GOP Denounces Obama #39;s Executive Action Threat Over Immigration Reform
Source: https://www.youtube.com/user/CBSThisMorning November 10, 2014 - President Obama said on "Face The Nation" that he would take executive action on immigration if Congress doesn #39;t act...
By: PigMine 6
See original here:
GOP Denounces Obama's Executive Action Threat Over Immigration Reform - Video
Ptesident Obama #39;s Immigration Ploy.
My critique of Billy #39;s TPM on November 10, 2014 where Billy gets it completely wrong on immigration reform, again.
By: Tom Dillon
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
Editor's note: Sally Kohn is an activist, columnist and television commentator. Follow her on Twitter: @sallykohn. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
(CNN) -- Whether or not we reform our nation's immigration laws may all come down to cantaloupes versus cojones.
Last year, Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King attacked undocumented immigrant children in America, saying, "for every one who is a valedictorian, there's another 100 out there that weigh 130 pounds and they have calves the size of cantaloupes because they're hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert."
Sally Kohn
Colorful though it might have been, that characterization is not only insulting but completely incorrect. Still, it reflects the underlying sentiment of many Americans who oppose immigration reform not just on rational grounds, but based on a deeper, emotional bias.
Then you have everyone else in fact, the strong majority of Americans who support comprehensive immigration reform, including a workable path to citizenship. This crowd certainly includes President Obama and Democrats, who have reiterated that passing immigration reform is one of their key legislative priorities. And it presumably includes leaders in the Republican Party, who want to curry favor with business interests and Latino voters who support fixing our nation's broken immigration system. So the question is: Do Republicans have the cojones to ignore the "cantaloupe caucus" and do the right thing?
As a refresher, here's where things stood before the election: In 2013, the Democratic-controlled Senate passed bipartisan legislation that would create a workable path to citizenship for America's undocumented immigrants while at the same time ensuring our immigration system and borders works as they're supposed to for the future. Although Republicans controlled the House of Representatives, the measure reportedly had enough support from individual Republicans, as well as Democrats, to pass. But House Speaker John Boehner wouldn't allow the measure to come up for a vote. And so it stalled.
In the wake of Republicans failing to take leadership, President Obama said he would consider executive action to do what he could on his own, under his constitutional authority, to provide relief to millions of undocumented immigrants. The President held off such action before the election. Now, if Republicans again fail to act, executive action is back on the table.
At a press conference following this year's midterm elections, President Obama said: "I feel obliged to do everything I can lawfully with my executive authority to make sure that we don't keep on making the system worse, but that whatever executive actions that I take will be replaced and supplanted by action by Congress. You send me a bill that I can sign, and those executive actions go away."
View post:
'Cantaloupe caucus' to block deal?
Leading proponents of immigration reform are preparing to throw their full political weight behind President Obama as he prepares to use executive authorities to revamp the nation's immigration laws.
Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), two of the most vocal proponents for immigration reform, began circulating a letter of support on Wednesday that lays out the economic, political and legal arguments that they hope Obama's allies will be making on his behalf once he takes action and begins facing Republican criticism for doing so.
A draft of the letter is being circulated among Democrats with plans to formally send a copy to the White House later Wednesday or on Thursday. The Washington Post obtained a copy of the draft from a congressional aide. The offices of Lofgren and Gutierrez didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
Obama said last week that he is planning to use his executive powers to overhaul at least part of the nation's immigration system, dismissing calls by Republican congressional leaders that he delay doing so. Obama is said to be considering a suite of options that could grant temporary legal status to as many as 5 million illegal immigrants, according to several people familiar with his plans. He is expected to act once he returns from his current trip to Asia and Australia and before the end of the year.
In the letter, Democrats tell Obama they "were very disappointed" when he postponed taking action before the midterm elections, but are encouraged that he still plans to do so soon.
"We hope that your actions will prevent the separation of undocumented family members of U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and DACA beneficiaries and offer protection to others who have long worked in the United States and have established strong ties with our communities. We further hope that they will make our immigration enforcement efforts more sensible and humane," they write.
"Bold and meaningful executive action will provide a boost to our national and local economies," they add later. And they believe that Obama's legal authority to act "is clear and substantial."
They cite the 2012 U.S. Supreme Court case, Arizona v. United States, where Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the Obama administration retains "broad discretion" to decide "whether it makes sense to pursue removal [of illegal immigrants] at all."
They add that "every past President, starting from President Dwight D. Eisenhower more than half a century ago, has used such authority when dealing with similar issues regarding the national interest."
As for the political fallout, Democrats believe Obama is correct to blame Republicans for congressional delay: "For the past two years it was not Senate Democrats that blocked much-needed legislation, it was House Republicans. That obstacle to sensible immigration reform still remains. Let us also not forget that congressional Republicans previously blocked reform in 2006 and 2007."
Go here to see the original:
Democrats: Legal basis for Obama to act on immigration clear and substantial
Obama vows to defy GOP Congress and pass immigration reform with executive order
Following a disappointing Election Day for his Democratic Party, President Barack Obama said he may sign an executive order on immigration reform so the Repu...
By: Daily Voice News 2014
More here:
Obama vows to defy GOP Congress and pass immigration reform with executive order - Video