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Subscribe to RSSImmigration takes center stage… But passage won’t be easy… Obama thanks Hillary Clinton… Rreading the 2016 tea leaves from the interview… Hagel and the outside groups trying to defeat his nomination… Breaking down the Chambliss and Harkin retirements… And McDonnell and Cuccinelli oppose Virginia’s electoral-vote change.
*** Immigration takes center stage: Exactly seven days since President Obama’s inauguration, a series of events this week suggests that immigration has the best shot at being the first big legislative action -- and potential battle -- of 2013 (outside of the budget, of course). Today, a bipartisan group of eight senators (Democrats Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, Bob Menendez, and Republicans John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio and Jeff Flake) are laying out four agreed-on principles to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. Also today, at 11:00 am ET, several organizations pushing immigration reform are holding a press conference at the National Press Club to issue a “call to action” on the subject. And tomorrow, Obama heads to Las Vegas to deliver his own remarks on immigration. The bipartisan group of senators, in particular, is a big deal. Indeed, this appears to be the first time that McCain has signed on to a top Obama legislative priority since the presidential first took office. And here are their four principles: 1) create a “tough but fair path to citizenship” for illegal immigrants that’s contingent on border security; 2) reform the system in a way that helps build the economy; 3) establish an effective employment verification program; and 4) reform the system of admitting future workers. Five of the eight senators (Rubio, McCain, Schumer, Durbin, and Menendez) will appear together today in DC at 2:30 pm to officially unveil their agreement; the other three have scheduling conflicts in their home states.
Gary Cameron / Reuters
Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., questions Senator John Kerry (Not Pictured) during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on Kerry's nomination to be secretary of state, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 24, 2013.
*** But its passage won’t be easy: On paper, passing a comprehensive immigration reform bill should be more than doable. After all, it’s now in both parties’ interest to do so -- for Democrats, it’s delivering on a campaign promise; for Republicans, it’s to avoid again losing the Latino vote by a 71%-27% margin. But remember this: Nothing is ever easy in Washington. For one thing, the devil is in the details, even with these bipartisan principles. How do you create this “tough but fair path” to citizenship? What’s the punishment for undocumented immigrants? How long do these immigrants have to wait to become citizens (and potential voters)? The other obstacle to passage is the House of Representatives. Does Speaker John Boehner -- once again -- allow legislation that might not have the backing of a majority of his GOP caucus to reach the floor? That said, it was notable that House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan on “Meet the Press” yesterday embraced Rubio’s work on immigration reform. “I support and agree with the principles that he laid out about earned legalization. Making sure that you're not rewarding people for having cut in line, but making sure that we can fix this problem.” Ryan added, “Look, immigration's a good thing.”
*** And selling it Republicans won’t be easy, either: The big challenge, in the short term, is going to be for McCain, Rubio, and Graham to sell this compromise as “not amnesty.” (And that’s exactly what Rubio has been doing in conservative-media circles in the past few weeks.) When you read the bipartisan agreement, there is a lot of detail and promise on this issue, including: making sure these folks pay back taxes and fines, making sure they are in the back of the line behind those folks playing by the rules now, and an agreement that these 11 million undocumented immigrants DON’T get a shot at citizenship until certain border security “metrics” are met. Of course, define “metrics” -- that’s among the detail devils.
*** Obama thanks Hillary: For those of you, like us, who followed every twist and turn during the 2008 presidential race, last night's joint Obama-Hillary Clinton interview on “60 Minutes” was extraordinary. And we understand that the interview was all Obama’s idea -- and it was more about thanking Clinton for being his secretary of state these past four years (and keeping the party united) than about 2016. Here’s a thought exercise: Imagine what Obama’s presidency would have been like had Clinton stayed in the U.S. Senate. During the tough times (health care, the debt-ceiling debate), everyone would have looked for any kind of daylight between the two politicians, and Hillary potentially launching a primary challenge would have been a constant story, even if she had no plans on such a move. But what’s been extraordinary is how loyal Obama and Clinton have been to each other. And this line from Clinton explaining why she accepted Obama’s offer to be secretary of state struck us: “I thought, ‘You know, if the roles had been reversed. And I had ended up winning. I would have desperately wanted him to be in my cabinet. So if I'm saying I would have wanted him to say yes to me, how am I going to justify saying no to my president?’ And it was a great decision, despite my hesitancy about it.”
