Despite the Republican rhetoric on immigration reform, on Friday, June 15, 2012, the President announced new actions that his administration will take to repair our nation’s immigration policy, to make it more fair, more efficient, and more just — specifically for certain young people sometimes called “Dreamers.” “These are young people who study in our schools, they play in our neighborhoods, they’re friends with our kids, they pledge allegiance to our flag. They are Americans in their heart, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper. They were brought to this country by their parents — sometimes even as infants — and often have no idea that they’re undocumented until they apply for a job or a driver’s license, or a college scholarship,” the President said.
That’s what gave rise to the DREAM Act, the President said. “It says that if your parents brought you here as a child, if you’ve been here for five years, and you’re willing to go to college or serve in our military, you can one day earn your citizenship. And I have said time and time and time again to Congress that, send me the DREAM Act, put it on my desk, and I will sign it right away.”
In the absence of any immigration action from Congress to fix the broken immigration system, the President announced that effective immediately, “the Department of Homeland Security is taking steps to lift the shadow of deportation from these young people. Over the next few months, eligible individuals who do not present a risk to national security or public safety will be able to request temporary relief from deportation proceedings and apply for work authorization.” You may recall that before the President had completed his statement, right-wing Daily Caller Neil Munro, in a most “disrespectful tone”, interrupted the President by asking a question even though the press was forewarned there would be no questions taken. Here is another example of a complete lack of respect by a member of the right-wing radical group of the Republican Party towards the Office of the President primarily because our President is African American.
Since the President’s immigration announcement, the Republican Party has gone berserk saying, among other things, that it is an outrage that the President would not work with the Congress. Recently on CNN, former Republican presidential candidate, Tim Pawlenty, said that even though the President had a democratic congress, he didn’t pass immigration reform and now at the 11th hour, “he comes up with this Executive Order.” (Actually, the President did not issue an Executive Order.)
House Speaker Boehner said that there “was no attempt to work with the Congress.” Sen. Marco Rubio said that President Obama showed he was only “interested in a talking point” by not consulting congressional Republicans on a directive halting the deportations of some young people brought to the United States illegally by their parents. Rubio told ABC News’ David Muir that, “If they were serious about a real solution to this problem, why not reach out to people?” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith, a leading opponent of immigration liberalization, called the move “a breach of faith with the American people.” He said the new policy could hurt unemployed Americans looking for work and “violates President Obama’s oath to uphold the laws of this land.” Representative Peter King, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, criticized the administration for “overstepping its authority” and implementing policies that could “jeopardize border security.” Rush Limbaugh, the chief spokesperson for the right-wing conservative radical group, says that the next two things the Obama administration will put into effect without Congress’ approval are: 1) forgiving student loans “if they have to in this campaign,” and 2) perhaps even forgiving mortgage debt. This is yet another one of Limbaugh’s completely asinine comments for many of his paranoid listeners.
Speaking after a campaign event in Milford, NH, Willard Mitt Romney criticized the President’s policy change saying it would make it more difficult “to reach a long-term solution” for dealing with the fate of young people who are in the United States “through no fault of their own.” Speaker Boehner, Senator Rubio and others claim that the President did not work with Congress on an immigration policy. These folks are “big liars” and are trying to convince the American people to believe the lies. Here are the facts:
Prior to the 2010 elections when the Democrats controlled the House, they passed the “Dream Act.” Eight Republicans voted for the Act; the rest of the House Republicans voted “no.” In the Senate, the Bill received 55 votes for with 41votes against but because of a Republican “filibuster” the Bill failed to pass. Republican Senator Lindsay Graham actually co-sponsored the Bill but apparently too intimidated to cast a vote.
The President’s Immigration Policy has put Republican presidential candidate, Willard Mitt Romney, in a “tail spin” and he is horrified to take a position on whether or not he would repeal the President’s action if elected President. If he said that he supported the President’s action, he alienates his base; if said that he does not support the policy, he alienates the Latino community, a constituency he sorely needs. Romney appeared on Face the Nation and skirted the issue four times when asked by Host Bob Schieffer about his position. Romney recently spoke at the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials and did what he could to avoid taking a position on the President’s policy. Of course, Speaker Boehner and Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell, are so confused that they just deferred to Willard Mitt Romney. So much for Republican leadership.
During the swearing-in ceremony of President Obama in January 2009, Republican leaders met in a private dining room at an expensive steakhouse in Washington, DC, to plot and scheme the demise of an Obama second term.. This “secret meeting” included Republican congressmen and senators along with Republican pollster Frank Luntz, right-wing journalist Fred Barnes, and former speaker and presidential candidate, Newt Gingrich, who resigned from Congress in disgrace. Gingrich gave the opening remarks and provided the tactical advice throughout the meeting including an idea that Republicans target the tax problems of New York Democrat Charlie Rangel. At the end of the meeting, Gingrich declared, “You will remember this day. You’ll remember this as the day the seeds of 2012 were sown.”
It is no surprise that this “secret meeting” took place. Ever since President Obama was elected, there has been a deliberate, orchestrated and devious effort to “take him down.” I recall that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said that the “single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” In spite of that secret meeting, McConnell’s comment, Republican obstruction, and the consistent right-wing radical attack on the President, he has been able to accomplish a number of significant initiatives. We know of the hatred that the right-wing, radical fringe has for President Obama because he is African American, will the American people buy into the consistent lies that leaders and mouth pieces of the Republican Party attempt to sell us?
Many voters fell for the Republican lies that influenced the 2010 elections and the results have been devastating. Republican Governors are busting unions, suppressing voter rights, cutting funds for children and seniors’ programs, violating women’s’ rights, just to name a few. With the heavy influence of the Tea Party, House Republicans have concentrated most of their legislative efforts on restricting women’s rights, holding the country hostage on the debt ceiling, passing the Ryan budget plan that eliminates or drastically changes programs such as food stamps, Medicare, Social Security and seniors’ programs while proposing large tax increases for the wealthy. If the Republican Party was really interested in resolving our economic crisis and putting people back to work, why haven’t they even brought to a vote any of the job bills that President Obama has proposed? Remember, their job since the inauguration is to prevent President Obama from a second term. Like Satan, they are doing their job well. However, I don’t believe that savvy American voters will fall for the 2010 lies and hypocrisy as we approach the November elections. I certainly won’t.
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