President Obama says “Now’s the time” and he is talking
about making immigration reform a reality for the U.S. in a way that will
benefit both the 11-plus million who are undocumented and our country as
well. Keep in mind, this legislation
does not apply just to Hispanics but also to Asians, Europeans, etc. Those of us who came here like Obama said for
a better life, which includes everyone but Native Americans. It is easy to forget the heritage of our
ancestors who came to the U.S. through Ellis or Angel Islands to work and
contribute in the new country.
It is true of course; they were legal, at least most of
them. And the 11-plus million
undocumenteds are illegal. But according
to a CNN/ORC International poll conducted this month, 53% of Americans favor
allowing this group to become legal residents opposed to 43% who don’t. And what if we followed the latter’s advice
and deported the illegals? Restaurants
and the hospitality industry would be without help; there would be no gardeners
to take care of your yards; no one to clean your house; and agricultural fields
would have no one to work them and the crops would rot. Do we want that?
FACT CHECK reports that
“Economists say immigration, legal or illegal, doesn’t hurt American workers.” But a new House Caucus, Reclaim American Jobs
consisting of 41 members says otherwise.
The economists counter there is little to support their claim that these
undocumenteds take American jobs. At
least those in which Americans are willing to work. With this obstacle out of the way you would
think that most states would understand the need for this group of
workers. But a clueless Arizona Governor
is still fighting to prevent illegals from getting driver licenses, even under Obama’s
deferred action plan.
The President has a plan that is a broadly sweeping outline
of what needs to be accomplished in immigration reform. He advocates focusing on enforcement while
strengthening border security then insuring that businesses don’t knowingly
hire illegal workers. Obama is convinced
we must deal with the 11+ million illegal immigrants, but at the same time
feels this group must have hope for citizenship. And he would update and upgrade the current immigration
system to the point that it is more user-friendly in accommodating legals to
get their families into the U.S.
The Gang of Eight Senators
But CNN chief political analystGloria Borger said, “…she believes Obama is playing good cop-bad cop,
with his own left-leaning proposals being the bad cop and his Senate colleagues
being the good cop. He's essentially saying, if you don’t deal with them,
you’re going to deal with me.” So enter
the on-and-off Senator from Arizona, John McCain. He was for immigration reform when he wasn’t
running for office but changed his position radically to conform to the demands
of the AZ Tea Party when a presidential candidate. Now he’s back on the side of immigrants
again. The classic flip-flop.
Time’s Swampland exclaims
that John McCain has been a determined opponent of Barack Obama since the
scathing loss to the President in 2008.
The Gang of Eight Senators includes 4 Democrats, Bob Menendez, NJ, Dick
Durbin, IL, Charles Schumer, NY, and Michael Bennet, CO. Republicans are McCain, AZ, Marco Rubio, FL,
Lindsey Graham, SC and Jeff Flake, AZ.
Swampland says this bunch has a blueprint introduced the day before
Obama’s but very much a parallel to what he proposed, as follows:
“It would
create a ‘tough but fair’ path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants while
beefing up border security. It would streamline the legal immigration system
and create incentives to lure sought-after tech and science whizzes. It would
establish a mechanism for employers to check the immigration status of
potential hires. And it would try to create ways for employers — particularly
in the agricultural sector — to find low-wage undocumented workers when
Americans are not available.”
Any bill will have a hard time
getting through the GOP-held House, particularly up against the Tea Party
fanatics. The House is also apparently
working on a plan of its own. Norm Ornstein, longtime
political analyst and co-author of "It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the
American Constitutional System Collided with the New Politics of Extremism” had
reservations:
“Will this compromise make it
through the Senate, once the details are hammered out (always more difficult
than frameworks) and with a lot more than 60 votes? Next, will House
Republicans, who have very different impulses and constituencies, be
supportive? Finally, if not, will (House Speaker John) Boehner bring an
immigration bill to the floor that will get many more Democratic votes than
Republican?"
If I were a Republican in
Congress (God forbid) and I looked at the dynamics of the Hispanic demographic that is exploding
throughout the country, I would figure some way to get on the bandwagon. With the total Congress hovering around a 10%
approval level, and Republicans who have repeatedly been identified as
obstructionists, putting them at even a lower level, my gut tells me that
immigration reform will happen this time.