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

Skip to comments.

Senator Harkin says inaction by Congress forced president to act on immigration
radioiowa.com ^ | November 20, 2014 | Matt Kelley

Posted on 11/20/2014 2:21:09 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe

Iowa Senator Tom Harkin says he understands why President Obama will likely issue an executive order today providing temporary legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants. Harkin, a Democrat, blames the Republican-led U.S. House for its inaction on immigration. He notes, the Senate passed a bipartisan immigration reform bill 18 months ago, a bill that hasn’t yet come up for debate in the House.

“So, it’s forcing the president to do something on an executive basis, which, I would admit should be done legislatively, but the crisis is real and the president has to act, so keep that in mind.” Harkin says if House leaders would allow the bill to go to a vote, it would likely pass. He’s expecting the president to take action today where the legislative branch of government has failed.

“I think he’s going to clarify in an executive order what his lawyers tell him that he can do executively,” Harkin says. “I think he’s going to do something about the “dreamers,” the young kids who are brought here as children or young kids, to let them be a part of our society and go to college here.”

The most controversial part of the expected executive order would grant legal status, at least on a temporary basis, to as many as five-million immigrants who are now in the country illegally.

Harkin says, “I believe that he’s going to stay the deportation of certain segments of people who have been here for a long time and are working and paying their taxes and everything else in this country.”

One Republican U.S. Senator says the president’s actions today may spark violence and “anarchy” from immigration opponents. Harkin says the comments from Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn go too far in predicting such a negative reaction about the president’s pending executive order. “I wish Mr. Coburn would use less inflammatory language,” Harkin says. “This is the kind of thing that stirs people up and implicates fear and anxiety in people rather than calmly discussing it and talking about it.”

The president is expected to address the nation from the White House tonight.


TOPICS: US: Iowa
KEYWORDS: aliens
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-53 next last

1 posted on 11/20/2014 2:21:09 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

Hmm, didn’t the Democrats have a majority in both bodies on Capital Hill under Obama for his first two years?

Why wasn’t their rejection of Amnesty a cause for Executive Orders to fix it?


2 posted on 11/20/2014 2:22:56 PM PST by DoughtyOne (The mid-term elections were perfect for him. Now Obama can really lead from behind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe
Not seeing any real action from the Dems, just lots of yapping.

/johnny

3 posted on 11/20/2014 2:23:41 PM PST by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

“This is the kind of thing that stirs people up and implicates fear and anxiety in people rather than calmly discussing it and talking about it.”

Oh, you mean like the fascist left and their lapdog commie media has done in Ferguson?

Stupid SOB.


4 posted on 11/20/2014 2:24:13 PM PST by bobo1 (progressives=commies/fascists)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

Where has Soetoro been for six years? Golfing.


5 posted on 11/20/2014 2:24:32 PM PST by VRWC For Truth (Roberts has perverted the Constitution)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

It is predictable that ALL democratic comeback spin today is done verbatim from Obamas talking points passed out at the White House democrat dinner last night.


6 posted on 11/20/2014 2:24:47 PM PST by Sasparilla
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

BS. Dims owned senate. They didn’t do anything about it.


7 posted on 11/20/2014 2:24:53 PM PST by RetiredArmy (MARANATHA, MARANATHA, Come quickly LORD Jesus!!! Father send thy Son!! Its Time!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

we already have immigration laws, enforce them


8 posted on 11/20/2014 2:25:02 PM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

Ya that’s right get the BLAME out first , LOL


9 posted on 11/20/2014 2:25:31 PM PST by molson209 (Blank)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RetiredArmy

I always wondered why the Dems didn’t pass “Cap & Tax” and “card check” when they held all 3 branches.

Some folks say they p*ssed away all their time with Obamacare....


10 posted on 11/20/2014 2:26:02 PM PST by nascarnation (Impeach, Convict, Deport)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

No, inaction is the choice Mr. Doofus-head.


11 posted on 11/20/2014 2:26:09 PM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light..... Isaiah 5:20)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe
Harkin and Pelosi with the same talking points.

Worthless hypocrites, the lot of them. They would never say the same thing if the President was not of their party.

12 posted on 11/20/2014 2:26:15 PM PST by kosciusko51 (Enough of "Who is John Galt?" Who is Patrick Henry?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

I’d like to hear ONE idiot Republican refute this twisted logic with something like:

Well, the Republicans haven’t “acted” on providing free food to all Americans, or they haven’t “acted” on conquering China and making it the 51st state either!

Why do they allow such easily refuted crap to stand???


13 posted on 11/20/2014 2:26:15 PM PST by joethedrummer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe
Tom Harkin is a disgrace...to the country.

Always has been....Always will be.

14 posted on 11/20/2014 2:27:35 PM PST by Osage Orange (I have strong feelings about gun control. If there's a gun around, I want to be controlling it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe
Where does it say that in the Constitution?
15 posted on 11/20/2014 2:28:25 PM PST by TexasCajun
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: joethedrummer

Good luck with logic from the GOPe..............


16 posted on 11/20/2014 2:28:41 PM PST by Osage Orange (I have strong feelings about gun control. If there's a gun around, I want to be controlling it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

Inaction by Congress does NOT give the president the right to violate the Constitution.


17 posted on 11/20/2014 2:29:41 PM PST by fhayek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

Uh, Senator Harkin, a question, sir.

How many years did the Democrats have the House and the Senate? 2006-2010?

During that time the Democrats did not pass an immigration reform bill?


18 posted on 11/20/2014 2:29:53 PM PST by joshua c (Please dont feed the liberals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fhayek

what inaction? We have immigration laws, the President needs to enforce them.


19 posted on 11/20/2014 2:30:23 PM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: Tailgunner Joe

I wonder what would have happened if, using Senator Harkin’s logic, President Bush had just ordered drilling to commence in ANWR.

Or if President Bush just “reformed” Social Security on his own.


20 posted on 11/20/2014 2:33:09 PM PST by cotton1706 (ThisRepublic.net)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-53 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