Executive Inaction
White House delays unilateral immigration reform until after November election
When immigration reform collapsed earlier this year in the House of Representatives, President Barack Obama said he’d do whatever he could do with his powers of executive action to push through new policies.
While the White House didn’t release a detailed list of what that meant, exactly, the most controversial element had to be providing some kind of legal shelter to the undocumented immigrants now in the country.
It’s those undocumented immigrants—maybe 12 million, maybe more, maybe less—that have remained a sticking point in getting comprehensive immigration reform through the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Democrats want the undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows, get a legal status in the United States, pay fines and back taxes and start on a long path to citizenship, while Republicans want anything from some kind of legal status (though most oppose a path to citizenship) to deportation of the whole lot of ’em.
Obama has already provided the so-called DREAMers—younger immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and think of the country as their native home—with protection from deportation through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA. But immigration advocates have been urging him to extend that prosecutorial discretion to a larger group of the undocumented.
It appeared as though Obama was planning on doing just that. He had told the press that he would act by the end of the summer, but over the weekend, he announced instead he would wait until after the November election.
During an appearance on “Meet the Press,” Obama said the decision to delay executive action was more about new complications in the immigration debate that emerged after the influx of unaccompanied minors on the borders.
“When I take executive action, I want to make sure it’s sustainable,” Obama said. “What I’m saying is that I’m going to act because it’s the right thing for the country. But it’s going to be more sustainable and more effective if the public understands what the facts are on immigration.”
The delay brought complaints from Republicans and Democrats alike that the White House was playing politics with the immigration issue. U.S. Sen. Jeff Flake, a Republican who co-sponsored the immigration legislation that passed the Senate last year, said that “the president has made what was already a political move even more transparently political. Such action will make genuine reform of our immigration system even more difficult.”
While it’s hard to imagine how immigration reform could be more difficult—the House of Representatives doesn’t seem inclined to do much of anything other than militarizing the entire Southern border—Flake isn’t alone in criticizing the president. On the other end of the political spectrum, Southern Arizona Congressman Raúl Grijalva (D-CD3) blasted Obama for delaying the executive action.
“The president’s actions leave those who looked to him for hope feeling alone, ignored and used,” Grijalva said. “They are being asked to wait again when there is no patience left. Every day that goes by, more families are splintered and more kids are forced to grow up apart from their parents. No senate seat is worth that.”
Congressman Ron Barber (D-CD2) said Obama should let Congress handle immigration reform.
“Securing our border and fixing our broken immigration system have been among my top priorities,” Barber said. “This is a job that Congress must do and the president cannot and should not do it alone. For any president to try to usurp the responsibilities of Congress on any topic—including immigration—would be wrong; I don’t care who is in the presidency. I remain deeply concerned about unilateral decisions by the president. This increase in presidential authority ignores the constitutional role of Congress and upsets the checks and balance system that is fundamental to our democracy.”
Crossover Support
Endorsements and such in the governor’s race
It took a little time, but the Republican gubernatorial candidate Doug Ducey’s rivals in the GOP primary came around last week and endorsed the Arizona treasurer and former Cold Stone Creamery CEO.
In a joint statement, former Mesa mayor Scott Smith and former GoDaddy attorney Christine Jones, who had both questioned Ducey’s business practices and honesty, issued a joint statement supporting Ducey.
“As proud conservatives, we respect the election process, we support the will of the voters, and we endorse Doug Ducey as the Republican nominee for governor,” they said. “We urge our fellow Republicans to do the same.”
Not all the Republicans in Arizona feel the same way. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Fred DuVal released a list of more than 100 Republicans who were supporting him. Among the Southern Arizona Republicans: former state lawmaker Jennifer Burns, former Tucson mayor Bob Walkup and businessman Bruce Dusenberry.
“The problems we face are bigger than party politics, and we need leaders who will work with anyone to fix them—not just members of their team,” DuVal said in a prepared statement. “When I am governor, we will stop fighting and start fixing: restore funding to our children’s schools, revitalize our economy, and bring together Republicans, Independents, and Democrats to move Arizona forward.”
Crossover Support, Part II
Republicans embrace Democratic candidate for state schools chief
Democrat David Garcia, who is facing Republican Diane Douglas in the race for State Superintendent of Public Instruction, has landed the support of two former Republicans who held the post, Lisa Graham Keegan and Jaime Molera.
