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Why The August Recess Should Scare Immigration Reform Backers: GOP worried about town hall protests
National Journal ^ | June 24, 2013 | Reid Wilson

Posted on 06/25/2013 4:47:08 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Immigration reform-backing Republicans are concerned that town hall protests could derail support for the immigration legislation.

Advocates of immigration reform, who once hoped to have a bill on President Obama's desk before Congress leaves for their annual August recess, should be nervously checking the calendar. If the House and Senate adjourn before a bill is finished, members will begin feeling pressure, especially from conservative critics who think the bill amounts to little more than amnesty.

Immigration reform backers need only recall four years ago, when the August recess gave rise to scenes of angry protests at town hall meetings across the country, protests that effectively ended any hope Democrats had of winning Republican support for comprehensive health care reform.

Six months into Obama's first term in office, Democrats held out hope that they could fashion a bipartisan agreement on health care reform. Sen. Max Baucus, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, was working closely with Sen. Chuck Grassley, the committee's ranking member. Obama himself was assiduously wooing Sen. Olympia Snowe, who seemed open to reform. And White House officials believed they could find areas of common ground with dozens of Republicans in the House to form a truly bipartisan set of reforms.

Then came August, when conservative protesters who affiliated themselves with the nascent Tea Party movement descended upon town hall meetings held by members of Congress from both sides of the aisle. Democrats were on the defensive while Republicans, who might have once considered supporting a compromise, realized the level of anger their base felt over the bill.....

(Excerpt) Read more at nationaljournal.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; gop; illegalaliens; illegalimmigration; immigration; obama; republicans; teaparty
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Good.
1 posted on 06/25/2013 4:47:08 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Good point, especially after the Senate passes this monstrosity.
2 posted on 06/25/2013 4:48:47 AM PDT by sickoflibs (To GOP : Any path to US citizenship IS putting them ahead in line. Stop lying about your position.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"Obama himself was assiduously wooing Sen. Olympia Snowe, who seemed open to reform."

This guy shouldn't be a reporter, he should be writing for the soaps or romance novels. Who do they think they are actually writing for?

3 posted on 06/25/2013 4:58:18 AM PDT by Jabba the Nutt (The Stupid Party, they've earned it.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I keep hearing that the House will ignore the Senate bill and do their own version.

WHY ??? Why not ignore the issue **entirely**: nothing gets passed, there can be no “conference report”, and the Senate bill dies on the vine. . .

Pass a resolution, on a party-line vote, demanding the immediate and full enforcement of the CURRENT immigration laws. ALL of them. . .


4 posted on 06/25/2013 4:59:53 AM PDT by Salgak (http://catalogoftehburningstoopid.blogspot.com 100% all-natural snark !)
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To: Salgak

Makes perfect sense to me.


5 posted on 06/25/2013 5:04:20 AM PDT by tgusa (gun control: deep breath, sight alignment, squeeze the trigger .......)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Simple, they cancel all town halls like Dingell did. Or they will only address “friendy” crowds with limited publicity. Dingell did that with a group of Pro-Obamacare Doctors in Ann Arbor with little or no advertising, I only stumbled upon it in a very target market newspaper. Watch for the same motus-operundi, even from “our” side....


6 posted on 06/25/2013 5:12:52 AM PDT by taildragger (( Tighten the 5 point harness and brace for Impact Freepers, ya know it's coming..... ))
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To: Salgak

Why can’t we sue Obama for failing to enforce current laws?


7 posted on 06/25/2013 5:15:37 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Remember folks, when you go to the ‘town hall meetings’, bring your old produce from the chiller drawer!!


8 posted on 06/25/2013 5:22:07 AM PDT by Terry L Smith
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Town hall protests ...”

Otherwise known as the voice of the People.


9 posted on 06/25/2013 5:24:03 AM PDT by IronJack (=)
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To: taildragger

DE rep and sens, bought and paid for by Bank of America, won’t meet with constituents unless they control the crowd.

