mistake, the backdrop was quickly changed to a skyline including the empire state building.

    Tourists Rescued after Dining Out on Iceberg, http://bit.ly/YUANau
    Four tourists had to be rescued from an Iceberg in East Iceland Thursday afternoon after the piece of ice they were dining on broke away from the larger ice sheet and began to float away. One of the tourists managed to jump to shore before the iceberg drifted too far away and called 112, the emergency help number to send rescue teams for the others.

    Boy Scouts vote to allow gay members, http://usat.ly/197bsyu
    The Boy Scouts of America voted Thursday to allow gay members. More than 1,400 members of the organization’s national council voted on the issue. With 61% in favor of allowing homosexual members into the organization, the vote has revoked a 22-year-old ban on openly gay boy scouts.

    CULTURAL:

    ‘Intervention’ Canceled: A And E Series Ending After 243 Episodes, http://huff.to/12AZUhD

    Nicola Benedetti, The Violin Prodigy Who Outsold Bieber, Tells Us Why Popularity Matters, http://huff.to/14Z5xIl

    Summer Festival Guide: Outside Lands, Warped Tour, EDC And More, http://huff.to/13NQn6o

    Rolling Stone Gathers Library Fines, http://nyti.ms/10t2epK

    Amanda Bynes: The Troubling Events Leading Up to Her NYC Arrest, http://eonli.ne/19a5tss

    alexis.m@rockthevote.com
    Bio: My name is Alexis Macdermott and I will be starting my third year at Duke University this fall. I am currently pursuing a major in psychology and a minor in economics. I am a native of Southwest Florida and am an avid runner and film enthusiast. I look forward to joining the Marketing and Communications team for the summer here at RTV!

    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in News Round-Up | No Comments »

    News Round-Up: Thursday, May 23, 2013


    By: alexis.m@rockthevote.com
    May 23rd, 2013

    An 80-year-old Japanese man climbs Mount Everest; Obama sets restrictions on drone activity; a UK soldier is beheaded; Oklahoma officials report $2 billion in tornado damage; riots in Sweden continue; Real Bronx Tours stops “Ghetto” tours; Israeli archeologists seek funding to access large underwater structure; and conservative economists endorse immigration reform bill. Meanwhile, Blake Shelton launches a benefit concert for Oklahoma tornado victims, and Darius Rucker alludes to Hootie & the Blowfish reunion tour.

    Maura + Alexis

    CRUCIAL:

    Japanese Octogenarian Becomes Oldest Man to Reach Summit of Mount Everest, http://abcn.ws/11eKFOY
    At 80 years old, Japanese climber Yuichiro Miura reached the peak of Mount Everest. Thursday, Miura became the oldest man recorded to complete the daunting task. Along with a nine-person team, Miura climbed the mountain for the third and last time in his life. With four heart surgeries behind him, it is a tremendous feat that he could make it to the top yet again. In an interview Miura explains his motive for climbing Everest at 80 years old as “hoping to raise even an inch of human possibility.”

    Obama, in a Shift, to Limit Targets of Drone Strikes, http://nyti.ms/18kG3Hh
    President Obama discusses his plan to restrict the use of unmanned drone strikes and shift the control of them away from the C.I.A. and to the military. The Obama administration formally admitted for the first time that four American citizens have been killed in drone strikes outside of Afghanistan and Iraq. They disclosed that although American citizens had been killed, the actions taken had been in an effort to protect the safety of the United States. A new classified policy will impose the same standard for strikes on foreign enemies now only imposed on American citizens suspected to be terrorists.

    UK soldier ‘beheaded’ near barracks by ‘man who praised Allah after cleaver attack’, http://bit.ly/10MbpAl
    Two suspects have been shot after brutally hacking a soldier to death in south east London, 200 yards from an army barracks. According to witnesses, two men approached the victim with a machete and a meat cleaver and beheaded him on the spot. When police arrived the two men started to attack the officers and were shot in the process. The murder is presumed to be terror-related.

    Okla. Tornado Damage: Thousands of Homes, $1.5-$2B, http://bit.ly/18kL5Uo
    Destroying more than 13,000 homes, several schools, and a hospital, the tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma has produced approximately $2 billion in damage. The twister ran for 17 miles and 40 minutes with winds of around 200 mph on Monday killing 24 people, 10 of them children. Officials gave first detailed account of the disaster Wednesday.