*** Reading the 2016 tea leaves: Still, the interview did provide some tea leaves to read about 2016. After all, here was the president conducting his first joint media interview with someone other than his wife. It was an affirmation of Clinton’s work, especially after her contentious testimony last week on Capitol Hill. “Well, the main thing is I just wanted to have a chance to publicly say thank you, because I think Hillary will go down as one of the finest secretary of states we've had,” Obama said. It was a reminder that Vice President Joe Biden isn’t the heir apparent, if Clinton decides she wants to run for president four years from now. And lastly, it was evidence that the Democratic Party -- at least right now -- is more united than ever. We were disappointed that so little time was devoted to some of the key foreign policy decisions this tandem made together, including the decision to oust Hosni Mubarak, among other issues.
*** Hagel and the outside groups trying to defeat his nomination: On Thursday at the Senate Armed Services Committee, Chuck Hagel has his confirmation hearing to be Obama’s next defense secretary. And yesterday, the New York Times noted that Hagel’s confirmation battle is the first to be fought in the Super PAC/post-Citizens United era. “The media campaign to scuttle Mr. Hagel’s appointment, unmatched in the annals of modern presidential cabinet appointments, reflects the continuing effects of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, which loosened campaign finance restrictions and was a major reason for the record spending by outside groups in the 2012 election... While the campaign against Mr. Hagel, a Republican, is not expected to cost more than a few million dollars, it suggests that the operatives running the independent groups and the donors that finance them — many of whom are millionaires and billionaires with ideological drive and business agendas that did not go away after the election — are ready to fight again.”
*** Breaking down the Chambliss and Harkin retirements: In the past 72 hours, two U.S. senators -- Republican Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Democrat Tom Harkin of Iowa -- announced they wouldn’t be seeking re-election in 2014. That means we now have four retirements (John Kerry, Jay Rockefeller, Chambliss, and Harkin), and other ones potentially in the works (Frank Lautenberg, Tim Johnson, maybe Thad Cochran or Mike Enzi). Politically, perhaps the most significant story we’ll be following after these retirements is to see how the GOP primaries in Georgia and Iowa play out (West Virginia, too, for that matter). Do Republicans coalesce around the more electable candidate, or does the most conservative candidate win? One other thing to watch: Chambliss has the ability to be a wild card on legislation -- his retirement statement criticized both Obama and Congress -- and Harkin might be a little more free to vote on contentious legislation (like gun control) than he would have if running for re-election next year.
*** Obama’s day: Besides all of today’s immigration news, President Obama and Vice President Biden are holding a meeting this morning with police chiefs from around the country -- including from Aurora, CO, Oak Creek, WI, and Newtown, CT -- to discuss reducing gun violence. Also today, at 1:40 pm ET, Obama will welcome the Miami Heat to the White House to celebrate their NBA championship from last season.
*** McDonnell, Cuccinelli oppose electoral-vote change: Lastly, both Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) and GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli have come out in opposition of the Republican effort in the state to change how Virginia’s electoral votes are awarded. Folks, the effort in Virginia is dead. The question is whether Republicans in other states -- like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin -- are still thinking about pursuing the change. As Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker told Newsmax, per NBC's Sarah Blackwill: “It's an interesting idea. I haven't committed one way or the other to it. For me, and I think any other state considering this, you should really look at not just the short-term but the long-term implications. Is it better or worse for the electorate?”
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Leave a Comment:
your govt officials screwed you again...
all they know how to do is reward bad behvior and screw the law-abiding americans, but you allow them to get away with it!!!!!!!!!!!!
so enjoy being broke and poor america as that debt keeps climbing that noone cares about...
your leaders are idiots, but dont worry they got your back...roflmaoooooooooooooooooooooo
You can NOT get these people on here to put aside there PARTY HATS. They have NO CLUE that these CAREER POLITITIONS ARE only in for themselves.
If we can ever get them to realize that these CROOKS in Washington DC are out to STEAL as much from us as possible.
Who really cares about immigration..they are illegal..throw them out. Here is WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT to every American, on left or right.
Yesterday the Government Accountability Office, the nonpartisan investigative arm of Congress released its annual audit of the U.S. government. The report covers the fiscal years 2011 and `12. The conclusion of the report is this, quote, "Absent policy changes, the federal government continues to face an unsustainable fiscal path."
Let me repeat that, "Absent policy changes, the federal government continues to face an unsustainable fiscal path."
If the feds do not stop the wild spending and do not reform Medicare and Social Security. The U.S. dollar will collapse. That means that all of our savings. All of our investments, our homes and everything else will blow up before our eyes.
This president and his policies continue to destroy this country.
What's your plan to round up and deport 11M illegals?
