Political Parties

In 1986, lawmakers decided the problem of illegal immigration had to be dealt with. More than 3 million people were living in the United States after crossing the border illegally or overstaying their visas. A new law signed by President Ronald Reagan gave legal status and a path to citizenship to most of those unauthorized residents - helping many secure a slice of the American dream but also giving fuel to critics who sought to turn "amnesty" into a pejorative. Less than 30 years later, the number of immigrants living in the country illegally is thought to have nearly quadrupled, and the freighted baggage of amnesty looms over new efforts to reform the nation's immigration laws.

There are two things you can do for your mother on Mother's Day. One is to say "thank you. " (Over lunch, with flowers.) The other is to ask her for advice - even if she's not convinced you really want it. "I don't think kids take any advice from their parents after they're 12," my mother told me last week. "But maybe they'll consider it. If they consider it, that's all you can ask. " Lois Doyle McManus is 87, and arthritis is getting in the way of her piano career. Her most recent performance, a concert with a community college orchestra, was last month.

Having been born to one of the most famous couples of this century--America's greatest modern writer, F. Scott Fitzgerald and his talented flapper wife Zelda Sayre--Scottie Fitzgerald was thrust a heavy mantle, particularly as their only child. Add to that the heady cocktail of parental alcoholism, prescription drug abuse, numerous failed suicide attempts and schizophrenia. Talent and tragedy were genetically passed on to Scottie as surely as her blond hair and blue eyes. Until now, very little was known about the Fitzgeralds' daughter beyond her school days.

NAIROBI, Kenya -- As tensions mounted over repeated failures to issue results in Kenya's tightly fought presidential contest, the election commission Friday said there would be a further delay but promised the announcement later in the evening. Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta was leading with votes tallied in more than 80% of the constituencies, but it was unclear whether he would garner the majority needed to avoid a runoff. He was sitting just below the threshold at 49.8% with 5.1 million votes to more than 4.5 million for his nearest competitor, Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

There is a difference between Democrats and Republicans: Democrats spend and tax. Republicans spend and borrow. JOSEPH H. BREUER North Hollywood

Sergey Brin isn't just an independent thinker. He'd like his politicians to be independent thinkers, too. The Google co-founder who has pushed for cutting-edge innovation (think Google Glasses) railed against the partisan infighting in Washington in a Google+ post Tuesday. He called on the winners in this year's election to pull out of their political parties and become independents. Now that would be novel. It was an unusual rallying cry from Silicon Valley, where politicians routinely come to seek support and cash.

A legislative body blocked the establishment of Egypt's first Islamic-oriented political party, the third time lawmakers refused to recognize the group. The panel in charge of legalizing new political parties rejected the establishment of Hizb al-Wasat al-Gedid, the New Centrist Party, a government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

I share the concern of your editorial (May 19) and former La Habra Councilwoman Robin Young (Letters, May 26) regarding partisan polarization of traditionally nonpartisan local races. To blame this trend on the Republicans, however, is to ignore recent events that, if anything, point to the Democrats as the real instigators. It was the Democratic Legislature which changed the law to allow consolidation of nonpartisan municipal elections with the partisan November general election.

In a quest for legitimacy that could mark a new phase in peace efforts, 4,000 members of Colombia's most powerful rebel army massed at San Vicente del Caguan to launch a new political party. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, also brought in hundreds of civilians from rebel-controlled areas to the ranching town in the southern demilitarized zone.

An alliance of political parties said it will boycott a referendum on extending the term of President Pervez Musharraf, a key U.S. ally in the global anti-terrorism campaign. The 15-party Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy accused Musharraf of using unconstitutional means to remain president. Musharraf seized power in October 1999 but has promised a return to civilian rule this year.

WASHINGTON -- In a move likely to shake up the top election contest of 2013, Bill Bolling said Thursday that he's received an "amazing" amount of encouragement to run as an "independent Republican" for governor of Virginia, and he called it a race he could win.  A campaign by Bolling, the GOP lieutenant governor, would inject a new element of uncertainty into the Virginia race.  Only two states are choosing governors this year. In New Jersey, Republican Gov. Chris Christie is strongly  favored to gain reelection.

MADRID -- Corruption allegations swirling around Spain's ruling party threatened to ensnare the prime minister for the first time Thursday when a newspaper published photos and excerpts of secret accounting ledgers that purportedly reveal under-the-table cash payments to top conservative politicians. The ruling Popular Party's No. 2 leader, Maria Dolores de Cospedal, quickly called a midday news conference to say that the logbooks excerpted by El País did not look familiar. She denied any wrongdoing.

JERUSALEM - As Israelis head to the polls Tuesday, most are expecting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party to secure the right to form the nation's next government. But while a third Netanyahu term appears likely, there's still some suspense about which political parties will join his coalition to create a majority in Israel's 120-member Knesset. The composition of that government will play a major role in determining Israel's stance on issues such as Palestinian statehood, relations with the U.S. and how to deal with Iran's nuclear development program.

Re "Politics of age skew spending debates," News Analysis, Jan. 3 Surprise! Mitt Romney probably drew much support from his infamous 47%. As the Times reported, 56% of the over-65 demographic voted for Romney. Why would a group dependent on Social Security and Medicare vote for a team eager to curtail those programs? Ignorance, in part. (A poll of Ohio Republicans by Public Policy Polling found that 1 in 7 of them credited Romney with Osama bin Laden's killing.) But I think there's an even more powerful force: tradition.

LONDON - First, Silvio Berlusconi, who was driven from power last year by Italy's economic woes and his own scandals, said he wanted back his old job as prime minister. Then Mario Monti, an appointed technocrat who succeeded him at the head of an unelected government, kept the nation guessing for weeks before suddenly declaring that he would dive into politics and seek to lead the next government. They're only part of a perplexing lineup of political candidates voters will face in February's elections as political parties begin a frantic search for coalition partners.

Americans routinely express frustration that politicians in Washington can't rise above partisanship to find a compromise. That talk has been especially thick as Congress and President Obama posture and dig in on the tax-and-spending plan they must reach to avoid the onerous New Year's rebudgeting known as the fiscal cliff. It appears, though, that the citizens disturbed about Capitol gridlock exhibit some of the same ambivalence about compromise as the people they put in office.

Thirty Sudanese political parties and several key trade unions agreed Saturday night to adopt a peace pact to end nearly six years of civil war in south Sudan. The agreement, announced by a member of Sudan's supreme council--a five-member joint presidency--was contained in a document that is to serve as a working program for a new, broad-based government that may replace Prime Minister Sadek Mahdi's current coalition.

JERUSALEM - Former opposition leader Tzipi Livni, Israel's most-recognized female politician, threw her hat back in the political ring Tuesday, setting the stage for an election rematch against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Four years ago, Livni, as head of the centrist Kadima Party, beat Netanyahu's Likud Party by one Knesset seat, but she was unable to form a majority coalition, giving Netanyahu an opportunity to take power. Few expect her newly formed Movement Party will come close to threatening Netanyahu this time, but her return to the political scene - seven months after she announced she was taking a break - will further reshape Israel's center-left as it struggles to find a way to confront the nation's rising right-wing movement.

DEL MAR - In January, when he joins the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, Dave Roberts will be the only Democrat among four Republicans, the first Democrat on the board in more than two decades. He will also be the first new supervisor in 18 years. And he will be the only one who is not a graduate of San Diego State. He has three degrees from American University in Washington, D.C. He's also gay and married to a retired Air Force master sergeant. The two are adoptive parents to five former foster children, ages 4 to 17, who call them Daddy Dave and Daddy Wally.