Off-Topic :
Fairfax Underground
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Welcome to Fairfax Underground, a project site designed to improve communication among residents of Fairfax County, VA. Feel free to post anything Northern Virginia residents would find interesting.
Obama set the immigration trap, and the GOP walked in
Posted by:
Lolrightardssss
()
Date: February 23, 2015 10:27PM
onday, a federal judge in Texas blocked President Obama's latest executive actions on immigration. This is a short-term win for Republicans, who rightly believe the president lacked the authority to act unilaterally. But it does nothing to change the underlying political dynamic — Republicans have won a battle, but they're still at risk of losing the immigration war.
The contrast between Democrats and Republicans is stark and getting starker every day. A Democratic president is fighting to shield unauthorized immigrants from deportation. If it weren't for the court order, an additional 600,000 Dreamers who came to the U.S. illegally as children could have applied for legal status starting Wednesday.
Immigration debate slowed by another partisan sideshow
Immigration debate slowed by another partisan sideshow
Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress headed into their sixth week trying to pass a measure that would pave the way for deporting not just the Dreamers, but all 11 million immigrants living illegally in the United States.
It's a contrast sure to haunt the GOP through November 2016 and beyond.
The irony, particularly bitter for Republicans, is that it's not an accurate picture of the party. Most GOP representatives in Congress support relief for Dreamers, and many, perhaps most, support legal status for unauthorized immigrants.
But congressional Republicans are caught in a trap. They're fighting for a policy most of them don't believe in as a way, they think, to strike back at the president — but in the end they're hurting themselves more than they could ever hurt Obama.
lRelated Texas judge's immigration ruling is full of legal holes
OP-ED
Texas judge's immigration ruling is full of legal holes
SEE ALL RELATED
8
Ten years ago, when the GOP-controlled House of Representatives passed a draconian immigration enforcement bill named for Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), most Republican lawmakers supported its provisions criminalizing immigrants and opening the door to mass deportations.
But the GOP has undergone a sea change since 2005: a slow, steady, bottom-up rethinking of the immigration issue. Today, not just national figures like Jeb Bush but most rank-and-file Republicans in Congress understand the need for far-reaching immigration reform. Last June, when reform advocates conducted an informal whip count, they found more than half of House Republicans prepared to vote for a path to legal status for some unauthorized immigrants.
So how did Republicans get trapped? Obama set the snare, but the GOP walked in of its own free will.
Obama, top officials playing fast and loose with the immigrants they are trying to help
Obama, top officials playing fast and loose with the immigrants they are trying to help
Obama surely knew that the immigration executive orders he issued in November would infuriate Republicans. He could have sent the same proposal up to Capitol Hill as a bill: legal status rather than citizenship for some but not all of those here illegally. That might just have passed if it had come up for a vote last year.
But that would have taken immigration off the table as a wedge issue, leveling the playing field between Republicans and Democrats. So instead, the president acted unilaterally, knowing the GOP would see that as a brazen abuse of authority — a violation the party had to fight, no matter what the consequences.
cComments
@djnla0 They can't vote on just funding the NSA they have to try to tie the immigration issue to it to do everything in their power to take something away from the President and it keeps coming back to slap them in the face.
AJZIGO
AT 7:10 AM FEBRUARY 23, 2015
ADD A COMMENTSEE ALL COMMENTS
382
Republicans are right: The president overreached. But being right isn't always enough in politics — you also have to win the war of perceptions. And right now, the GOP is losing that war — big time. Americans aren't hearing the message about the president's abuse of authority. They're hearing the GOP say it hates immigrants.
What can Republicans do? How do they get out of the trap?
Turn the tables on Obama. Come together as a party and pass some constructive immigration measures, then send those bills to the president and let him look like the obstacle to progress.
This wouldn't have to be comprehensive immigration reform. It wouldn't even have to include legal status for unauthorized immigrants. A few small steps to fix the legal immigration system would signal that Republicans know there's a problem and want to be part of solving it — that they recognize the benefits immigrants bring, especially legal immigrants.
End H-1B visa program's abuse
End H-1B visa program's abuse
An ideal package would start with enforcement, on the border and in the workplace. But it would also include some answers for what's broken. Among the possibilities: streamlined visas for skilled professionals, some relief for produce growers who rely on migrant workers, and something to address the needs of employers in other sectors who depend on less-skilled immigrants to keep their businesses open and growing — perhaps a small temporary-worker program for cities and counties where the economy has bounced back to full employment.
The president would mock all these measures if they landed on his desk alone, without some form of legalization for unauthorized immigrants. But if he vetoed a bill, he'd be the problem — Democrats rather than Republicans would be the Party of No.
Of course, some conservatives on talk radio and elsewhere would also mock a change of course by Republicans — to them, any effort to get out of the trap would betray a lack of resolve. But when the course the party is on isn't working, sticking to it is just foolish, not brave or principled.
Republicans don't need to stand down. What they need to do is fight smarter. The good news: There's a better way to beat the president and vote for what you believe on immigration — to do the right thing and get credit for it from voters looking for lawmakers who can come through with solutions.