“I am supporting David Garcia for state school superintendent because the state needs an education leader who seeks the best in education for all students, informs his decisions with honest data, and understands integrity in office is everything,” said Keegan, who headed up the office from 1995 to 2001 and later served as John McCain’s education advisor. “I have watched David bring these strengths to his work, and look forward to his leadership.”
Molera, who served from 2001 to 2002, said that the state “does not need someone who will bring extreme and nonsensical views into our K-12 system. David worked as a top advisor to me when I served as state superintendent. I know he has a strong work ethic and will lead based on sound research, not distorted ideological views.”
The endorsements show that Douglas, a former Peoria school board member who upset Republican incumbent John Huppenthal in the GOP primary, is making establishment Republicans and some members of the business community nervous because they fear she will not be good for the state’s educational system or reputation.
Garcia welcomed the endorsements.
“Though elections are partisan, good education policy is not,” Garcia said. “I’m honored to have the support of both Democratic and Republican education leaders, and I am committed to doing what’s in the best interest of our students, our schools and our state.”
This article appears in Sep 11-17, 2014.
Grigalva and obamantion are both traitors to the American public and should move to mexico.
“But it’s going to be more sustainable and more effective if the public understands what the facts are on immigration.”
The facts are business wants cheap labor, rich media companies want cheap nannies, and working Americans get to just bend over and take it.
“But it’s going to be more sustainable and more effective if the public understands what the facts are on immigration.”
The facts are business wants cheap labor, and the 1% want cheap nannies and working Americans can just bend over and take it.
Who are Grigalva and obamantion and how are they traitors? The House leadership and Senate Republicans are the real traitors and ought to repay the salaries they clearly did not earn while wasting the last four years on meaningless votes, obstruction and stonewalling.
I remember when legislators legislated, long, long ago
obama will do what’s best for obama when it’s time for obama. And, the decision will come down when he’s ready, not before. The prez is tone deaf. Once you realize that, the rest is easy, then you will stop yelling at your TVs
President Obama believes that those who violate our laws on a daily basis should feel comfortable and safe, rather be fearful of being detained and deported. Who does he represent, the criminal or the taxpayer victims? Outside of breaking the law in the first place, large numbers commit crimes once arriving here. A multitude of illegal alien drunk drivers, mow down innocent Americans on our highways. The hundreds of thousands incarcerated within our prison system, which I suggest should be isolated on an island, not dissimilar to Australia’s Christmas Island compound? Why shouldn’t foreign nationals breaking our laws be looking over their shoulder, staying in the shadows, NOT admit they are criminals by applying for driver’s licenses. What happens in the future when honest government is back and those DMV records are used to prove they are here illegally—and they signed a document to admit it.
Once the Senate and House is back in the hands of an ethical and I hope a less corrupted government, taxpayers should demand that ALL illegal aliens legitimized by Obamas inept associates that ALL his executive orders are reversed and the data bases for illegally-sponsored drivers licensing, federal IRS special ITIN tax refund numbers are checked and state agencies, who conspired against the Rule of Law held accountable. Even Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) who refused to investigate Child Tax Credits, given the parents illegal aliens of over a. 4 Billion of dollars in reimbursements
“Obama said that in the “absence of congressional action,” he intends to “take action” to increase resources on the border, upgrade “how we process these cases and that we find a way to encourage legal immigration and give people some path so they can start paying taxes, pay a fine, and learn English.” He asserted that it is important that they not have to “look over their shoulder but be legal since they’ve been living here for quite some time.” If these so called penalties are anything like the lax processing after the 1986 Amnesty, then we really in serious trouble.
What part of illegal does this former attorney not understand? Is this corrupt administration going to secretly use the reorganization of ACORN to register–alive or dead people—felons, illegal aliens to vote in the midterms. Are the Liberal progressives going to bus their crowds from another county or a close state to vote illegally?
According to Texas rancher Cuban “Rusty” Monsees, Mexican drug cartel members are wreaking havoc on the ranches near the border and using death threats and textbook intimidation to drive ranchers off their land. Read the whole story on http://www.teaparty.org
In an interview with Oathkeepers, Monsees revealed:
“We get kids. We get adults. The cartel is bringing across, importing people from as far away as the Mediterranean. I’ve talked to agents and they picked up some characters from Somalia, Iran, Iraq, Syria… anything that you can think of these agents has to deal with.”