We keep selecting people who a) think they are superior to us; b)don’t give two hoots in hell about their constituents; c) think they are selected to push their own agenda; and d) are dumber than rocks.

I have made it a practice to call them by their first name only, as they are not worthy of respect.


10 posted on 06/25/2013 5:36:37 AM PDT by NTHockey (Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners)
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To: Salgak

Democrats will pan it as “mass deportations” which is widely seen as unworkable and unrealistic, not to mention cruel. The GOP candidates have not been effective at answering “what do you want to do with the 11 million?” They could answer with “enforce the law,” but then the reporter will ask “So, deport them all, even the DREAMers and the grandmothers? How about parents of US Citizen children?” The LIEberal media loves a sob story, and this is perfect for them because it gives them fodder to make accusations of racism, heartlessness etc to assail conservatives with during the election.

The House ought to try to get as many concessions as it can from the Pelosites, and then let a bill pass. Then let the socialists own it. It’s their mess and they have to explain it to the American people.


11 posted on 06/25/2013 5:48:12 AM PDT by LoneRangerTX
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

My family’s town hall voice will be heard in the voting booth, mostly.


12 posted on 06/25/2013 5:56:04 AM PDT by jacknhoo (Luke 12:51. Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.)
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To: taildragger

Our side is actually the one we need to look out for. Just look at the comments from pubbie staffers that are reported in the article. They seem to be hungrily looking for ways to avoid town hall meetings as much as many of the DemonCraps.


13 posted on 06/25/2013 6:12:48 AM PDT by libstripper (A)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

They will just screen the town hall meetings more.

As I have said, the GOP fears the TEA party more than anyone else.


14 posted on 06/25/2013 6:27:51 AM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: Salgak

Whatever version the House writes will be gutted and re-written by the Senate and voted into law.

Dont these people ever learn??? And why do we need reform at all?? Expel these trespassers or use force if they dont comply.


15 posted on 06/25/2013 6:30:43 AM PDT by ObozoMustGo2012
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Probably why the Admin is pushing to have this wrapped up in the Senate before they go on their sabbatical.
16 posted on 06/25/2013 6:34:39 AM PDT by Cheerio (Barry Hussein Soetoro-0bama=The Complete Destruction of American Capitalism)
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To: ObozoMustGo2012

My point exactly. If the House does NOTHING AT ALL. . . .”Immigration Reform” dies. . .


17 posted on 06/25/2013 6:38:25 AM PDT by Salgak (http://catalogoftehburningstoopid.blogspot.com 100% all-natural snark !)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

They are slowly but surely isolating themselves from the unwanted input of lowly constituents.

-They don’t answer phones.
-They send canned email responses.
-Letters to them sit in some anthrax decontamination facility in Virginia for 4 to 6 months
-I suspect damned few of them will be holding town halls

They wish to be left unmolested within the confines of the Beltway to rule over us.


18 posted on 06/25/2013 7:22:31 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: LoneRangerTX

Democrats will pan it as “mass deportations” which is widely seen as unworkable and unrealistic, not to mention cruel. The GOP candidates have not been effective at answering “what do you want to do with the 11 million?” They could answer with “enforce the law,” but then the reporter will ask “So, deport them all, even the DREAMers and the grandmothers? How about parents of US Citizen children?” The LIEberal media loves a sob story, and this is perfect for them because it gives them fodder to make accusations of racism, heartlessness etc to assail conservatives with during the election.

My Answer to the reporter, ask them if they go and trespass on a military base or any other federal property if they should get a slap on the wrist or should they have the book thrown at them even if they have a family...


19 posted on 06/25/2013 8:00:24 AM PDT by GraceG
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I may be late to the party, again, but if a bill isn’t passed before congress goes on recess, what is preventing Zero from issuing one of his famous “executive orders” making this law?


20 posted on 06/25/2013 8:31:28 AM PDT by rhubarbk
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