The contrast between Democrats and Republicans is stark and getting starker every day. A Democratic president is fighting to shield unauthorized immigrants from deportation. If it weren't for the court order, an additional 600,000 Dreamers who came to the U.S. illegally as children could have applied for legal status starting Wednesday.
Immigration debate slowed by another partisan sideshow
Immigration debate slowed by another partisan sideshow
Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress headed into their sixth week trying to pass a measure that would pave the way for deporting not just the Dreamers, but all 11 million immigrants living illegally in the United States.
It's a contrast sure to haunt the GOP through November 2016 and beyond.
The irony, particularly bitter for Republicans, is that it's not an accurate picture of the party. Most GOP representatives in Congress support relief for Dreamers, and many, perhaps most, support legal status for unauthorized immigrants.
But congressional Republicans are caught in a trap. They're fighting for a policy most of them don't believe in as a way, they think, to strike back at the president — but in the end they're hurting themselves more than they could ever hurt Obama.
lRelated Texas judge's immigration ruling is full of legal holes
OP-ED
Texas judge's immigration ruling is full of legal holes
SEE ALL RELATED
8
Ten years ago, when the GOP-controlled House of Representatives passed a draconian immigration enforcement bill named for Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), most Republican lawmakers supported its provisions criminalizing immigrants and opening the door to mass deportations.
But the GOP has undergone a sea change since 2005: a slow, steady, bottom-up rethinking of the immigration issue. Today, not just national figures like Jeb Bush but most rank-and-file Republicans in Congress understand the need for far-reaching immigration reform. Last June, when reform advocates conducted an informal whip count, they found more than half of House Republicans prepared to vote for a path to legal status for some unauthorized immigrants.
So how did Republicans get trapped? Obama set the snare, but the GOP walked in of its own free will.
Obama, top officials playing fast and loose with the immigrants they are trying to help
Obama, top officials playing fast and loose with the immigrants they are trying to help
Obama surely knew that the immigration executive orders he issued in November would infuriate Republicans. He could have sent the same proposal up to Capitol Hill as a bill: legal status rather than citizenship for some but not all of those here illegally. That might just have passed if it had come up for a vote last year.
But that would have taken immigration off the table as a wedge issue, leveling the playing field between Republicans and Democrats. So instead, the president acted unilaterally, knowing the GOP would see that as a brazen abuse of authority — a violation the party had to fight, no matter what the consequences.
cComments
@djnla0 They can't vote on just funding the NSA they have to try to tie the immigration issue to it to do everything in their power to take something away from the President and it keeps coming back to slap them in the face.
AJZIGO
AT 7:10 AM FEBRUARY 23, 2015
ADD A COMMENTSEE ALL COMMENTS
382
Republicans are right: The president overreached. But being right isn't always enough in politics — you also have to win the war of perceptions. And right now, the GOP is losing that war — big time. Americans aren't hearing the message about the president's abuse of authority. They're hearing the GOP say it hates immigrants.
What can Republicans do? How do they get out of the trap?
Turn the tables on Obama. Come together as a party and pass some constructive immigration measures, then send those bills to the president and let him look like the obstacle to progress.
This wouldn't have to be comprehensive immigration reform. It wouldn't even have to include legal status for unauthorized immigrants. A few small steps to fix the legal immigration system would signal that Republicans know there's a problem and want to be part of solving it — that they recognize the benefits immigrants bring, especially legal immigrants.
End H-1B visa program's abuse
End H-1B visa program's abuse
An ideal package would start with enforcement, on the border and in the workplace. But it would also include some answers for what's broken. Among the possibilities: streamlined visas for skilled professionals, some relief for produce growers who rely on migrant workers, and something to address the needs of employers in other sectors who depend on less-skilled immigrants to keep their businesses open and growing — perhaps a small temporary-worker program for cities and counties where the economy has bounced back to full employment.
The president would mock all these measures if they landed on his desk alone, without some form of legalization for unauthorized immigrants. But if he vetoed a bill, he'd be the problem — Democrats rather than Republicans would be the Party of No.
Of course, some conservatives on talk radio and elsewhere would also mock a change of course by Republicans — to them, any effort to get out of the trap would betray a lack of resolve. But when the course the party is on isn't working, sticking to it is just foolish, not brave or principled.
Republicans don't need to stand down. What they need to do is fight smarter. The good news: There's a better way to beat the president and vote for what you believe on immigration — to do the right thing and get credit for it from voters looking for lawmakers who can come through with solutions.
Re: Obama set the immigration trap, and the GOP walked in
Posted by:
You don't play this game well
()
Date: February 23, 2015 10:34PM
Stop just copying and pasting random shit.
It's one thing to post a news story that's of interest for discussion as many people do. Another to just mass copy the entire daily contents of whatever left wing sites.
Think quality, not quantity.
It's one thing to post a news story that's of interest for discussion as many people do. Another to just mass copy the entire daily contents of whatever left wing sites.
