Obama raises record funds for election

Despite several national polls indicating that Senator Hillary Clinton is ahead in the opinion of registered Democratic voters for the 2008 Democratic presidential nominee, it is her fellow candidate, Senator Barack Obama, who is winning the campaign fundraising race. Last week, Obama reported raising at least $32.5 million for his presidential campaign for the quarter April to June. This is a record for a Democratic candidate, and is in addition to $25.7 million he raised in the first quarter of this year. The prior record for a quarter’s fundraising was held by Clinton who raised $26 million during January to March.

The record for the most raised by any presidential candidate in a quarter is held by Republican George W. Bush who raised $35.1 million for the April through June periodin 2003.

Aides for Hillary Clinton said she is expected to raise approximately $27 million for the April to June quarter.

Of the amount raised by Obama for the quarter, $31 million is to be spent on the primary contests, and the balance for the general election if he is nominated, as candidates can only use general elections money if they are nominated. This means that, to date, Obama is in a strong position to spend liberally on the campaign to win the primaries, placing him as a very serious contender for the presidential nominations.

The State Department has agreed to refund the additional fee of $60 paid by applicants for swift expedition of their applications for a U.S. Passport. The normal fee to obtain a U.S. passport is $97, but thousands of applicants urged by the requirement to return to the U.S, from trips by air from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean with a U.S. passport, and who had imminent air travel plans, paid an extra $60 to have their passport process expedited.

But this proved to be more theory than fact, as despite paying the extra fee the passport offices all over the country experienced massive backlogs in processing applications, causing several applicants to be disappointed in receiving their passports within the expected time.

Last week, the government announced the requirement for travelers to return to the country with passports until September, as long as travelers to the countries mentioned carried a printed receipt of the passport application.

The refunds were supported by Democratic Senator Charles Schumer of New York, who said that it was an outrage to expect people to pay over $150 for a passport and still have their family plans ruined because they never got the passport. He also said that more should be done to publicize the refunds. The State Department says passport applicants who paid for expedited passports but did not get them should send a written refund application, with passport number, if available, their name, date and place of birth, the approximate date of application, a mailing address and a phone number, to the agency’s refund office in Washington.

Immigration Bill to return to Senate

Despite being taken off of the agenda a few weeks ago, the stalled immigration bill could be replaced on the Senate’s agenda this week. On his return from his recent European trip President George W. Bush immediately began intense negotiations to have the debate on immigration reform bill, one of his top priorities, revived. In making his appeal to the Senate to re-start the debates, Bush also used the opportunity to reach out to conservatives with a plan for an immediate $4.4 billion investment in border security and enforcement.

In response to Bush’s appeal Senate Majority Leader, Democrat Harry Reid of Nevada and Senate Minority Leader, Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, in a joint announcement said the immigration bill will return to the floor, but did give an actual date. However, Reid reportedly said he would bring the bill up for debate again only if Bush could rally more Republican support.

Sponsors of the bill have expressed optimism that a final vote could be made prior to the July 4 recess. But, indications of what this vote will be is not clear, as even if the debate restarts soon, there are still major differences between Republican and Democratic senators on key provisions of the bill.

There is a strong opinion that Bush’s plan for the $4.4 billion border security funding will hearten his allies and could sway some of his opponents on the bill. On the other hand, some believe those opposed to the bill are so adamant that this would not alter their determination to defeat the bill, especially as the president is determined that the bill should legalize undocumented workers.

Higher immigration fees effective July 30

While undocumented immigrants in Florida, and across the U.S. anxiously await the outcome of a keenly fought immigration debate in the U.S. Congress, a previously announcement of increases in various immigration fees will be effective on July 30. The increases, listed below, are intended to double the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services revenue budget is aimed at making the department more efficient, speeding up the process of various immigration applications.

The USCIS has every fee charged by it for immigration and naturalization services, some of which are substantial and are bound to create financial difficulties for applicants. The increases include:

• Citizenship application: $330 to $675 (except for military personnel).
• Legal permanent resident status: $325 to $1,015, including cost of finger print. Parents applying for children under 14 – to pay $600; applicants 70 and over to pay $930.
• Work permits: From $180 to $340.

While St. Lucia Prime Minister Sir John Compton is being treated in a New York hospital for an alleged stroke, the ruling United Workers Party (UWP) is beginning the task of identifying a new leader in the event that ailing prime minister does not return to the helm of government, acting Prime Minister Stephenson King has revealed.

King told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that while it was hoped that Sir John would return to lead the five-month old administration, a succession plan had to be worked out in the event that the 82-year-old leader could not continue as prime minister.

According to the UWP, Sir John, who been at the center of a diplomatic struggle between China and Taiwan over the past few months, did not suffer a stroke, as reported. They have also denied claims that there is a rift in the Cabinet.

“We had not anticipated such a situation. It is indeed a most challenging situation in that ever since the establishment of the UWP we never had such a situation of having to begin to think of the possibility of a replacement; not that we never anticipated it, but we thought Sir John would have given the party and the country a good three, four years and the party would have prepared itself for new leadership.