    Swedish riots rage for fourth night, http://bit.ly/1aamsbS
    Youth unemployment and poverty has sparked unrest in Stockholm suburbs in Sweden. A restaurant was burnt to the ground and over 30 cars have been lit on fire just outside the capital on Wednesday. Five people have been arrested for attempted arson, yet hundreds of rioters continue to spread the violence.

    Bronx ‘Ghetto’ Tours Stop Amid Residents’ Outrage, http://bit.ly/10Vr4OV
    A sightseer tour company in New York stops running bus tours in response to protests. Real Bronx Tours, famous for taking mostly European tourists to see the “ghetto” of the South Bronx has reported that they are immediately closing all tour trips to the South Bronx due to Bronx residents’ outrage. Residents say that the tour company portrays the borough in an extremely negative light when in fact, the Bronx is being rebuilt and is on the rise. On Monday, Borough President Ruben Dias Jr. and City Councilwoman Melissa Mark-Viverito sent a letter to the owner of Real Bronx Tours sharing that they were “sickened” the borough was being portrayed in such a way to outsiders.

    Submerged Structure Stumps Israeli Archeologists, http://bit.ly/187vGct
    A massive structure weighing hundreds of tons was discovered in the biblical Sea of Galilee in a sonar scan in 2003 and still begs to be explored. Dani Nadel, an archaeologist at the University of Haifa says “We only know it is there, it is huge and it is unusual.” Teams of archeologists are trying to raise the funds necessary to access the 70-meter-wide structure of stones.

    Conservative economists endorse immigration reform bill, http://lat.ms/120emVx
    Over 100 conservative economists claim immigration reform will prove beneficial to the economic health of the U.S. Through “population growth, labor force growth, housing, and other markets,” it is speculated that the positive impacts of immigration reform are abundant and that they all lead to economic growth in the long-run. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum, looks forward to seeing the federal budget reap the benefits of this positive change.

    CULTURAL:

    HOME SWEET HOME: Catherine Zeta-Jones returns home to normal life after completing treatment for bipolar disorder,http://nydn.us/ayRYXr

    Blake Shelton to launch benefit concert for victims of Oklahoma tornado, http://nydn.us/10Mogmd

    Bono attends daughter Eve Hewson’s NYU graduation at Yankee Stadium, http://nydn.us/16Qe4SI

    Hootie & The Blowfish Reunion Tour: Band Could Commemorate 20th Anniversary Of ‘Cracked Rear View,’ Says Darius Rucker, http://huff.to/10ni2xD

    alexis.m@rockthevote.com
    Bio: My name is Alexis Macdermott and I will be starting my third year at Duke University this fall. I am currently pursuing a major in psychology and a minor in economics. I am a native of Southwest Florida and am an avid runner and film enthusiast. I look forward to joining the Marketing and Communications team for the summer here at RTV!

    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

    Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
    Posted in News Round-Up | No Comments »

    Immigration Reform


    By: alexis.m@rockthevote.com
    May 23rd, 2013

    Almost everyone in Congress agrees that what we are doing now with respect to immigration policy is not enough.  Despite this, conservatives and liberals alike are having a tough time compromising on a comprehensive plan. Do we expand opportunities for immigration? If so, by how much? The “Gang of Eight,” seems to be working on a comprehensive plan quite effectively. The “Gang of Eight” is a group of eight Senators, some Democrats, and some Republicans, who are responding to the rising Hispanic and immigrant population by working to create reform for an issue that affects a large majority of them. Not to mention, In 2012, we saw a huge increase in Hispanic voters, causing Republicans and Democrats to agree that immigration reform is a top priority issue for a voting bloc that both parties are eager to capture.

    Among the Gang of Eight’s plan is a requirement that immigrants can only gain citizenship after paying taxes for the years they lived in the U.S. illegally.  Their bill proposal also includes defense for guest workers, allowing immigrants to temporarily reside and work in the U.S. While conservatives are interested in making immigration legislation business friendly, allowing them to hire up to 400,000 lower-skilled workers, which would double the current 200,000-worker cap that businesses have. On the other hand, Democrats are interested in supporting pro-labor amendments to the bill. For example, they support banning companies from hiring workers in certain regions of the country where there is a jobless rate of more than 7.5 percent. Furthermore, the Gang of Eight does not support legislation that would expand the fence on the U.S./Mexican border. Rather, they’ve suggested a more efficient strategy that would keep undocumented immigrants out, which includes strengthening forces along the U.S. Mexican border while working with the infrastructure we already have.