Think quality, not quantity.
Re: Obama set the immigration trap, and the GOP walked in
Posted by:
Popular
()
Date: February 24, 2015 10:16AM
Obama reeled in republicans hook line and sinker.
As usual the GOP opened its mouth and now they sound like they don't want immigration at all. Good luck winning the next election.
As usual the GOP opened its mouth and now they sound like they don't want immigration at all. Good luck winning the next election.
Re: Obama set the immigration trap, and the GOP walked in
Posted by:
Retardlican Republitards
()
Date: February 24, 2015 10:22AM
Do it.
Re: Obama set the immigration trap, and the GOP walked in
Posted by:
Warren Burger
()
Date: February 24, 2015 11:23AM
The GOP puts itself on the WRONG SIDE of every issue. This is just one of them. If not sooner, the one-judge Texas ruling will come crashing down, even in a very conservative 5th District.
Re: Obama set the immigration trap, and the GOP walked in
Posted by:
Foot Shooting
()
Date: February 24, 2015 12:11PM
More stupidity from the GOP, especially from the GOP of Texas.
Hell 1/4 of the Texas economy is from immigration. No Texas wants to cut that off. Shooting themselves in the foot again.
Hell 1/4 of the Texas economy is from immigration. No Texas wants to cut that off. Shooting themselves in the foot again.
Re: Obama set the immigration trap, and the GOP walked in
Posted by:
ImmigruntCompromise
()
Date: February 24, 2015 12:57PM
Foot Shooting Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> More stupidity from the GOP, especially from the
> GOP of Texas.
>
> Hell 1/4 of the Texas economy is from immigration.
> No Texas wants to cut that off. Shooting
> themselves in the foot again.
Those illegals already here can stay. The bad apples. serious offenders can be held in prision and then shipped back after the wall and other infrastructure is complete.
Ship all the fully grown gators from Aligator Alley and all rabid animals down to the banks or the Rio Grande river deterring the tide of invasion; Border enforcement.
Conscript all illegals from day labor sites into labor brigades to actually build a 50 foot high wall along the entire border. In return make them citizens and make the rest of their family members follow the legal route of entry and wait in line like everyone else. Those already here many enough money per exchange rate to visit them anytime.
Appropriately arm the Border Patrol and have them oversee the building of the wall, which should also run at least 30 feet underground with subterranian thickness of 6 feet or more.
Set up electric fence within the span of the wall, then a fence of razor wire. To be humanitarian, drop leaflets warning the coyotes of the dangers ahead of them.
Between the electric fence and the razor wire plant low grade land mines.
Reform the legal route of immigration to allow more in from Latin America who have technical degrees and real skills.
If we really wanted border security .... it will never happen.
Get Rosetta Stone for Spanish.
Stop politicizing an issues that effects everyone. The ramifications will be overwhelming one day both economically and culturally. No right to vote for them until 5 years of paying taxes on time.
Obama's executive order regarding immigration is a misuse of his authority and is most likely unConsitutional.
-------------------------------------------------------
> More stupidity from the GOP, especially from the
> GOP of Texas.
>
> Hell 1/4 of the Texas economy is from immigration.
> No Texas wants to cut that off. Shooting
> themselves in the foot again.
Those illegals already here can stay. The bad apples. serious offenders can be held in prision and then shipped back after the wall and other infrastructure is complete.
Ship all the fully grown gators from Aligator Alley and all rabid animals down to the banks or the Rio Grande river deterring the tide of invasion; Border enforcement.
Conscript all illegals from day labor sites into labor brigades to actually build a 50 foot high wall along the entire border. In return make them citizens and make the rest of their family members follow the legal route of entry and wait in line like everyone else. Those already here many enough money per exchange rate to visit them anytime.
Appropriately arm the Border Patrol and have them oversee the building of the wall, which should also run at least 30 feet underground with subterranian thickness of 6 feet or more.
Set up electric fence within the span of the wall, then a fence of razor wire. To be humanitarian, drop leaflets warning the coyotes of the dangers ahead of them.
Between the electric fence and the razor wire plant low grade land mines.
Reform the legal route of immigration to allow more in from Latin America who have technical degrees and real skills.
If we really wanted border security .... it will never happen.
Get Rosetta Stone for Spanish.
Stop politicizing an issues that effects everyone. The ramifications will be overwhelming one day both economically and culturally. No right to vote for them until 5 years of paying taxes on time.
Obama's executive order regarding immigration is a misuse of his authority and is most likely unConsitutional.
Re: Obama set the immigration trap, and the GOP walked in
Posted by:
Stooge-bot
()
Date: February 24, 2015 04:51PM
ImmigruntCompromise Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Obama's executive order regarding immigration is a
> misuse of his authority and is most likely unConsitutional.
Where did you do your ConLaw work, at the University of FOX News?
-------------------------------------------------------
> Obama's executive order regarding immigration is a
> misuse of his authority and is most likely unConsitutional.
Where did you do your ConLaw work, at the University of FOX News?