A culture is far deeper than politics. It’s a national identity encompassing history, education, arts and entertainment, science, health, relationships … everything constituting the core values of any country.
Individualism has traditionally been the common denominator anchoring all other aspects of America’s cultural distinctiveness. Valuing sovereignty of the individual makes American culture exceptional; therefore, “Cancel Culture” warrants attention.
Nearly every spring, shelters begin hiring additional personnel to care for unaccompanied migrant children who begin crossing the U.S. Mexico border due to friendly weather. This year, the annual trek of migrant children turned into a tsunami as a result of the Biden administration’s decision to end the Trump administration’s “Remain-in-Mexico” policy.
REMAIN-IN-MEXICO (MPP)
On January 25, 2019, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the implementation of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), also known as the “Remain in Mexico” program. The policy allows U.S. Border Patrol to return non-Mexican asylum seekers to Mexico as their claims are adjudicated in US immigration courts.
Although Governor Doug Ducey and others have called the mass migration a crisis, for those who operate the shelters, it is cash flow.
For Arizona’s still-displaced service industry employees, the shelters are offering much needed well-paying jobs.
For example, Southwest Key is hiring for multiple positions including Teacher, Teacher’s Assistant, Youth Care Worker, Assistant Case Manager, Case Manager, Medical Coordinator, Case Aide, and Shift Leader.
Currently, Southwest Key operates a total of eight facilities for Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) in Youngtown, Glendale, Phoenix, Mesa, and Tucson.
Since 2015, Southwest Key has “unified more than 100,000 immigrant children with sponsors or families,” according to the company’s website. This year, the shelters are expected to house a record number of UACs.
Southwest Key is not the only shelter or other UAC service provider hiring. MVM Inc., which provides “secure transportation for vulnerable populations” is hiring in the Phoenix area. The International Rescue Committee and other traditional refugee service providers are hiring as well.
Southwest Key’s UAC shelters are part of a federal shelter system that was created as a result of the 1997 Flores Settlement Agreement. The agreement mandates the release of UACs from Border Patrol custody within 72 hours. The UACs are then transferred into the custody of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement, which contracts with organizations like Southwest Key.
The high number of UACs arriving at this time has made it nearly impossible for the overwhelmed officers to meet the 72-hour transfer deadline.
Early this month, Democrats pushed through President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion pork barrel COVID-19 bill with only Democratic support. Then, House Democrats passed H.R. 1, the so-called “For the People Act,” in a totally partisan 234—193 vote.
There is a reason you are seeing all these party line votes. It is because the Democratic Party is not operating as individuals representing distinct districts of Americans. The Democratic Party is operating as a machine—a machine designed to drive a single agenda and impose it nationwide.
In vote after vote, we are watching Democrats, many of whom represent politically mixed, diverse districts and states, falling in line to vote for whatever Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer tell them to—with no regard for what the people they represent back home want. No Democratic Senator or House member seems to care or question what is in these bills. They are simply doing what they are told.
An amendment offered by State Rep. Shawnna LM Bolick that would delay the state income tax return filing deadline will be considered by the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday, March 24.
Bolick says her amendment to SB 1297 will provide uniformity with federal tax filing deadlines.
The Internal Revenue Service announced this week it has postponed this year’s April 15 deadline for filing federal income tax returns to May 17, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and recent changes in tax law. Arizona’s current state tax deadline is April 15.
“Arizonans should not be rushed to files their state taxes while they still have time to file their federal taxes,” said Bolick in a press release. “Arizona income tax filings are often dependent on the federal adjusted gross income – a figure only determined once you file your federal taxes. So, having the state deadline fall prior to the federal deadline doesn’t make a whole lot of sense and would only be cumbersome for state filers. Which is why I introduced language to postpone Arizona’s filing deadline for this year to mirror what the federal
deadline.”
Championed by the left as a win for the people, the Democrat COVID “relief” plan is little more than a blue state bailout with handouts to special interests and expansion of progressive policies. As if the billions of taxpayer dollars being funneled away wasn’t enough, Schumer snuck a provision into the package that would prohibit states from cutting taxes and providing relief to their taxpayers. Not just this year, but through 2024.
Yes, that means that in addition to only a dismal fraction of the “relief” going directly to taxpayers, further relief through state tax cuts would be barred.
It’s a simple principle: good behavior ought to be rewarded, and bad behavior punished. Yet the Democrat’s blue state bailout does the exact opposite, extracting billions from states that budgeted responsibly and mitigated economic shutdowns while rewarding blue states whose budget shortfalls are of their own making – stemming from bad policies pre-pandemic and even worse during the pandemic.