Sen. Harry Reid’s immigration reform plan that includes the “framework” of the United American Families Act, including the ability for gays to sponsor same-sex partners for visas? Democrats can’t find a single Republican to come on board. Sen. Lindsey Graham, the Republican Tea Party target: “The Senate Democrats’ proposal is nothing more than an attempt to score political points. It poisons the well for those of us who are working toward a more secure border and responsible, bipartisan reform of our immigration laws.”
the lawmaking
The Dems’ Immigration Reform Would Help the Gays? GOP Wants No Part
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Mike L.
Yeah that means we will be on the cutting board, go figure.
ousslander
What gets me is that they are working on granting full citizenship to illegals including marriage, adoption and inheritance laws but gay CITIZENS get nothing except a few crumbs. Total Bullshit!
TONYD
@ousslander: Gays, blacks, browns, Christians, Muslims, old, young, women, transgenders, people living with disabilities; we all love to crawl on the backs of one another, demanding to be treated equal, but refusing the same civil opportunity to hear one another out on why the other has the same case because they’re different, WE ARE DIFFERENT, vomiting what we heard on tv or from an outdated book. Get over it and remember the USA is the land of the free- there’s no clause, because if there is, it’s only fair your kind be added to the list.
Baxter
Kind of a misleading post here. It makes it sound like Republicans are against the immigration bill just because of the gay thing, while there’s actually a whole host of reasons that Republicans are avoiding it (and the “gays getting visas” section isn’t mentioned once in the Politico article cited). I think the gay issue is probably somewhere near the bottom of the list of things that Republicans are worried about in that bill.
Bill Perdue
What never ceases to amaze me is that bigots and racists can’t seem to figure out the facts or find the time to lay the blame on the current economic catastrophe on the looter rich and their bipartisan lap dogs in the White House and Congress.
Like the Nazis in the 1920s and 1930s who scapegoated ‘rich Jews’ and blame them for unemployment, depression and their defeat in WWI these racists want to scapegoat imported and immigrant workers while ignoring the real criminals, the rich and their accomplices.
Ousslander wants to blame the lack of progress in getting our agenda passed by the same Democrats and Republicans who voted for DOMA and DADT on the rights agenda of immigrant and imported workers.
The bill does not address the key needs for immigrant and imported workers like full rights and benefits enjoyed by other workers, criminalizing the racist gangs who patrol the border and getting them into unions. Instead it call for more border controls, a torturous bureaucratic “pathway” to citizenship and a biometric national ID.
O Brave New Obot World! “Community! Identity! Stability!”
I wonderm will the card come with an lifetime prescription for tranqs in case things get really nasty?
Baxter
@Bill Perdue: Maybe you could try writing that again without sounding like a crazy person…
D'oh, The Magnificent
@Bill Perdue: I agree with your post. Just got through reading the 26 page document about immigration put out by Democrats. A lot of bad things in that bill proposal.
Bill Perdue
@D’oh, The Magnificent: Thanks, D’oh, that national id card business really caught my eye.
The rest of the bill is just a rehash of Bush era Republican proposals and that’s what pisses the Republicans off so much. The Democrats, particularly Obama, are moving to the right so far and so fast that there’s not a lot of substantive differences between the two parties. (Not that there ever were.)
DOMA, DADT, health care, offshore drilling, the wars, feeding the rich, busting unions, bashing immigrant and imported workers etc., etc., etc.
The same thing happened in 1996 when Clinton stole the Republican platform, supported DOMA and a “family agenda” and ran with them. That prompted Dole, the Republican presidential candidate to ask plaintively “Is there anything we’re for that he won’t jump on?”
Earlier in 1996 Dole screwed up his chance to reply to Clinton’s State of the Union address. Time Magazine said he “prattled on” instead of doing the smart thing and just welcoming “Clinton to the G.O.P. and said good night.”http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985159-1,00.html
Someone needs to welcome the Democrats to the GOP. The name of their dance is “allemand right”.
Bubba
“immigration reform” is just code for amnesty. Unacceptable.
reason
Disagree with your analysis, if they could push immigration reform to the forefront they could force a few Republicans over to their side; like with financial reform the Republicans have a lot to loose politically. The republicans already a bit regretful of the long term consequences, short term southern strategy worked well for them, of losing nearly all African Americans, even though a decent number are conservative, because with a couple of percentage points of that vote republicans would have no problem maintaining power. They know now they risk loosing the majority of the Hispanic vote which will tip nearly permanent power to the democrats who would have nearly all Jewish Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and the majority of women and young Americans in a powerful coalition. The Republicans do not want to risk that so the’re starting to backtrack on their past statements i.e. Governor Rick Perry of Texas, Karl Rove… They also know if this thing really gets going they will not be able to keep their rowdy base and even some elected officials from making the most incendiary statements putting of Hispanics for a generation while making lots of independents ill.
The Democrats know there is opportunity for long term gain, but are worried about short term fallout. The Republicans could raise the noise loud enough to cause the Democrats a number of seats, but the non conservative electorate will quickly get over amnesty especially if border security is strengthened; the Democrats just may not have enough time for the electorate to calm down before the midterms come around.
Amnesty really is not that huge of a deal, the cheaters will go to the back of the line, learn English, and pay their dues; if they fail along the way they get deported. A lot of these people already have the American spirit granted they have gone through untold strife in search of a better life. The important thing is we strengthen border security and make it nearly impossible for new illegals to make it here after amnesty is granted. Federal ID, heavy fines on law breaking business, heavy fines on landlords, incentives for reporting illegals, and some more creative measures should do the trick. This will get our legal immigration process back on track without huge influxes of people overburdening Americas resources, while not being cruel and unusual to the many people that already have built a life here and are for the most part are American.
It’s hard to judge if it’s best to make a move now or wait until next year. These decisions will determine if the president gets the rest of his agenda accomplished in his first term, second term, or never.
wannabegay
im part of a binational couple and it sucks! so many rights that we dont get! everyday if google UAFA to see if there’s any news at all…
i have an advise for all those gays waiting for this reform: JUST BECOME ILLEGAL. if they’re gonna take the gay provisions out, then how about we just stay here past our visa expiration date or lie to the officers from immigration, maybe then we will get citizenship! dont get me wrong, im for full immigration rights for all the illegals in the US, but it seems unfair that because of some bigots i have to pay out of state tuition, fear every time i leave US (will they let me back in?!), pay for my coverage when it comes to health insurance, not being able to work.
Ronbolina
Welcome to Amerika! Get in line for a job behind me. Unfortunately, in this new regime, an education hinders your chances of landing that job. We don’t need no stinkin engineers – Obama’s jobs initiative ensures that we keep importing from China.
Is it me, or is this an overly complex issue for a political solution? Higher fences? More drones? I don’t see these having any real impact (other than enabling a survelence society).
reason
@Ronbolina: No engineers? All of my engineering friends got jobs right out of college with good starting salaries 60+ B.S. – PhD; maybe you are looking in the wrong state. High Tech jobs usually stay right here in America. Every problem has a political solution, whether those solutions are good are bad are always debatable.
Lincoln Rose
*sigh* Please…like the Republicans want part of ANY bill going on right now.
They’re the party of 2 year olds. Stamping their feet and screaming “no, no, no” no matter WHAT’S on the table. It could be immigration rights for us, stronger bank reform, a coupon for a free double scoop cone for everyone in this country at Baskin Robbins. If Congress wanted to pass a bill making tomorrow National Hug Your Grandmother Day, the Republicans would get outraged and filibuster.
It’s so tired, but they’ve accomplished one thing that I can tell. I now have no ability to discern when they are actually making a valid point about anything.