G.O.P. Sets Aside Work on Immigration

[cal04]

As they prepare for a critical pre-election legislative stretch, Congressional Republican leaders have all but abandoned a broad overhaul of immigration laws and instead will concentrate on national security issues they believe play to their political strength.

With Congress reconvening Tuesday after an August break, Republicans in the House and Senate say they will focus on Pentagon and domestic security spending bills, port security legislation and measures that would authorize the administration’s terror surveillance program and create military tribunals to try terror suspects.

“We Republicans believe that we have no choice in the war against terror and the only way to do it is to continue to take them head-on whether it is in Iraq or elsewhere,” said Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the majority leader.

A final decision on what do about immigration policy awaits a meeting this week of senior Republicans. But key lawmakers and aides who set the Congressional agenda say they now believe it would be politically risky to try to advance an immigration measure that would showcase party divisions and need to be completed in the 19 days Congress is scheduled to meet before breaking for the election.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/us/05cong.html?hp&ex=1157428800&en=30b1a0cdbe6ab394&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[truthisfreedom]

1. we rethugs created these terrorists and nobody gets to clean up our mess

but us, because if the Democratic Party gets ahold of Congress, our military industrial meal ticket will come to an end.

[AlCzervik]

2. well we know what this means--resolutions to get democrats on record

voting against a series of paper tigers. I predict they put forth at least one resolution to "congratulate the troops!" not raise their benefits or anything but just to give them a pat on the back. Meanwhile no immigration resolution could possibly just piss off whats left of their base.

[rocktivity]

3. Candidate for this month's "You Call This NEWS?" award

They had no intention of reforming immigration, just of inflaming their base with race hatred. Why would they stop the flow of cheap labor into the US when it benefits their big-bucks-contributing financial backers? Hands up who DIDN'T see this coming...

:hi:
rocknation

[truthpusher]

4. G.O.P. Sets Aside Work on Immigration (giving up to focus on security)

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/us/05cong.html?ei=5065&en=3ccbb58ef1f8582b&ex=1158033600&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print

September 5, 2006

G.O.P. Sets Aside Work on Immigration

By CARL HULSE and RACHEL L. SWARNS

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 — As they prepare for a critical pre-election legislative stretch, Congressional Republican leaders have all but abandoned a broad overhaul of immigration laws and instead will concentrate on national security issues they believe play to their political strength.

With Congress reconvening Tuesday after an August break, Republicans in the House and Senate say they will focus on Pentagon and domestic security spending bills, port security legislation and measures that would authorize the administration’s terror surveillance program and create military tribunals to try terror suspects.

“We Republicans believe that we have no choice in the war against terror and the only way to do it is to continue to take them head-on whether it is in Iraq or elsewhere,” said Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the majority leader.

A final decision on what do about immigration policy awaits a meeting this week of senior Republicans. But key lawmakers and aides who set the Congressional agenda say they now believe it would be politically risky to try to advance an immigration measure that would showcase party divisions and need to be completed in the 19 days Congress is scheduled to meet before breaking for the election.

(snip)

Democrats say they are not surprised by the immigration impasse and believe some Republicans would prefer to keep the issue alive to stir conservative voters rather than reach a legislative solution.

They plan to highlight the collapse of immigration legislation sought by Mr. Bush and the likelihood that Congress will not meet an Oct. 1 deadline to pass most required spending bills as evidence that Republicans have lost sight of the concerns of average Americans. The Democrats are also intensifying calls for the dismissal of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

more - link: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/us/05cong.html?ei=5065&en=3ccbb58ef1f8582b&ex=1158033600&partner=MYWAY&pagewanted=print

[Miss Chybil]

5. Their only job is to get elected.

They couldn't care less about the country.

[habitual]

7. true dat

was thinking the same while i read the article. They are publicly acknowledging that they create legislative agenda not for the good of the people, but for the good of themselves and their party.

[Ignacio Upton]

8. And they won't mention the fact that they plan on

Privatizing Social Security in 2007.

[spindrifter]

6. Politically risky--truly an understatement!

These asshats don't want to see hundreds of thousands of people marching in cities all over the nation in protest of their immigration agenda.

[banana republican]

9. what a POS.........