Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Texas Governor Faces Unexpected Moment of Truth On Immigration
BigPeace ^ | 6-1-2011 | Ben Barrack - Commentary

Posted on 06/01/2011 10:08:34 PM PDT by smoothsailing

Texas Governor Faces Unexpected Moment of Truth On Immigration



By Ben Barrack

June 1, 2011

As Arizona’s immigration law – SB 1070 – received overwhelming public support last year, Texas Governor Rick Perry attempted to thread a political needle by talking tough on immigration while asserting that a law similar to Arizona’s “would not be the right direction for Texas.” In a case of dramatic political theater, the Texas legislature has unwittingly and quite unexpectedly, put Perry in a box he made every attempt to avoid being placed in.

As the Texas legislative session was winding down just this week, Democratic state Senator Wendy Davis (Fort Worth) made a huge blunder; she filibustered an education spending bill that could not be left unresolved, in part, because of all the funds that would be withheld from public schools as a result of it being tied to the budget.

Failure to pass the bill all but mandated that Perry call a special legislative session to resolve the impasse. However, there’s a hitch that Davis and her fellow Democrats failed to recognize. In Texas, special legislative sessions make it possible for any and all unresolved bills to come to the floor for a vote. In this case, one such bill is very similar to Arizona’s SB 1070. Perhaps even more important is the fact that a super majority is not required to bring a vote to the floor in a special session; it can be done with a simple majority.

If HB 12, dubbed the “Sanctuary Cities” bill, would have been passed and signed into law, cities and counties would have been prohibited from forcing law enforcement not to inquire about a person’s immigration status. In essence, it was a nuanced version of the Arizona law, which requires officers to check immigration status. This Texas bill would simply prevent officers from being told not to.

At the beginning of the regular session, Perry placed sanctuary cities on his list of “emergency items” he wanted the legislature to address. On its face, this would indicate he endorsed passage of such a bill. In the end though, HB 12 passed in the House but died in the Senate when it was blocked by 12 Democrats.

This leads us back to the special session. HB 9 – a bill that effectively mirrors HB 12 – has been filed by a Republican State Rep. With no need for a super majority, the odds of such a bill passing will go up exponentially. Only one thing needs to happen in order for the vote to be brought to the floor; Governor Rick Perry must add it to the list of items to consider.

On one hand, Perry has said a bill similar to the one in Arizona “would not be right for Texas.” On the other hand, he has said dealing with the issue of sanctuary cities is an “emergency” and a “priority.” To remain true to his word, Perry must allow HB 9 to be voted on before the special session ends after 30 days. Compounding the debate further is what happened in the hours before Davis’ ill-fated filibuster. A Houston police officer named Kevin Will was killed by a drunk illegal alien with a BAC of .238. If a sanctuary city law was in place prior to Will’s death, perhaps his would-be killer would not have been in Texas at all. Will leaves behind two children and a wife who is expecting.

As the Texas Governor mulls a presidential run, he is likely hearing from political consultants and gurus that he should not touch this legislation, that doing so will dramatically hamper any such aspirations.

In reality, the opposite is true. If he listens to such consultants, he will have been exposed as someone who doesn’t mean what he says. In essence, ascribing the word “emergency” to the issue of dealing with sanctuary cities will have been nothing more than a political calculation. It will mean he talked tough only when he thought he wouldn’t be called on it. It would make him a dishonest RINO.

If Perry allows the bill to be voted on, it will quite likely get passed. If he then signs it into law, his odds of being the Republican presidential nominee in 2012 will go up. Go figure, all he has to do is ignore those consultants.

Ben Barrack is a talk show host on KTEM 1400 in Texas and maintains a website at benbarrack.com


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; elections; rickperryperry; texas
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-75 next last

1 posted on 06/01/2011 10:08:37 PM PDT by smoothsailing
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: smoothsailing

HB9 bump


2 posted on 06/01/2011 10:13:39 PM PDT by aposiopetic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smoothsailing

I will be watching this closely.

Closing down the sanctuary movement is very important to the U.S.A.

Illegal aliens are not persecuted in this country; we simply want them all to go home. If they want to come back, then do so through the front door - legally.


3 posted on 06/01/2011 10:14:27 PM PDT by SatinDoll (NO FOREIGN NATIONALS AS OUR PRESIDENT!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smoothsailing

talking tough and appearing tough on illegal immigration while secretly doing jack squat about illegal immigration is a GOP art form. Let’s see how good Perry’s game really is.


4 posted on 06/01/2011 10:16:37 PM PDT by RC one (DO NOT RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SatinDoll

Don’t hold your breath. Perry is a RINO.


5 posted on 06/01/2011 10:21:34 PM PDT by Orange1998
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: aposiopetic
As the Texas Governor mulls a presidential run, he is likely hearing from political consultants and gurus that he should not touch this legislation, that doing so will dramatically hamper any such aspirations.

When does he put the best interests of the county ahead of his political aspirations. If he will not act to secure the border as a governor, he sure is not going to act on it as president. Find someone else to support.

6 posted on 06/01/2011 10:27:58 PM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience. It is a guide to your actions.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: RC one
talking tough and appearing tough on illegal immigration while secretly doing jack squat about illegal immigration is a GOP art form.

Bttt

7 posted on 06/01/2011 10:28:49 PM PDT by gunsequalfreedom (Conservative is not a label of convenience. It is a guide to your actions.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Orange1998

“Don’t hold your breath. Perry is a RINO.”
________________________________________________

He is like most pols on both sides of the aisle.
Today’s batch, with the exception of Sarah and a few others, are no better then street thugs, looking for their next buck, or in some cases, BJ.

