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There's reason for some cautious optimism about the fate of comprehensive immigration reform this year. The idea is increasingly popular in the Senate, and appears to have more than enough support to overcome a predictable Republican filibuster. In the House, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) appears to be on board with the package that's coming together.
It's pushing opponents and skeptics to come up with creative new complaints.
The effort to reform the nation's broken immigration system is moving much too fast, at least according to six of eight Republican members serving on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is tasked with finding a comprehensive solution.
"Before the Immigration Reform and Control Act was first introduced in the Senate in 1982, the Committee had 100 hours of hearings with 300 witnesses before marking up a bill," the senators write in a Tuesday letter to chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT). "Congress continued to debate the bill for the next three years, and even then, the Judiciary Committee spent three months reviewing the bill before it was reported in August of 1985. Accordingly, we respectfully request that the public be given adequate time, consistent with past practice in handling complex comprehensive immigration legislation, to read and analyze the contents of any such bill before it is listed on the Committee's Executive Business Meeting agenda."
Yes, for Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Jeff Sessions, John Cornyn, Mike Lee, and Ted Cruz, the Judiciary Committee shouldn't even prepare for a debate just yet. Those reform proponents, the argument goes, are just moving too darn quickly.
Let's note a few details in the hopes of providing some context to the debate. The Bush/Cheney White House pushed for a very similar comprehensive immigration reform proposal six years ago, and after an extensive review process, it nearly passed. It was also a major topic of national discussion in the last two presidential campaigns, and President Obama unveiled a plan that's very similar to the one currently cooking on Capitol Hill three years ago.
During that time, a bipartisan consensus has emerged, and polls show broad support for the basic principles included in the comprehensive plan.
So why is it, exactly, that policymakers should slow things down? Is a six-year debate too short? Are these Republican senators prepared to argue that Congress is just too busy getting things done in so many other policy areas that that lawmakers couldn't possibly squeeze this into their schedule?
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Do they mean to say they have not gotten better at legislating since the mid eighties?
"Accordingly, we respectfully request that the public be given adequate time, consistent with past practice in handling complex comprehensive immigration legislation, to read and analyze the contents of any such bill before it is listed on the Committee's Executive Business Meeting agenda."
So we have NO IDEA how long it would take the Senate to come up with another bill, but we think that you're going too fast!!
I mean in 1982 we were carrying around batteries with our cellphones!! Now, they fit in our hand. Oh woe is us.
All of the time spent before is irrelevant. We need to start the process from ground zero again.
We don't have any justification for this, we just want it!
We were elected to keep Congress from doing anything! I mean ANY government is BAD government.
Just another way to filibuster.
Love the Mitch McConnell photo! Is that recent?
I know! He looks so fierce and determined.
Actually, Trollop, *these* are the most recent photos of McConnell:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX94UtcRu14
re: #4
Either the photo is old or Mitch has had work done of late.
To Senators Grassley, Hatch, Sessions, Cornyn, Lee, and Cruz, the 21st century arrived much too quickly. So much for the "Hispanic outreach" being mounted by Rance "Anagram" Priebus. Because everyone knows that what the six are saying is, "Can't we hold off on voting for this until after the 2016 - maybe 2020 - elections because there's gonna be jess too damn many wetbacks voting for Democrats if we pass this here law."
What a bunch of losers, bigots and racists.
Speed is relative. The 2000 year old redwoods are just coming into their prime. And the Rockies are babies, compared to the Appalachians.
Of course, there are number of senators who appear to be far, far older.
Here we go again. This is the same thing the GOP said about healthcare reform in 2009:
Slow Down, Mr. President (WaPo: GOP Talking Points)
Hatch: Too Rushed on Healthcare - CBS News
Romney on Obama' s Push for Health-Care Reform: Slow Down - Daily Beast
I take this as a sign that actual immigration reform is at hand and Republicans haven't figured out how to break it to their gerry-mandered zombie districts who will flay them alilve for it at the next town hall.
The media would choke before asking for truth.
Immigration reform is very important for the Hispanic comm. it goes hand on hand with every single issue that is important to us. For instance when they said "slow down the policy", we Hispanics understand that the GOP wants to find ways to stop it. And if there is no a immigration reform before 2014, the Republicans are going to be blame for that. And this reform must have a path for citizenship.
And let me ask Sen. Hatch and Lee. Come to Utah and face us about sequestration. Stop hiding.
Slow down, we (GOOP) just meant to "talk about immigration reform" better...
Yes, I have noticed the timid way they wade through this issue.
Limpy says he would support citizenship if there was a 25 year waiting period to actually vote, how kind.
Rand Paul said "we have a place for you", I wonder what that means.... It's only slightly less hostile than "self deportation" and it's just words.
we see this "slow down" crap all too often for the frauds that seek to steal. this si the same game that israel plays on palestinians who want their land to live on. netanyahu sasys "slow down, whats the hurry?".
when someone tells you to slow down, tell them "STFU" and "get out of my way".
Chuck Grassley, Orrin Hatch, Jeff Sessions, John Cornyn, Mike Lee, and Ted Cruz,
Is there a collective single-digit positive-number IQ for these guys???
Mr. Benen, where did you find that photo of Mitch McConnell? I haven't seen him look that lively since the Dems started talking about filibuster reform.
Why would there need to be so much lead time when the issue had hearings during the Bush administration and some Republicans were ready to make a deal on the issue? Has something changed with the issue since Bush? I doubt it.
The GOP needs time because filibustering immigration reform would be the demographic death of the Republican Party.
So, if they cannot be seen to vote against it then they have to delay it until interest in the issue fades and then vote against it.
The committee chair should inform them that there will be a bill voted on in committee by a date certain and leave it up to them to get with the program and help write the bill or publicly vote against it in committee and then force their allies to vote against it on the Senate floor.
If the GOP wants to kill immigration reform they should have to do it in public and face the wrath of minority voters for the next 30 years.
According to Michael Steele, the Senate Rs are talking to the House Rs.
I'd say they are still panicking about the drastic split in those that really do think that AZ papers please is a model and those that just say whatever fits their GPS coordinates.
I am sure there have been no changes wanted, as Limpy, CPAC and others just say put hands over eyes, ears and mouths. But blurt it all out anyway.
I recommend people just state their stance outright and stop trying to convince people they aren't racist or bigoted. We just need you to split up and stop arguing in front of the kids.
Saying can't we just let the Europeans in... explain what he meant there... naw, never mind, just go ahead and speak your hearts... get out there and shake your fists at "those people" and yell "get off my lawn".
if you want reform to pass just a while before mid term elections, so you can blow your own trumpet so to speak. the gop is trying to come up with a path to gain some extra votes any way that they can.