If Carl Levin would care as much about Michigan as he does for the wastebaskets of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., anonymous strangers that need paperwork, and the unborn (the little guy), this state might actually be offering jobs rather than marking the exits.

P. Aaron on February 17, 2006 at 11:21 am

what special treatment do AMERICAN ice skaters need in helping them to be eligible to compete for the US team? :dunno:

.. .. on February 17, 2006 at 5:48 pm

Levin Backs Legislation to Beef-Up U.S. Olympic Hockey Team
Lamar Hedley
Detroit Times Picayune
(Canton, MI) Following upon his successful labor bill amendment allowing Ice Dancer Tanith Belbin to join the U.S. Olympic team in Turin, Italy, Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) is backing legislation to fast-track citizenship to any athlete ìcapable of puttiní a shine on the current image of U.S. athletics.î
Levinís labor bill amendment shortens the residency requirement for ëaliens of extraordinary abilityí from five to three years between the receipt of their green card and the date of their eligibility for naturalization. Under the then currrent law, Belbin would not have been eligible for naturalization until 2007.
The passage of the bill allowed for Belbin and her partner Ben Agosto to compete in ice dancing at this yearís Olympic games. Belbin and Agosto, or BelAgo as Prince refers to them, held the U.S.ís strongest hope for bringing back a medal in this competition. Levin now has some confidence after the pairís silver medal performance, the first U.S. medal in the event in 30 years.
ìThis type of victory is political capital, and I plan on spending it,î boasted Levin as his glasses teetered on the end of his nose. ìWe need more legislation like this to bring the worldís greatest athletes to our rinks, to our fields, and to our courts,î bombasted Levin.
Senator Levinís latest labor amendment ìgrants or forces U.S. citizenship upon current Detroit Red Wings now playing for their home countries in the Olympics.î The amendment would allow the athlete to stay throughout the next Olympic games and then be quietly ushered outside our borders. This could affect as many as eight Red Wing players, including Swedenís Henrik Zetterberg and Nicholas Lindstrom, and Canadaís Kris Draper. And Levin wants the amendment passed quickly.
ìHey, the medal roundís cominí up. Times a wastiní,î said Levin
The full Senate is expected to decide on the passage of this amendment by weekís end.

draculich on February 22, 2006 at 3:33 am