You liberals on here are a big part of the problem in this country,today...You have ruined this country with your stupidity and attitude..These people have broken the law and we are to reward bad behavior?? I think not!! I have seen and lived with this problem and it is a terrible nightmare!! I have seen the illegals run in packs and intimidate the citizens of a town..Stealing from people who are in fear of their lives..My husband and I worked at a department of human resource in a county in Alabama..Do you have any idea where/how etc these illegals know where these small counties/towns are in this country?? The drug dealers put up a map of the USA and put push pins in the areas and send these people here..DUH!! They also are told by LaRaza to bring their pregnant girlfriends with them so their kid is a citizen and can not be deported,etc.I know all this for a fact.We had to hire translators to go to the jails to talk with them because they knew no English..I have seen them live 2 or 3 families together and are filthy..I have seen them go to a dollar store and rob them of anything they could carry because they intimidate people with threats..My friend lost her job because 8 men did this while I was there,shopping.She said if she called the police she would be knifed when she went to her car..Most of you bleeding hearts on here have no care for your fellow man who is here legal,all you can think of is to call others on here names and put them down..These people should not be here..they should be loaded up and taken to the border--bring our military home--set up flame throwers and barbed wire,throw in mines on the ground and seal the border...All of you think that everyone should be democrats..What a laugh!!
If you are going to quote Jesus and his views on immigrants, you should include the chapter and verse.
And the GOP wonder why they only got 21% of the hispanic vote?
Duh woody,not endorsing welfare,etc for ILLEGAL ALIENS?Not giving amnesty to ILLEGAL ALIENS.There's most of the answer.
I want equal treatment for the U.S./Canada border--secure them both in a totally nonpartisan way. Act as ignorant, bigoted, and spiteful as you are capable of equally to all. And as long as we are at it, how 'bout border checks at all state lines just in case some of the rabble from the bad states tries to escape to one of the good states... all in a well-mannered humane style, of course.
John, If you were a firefighter, which house do you hose down, the one on fire or the house at the other end of the block NOT on fire?
Its about resource allocation & costs.
When you post a silly, use the 'LOL' tag, so we know that your age and IQ are not equal.
Looks like the political pukes will discuss anything now except jobs! More government handouts coming.
They only want you tax dollars so they can go out and have a GREAT lunch with an EXPENSIVE bottle of wine. They do NOT care about the AMERICAN PUBLIC.
Conservatives and GOP are on the losing end of the immigration argument. After losing the election in 2012 with 21% of the Hispanic vote, they want to double down and put the screws to undocumented (conservative buzzword: illegal) immigrants and build a wall to stop the flow and deport all. Won't work. Millions of undocumented, it's true, but many of those millions have children born in the US that are citizens and of voting age. They don't take kindly to talk of deporting parents and grandparents. If the GOP does not change with that demographic, they will become more irrelevant than in 2012. Even 'safe' districts will no longer be safe as the demographic changes and more minorities relocate.
Wood you are WRONG we the PEOPLE are the LOSERS till we get rid of these CAREER POLITITIONS. Then we need to get people in that will be there for WE THE PEOPLE.
Till then they will continue to steal from us taxpayers and take there BRIBES from the LOBBYIST that are looking to SCORE FAVORS for the companies they represent, like GE that spent over 36 MILLION to save them billions in taxes.
Time for GE to pay its fair share, cut out the LOOPHOLES & LIMIT THERE DEDUCTIONS.
DOES not matter what party is in now they both are the same. They will steal from us on both sides of the isle.
How can you lose an immigration argument when there should not even be one. The laws are on the books and clearly defined within the Constitution but this admin as well as every dem admin doesn't want to enforce them. They want to try and sidestep the law just to pander votes. It is BS and they know it. Fix the economy--something that will everyone---and quit trying to buy votes.
you need term limits for your govt officials
you need to take away their rewards by getting money from special interest groups, make them truly work for you. they can only receive money from a taxpayers fund, they all get the same and can only campaign for one month!!!!!!!!!!!! stop the problem at the root!!!!!!!!!!!
your country, the great super power, not true any more!!!!!!!!!!!!! your broke and totally dependant on china!!!!!!!!!!!
your politicians destroyed your country and your livelyhood and they still are!!!!!!!!!!!!!
get real people, your nation has become pitiful and poor-great job voting the idiots right back in every election!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
live and learn the hard way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
with all america's problems...
let us now focus on gun control of law abiding citizens, immigration, and global warming...
now, that will solve your financial crisis...