    In an effort to compromise and ultimately get the Gang of Eight’s bill passed, Senate Judiciary Committee leader Patrick Leahy (D-Vt) agreed to withhold his amendment to the immigration bill that would allow gay Americans to sponsor their foreign-born spouses for green cards. Although Leahy made waves among the gay community, Republican Senators said they would not support the bill if the amendment were to be included.

    After much deliberation, The Senate Judiciary Committee has approved the immigration bill proposed by the Gang of Eight. The bill was passed by a 13-5 vote Tuesday night. After the announcement was made, immigration activists sitting in on the proceedings exclaimed, “Yes, we can! Si, se puede,” a campaign cry from Obama’s first campaign for President in 2008. Along with allowing citizenship for 11.5 million immigrants, the new legislation provides funding for a program that will permit workers into the country as “guest workers” on temporary visas at a much higher rate than at present.

    The bill will now be passed on to the full Senate to be voted on. If it is passed through the Senate the House will vote on it next. This is where things get a little tricky. The House can either vote on the bill that was just passed through the Senate Judiciary Committee, keep it exactly as written and make it a law (this is unlikely due to the Republican majority in the House), or the House can vote on a series of smaller bills and then reconcile them with the Senate bill, which is more likely. The latter allows Democrats to vote for things like the DREAM Act and Republicans to vote against things like easy pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. While these smaller bills are being decided on, the larger enforcement pieces, those involving keeping our borders safe and preventing immigrants from entering or remaining in the U.S. without proper visas, will most likely remain in tact.

    -Alexis

    alexis.m@rockthevote.com
    Bio: My name is Alexis Macdermott and I will be starting my third year at Duke University this fall. I am currently pursuing a major in psychology and a minor in economics. I am a native of Southwest Florida and am an avid runner and film enthusiast. I look forward to joining the Marketing and Communications team for the summer here at RTV!

    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

    Tags: , ,
    Posted in immigration | No Comments »

    An Important Update on Immigration Reform


    By: Rock the Vote
    May 22nd, 2013

    The Gang of Eight, a group of eight bi-partisan Senators, have decidedto come together and work on a comprehensive plan for immigration reform. This bi-partisan effort is in response to the rising immigrant population in our country. In November 2012, Hispanics and other immigrant groups turned out in huge numbers to the polls. This spike in turnout encouraged Republicans and Democrats to realize that immigration reform is a top priority issue for this particular voting bloc, which both parties are eager to capture.

    After much deliberation (there were 200+ amendments to review), the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the Gang of Eight’s immigration bill by a 13-5 vote Tuesday night. The legislation creates more opportunities for 11.5 million immigrants to gain citizenship. It also provides funding for a program that will permit workers to act as “guest workers,” giving them temporary visas at a much higher rate than the government does now.

    In an effort to pass the Gang of Eight’s bill, Senate Judiciary Committee leader Patrick Leahy (D-VT) relented to withhold his amendment that would allow gay Americans to sponsor their foreign-born spouses for green cards. Although Leahy’s amendment had support from many of his fellow Democrats, Republican Senators said they would not support the bill if the amendment were included.

    The Gang of Eight’s bill will now go to the Senate where it will be voted on. If it passes through the Senate, then the House will vote on it next. This is where things get a little tricky. The House can either vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee’s bill, keeping it exactly as written, or it can vote on a series of smaller bills and then reconcile them with the Senate bill. The latter is more likely given the Republican majority in the House, and that the current bill has more Democratic support than Republican.

    Voting on smaller bills would also allow Democrats to vote on expanding the DREAM Act, and Republicans to vote against amendments that create easier pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. While these potential smaller bills are being decided on, the larger enforcement pieces (amendments like keeping our borders enforced) would most likely remain in tact.

    All eyes are now on the Senate to see how they vote on the bill. We’ll keep you posted as the legislation moves through Congress.