It gets worse: in the same in interview, Rob, an Oathkeeper who has come to help protect Rusty and his ranch from the invaders, claimed that Border Patrol has captured wanted terrorists, but have been unable to release that information to the vulnerable public. Rob explained,
“[They] had six Middle Eastern males on Rusty’s property [which Border Patrol was able to catch] … all I know is they were Muslim. I wasn’t told a whole lot of information about it. I do know they had told me they had caught eleven of the same group, the week prior to that, that had been on our United States terrorist wanted list [for acts against the United States] – not watch, but wanted list. And this is the kind of stuff that they are not releasing to the public; they’re not allowed to release it.”
Rob continued,
“They were caught and they were turned over to Homeland Security, and everything pretty much disappeared like what Rusty was saying. None of that is any public information or anything like that, so they don’t want it to be public. [The BP is not allowed to tell anyone that known terrorists are coming across the border]. They aren’t allowed to speak about it. The only thing we [the American public] hear about is women and kids… and when they make huge drug busts, which are what we hear about. We don’t hear about the gang-bangers coming across, we don’t hear about the terrorists coming across. We don’t hear about the violence going down on the border. I had a rancher call me last week, and begging for help on 15,000 acres. He had been moved off his ranch because he doesn’t feel safe with his family there. He’s been shot at and threatened. We don’t hear that [on the news].”
MOST DOMINANT ISSUE BEING AVOIDED: Refresh the 700 mile, 2006 Secure Fence Act and build the double layer fencing, complete with concertina razor wire. Hundreds of miles are vacant of any barrier. It was killed by prior Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas by adding a non-escapable amendment to the 2006 bill. Whereas giving complete control to Homeland Security, ruling out any funds to deliver the 700 miles of two fences, separated by an all weather track way. An in between no-mans land where illegal aliens would be caught and detained for immediate deportation. No wonder we are being invaded, without little or no deterrent. Enforcement Laws of US Border Patrol has been restrained by Obamas orders.
1) Secure our borders.
2) End amnesties.
3) Mandate E-Verify Or a National ID card
4) Abolish rewards for illegal aliens.
5) Toughen interior enforcement.
6) Amend birthright citizenship.
7) Conclude chain migration.
8) Purge refugee and visa fraud.
9) Eliminate unnecessary worker visas.
10) Remove visa lottery.
11) End visa overstays
All we have seen from this present Administration is laws being intentionally disregarded, undermined that have been the identified with the Rule of Law, our sovereignty and the US. What we have suffered under Obama is Constitution upheaval. Comprehensive Reform–Amnesty…IRS abuses…Obamacare…gun-grabbing…open borders…deliberate bypassing of Congress…Benghazi…fast and furious weapons to Mexico—cutting back on our military and the failure of National Security. America is a free country and we must fight back against these overreaching agencies. In California Governor Jerry Brown stated nearly 30% of CA Kids Illegal or ‘Don’t Speak English’
IF YOU ARE ANXIOUS ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY UNDER OBAMA IMPERIAL RULE AND HIS PAWNS check this site that has the phone Numbers and Mailing Addresses of Members of Congress at: http://www.contactingthecongress/ to stipulate an end to illegal immigration, the dismantling of our laws, sovereignty, citizen rights and even our military is being cut back, which we frantically need for protection against our enemies foreign an domestic. Illegal Immigration is rapidly becoming the top precedence for Americans, because they see its impact on the barren economy and lost jobs. Large corporations and big business are laying-off birthright, naturalized citizens and green card holders, making an avenue for lower paid illegal aliens. This is the number for the central switchboard for every member of Congress to address your objections at 800-224-3121.
You can thank Obama…and yourselves.
All the Republicans needed to win another election is to give a Democrat a chance to lead.
What a mess he has created. Next time try to find somebody with some experience. Unlike Hillary. She owns this middle eastern mess along with BHO. It’s theirs.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/report-border-patrol-homes-cost-680000-25443647
This just says it all. And somehow ABC covered it.
They must be suffering from Grijalva Fatigue.
They are going to do to Obama what was done to Bush the last 2 years of a presidency congress is run by the opposition. The democrates had a majority for 4 years 2, Bush, 2, Obama. So if you can remember the ugly that was spread on Bush. Just wait for the s**t storm that is coming on Obama I for one blame congress and those in power today are the ones in congress that were to be the answer to Bush. Just look where we are and do we want Hillary? LOOK AT FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Benghazi will ultimately take Hillary down. She has too many loyal neolibs that have lied and covered up for her. Mr Maxwell testifies Friday.
No more Clintons. Had it with them. Go retire with our money.