Obama to Push Immigration Bill as One Priority

New York Times ^ | 4/8/9 | JULIA PRESTON

[bimboeruption]

While acknowledging that the recession makes the political battle more difficult, President Obama plans to begin addressing the country’s immigration system this year, including looking for a path for illegal immigrants to become legal, a senior administration official said on Wednesday.

Mr. Obama will frame the new effort — likely to rouse passions on all sides of the highly divisive issue — as “policy reform that controls immigration and makes it an orderly system,” said the official, Cecilia Muñoz, deputy assistant to the president and director of intergovernmental affairs in the White House.

Mr. Obama plans to speak publicly about the issue in May, administration officials said, and over the summer he will convene working groups, including lawmakers from both parties and a range of immigration groups, to begin discussing possible legislation for as early as this fall.

Some White House officials said that immigration would not take precedence over the health care and energy proposals that Mr. Obama has identified as priorities. But the timetable is consistent with pledges Mr. Obama made to Hispanic groups in last year’s campaign.

He said then that comprehensive immigration legislation, including a plan to make legal status possible for an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants, would be a priority in his first year in office. Latino voters turned out strongly for Mr. Obama in the election.

“He intends to start the debate this year,” Ms. Muñoz said.

But with the economy seriously ailing, advocates on different sides of the debate said that immigration could become a polarizing issue for Mr. Obama in a year when he has many other major battles to fight.

Opponents, mainly Republicans, say they will seek to mobilize popular outrage against any effort to legalize unauthorized immigrant workers while so many Americans are out of jobs.

[Trod Upon]

“Only if he fails to fast track the amnesty to include voting rights in the 2012 election.”

And that is where option #2 comes into play.

[jackmercer]

Obama is actually sounding a lot like Ronald Reagan with regards to immigration, even using Reagan’s “hide in the shadows” line. He seems to be wanting to rehash Reagan’s “North American accord”.

Here’s some quotes from an interesting article:

“But even as he signed that bill, he [Reagan] also insisted on a provision for legalizing immigrants already in the U.S...”

“In his signing statement, Reagan declared that “We have consistently supported a legalization program which is both generous to the alien and fair to the countless thousands of people throughout the world who seek legally to come to America. The legalization provisions in this act will go far to improve the lives of a class of individuals who now must hide in the shadows, without access to many of the benefits of a free and open society. Very soon many of these men and women will be able to step into the sunlight and, ultimately, if they choose, they may become Americans.”

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114773982558453625.html?mod=todays_us_opinion

By the way, what model HK do you have?

[msnpatriot]

This is a lie, there have been a wide variety of opponents from all parties.

All the way back to the 2006 election where many Democrats won seats based on their promise to oppose Amnesty!

A BS article from the NYT’s, as usual, meant to create a perception rather than report accurately. Also, Real Americans that are out of work aren't from one party.

***Opponents, mainly Republicans, say they will seek to mobilize popular outrage against any effort to legalize unauthorized immigrant workers while so many Americans are out of jobs.***

[SledgeCS]

Obama is on a track to destroy this country within his 6 month goal. I would love to actually debate him one on one, and the first thing to go would be the teleprompter that tells him what to say. I would, along with every normal thinking person in America that loves this country, would have bamy crying for his Momma within 10 minutes. I will stick with the same tag-line I have had for a long time.

[bimboeruption]

Thanks for the WSJ link regarding Reagan's thoughts on immigration. Now I have some reading to do.

I have a P30L which I love. I'm saving up for another one -- either a P2000 or a USP.

I have little, wimpy, girl hands and have trouble pulling back the slide on most pistols, but have to problem at all with most of the HK models.

[bimboeruption]

Obama is on a track to destroy this country within his 6 month goal.

I hope the stupid slackers who voted for him get what they deserve.

[Penny]

My note on a duplicate thread:

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE spend a few dimes and FAX this IMPOSTER of a president your objections to his AMNESTY plans. If there is one thing this thin-skinned buffoon cannot tolerate, it is public ridicule. Please denounce his plan while you ridicule his stupidity and incompetence.

The White House FAX is 202.456.2461; the comments line is 202.456.1111.

I happily scribble address him as "Dear Mr. Teleprompter" or whatever else pops into my head that day.

In other words, we must start our offensive tactics now, not wait till Congress gets involved. Please join FAIR and NumbersUSA if you haven't already, and prepare to battle your congressional members, too. Simply wringing our hands on this board won't get the job done. Thank you.

Regards . . . Penny

Yes, calling congressional members, even those not in your area, is effective and responsible. After all, their decisions in this matter affects all American citizens most profoundly.

[Grandma Conservative]

How are we to stop this?

[jackmercer]

“I have a P30L which I love. I’m saving up for another one — either a P2000 or a USP.”

That thing is a work of art IMO, lucky you. I have been drooling over the USP and USPc for years as well as HK toys like the 91 .308 and of course the MP5. Just too darn expensive so I have to settle for 3rd world clones :(