get real, your govt officials priorities are so screwed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! at your expense, but of course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
your fools to keep allowing them to walk all over the hard working taxpayers who made america what it once was!!!!!!!!!!!!! keyword: ONCE, not any more, so sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
america loves to reward bad behavior and as you can see...it only keep getting worse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THESE IDIOT seem to think if they fight against each other enough that there party will win. They have NOT figured it out that both sides are against the AMERICAN people.
the sad part...
it's the same game the american people are playing, nothing gets done!!!!!!!!!!
their politicians trained them well, and the people fell into the trap of blaming the other party for your problems!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
in truth, they are all at fault and the american people allowed it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
your politicians are living high on the hog at your expense, while you and your families and friends struggle!!!!!!!!!!!
and, your all ok with that????????????
doesn't make sense people, they are the one's who destroyed your country and of course all the crooks who play the system, and your ok with them being rewarded at your expense??????????
Lest we forget that millions of people crossed the ocean in an attempt to make a better life here for themselves and their families, they didn't have Visas, they didn't speak or write English, they may have been uneducated and unskilled - but they were willing to work and support themselves.
I'll bet many of those in Congress have relatives who did just that.
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
- inscribed on the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor
China american,since it obviously pays to commit crimes,why don't we just volunteer to empty all the worlds prisons and settle those poor deserving people here? Might as well let the palistinians have a piece too,they certainly want someone else 's home.
Nanoo nanoo.
This smacks of images of Obamacare....
Let's pass the bill THEN see what's in it.
There are so many legal loopholes with this proposal that it brings something else to mind....
Can you say Muriel boat lift?
How come I don't see the city of Chicago mentioned in there somewhere?
The media campaign, (both sides but weigh extra heavy to the left) isn't that what we viewers have been spoon feed for over 3 decades now. The media continues to spew their agenda's and talking points and have shown their biased reporting for decades. Honest reporting and telling the truth about the failures of both parties just doesn't increase the ratings. It's actually bores some folks, so the spin continues!
Undocumented: Boy, some media outlets and specific groups HATE it, when you label illegal border crosses as illegal immigrants. Gets their panties in such a wad! What's the truth? The truth is they are both...Illegal first and undocumented second, an illegal undocumented immigrant. A criminal first and undocumented immigrant after the initial crime of passage has occurred. At least there is some teeth to the new proposals but will enforcement continue to be lax-ed and soon the system (that already is overburdened) becomes another cess pool of Government failures to do their jobs! I'm positive most southern boarder States will continue to take the bull by the horns, so to speak, within their jurisdictions and authority to tackle immigration, while at the Federal Level is slow to act, respond, and enforce existing laws as well as the new ones. Time tells all!
A lot of talk about whether and how much illegal immigrants pay taxes vs. benefits derived. I suggest no one can know within an order of magnitude because the data isn't there. ER costs is a good example; last I knew hospitals didn't collect citizenship data, so who knows what illegals pay or not? What we do know is anyone will be treated, and if they don't pay, the cost is passed on to the payers - insurers, Medicare, chumps like you and me. Since many of these folks use ER's for primary care because they have no insurance, as well for care after major medical incidents - accidents, shootings or just major illness, its gotta be a big number.
Oh come on,it's only our money,you should know that these people deserve it.How can you be so selfish?
You are correct, I'll be shoveling in the money no matter what. No choice, actually.
arrgh
This is about one thing.. VOTES.. nothing more nothing less. Give a guy his rent, a place to live, food stamps, health care, free tuition and he'll vote for you for the rest of his life.
I guess when you don't agree with MSMBC THEY DISCONTUE THE PAGE
Electoral College: If all the states were to switch to allocating electoral votes by congressional district, as the Republicans are proposing, then we might as well have Congress elect the president - it would save a lot of time and money - just count how many republican representatives and democrat representatives there are in congress on election day, and you have your answer. Individuals vote for president? No need, no point, NO THANKS.
The electoral college was a good idea back when it was created, but popular vote makes more sense today.
FIne, give them citizenship but make them go through the same things any other immigrants must go through. Most importantly make them learn english. This will save millions of dollars it is costing America for translators at every hospital, school, courthouse, jail, etc. Also they must declare how long they have been here and are made to pay back taxes, including SS/FICA, state, local and federal. They must show proof of autoinsurance if they own are vehicle. They may not collect unemployment, food stamps, welfare or other government funds until they are citizens. Make them follow the same rules and laws American citizens follow.
Welcome to the demise of an organized, march in lockstep GOP!! They are now the proverbial cat herd that the DEMS are always accused of being.
The GOP, with their Tea Farty Moron Faction and their non-existent command of fact and truth, and their aging, centrist faction at war with their own conscience between the right thing to do and what the TP-ers want,
are now irrelevant and nothing more than an impediment to progress and a deterrent to prosperity.