    Rock the Vote
    Bio: Rock the Vote was founded in 1990 to organize artists and fight against censorship of musicians. Since then we've evolved to focus on empowering young people to get involved in the political process. We use pop culture, peer-to-peer organizing, and the latest technology to raise visibility of politics and demystify the process of registering to vote.
    @rockthevote
    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

    Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

    News Round-Up: Wednesday, May 22, 2013


    By: alexis.m@rockthevote.com
    May 22nd, 2013

    The mayor of Moore, OK demands new laws to keep citizens safe; an FBI agent shoots an associate of one of the Boston bombing suspects; Anthony Weiner announces his candidacy for the mayor of New York City; Eric Garcetti wins the LA mayoral race; kidnapped Egyptian soldiers return home; and a lesbian couple is banned from living together in Texas. Meanwhile, Kellie Pickler wins Dancing with the Stars, and David Spade donates to the Red Cross for Oklahoma disaster relief.

    Caitlin + Alexis

    CRUCIAL:

    Mayor of tornado-ravaged town: New law needed to keep people safe, http://bit.ly/193xnGw
    Glenn Lewis, the mayor of Moore, Oklahoma, is pushing for a law that would require storm shelters or “safe rooms” in new homes. With at least 24 dead from a two-mile wide tornado, Lewis insists new measures be taken to keep people safe. Nine children were killed by the tornado after they were trapped inside Plaza Towers Elementary School. The devastating EF5 tornado that hitMonday is one of the strongest tornadoes ever measured in the U.S..

    Man with ties to Boston bombing suspect shot during FBI questioning, http://nbcnews.to/1a5WHJK
    An FBI agent shot and killed a man associated with Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Ibragim Todashev pulled a knife on the agent during questioning in Florida. Todashev confessed to the agent that he had been involved in a triple murder in Waltham, Mass. in 2011, but claimed to not be involved with the Boston bombings. When asked to sign a written statement regarding his confession, he pulled a knife on the FBI agent, who, out of self defense, shot and killed Todashev.

    Weiner Announces Candidacy for Mayor in Video, http://nyti.ms/1a5iS2O
    Anthony D. Weiner announced Wednesday that he will be running for mayor of New York City. Weiner resigned his Senate post when it surfaced that he sent a picture of his crotch to a female Twitter follower. He is now trying to make a comeback in New York politics. Weiner admits he “made some big mistakes” and “let a lot of people down,” but that he has also “learned some tough lessons.” His announcement Wednesday was made in a video on YouTube.

    Garcetti, Greuel locked in tight battle for L.A. mayor’s post, http://lat.ms/13HcwD8
    Eric Garcetti defeated Wendy Greuel in yesterday’s L.A. mayoral election. Garcetti, who will be the city’s first Jewish mayor, will takeover current mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s seat on June 30, 2013. Garcetti spent $33 million in his race to become mayor, making his campaign the most expensive in city history.

    Egyptian security men abducted in Sinai freed, http://aje.me/18gXFUt
    Six Egyptian policemen and a border guard, who were abducted on the Sinai peninsula last week, have been released. President Mohamed Morsi and the  Egyptian army welcomed them home to Cairo today. The seven soldiers were released in the desert south of Rafah near the Israeli border.

    Senate Judiciary panel passes immigration bill, http://politi.co/10hWHpb
    After five long days of deliberation, the Senate Judiciary Committee finally approved the Gang of Eight’s proposed immigration bill Tuesday night. The approved bill will create more opportunities for citizenship to over 11 undocumented immigrants. It will also invest billions in new border security. The bill will appear on the Senate floor in early June, and if is passes through the full Senate, it will move on to the House.

    CULTURAL:

    Kellie Pickler Wins Dancing With the Stars: My Husband Cried!, http://usm.ag/YZzqaL

    Jennifer Aniston Sounds Off on Possible FriendsReunion: “We Miss Each Other”, http://eonli.ne/14R2mCC

    David Spade Donates $200,000 to Red Cross for Oklahoma Tornado Relief Efforts, http://eonli.ne/192XeP0

    Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott in “Nesting Mode” as She Awaits Baby, http://eonli.ne/192YS39

    Ken Jeong’s ‘Hangover’ Pay: $5 Million, http://huff.to/16OWy14

    alexis.m@rockthevote.com
    Bio: My name is Alexis Macdermott and I will be starting my third year at Duke University this fall. I am currently pursuing a major in psychology and a minor in economics. I am a native of Southwest Florida and am an avid runner and film enthusiast. I look forward to joining the Marketing and Communications team for the summer here at RTV!

    Email the author at: blog(at)rockthevote.com

    Tags: , , , , , , ,
    Posted in News Round-Up | 2 Comments »

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