Hispanics know Obama is not Serious about Immigration Reform

 

WASHINGTON & SANTA FE, NM (By Abby W. Schachter, NYPost) May 4, 2011 — Being taken for granted by Democrat politicians is nothing new for the Hispanic community but if the fastest growing population in the country votes en masse for a second Obama term and gets nothing, again, on immigration reform, it will have only itself to blame.

President Obama is not serious about immigration reform, he wasn't in 2008 and he isn't now. Even the Washington Post is skeptical of his recent explosion of hot air on the subject.

Here are three reasons why the President is just blowing smoke:
1. When he actually wants to get something done, he talks about bipartisanship. When it comes to immigration he's blaming the Republicans in Congress 100 percent. “I know some here wish I could just bypass Congress and change the law myself,” Obama said at a speech in Florida recently. “But that’s not how democracy works.”

2. He's not talking to anyone who is actually involved in reforming immigration laws. He's talking about immigration to people who will either give him money or give him votes. He's not asked for a meeting with any Republicans in Congress to discuss immigration reform and he hasn't even sat down with the one senator from his own party who was last working on a comprehensive immigration compromise, Sen. Chuck Schumer.

3. Obama hasn't got any idea how to reform immigration. He can only talk in platitudes about how changes to immigration laws have to be comprehensive and when he does get specific it is only about one small piece of the puzzle that failed to pass the Senate last year, the Dream Act. His only reference point in the discussion seems to be those who are here illegally. This is a myopic view of the problem for someone who keeps talking about an expansive, comprehensive solution.

On this point one can't blame Obama alone. After all, when the Congressional Hispanic Caucus met with the President the only thing on their minds was illegals. These lawmakers urged the President not to enforce the law and stop deporting students here illegally. “We do need to seek a legislative fix, but the reality right now is it would be very difficult with the huge majority the Republicans have in the House of Representatives,” said Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D-San Antonio). The truth is that no legislative fix was possible when Democrats were in the majority so it is pure politics for anyone to suggest the problem is the Republican majority.

President Obama sometimes seems to think Americans are stupid or not paying attention so that needn't make perfect sense. Apparently he feels that way about Hispanic voters as do members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

 

President Punts Immigration Reform to Congress

 

WASHINGTON & SANTA FE, NM (By By Jordy Yager, the Hill) May 3, 2011) May 4, 2011 — President Obama is urging Congress to pass immigration reform, but has given no indication he will craft a plan of his own.

Immigration reform is widely regarded as having little chance of passing in the divided 112th Congress, especially if Obama does not take an active role in crafting a bill.

Critics say Obama’s recent emphasis on immigration is geared toward convincing skeptical Hispanic voters that he is committed to signing a bill into law. A large majority of Hispanic voters did not vote in last year’s midterm election, and a repeat in 2012 would hamper Obama’s chances of winning a second term.

Senior administration officials on Tuesday acknowledged there needs to be a lot of communication between Obama and Republican leaders on Capitol Hill if an immigration measure is going to move. But the White House has not offered a plan, saying only Obama and his Cabinet planned to elevate the immigration debate to include “a very serious and very vigorous” campaign to spur lawmakers to action.

“This is in fact a problem Congress is going to have to step up to the table and work with us to get done and get done on a bipartisan basis,” Melody Barnes, the director of the White House’s domestic policy council, told reporters. “He’s committed and will be leaning into this issue in a very serious and very vigorous way.”

On Tuesday afternoon the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) met with Obama and asked him to grant temporary citizenship to certain illegal immigrants, such as students who have been in the U.S. for at least five years and do not have criminal histories.

“It was a productive meeting and there is no longer a debate over whether the President has broad discretionary powers when it comes to deportations,” said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) after the meeting.

“The question is how broad and how generous the president chooses to be. The meeting was not about granting legal status to the 12 million or so undocumented immigrants, but rather how to prioritize deporting drug dealers and gangsters, but not to deport DREAM Act students and the families of U.S. citizens."

The CHC meeting is the latest high-profile event Obama has held on immigration. After discussing the issue with immigration and civil rights advocates two weeks ago, Obama met last week with Hispanic celebrities.

Alfonso Aguilar, the executive director of the Hispanic Partnership for Conservative Principles, said the meeting with actresses Eva Longoria, Rosario Dawson and others was “outrageous and insulting.” He added that Obama’s increased visibility is just for show.

“These are all theatrics to give the impression to Hispanic voters the president is doing something on immigration when we all know that he hasn’t done anything,” said Aguilar.

Former President George W. Bush’s effort to pass comprehensive immigration fell short in his second term. Obama helped push a scaled-back immigration bill through the House last year, but it died in the Senate.