“Rising Republican hostility toward President Obama’s impending immigration plan is as intense as has ever existed between the White House and the GOP,” the Los Angeles Times reports.
“But the strong reaction by Republican leaders has less to do with opposition to the nuts and bolts of the president’s immigration policy and more to do with fear and anger that the issue will derail the agenda of the new Republican majority before the next Congress even convenes. Republican leaders who had hoped to focus on corporate tax reform, fast-track trade pacts, repealing the president’s healthcare law and loosening environmental restrictions on coal are instead being dragged into an immigration skirmish that they’ve tried studiously to avoid for most of the last year.”
I imagine that was the plan. And Republicans are too bigoted and dumb enough to fall for it. Indeed, this whole fucking immigration mess is due to their unabashed racism on the part of the GOP. All they had to do is pass the Senate plan, which was a compromise with Senate Republicans that provide much increased (and wasteful) border security. And this issue would be over with and the GOP would be back to wooing the Latino vote. Instead, they are going to freak the fuck out and let the racist flag fly proudly, and they are going to lose Latinos for multiple centuries. For the President’s part, it is always golden when the right thing to do syncs up with the politically right thing to do.
The Washington Post reports Congressional Republicans “have split into competing factions over how to respond to President Obama’s expected moves to overhaul the nation’s immigration system”
“The first, favored by the GOP leadership, would have Republicans denounce what House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has called ‘executive amnesty’ and use the party’s new grip on Congress to contest changes to the law incrementally in the months ahead.”
“The second, which has become the rallying cry for conservatives, would seek to block the president’s decision by shutting down the government for an extended period until he relents.”
It’s going to be the second.
Meanwhile, Glenn Reynolds made a funny in the USA Today:
“The problem for Republicans is that because they do not have a veto-proof majority, they can pass bills but can’t get them past President Obama. It doesn’t mean that they’re doomed to futility. They can pass three kinds of bills: those Obama will want to sign; those he won’t want to sign but will have to; and those he’ll veto, but where a veto is unpopular. With that in mind, I have six suggestions for the new GOP-controlled Congress.”
Here are his six suggestions:
End the federally imposed 21-year-old drinking age
.
Mwhahahaha. I may agree with it, for why should you be able to fight and die for this country at 18 and not enjoy a beer. But doing this ensures a massive to the death fight with MADD, Mothers against Drunk Driving. If there is one group as powerful as the NRA, it is MADD. Good luck with that Republicans.
Decriminalize marijuana at the federal level.
Agree. Let’s do it.
Repeal the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.
I confess ignorance. Here is a wikipedia entry on the act. Who benefits from repealing it?
Make birth-control pills available over the counter.
Fine, so long as we pass an amendment with this bill that makes all insurance companies everywhere provide coverage for this purchase, no matter the religious feelings of the employers providing the insurance. Without that amendment, no deal.
End public-sector employee unions
Never. Civil War. Fight to the death. Literal blood in the streets. We would avail ourselves of Second Amendment Remedies. Hey, if it is ok for conservatives to talk this way (and it is, since the media never calls them out on it and they keep winning elections), then it is ok for liberals.
Institute a “revolving door” surtax on those who make more in post-government employment.
Not sure. How do you attract competent government service from an employee when you are limiting all their future income.