Posted on 12/05/2007 9:32:11 PM PST by Jean S
House Democratic leaders are being whipsawed on immigration policy by two groups within their caucus — Hispanic lawmakers who want an end to Democratic support of enforcement-only immigration bills and vulnerable Democrats from swing districts who say a “get tough” approach is necessary to keep their seats in 2008.
Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chairman Joe Baca (D-Calif.) plans to address the Democratic Caucus at next week’s meeting to reassure colleagues that they can be tough while creating a path to citizenship for undocumented and illegal immigrants.
He also planned to meet with conservative Blue Dog Democrats on Wednesday to discuss immigration policy with them.
The special election that brought Rep. Nikki Tsongas (D-Mass.) to Congress was tighter than expected because immigration was a pointed issue. And in Ohio’s 5th congressional district, both the GOP and Democratic candidate have taken similar enforcement-only approaches.
Worried about appearing soft on the issue in an election year, yet knowing they cannot afford to alienate Hispanic voters, Democratic leaders have let conservative members join legislative forces with Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) and allowed passage of a non-binding motion prohibiting the government from suing groups that require employees to speak English at work.
As a result, Baca and a group of Hispanic Democrats threatened revolt on two procedural votes last month to protest leadership handling of immigration. Now Baca is trying conciliation, reaching out to House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (Ill.) and centrist Democrats.
But détente over immigration cannot avoid emotional and political pitfalls. Emanuel invited Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg to the caucus meeting to discuss his polling on immigration.
Some Democratic strategists ridiculed this idea because of Hispanic lawmakers’ skepticism about Greenberg’s record on immigration.
In The New Republic last month, Greenberg equated the immigration issue with welfare reform, saying Democrats had to get tough on enforcement before creating a path to citizenship. Many political strategists disagree.
“The real question is what are we going to do to fix the problem,” Simon Rosenberg, president of the New Democrat Network (NDN), said. “Voters are looking for a solution, not more politics. The anger around immigration is as much about the issue as Washington’s inability to fix it.
“Immigration has not been terribly controversial. [The Senate comprehensive immigration reform bill] is an oasis of bipartisanship rather than a third rail.”
Greenberg did not respond to requests for comment.
Some Democratic operatives have not forgiven him for his role polling for Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) during his 2004 presidential campaign. Greenberg predicted in July 2004 that Bush would win just 31 percent of the Hispanic vote. As a result of that polling, Kerry’s senior aides cut a $750,000 Spanish-language advertising buy, former campaign aides said.
Exit polls showed that Bush had won 44 percent of Hispanic votes, a 10 percent jump from 2000. Later analyses showed that Bush had won 40 percent of the Hispanic vote.
The president’s Hispanic support withered after Republicans supported legislation that called for the deportation of 12 million illegal and undocumented immigrants. Democrats overwhelmingly won the Hispanic vote in 2006 and the party wants to solidify that support next year.
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), who spoke at an NDN forum on immigration on Wednesday, said that unlike Republicans, Democrats avoid references in debate to “those people.” He added, “It shocked me to hear that on the Senate floor … If we show our understanding on those issues, we’ll have a unique chance at a record Latino vote and a Democratic president [in 2008].”
At Tuesday’s luncheon for Democratic senators, Menendez said they reviewed a series of polls showing that immigration ranked fifth in a list of issues important to voters.
“I hope Democrats are not going to cower to that 7 percent,” he said.
Janet Murguía, President and CEO of the National Council of La Raza said, “Any effort to triangulate their way to an enforcement-only bill won’t be successful when talking to the [country’s] fastest-growing voting bloc.”
Embracing an enforcement-first approach to immigration reform is a “short-sighted investment,” Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said, adding that granting more H-2B visas to scholars and computer programmers, as some Democrats have proposed, does not amount to immigration reform.
Democrats need not be vexed by trying to balance swing voters, who might oppose citizenship for illegal immigrants, and Hispanic voters, said Frank Sharry, executive director of the National Immigration Forum.
