Immigration policy may blow up in the collective faces of Republican leaders in Congress.
In the wake of this week’s massive demonstrations, many House Republicans are worried that a tough anti-illegal-immigration bill they thought would please their political base has earned them little benefit while becoming a lightning rod for the fast-growing national movement for immigrant rights.
House Republicans rushed through legislation just before Christmas that would build hundreds of miles of fence along the U.S.-Mexico border, require that businesses verify the legality of all employees’ status through a national database, fortify border patrols, and declare illegal immigrants and those who help them to be felons. After more lenient legislation failed in the Senate last week, the House-passed version burst into the public consciousness this week, as hundreds of thousands of protesters across the country turned out to denounce the bill.
It’s amazing that today’s Republican party, so intent on sending the U.S. military on jaunts around the planet can be so isolationist on immigration. I don’t think it’s surprising, though. Basing actions on principles isn’t particularly popular among Congressional leadership these days. Yet, the lack of foresight is still unnerving. These people are leading in charge of the country. Is it really so hard to turn this 20/20 hindsight into just a smidge of foresight?
“It was an ugly bill in most respects, the felony stuff, the wall and no amendments,” said Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who tried to add a guest-worker provision but was not allowed a vote. “The leadership saw this more as a statement than a policy, but I think in the end we would have been better off had we been more deliberative.”
Congress doesn’t seem to intent *cough*spending*cough* on governing with *cough*PATRIOT Act*cough* principles instead of *cough*same-sex marriage amendments*cough* majoritarian hatred and fear. Idiots. I hope they get what they deserve in November. I don’t have much hope, there, but I’ll hold tightly to the little I do have. It’s the only thing that gives me the warm-fuzzies Congress tries so hard to provide.
Lest we think Congressional Republicans are the only imbeciles, we get fun stuff like this:
Rep. Ted Strickland (D-Ohio), a supporter of the bill, was greeted by protesters and shouts of “Migration is not a crime” in February when he opened his Ohio gubernatorial campaign office in Cleveland. Now, he regrets his vote, campaign spokesman Jess Goode said.
Of course he regrets his vote now, when he sees the negative consequences. To Rep. Strickland, I suggest he learn that leading through polls and the advice of a few crazies who call his office complaining about all the damned for’ners hurting the economy isn’t leadership. Alas, he’s a politician. They never learn.