If you ever needed a reason to be in favor of encumbency defeat this November, this is it...G.O.P. Sets Aside Work on Immigration
By CARL HULSE and RACHEL L. SWARNS
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 — As they prepare for a critical pre-election legislative stretch, Congressional Republican leaders have all but abandoned a broad overhaul of immigration laws and instead will concentrate on national security issues they believe play to their political strength.
President Bush had made comprehensive changes in immigration laws a priority, even making the issue the subject of a prime-time address, but House Republicans have been determined not to move ahead with any legislation that could be construed as amnesty for anyone who entered the country illegally. They held hearings around the country in recent weeks to contrast their enforcement-only bill with a Senate measure that could lead to citizenship for some.
“I don’t see how you bridge that divide between us and the Senate,” said Representative Peter T. King, Republican of New York and chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. “I don’t see it happening. I really don’t.”
It is obvious from reading this article that Republicans are more concerned with preserving their seats in Congress by not doing anything that might endanger them electorally, than taking on the problem of illegal immigration head on and doing something positive regardless of how unpopular it might be with illegal aliens. Every day that goes by without closing the border to illegal immigration is another day when thousands sneak in to take advantage of liberal benefits we shower upon them. That U.S. legislators have sat on their hands for so long and done nothing is abhorent to me, and deserving of electoral defeat. Republicans can blame nobody but themselves for this inaction as they control all three bodies(legislative and executive) needed to accomplish serious, effective immigration reform.
A turn-over in legislative control of at least one house of Congress would serve three useful purposes: 1. It would seriously focus the minds of remaining conservatives in both houses. Afraid of voter ire come the next election cycle, they would hopefully accomplish something on immigration during the next session. 2. It would force the craven Democrats who do nothing but snipe at Republicans to offer solutions of their own. Everybody knows the Democrats have no solutions and the voters would see this. 3. With a divided legislative branch there would certainly be congressional gridlock in Washington. Every day gone by with Washington gridlock is another day gone by without our taxes raised or our freedoms restricted.
That's right folks. I just talked myself into embracing the idea of democratic victories in November. Something has got to shake these guys up and as long as Republicans remain in power, they will see no reason to do anything substantive which might make them electorally vulnerable.
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