It is so sad that the once great country is polluted with
so many low life politicians.

Reason number xxxx why I am so happy not to be there now.


8 posted on 06/01/2011 10:30:29 PM PDT by AlexW (Proud eligibility skeptic)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: smoothsailing

America filled up 40 years ago, no more shipping of foreigners to America period.


9 posted on 06/01/2011 10:40:34 PM PDT by ansel12 ( JIM DEMINT "I believe [Palins] done more for the Republican Party than anyone since Ronald Reagan")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smoothsailing
The TX Governor is the weakest Governorship in the nation.

Perry holds no real power and therefore shouldn't be considered for POTUS

10 posted on 06/01/2011 10:44:12 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Governor Sarah Heath Palin for President of the United States in 2012)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

As a Texan, I heartily agree with you.


11 posted on 06/01/2011 10:53:19 PM PDT by basil (It's time to rid the country of "gun free zones" aka "Killing Fields")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: smoothsailing

Well, my Governor, let’s see if you care about the rule of law, or are just “good hair.”

I don’t know, this will tell...


12 posted on 06/01/2011 10:59:38 PM PDT by piytar (Obama opposed every tool used to get Osama. So of course he gets the credit. /hurl)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Extremely Extreme Extremist

True.


13 posted on 06/01/2011 11:03:38 PM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: smoothsailing; af_vet_rr; Eaker; stevie_d_64; humblegunner; hocndoc; Bigun
Well, well, well ..... toldja, fellers!

Oh what a tangled web Rick weaves! No wonder Karl Rove and Dubya told people he wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer by a damn sight!

(Art.) If he listens to such consultants, he will have been exposed as someone who doesn’t mean what he says. ... It will mean he talked tough only when he thought he wouldn’t be called on it. It would make him a dishonest RINO.

Yup, yup, and .... yup!!

That's RiNO Rick all the way. Big Chief Dull Knife!

The upside is, maybe the conservative GOPers in the House will finally get to make tire tracks all over their RiNO speaker and governor and we'll get a halfway decent bill on "sanctuary" policies.

Listening to Senfronia and the Dims scream a Klingon opera would be well worth the wait. Hell, I could sell tickets!

14 posted on 06/01/2011 11:03:51 PM PDT by lentulusgracchus (Concealed carry is a pro-life position.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: smoothsailing

Regardless of what Governor Rick does this is real simple.

“Illegal Immigration” is against the Law.

Sanctuary Cities encourage illegal immigration. They encourage foreigners to break our law.

It must end......


15 posted on 06/01/2011 11:07:20 PM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SatinDoll

AGREED. That said, we do have to fix the legal process. It’s an over-expensive mess, benefiting only the lawyers and government entities involved.


16 posted on 06/01/2011 11:14:58 PM PDT by piytar (Obama opposed every tool used to get Osama. So of course he gets the credit. /hurl)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Texas Fossil
COSTING US BILLIONS
17 posted on 06/02/2011 12:18:46 AM PDT by BobP (The piss-stream media - Never to be watched again in my house)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: gunsequalfreedom
If he will not act to secure the border as a governor, he sure is not going to act on it as president. Find someone else to support.

You're being really mean! Back in 2006 when Bush's Department of Homeland Security was cutting the money spent on securing the Texas border by 30%, Perry took millions of taxpayer dollars and spent them on webcams to guard the border because we demanded it!!! He followed through on it, give the man a break:

With the voluntary participation of private landowners, Texas will begin posting hundreds of surveillance cameras along criminal hotspots and common routes used to enter this country. These cameras, paid for with millions of dollars made available by my office, will cover vast stretches of farm and ranchland located directly on the border where criminal activity is known to occur, and not the neighborhoods where families will continue to enjoy their privacy. Landowners will be able to monitor and defend their property from criminals who might endanger their families.

We will make the video feed available to state, local and federal law enforcement agencies so they can respond swiftly and appropriately. And we will post this video on the Internet, in real time, so that concerned Americans can help protect our nation through online neighborhood watch programs. This video will be available 24 hours a day because cameras will be equipped with night vision capabilities.

When citizens witness a crime, they will be able to call an 800 number and be routed to the appropriate law enforcement agency. Under the watchful eyes of law enforcement and the American people, criminals who smuggle drugs and human beings, predators who commit violent crimes against citizen and immigrant alike, and terror groups looking to exploit our border will all lose their greatest strategic asset: the cloak of secrecy.

Enforcing the border is the federal government’s responsibility, but Texas will not wait to act. By leveraging advanced video technology and the power of the Internet, and with an increased financial commitment from the state of Texas, we can make our border stronger and our nation safer.

That is what the American people want, that is what our security demands, and that is what Texas is going to deliver.

18 posted on 06/02/2011 12:28:06 AM PDT by af_vet_rr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: gunsequalfreedom

I don’t know about you, but once Perry’s webcams started going up on the border, I felt a lot safer!


19 posted on 06/02/2011 12:29:24 AM PDT by af_vet_rr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: af_vet_rr
Perry took millions of taxpayer dollars and spent them on webcams to guard the border Yep - Go here http://www.blueservo.net/
20 posted on 06/02/2011 12:52:53 AM PDT by TexasRedeye (Eschew obfuscation)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-75 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson