Obama takes immigration reform off agenda

[Bluebear]

WASHINGTON – Immigration reform has become the first of President Barack Obama's major priorities dropped from the agenda of an election-year Congress facing voter disillusionment. Sounding the death knell was Obama himself.

The president noted that lawmakers may lack the "appetite" to take on immigration while many of them are up for re-election and while another big legislative issue — climate change — is already on their plate.

"I don't want us to do something just for the sake of politics that doesn't solve the problem," Obama told reporters Wednesday night aboard Air Force One.

Immigration reform was an issue Obama promised Latino groups that he would take up in his first year in office. But several hard realities — a tanked economy, a crowded agenda, election-year politics and lack of political will — led to so much foot-dragging in Congress that, ultimately, Obama decided to set the issue aside.

With that move, the president calculated that an immigration bill would not prove as costly to his party two years from now, when he seeks re-election, than it would today, even though some immigration reformers warned that a delay could so discourage Democratic-leaning Latino voters that they would stay home from the polls in November.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100429/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_immigration_politics

[IndianaJoe]

1. I hope he changes his mind on this, but I doubt it. *sigh* n/t

[underpants]

2. I don't like it but I understand it

he has been flying all over the place on policy and issues.

Basically this is the media and DC admitting that we are a racist nation.

[IndianaJoe]

3. I don't think he could get anything passed.

But just trying, trying hard, would get us a lot of Latino votes and demonstrate our heart's in the right place.

[underpants]

4. He really doesn't have to. The Repubicans have played themselves AGAIN

It still is the party of the naive Bush/Cheney and they got played by everybody

[IndianaJoe]

7. I think Hispanics know who wants reform...

And the Arizona mess sure tells them it isn't the Republicans. But the Latino outrage over this is just getting started. I think we're going to see marches, demonstrations, boycotts in numbers we've never seen before. I'd like Dems to be a big part of it.

I remember reading once that in the old Blaine-Cleveland election back when my ancestors, the Irish, were the hated immigrant minority, the Republican Blaine was at a wingding where a supporter made a toast claiming the Democrats were the party of "Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion". Blaine just lifted his glass and took a sip like everyone else there did. It so infuriated the Irish that they came out in record numbers and got Cleveland elected. Latinos will take no back seat to the Irish on this. But Obama's gotta show them he cares.

[Cant trust em]

5. We already have a climate bill that has made it through the house.

We might as well finish that before we take on another huge challenge.

There is no immigration bill yet.

[The Northerner]

6. So, it's off the agenda for 2010? Really?

I'm honestly surprised.

[depakid]

9. Politically, it's a smart move

Taking on a heated issue during an election year won't help the Dems, as Republicans have already tipped their racist hands- and it would likely result in crappy, overly compromised legislation that won't really tackle the major problems.

Pops to Obama for getting out in front of this.

[The Northerner]

12. It's definitely a smart move

In addition, 2011 is when the Repub presidential candidates begin campaigning and an issue such as immigration reform could be even more contentious considering that they'll likely be pandering to both the conservatives and the Hispanics for votes.

[Vattel]

8. politics 101:

don't believe what a politician who wants your vote tells you.

[greencharlie]

10. it's called politics...

and don't expect to see cap 'n trade, a controversial SCOTUS pick or another BAILOUT before November... but after November everything is game. :D

[customerserviceguy]

11. Given the state of the economy

this was predictable. As I recall, Simpson-Mazzoli wasn't passed until 1986, when we were visibly out of the 1980-82 recession.