Time for them to GO!
No money for illegals,until they pay into the system,say ten years plus
Ah yes let's make immigration the center of focus. Something that already is regulated and has laws and is spelled out in our own Constitution. Let's just forget the existing rules and not enforce them and try and rewrite what is already in place and distract everyone from the real issue of the economy and jobs. This is typical political BS and their is no one better at it then this prez and his admin. Why are we focused on something that is already spelled out just because the dems want to increase their voting base???? Let's enforce what we have and work on the economy--what do you think?????
POLITICIANS LIED IN 1986, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK ANYTHING HAS CHANGED?
Both major political parties are ready to betray the larger mass of the American people. Tuesday the President flies to Nevada in hopes of gaining momentum among the largest populations for illegal alien Path to Citizenship in the Southwest, other than the liberal State of California. The last Path to Citizenship was a harvest for around 6 million illegal aliens, when the real numbers applying for amnesty should have been 3.5 million. Those who don’t have a recollection of the 1986 Amnesty wouldn’t know about the concealed fraud that resonates even today. You can only evaluate as one of the greatest conspiracies ever played on THE PEOPLE, other than the 1946 Roswell, New Mexico UFO crash incident. To many government mistakes in this issue, caused by interference from business lobbyists who favors stopped the auditing and detection of unauthorized workers in jobs across America.
Nobody can convince me that there were no irregularities in the presidential election. Every day I read the commentary and blogs in both the Liberal Democratic oriented press and the Conservative side, and there are far more negative replies about the coming potential mass amnesty. Thousands of commentaries give evidence that the American people are worried and intensely angry. The only conclusion I can come to, is that the majority of media polls of whose for—whose against Pathway to Citizenship, other than Rusmussen polls are fixed? That the Republicans who would bow down to Liberal agenda with their tails between their legs and not stand for the principles of the founding fathers? So you have to wonder about the truth that 70 percent of the population voted for Obama? I am sure those who have unceasing relished something for nothing, of which this government is offering voted for the man, but I cannot accept that election was without fraud in many of the Liberal states, where there was no citizenship check?
Now we must face exorbitant taxes to pay for the silent illegal immigration invasion, the conversion to citizenship and the children given instant citizenship and the unholy cost demanded of the American taxpayer to cover all the bills, which has been spread equally over the country for decades. Years of complete incompetence and unconcern proved by both parties for not implementing illegal entry as a felony? OR WAS IT? There has been failure after failure to stop the incomings from across borders or entry at international flights. All they cared about was the unresisting political power grab and now because borders remain poorly guarded and interior enforcement has all but been non-essential, the population of illegal aliens has grown out of proportion. We deserve what we get in the gutless halls of the Senate and House. ARE THESE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO DEFEND US COMPLETELY OBLIVIOUS TO THE 23 MILLION AMERICAN WITHOUT WORK, UNDEREMPLOYED OR GIVEN UP ALTOGETHER? WHAT MADNESS IS THIS?
We have all been assured that Obamacare will not be health insurance for illegal aliens, but mark my words once legitimized they will apply and get into the system and will get a waiver, because they are low income and taxpayers will financially support that as well. Go to any Walmart and see foreign speakers with six kids running the children’s welfare food stamp or credit card through the machine, and the counter piled with food. Yet our own low income American must beg for food at charitable churches or food banks. Awarding people who just adamantly ignored our laws is just asking for more trouble. It’s a big lie about paying back taxes, as they were waved during the Reagan/ Kennedy Amnesty, same with learning the English language and the so called fine, which was another waiver, as most of the illegal migrants and illegal immigrants couldn’t pay? In conclusion so many criminals fell through the bureaucratic tangle, essential background checks were never carried out.
Before you make any decision, you should note that just Los Angeles County, CA has to dig up $1.3 Billion annually for the families of illegal aliens.
Today you can stand back and twiddle your thumbs or you can fight back against unfair taxes to pay for pandering to illegal migrants and immigrants. Last day to make these degenerate lawmakers listen to you, by going to the government pages of your telephone book or you may phone the United States Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. A switchboard operator will connect you directly with the Senate office or the Congressional House Representatives. DO IT NOW! HEED MY WARNING. OUR TAXES MUST GO UP IN CATERING TO THE NEXT TIDE OF ILLEGAL ALIENS, ENCOURAGED TO GET INTO AMERICA AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS.
Taking care of illegals first. Allowing the federal government to head into sequestration.
It's all about the priorities of this administration.