With deep regret, I am resigning from my role as an advisor the Obama campaign effective today... Last Monday, I made inexcusable remarks that are at marked variance from my oft-stated admiration for Senator Clinton and from the spirit, tenor, and purpose of the Obama campaign. And I extend my deepest apologies to Senator Clinton, Senator Obama, and the remarkable team I have worked with over these long 14 months.

- Samantha Power upon resigning from the Obama campaign.

I am stepping down from your finance committee so I can speak for myself and you can continue to speak for yourself about what is at stake in this campaign ... The Obama campaign is attacking me to hurt you. I won't let that happen.

- Geraldine Ferraro upon resigning from the Clinton campaign.

What else is there to say.

My first contact with the Programmer's Guild was at the bottom point of the dotcom bust.

I was in the midst of a long and frustrating job search at a time when many talented programmers were looking for work. An email, mass mailed to a networking group I was a part of, was aimed at recruiting people who just might to use "foreigners" as a scapegoat for the frustration of unemployment.

I was troubled by the tone of the email-- that foreigners (in this case Indians) were the cause of all of the problems and that we Americans should join together to oppose "them". I particularly didn't think attacks on fellow workers was appropriate in a group whose purpose was for people to support each other.

Instead of joining in and attacking foreigners, I decided to be productive. I retooled my career-- learning new skills and making new contacts. Since then I have been able to increase my salary to a bit higher than 50% more than its highest point during the dotcom boom.

I now work in a good job with coworkers from America and from England, India and China who I respect and enjoy working with.

Yet the Programmers Guild is still using an angry anti-foreigner message to rally programmers against the great foreign menace.

The problems I have with the Programmers Guild are below the fold.

The Trancredo/Shuler bill, also called the "SAVE Act" was introduced today and is the new hope of the right wing anti-immigrant forces.

I just read it, and it is as bad as one could expect.

As expected it makes the flawed assumption that harsh law enforcement aimed at a targeted group of people will make them simply disappear.

This bill also lacks any indication that undocumented immigrants should be treated as human beings... there is no family reunification, no relief for kids who spent their whole lives here.

Cruelty has always failed as a social policy... and this bill is more evil than most.

Let's look at how bad it can be...

The latest round of "oh.. no the Democrats are going to lose" posts and diaries have been about immigration, particularly Hillary's comments on drivers licenses.

No need to worry, the Democrats are still doing fine and polls are still showing that their positions are correct, even on the immigration issue.

Let's take a deep breath... and think about this rationally below the fold.

There is a big difference between H1-B visas and green cards.

The H1-B visa program is a temporary visa. People come to work for a limited time with no plan to put down roots in the US. People with H1-B visas are easier to exploit than other workers because they depend on their employer to stay in the country. This means that employers have a lot of power over H1-B holders.

In contrast, a green card bestows rights as a permanent resident. People with green cards plan to stay permanently in the US. They have almost all of the rights that citizens have. This means they can't be exploited as they can complain, or find a better job.

H1-B visas are not good for American workers. Immigrants with green cards are good for American workers.

There is a very simply principle here: Giving any group of workers more rights helps all workers.

This is why most progressive groups and labor organizations support green cards.

"Birthright Citizenship" is a strange term.

Two babies, born in the same hospital, are born as equals. They have the same rights. They will be offered the same education and have the same access to education. When they become adults they will have equal ability to vote and to work.

Some people would prefer it if one baby were born with all of the rights and privilege of a citizen, while the other is fated to a life of no rights or privileges. One of these babies will be unable to vote and will not have the protections of working legally. Even though she succeeds in her education and is indistinguishable from her peers, they would have her live with the fear of being kicked out to a country she has never known.

Which of these is an example of "birthright"?

The difference between these two babies is whether their parents are privileged. And yes, American citizens are privileged.

The Dream Act is great for the children of undocumented immigrants and great for America.

The idea is simple. Undocumented immigrants who came with their parents as young children have lived most of their lives in the United States. They are culturaly American (they haven't lived anywhere else). They are undocumented immigrants even though they haven't comitted any crimes.

Many of these kids have done well in high school but are now stuck in a difficult situation. They can't legally work, there are barriers (particularly financial) to college. But, these kids have the potiential to be productive citizesn.

Putting these kids on a path to citizenship is a perfectally reasonable idea.

I don't understand the cheering.

I was ambivalent about the latest Senate bill for reasons I will explain below. But I am not ambivalent about the fact that the failure to reach a compromise is the worst possible outcome.

The failure of compromise solution on immigration is not good for the country. It simply means two more years of the status quo. And a good status quo it is not.

I am suprised and upset by the hostility coming from one side of the immigration debate here. Harsh personal attacks on fellow progressive democrats seem unecessary. I am not against a heated debate, but can we stay on issues?

I just got back from a community meeting concerning the ICE raids that happened in New Bedford, Massachusetts this week. These raids are shocking because they happen just as Congress is about to debate a compassionate immigration reform. This raid was also tragic because it targeted a workplace that mainly employed women which put hundreds of children at risk.

I would like to personally ask for your help.