Obama looking to give new life to immigration reform

[babylonsister]

Given all the pressing issues out there, he's dancing as fast as he can!

Obama looking to give new life to immigration reform

In an effort to advance a bill through Congress before midterm elections, the president meets with two senators who have spent months trying to craft legislation.

March 04, 2010|By Peter Nicholas


Reporting from Washington — Despite steep odds, the White House has discussed prospects for reviving a major overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, a commitment that President Obama has postponed once already.

Obama took up the issue privately with his staff Monday in a bid to advance a bill through Congress before lawmakers become too distracted by approaching midterm elections.
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In the session, Obama and members of his Domestic Policy Council outlined ways to resuscitate the effort in a White House meeting with two senators -- Democrat Charles E. Schumer of New York and Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina -- who have spent months trying to craft a bill.

According to a person familiar with the meeting, the White House may ask Schumer and Graham to at least produce a blueprint that could be turned into legislative language.

The basis of a bill would include a path toward citizenship for the 10.8 million people living in the U.S. illegally. Citizenship would not be granted lightly, the White House said. Undocumented workers would need to register, pay taxes and pay a penalty for violating the law. Failure to comply might result in deportation.

more...

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/04/nation/la-na-immigration5-2010mar05

[Craftsman]

1. Unemployment is how high and they want to do this in an election year.

[babylonsister]

2. Haha! Damned if he does...

can't please everyone, some people will complain about anything/everything, and that works both ways.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7848859

Obama risks alienating Latinos with lack of immigration reform

[treestar]

20. They are people who are already in the US

Besides, the relationship of immigration to unemployment is very misunderstood, most people go with a shallow understanding based on a zero sum game.

Immigrants can help lower unemployment too:

http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/Economic_Blame_Game_111909.pdf

[Renew Deal]

3. Obama isn't shy about going after hot topics

He goes from one to the next.

[blm]

18. actually, Schumer has been angling to push immigration reform BEFORE Climate Change in the senate...

Schumer wants to be Majority Leader and knows that immigration reform debate in an election year will certainly undercut Harry Reid's re-election in Nevada. He wants Climate Change pushed back till AFTER immigration reform.

As if this planet has any more time to waste.

Obama didn't push the meeting, Schumer did, and Obama asking for them to return WITH a draft of a bill is appropriate. It does NOT indicate in any way that Obama WANTS the legislation pushed through NOW. I have no doubt Schumer's people are spinning the meeting into a more urgent mission.

[getthefacts]

22. I'm not sure if this is the case

I don't doubt Schumer wants to be majority leader, but the Latino vote could actually help Reid in Nevada. After all, Hispanics make up 12% of the eligible vote on that state. If Reid doesn't push for reform after he promised so many times, those Latinos will remember.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. Good

but I hope he's not looking to McCain for any help with this! :eyes:

[AlinPA]

5. Lindsey Graham? What the hell? Looks like a real loser with that guy who is a "friend" of

Lieberman. Maybe they can get Tancredo to help, too and get some more "bipartisanship".

[Arkana]

14. You mean FORMER Rep. Tom Tancredo?

[gulfcoastliberal]

6. More like the Chamber of Commerce is writing the bill. They are always pimping this.

Considering Obama's zeal in cutting social security, medicare, and generally doing whatever big biz wants this is no surprise.

Just do a search of chamber of commerce immigration reform and you'll see who is really sponsoring a bill that continues to distort the labor market in favor of diluted wages - just the way wal-mart likes it.

[pampango]

7. Actually, organized labor and the Progressive Caucus support Obama's framework for reform,

while the Chamber does not support it because it does not have a guest worker provision.

[Cha]

8. Well, that shoots down

that poster's nasty theory.

[damonm]

15. Facts are just SO unpleasant...

[babylonsister]

9. Got a link for any of your assertions?

And I mean good links from good sources stating that Obama just can't wait to cut SS and Medicare? Cause this is news to me.

[Knight Hawk]

10. Timing?

Maybe I mingle with the common people too much,people of all stripes,but I cannot imagine a topic of much less importance to the average family out there trying to survive.And in Florida there are a LOT of them.Unless Obama has extremely poor timing or is trying to destroy the Democratic party ,this does not make sense IMHO.

[babylonsister]

13. I'm a common person, and read this this a.m., so you tell me...

Obama risks alienating Latinos with lack of immigration reform

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7848859

So many issues, so many concerned people, so little time to satisfy everyone.

[treestar]

21. Latino vote was pivotal to his win, too

[tekisui]

11. I eagerly await details of this bill.

This is an absolutely necessary effort.

[lunamagica]

12. Agreed. Plus millions of new Democratic voters. That's what Republicans fear the most. n/t

[NecklyTyler]

16. Immigration is the third rail to Freepers and Teabaggers

All eyes are on Health Care Reform and reducing spending. I have to abdicate the strategy of elections back to the master chess player President Obama on this one. We still have eight months before the election. That is plenty of time for the Republicans to lose in a big way. I hope the President is playing immigration for a win both in 2010 and in 2012.

The right wingers will probably never see this one coming

[Change Happens]

19. Catch 22 for the MORANS!!!!!!!!!!! Republicans?

WWMCD? WWLD?

I hope this is true! Boner and Bitch McConnoll will shit in their pants?

[NecklyTyler]

17. K&R