Kfb – Again, you’re assuming untrue statements in your question. The issue of Rice being a good secretary of state is purely a matter of opinion, so I will leave that alone (she did COMPLETELY miss the “planes will fly into towers” memo in August 2001, but whatever).
There is one black Republican senator, Tim Scott. There are two black Democratic senators, Cory Booker and Mo Cowan. I don’t think you know (or choose to selectively ignore) the history of the KKK, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Dixiecrat party. “Southern Democrats” like Strom Thurmond were different from “Democrats” like John Kennedy. The Southern Democrats left the Democratic Party in 1964 to join the Republican party. The pre-civil rights Southern Democrats have no continuity with the current Democratic Party, but do have a lineage right into the current Republican Party. I know, it’s one step beyond a sound-byte, but I encourage you to learn the nuance of history.
Most liberals do not want undocumented immigrants to have instant citizenship with no penalty. I don’t know any that do, and I listen to liberal radio and read the websites. We do recognize that there is a problem with having 11 million people, most of which are law-abiding and working, living in the shadows, not paying taxes and being abused by the labor market. The general “liberal” proposal has been (and this is supported by a number of Republicans and all of the right-wing business groups) to give these people legal worker status, so they can make minimum wage and pay taxes and drive legally (and get insurance), let them apply for a Green Card-like status after going through a background check and paying fines and taxes for the years that they were illegal, then let them get in the back of the line for citizenship. If you have proof of anyone advocating for less (we argue about the fines), please show proof.
Also, the idea of buying something we can’t afford to support the environment is a silly premise. If we can’t afford it, how could we buy it? I can’t afford a Prius (and it’s way too small for my needs), so I bought a fuel-efficient car I could afford. But will we pay a couple of dollars more here or there for pesticide and chemical-free food, or light bulbs that last years and save us money in the long run… sure! It makes good, economic sense.