Posted by: Anthony on April 9, 2009 at 3:45 pm
So, in the midst of a recession in which the US is shedding jobs the way a dogs loses its fur in the summer, President Obama is planning to push for immigration reform?
While acknowledging that the recession makes the political battle more difficult, President Obama plans to begin addressing the country’s immigration system this year, including looking for a path for illegal immigrants to become legal, a senior administration official said on Wednesday.
Mr. Obama will frame the new effort — likely to rouse passions on all sides of the highly divisive issue — as “policy reform that controls immigration and makes it an orderly system,” said the official, Cecilia Muñoz, deputy assistant to the president and director of intergovernmental affairs in the White House.
Mr. Obama plans to speak publicly about the issue in May, administration officials said, and over the summer he will convene working groups, including lawmakers from both parties and a range of immigration groups, to begin discussing possible legislation for as early as this fall.
Some White House officials said that immigration would not take precedence over the health care and energy proposals that Mr. Obama has identified as priorities. But the timetable is consistent with pledges Mr. Obama made to Hispanic groups in last year’s campaign.
He said then that comprehensive immigration legislation, including a plan to make legal status possible for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, would be a priority in his first year in office. Latino voters turned out strongly for Mr. Obama in the election.
“He intends to start the debate this year,” Ms. Muñoz said.
Emphasis added.
My first thought was that PBO has to be crazy. He’s already trying to push a radical agenda through as quickly as possible in the face of growing public opposition, and now he tosses gasoline on the fire by putting immigration on the table? It seems to me the only way he could more quickly galvanize conservatives would be to propose repealing the Second Amendment. The ire this would produce could endanger his whole agenda.
But, what if it’s instead a distraction, a cynical decoy? Knowing illegal immigration is a red flag for a large segment of Americans, what if PBO is deliberately using the issue to bear-bait conservatives, getting them to exhaust themselves defeating it and leaving them with not enough energy or will left to fight his healthcare and environmental plans? There would be added benefits for him, too: the fight over immigration would likely widen the gulf between Republicans and the Hispanic voters they want to woo, and give Obama another chance to appear as their patron and solidify the Democrats’ hold over that bloc. Also, he can still go to pro-immigration and pro-legalization groups and say “Hey, I tried. I lived up to my promises.”
So, which is it? The dumb move of a neophyte, arrogant politician, or a cagey strategy that sacrifices one thing to get what he really wants?
(hat tip: Ed Morrissey)
(Cross-posted at Public Secrets, my home on the Web.)
Velvet Lair
Great to hear from IrishSpy on this site. His commentary is always well-reasoned and provocative. Enjoying his guest blog immensely.
So, which is it? Why not ask the experts? Check first with W. Ayers, in the city of Chicago. Then try to medium S. Alinski.
Those two seem to know what His Hollowness’s plans will be because he was such a grasshopper student.
While it is true that some sort of naturalization plan is one of the three parts, increased Border Patrols and crack-downs on companies who knowingly employ illegals (which is the real problem) are the other two. It is shortsighted to look at just the part you don’t like.
Hi Giblet,
Well, given that the Speaker of the House is going around describing enforcement as “un-American” and enforcement agencies are already reporting pressure to go easy on illegals, I’m not too sure I have much faith in those other provisions you mention.
I was taught as a youngin that the government is not to be trusted. In the 60+ years of my life I’ve seen precious little to change my mind about that.
Bottom line is that even an ivory tower idiot like our esteemed leader knows that to “solve” the criminal alien problem employers should be busted to the point it really hurts, while at the same time not giving an inch to the criminal aliens to receive amnesty.
I mean, seriously, this isn’t rocket science. It only seems to be beyond intellectual capabilities of any government employees, elected, appointed or hired.
Amnesty is already the law of the land. As Anthony pointed out, what few efforts law enforcement made to catch and deport illegals are being muzzled.
McCain lost in 2008 because of three things – a weak and unpopular Republican President (who was his own worst enemy on a variety of issues, including amnesty), a “Great Depression II” that appears to be ending, and a self-centered candidate who believed himself to be the “savior” of those unworthy racist xenophobic Bible-thumpin’ knuckle-dragging cousin-marrying Republicans and who took numerous positions (such as amnesty for illegals) that irritated conservatives and independents without attracting liberal voters.
It was distressing that Obama (during the campaign) at least sounded like he was concerned about border enforcement. McCain, on the other hand, was doing a lap dance for La Raza. McCain lost as the percentage of Hispanic voting Republican dropped dramatically. Remind me again how immigration “reform” is going to save the Republican Party?
Wonder if the MSM will ever get around to questioning how much the criminal alien invasion of our land has helped spur and deepen the current economic downturn?
Nah, too much to ask of them, what with having to investigate and all (instead of just taking marching orders from the POTUS/DNC) and besides, everyone knows its those stinkin’ capitalists.
BO will push new things as long as his approval #s are high and he owns the congress. Once this changes it’ll be too late. Bush and the reps lost precious time when they owned everything. Give thanks to Bush and the hammer.