Democrats should not accept the GOP’s terms of debate and ought to advocate adopting an “enforcement plus” approach, which is supported by more than 60 percent of voters, he said, adding, “Immigration will become a wedge issue for Democrats in two or three elections.”
Immigration has roiled the Republican presidential primary race, but immigration hard-liners, such as Tancredo, lag far behind those, such as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R), who have taken a centrist approach.
GOP candidates will participate in a Spanish-language debate hosted by Univision in Miami on Sunday. An earlier debate was postponed because too few candidates agreed to participate.
“Reagan Democrats”.
Whole bunch of them out there. Just waiting to be invited...
Do not trust any rat. The moderate rats will fold under pressure from the illegal alien lobby.
Depends, this is an issue that is murky, there are many variables, things are in doubt..
So the first party to do the right thing will carry Hispanics for quite sometime.
Enforce the law, secure the border, but do not treat Hispanics as if they are leprosy infested undesirables.
What planet is this guy from?
Fred is the one to invite them.
The Democrats will probably run to the right of Republicans on this issue, pick up some more seats and then go vote for amnesty.
Tell that to the families of those killed by illegal drunk drivers...
Hmmm. Baca, Menendez, Grijalva, and Murguia are the names of the pro-amnesty characters in this story. I’m sure there’s some pattern there I just can’t quite make out.
I think it's more than the illegal drunk drivers that people are worried about and the dems wouldn't be so concerned about this if it wasn't "terribly controversial".
FRED THOMPSON is the PEOPLE’S hope! FRED will be a magnificent leader for this Country. I don’t know what more of America does not see the leader in him, but maybe it just takes longer for those who don’t follow politics as closely as we do.
Ride the wave of Victory and join FRED’s team of supporters. Visit Fred08.com and contribute today. WE THE PEOPLE asked him to serve the PEOPLE one more time and he stepped up! Now, WE THE PEOPLE must step up for American and vote this very fine man into office.
The problem is, we DO NOT enforce the law.
We DO NOT secure the the border.
NO ONE is treating "Hispanics" poorly as a whole.
ILLEGAL ALIEN INVADERS deserve whatever derision is dished out. And may I suggest...they treat legal, legimate U.S. citizens with a teeny bit of respect before they start making illegal demands!
Oh, it certainly is. But that’s one issue that grates on me. That and the gangs they bring in. And have you ever noticed how many child molesters turn out to be illegals?
GReaaat...ANOTHER amnesty!
I don’t know about the child molesting but I do agree that the gangs are a serious problem, especially in LA.
Those pictures remind me that I thought at the time of those illegals’ marches that they were making a very bad mistake: they outraged the normally very tolerant American public by demanding citizenship rights in exchange for breaking the law. Not a good thing to do.
“Hispanics” will get more respect from me when they decide they are Americans and not Hispanics...
I'm not sure I understand the pattern either. There is one thing I do have figgured out, my rep, el supremo don Raoul Grijalva de Me.Ch.A Azatlan doesn't represent me, he is Mexico's representative in the U.S. House.
I had a conversation with a friend this evening and she said the same thing. Immigration, let alone ILLEGAL immigration was not on her radar screen at all. All that has changed.
As a reminder to all - a little refresher
"The [immigration] bill will not flood our cities with immigrants. It will not upset the ethnic mix of our society. It will not relax the standards of admission. It will not cause American workers to lose their jobs."
—Ted Kennedy, 1965
"This amnesty will give citizenship to only 1.1 to 1.3 million illegal aliens.
We will secure the borders henceforth.
We will never again bring forward another amnesty bill like this."
—Ted Kennedy, 1986
"Now it is time for action. 2007 is the year we must fix our broken system."
—Ted Kennedy, 2007
Every 21 years like clockwork.
NEVER trust Ted Kennedy or CONgre$$.
There is already a path to citizenship, it is called "applying for legal entry and if gained, legally, then waiting the legal amount of time while studying our laws and constitution, taking the test and becoming a citizen". Not exactly a short catchy phrase but the way it is done now and should always be done. F*** a bunch of "hispanic" leaders and the democrates they rode in on.
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