The fiery backlash against the recent Arizona law energized the fight for immigration reform overnight, propelling Democrats to forcefully cast the issue as a top domestic priority. But not long after invigorating advocates of a nationwide overhaul did party leaders furtively pour cold water on prospects of completing the task this year.
President Obama and Democratic leaders pounced on the law in anticipation of its enactment two Fridays ago, elevating their rhetoric following Gov. Jan Brewer's signature and strongly signaling an intention to prioritize immigration after financial reform, which has already been approved by the House and is approaching its climax in the Senate.
But soon after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said they would move on immigration ahead of energy and climate change legislation, Obama stealthily dampened its hopes, telling reporters in a rare statement aboard Air Force One that there "may not be an appetite" for Congress to tackle the issue this year.
Coalescing around this message while rhetorically embracing the need for an immigration overhaul, Pelosi declared: "If there is going to be any movement in this regard, it will require presidential leadership, as well as an appetite," to push forward. Reid followed suit, demoting immigration back below climate change. This may be a squandered opportunity to push the issue at its hottest moment.
The Arizona law, far from crystallizing as a pure party-line issue, has invited substantive and strategic criticisms from numerous Republicans, too. While the silence of the GOP leadership may partly reflect acquiescence to the xenophobic elements of the conservative base, some elected Republicans (and acute strategists like Karl Rove) know that the law's undeniable snub to Hispanics -- America's fastest-growing demographic -- will come back to haunt the party.
Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake speculates that Democrats are cynically capitalizing on the Arizona law to galvanize Latino voters -- who strongly support reform -- ahead of this year's perilous midterm elections. The party's "symbolic gestures" and summons for bipartisanship, she posits, are an attempt to obscure its own reticence to tackle such an explosive issue for fear of blowback from other constituencies in November.
In a fairly lackluster press conference on Thursday, Democrats unveiled a framework for nationwide reforms, which considerably beefs up border enforcement and clamps down on illegal immigration while offering a long, arduous pathway to citizenship for presently undocumented immigrants. The blueprint also eases the gridlock on family- and employment-based immigration, eliminating some obstacles for close relatives of US citizens and skilled foreign workers to attain visas and permanent residency.
Anger towards the federal government's failure to fix the immigration system is certainly legitimate, as is the ire against those who break the law. Illegal immigration is a serious problem. But underscoring the more overarching anti-immigrant rage -- directed also against legal minorities, like the Arizona law -- is a forceful nativist backlash, presumably driven by America's changing demographics as the growth of minorities outpaces that of whites. The first black president reflects the nation's paradigm shift into a minority-majority country, which is fueling anxieties, particularly among older traditionalists.
The optics of both immigration and energy today couldn't be more conducive to reform, as the massive nationwide immigration rallies in response to the Arizona law and the catastrophic BP oil spill provide the perfect impetus for Democrats to galvanize their base. But after a politically treacherous year fighting for health care reform -- and a series of obstacles remaining on the financial reform front -- it's likely Congress will postpone deliberation on both issues until next year.
This short-term solution presents greater long-term problems. Democrats, being the party that controls the presidency and large congressional majorities during a recession, are poised to lose many seats in both chambers this November. And the rising influence of the tea partiers, essentially the GOP's far-right flank that's determined to forbid Democrats to govern, foreshadows potentially unprecedented gridlock in Washington come January.
The draft proposal put forth by Democrats, similar in many respects to George W Bush's failed 2007 effort, includes various Republican ideas and reflects pragmatic interest in overhauling the system. But success this time around will require real leadership from the White House -- the polarized factions won't coalesce around any kind of solution without persistent articulation of the need to amend the status quo.
Follow Sahil Kapur on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Sahil_Kapur
http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/05/03/frum.immigration.education/index.html?section=cnn_latest
I rather see that aid go to a well-deserved person than someone who's living a lavishing life and lying to get that aid. And if that happens to be an immigrant, I'm ok w that. U haven't seen ppl suffering in helpless situations?
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1ymYaR1lPEU/S98pznklpGI/AAAAAAAAAMg/YVZeOsjYrYI/s1600/94861002.jpg
I'm more likely to believe the Dems are letting this wound fester til it's a gaping chest intrusion with heavy burning shrapnel and the citizenry are screaming from rooftops begging for help.
Then they will ride into town on silvery white horses and grant Amnesty with their magic wands.
Therefore granting 12 million illegal immigrants AND their associated families a reason to vote for Barak Obama. Bingo!! But the gritty sandy part is that the majority of Americans, Hispanics included favor stricter immigration laws and stronger enforcement. Obama will need those 12 million votes if he passes Amnesty in September.
It's the one item on the TeaBaggers platform that is purely American in origin and has resonating patriotism all over it. Keeping America safe is going to get alot of votes. Fence sitters that voted for Obama in MO, VA, etc.. will move away from his administration.
He and his administration has an opportunity to be a true Leader, a true Statesman but only he acts now. Waiting til congress greenlights this dicussion on a reform package is too late to gather the maximum benefits.
A recent NY Times poll shows a majority of American citizens support the new Arizona law. Americans want an overhaul of immigration laws, and they want laws either similar to Arizona's, or laws that go even further.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/04/us/04poll.html?ref=us
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/36717.html
The last three policy proposals that are left in front of the Senate. Financial rules by the end of May, confirmation of nominee by June/July, energy legislation by August, and whatever time is left is saved for immigration reform.
That's just how the legislative calender fell.
Now, if the healthcare debate had ended within the 12 months that were expected, with a proposal that looked a lot like the framework bill that Sen. Bauchus ended up with, built on the funding structure designed by the late Sen. Kennedy's committee, and adopting the "triggered" public option that Sen. Snowe(R-ME) was ready to support, there would've been more time to do more things.
Sen. Bauchus' proposal was finished by mid-October, the final Senate language would've been done before Thanksgiving, and a final bill would've been signed by the President before Christmas.
You pick up four more months on the legislative clock to work with, and if things fell the right way, comprehensive immigration reform could've been addressed well in time for the election season.
The State of the Union becomes the platform to focus on financial rules, climate/energy, and immigration reform, with financial rules done by March, climate/energy done by June, and the rest of the clock used for immigration reform.
unfortunately, that didn't happen.