Immigration man
The president outfoxes Republicans on immigration policy -- but will it stand?
The last time I heard the word "anarchy" tossed around so much was when the Sex Pistols' LP was released back in '76. There's several Republican senators and commentators who might have a coronary by the time the night is through, which can only mean that President Obama has issued his long-awaited, shocking-yet-not-at-all surprising executive order on immigration.
This is the political civil war that I predicted two days after the mid-term election. Has anyone checked on the status of Fort Sumter lately?
In the end, Obama's move will be judged on the three Ps -- policy, politics, and procedure. The policy, of course, is a no-brainer -- keeping families together and seeking a realistic solution to the plight of at least some of the 12 million strivers who are now trapped in legal limbo; the failure of Congress to come together on this has been a political meltdown of epic proportions.
The politics, meanwhile, is brilliant. In 1964, Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act and cemented the ties between blacks and the Democratic Party -- but Democrats paid a steep price with the loss of white Southerners. Here, it's all to the upside, with Latinos in line to help Obama's party win presidential elections for decades to come, and the GOP with little to do but play to its ever-shrinking base among the white soon-to-be-minority. Immigration is the football, and Republicans are Charlie Brown...it's that simple.
The last part is the hard part. For better or worse, we've given presidents broad leeway to carry out executive orders, but Obama is stretching that to the max. I think the legal predecents are on his side, but the conservative-leaning judiciary makes it all a crap shoot. What's more, Obama shot himself in the foot (there's a surprise) with his numerous past statements that he can't act without Congress. Will he pay a price for those gaffes? I doubt it. Even if the House impeaches Obama, he still wins.
This was a good week to be an independent -- and a lousy one to be a Republican. Knowing the comment board like I do, I'm sure everyone here is on board with the president's bold policy. If not, you have the whole weekend to sound off below. Have a great one!