Gang of Eight Strategy Emerges to Ensure Immigration Bill Advances

National Journal ^ | Updated: May 10, 2013 | 12:43 p.m | Rebecca Kaplan and Shane Goldmacher Updated: May 10, 2013 | 12:43 p.m

[onyx]

The night before Thursday's marathon committee markup, members of the Senate's Gang of Eight and their staffs huddled in a room in the Capitol to decide what amendments to their immigration bill they would let live—and what must die.

As a comprehensive immigration overhaul advances through the Senate, its chief architects will remain firmly in control of its fate. This week's drama at the Senate Judiciary Committee provided a valuable test run for the group, which must protect their bill from changes that undermine the principles they agreed on but accept enough suggestions from their colleagues to garner at least a 60-vote majority, if not more.

It’s that kind of advance planning that helped the gang survive its first major test Thursday: a hostile amendment offered by Senate Judiciary Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa. The Grassley provision would have required that the entire southern border be under effective control for six months before illegal immigrants could register for provisional legal status. The current legislation requires only that a comprehensive strategy for border security be in place.

[SunkenCiv]

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  Latinos, should be a natural constituency for the party, Paul argued, but "Republicans have pushed them away with harsh rhetoric over immigration." ...he would create a bipartisan panel to determine how many visas should be granted for workers already in the United States and those who might follow... [and the buried lead] "Imagine 12 million people who are already here coming out of the shadows to become new taxpayers... [Rand Paul calls on conservatives to embrace immigration reform]

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• ...by softening its edge on some volatile social issues and altering its image as the party always seemingly "eager to go to war... We do need to expand the party and grow the party and that does mean that we don't always all agree on every issue" ... the party needs to become more welcoming to individuals who disagree with basic Republican doctrine on emotional social issues such as gay marriage... "We're going to have to be a little hands off on some of these issues ... and get people into the party," Paul said. [Rand Paul: Time for GOP to soften war stance]

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  One day after announcing on his radio show that he is "truly considering" running in 2014 for the U.S. Senate seat now held by New Jersey's Frank Lautenberg, Rivera amped up his message today in a television interview and a column on the Fox News Latino website... a moderate Republican who is fiscally conservative but also supports gay marriage and Roe v. Wade... [Geraldo Rivera declares himself a 'moderate Republican' as he eyes U.S. Senate run]

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[okie01]

"Latinos, should be a natural constituency for the party", Paul argued, but "Republicans have pushed them away with harsh rhetoric over immigration."

Paul is at least partially correct. There is a natural constituency for the party among Latinos...but it isn't the illegals nor their La Raza enablers!

Instead, it is the LEGAL Hispanics -- the throroughly American Hispanics who are here legally and, in many cases, have been for hundreds of years. These Hispanics stand 2-for-1 against amnesty.

And why wouldn't they: They are American citizens!

The Republicans will win more Hispanic votes by standing against so-called "comprehensive immigration reform" than if they vote for it.

[AllAmericanGirl44]

Damn, that is an awesome plan! I like your twisted freaky mind!

If ever there was a plan for brave men and women to march down to the border and create a human barrier, I would be there in a nanosecond. I know, never happen, but it’s a dream I enjoy.

How much longer are the Rubio commercials going to run? I am nauseous listening to his feminine voice telling me lies!
I am DONE with him.

[ConservativeInPA]

Damn, that is an awesome plan! I like your twisted freaky mind!

Cost effective too.

Thanks.

[JudgemAll]

The Gang of 8 is an X, Y and Z bunch which is supporting Latino gangster human traffic. Ask any of those “latino families” in favor of legalizing illegals, and it is all about a process where they can enslave and brainwash their relatives coming to the US, until said relatives can do the same to the next wave of their own close relatives in Mexico.

This is the equivalent of a human pyrammid scheme until it all collapses under total human prostitution exploitation to fund the top tier of investors.

The hispanics I know look for American brides and grooms so they can bring in these girls to work in their houses for free and pay rent, just like that kidnapper Castro.

This is why they support democrates and are against gun ownership. They do not want their relatives to be free. They want it to be a Democrate DHS Dungeon Home SEcurity program of convenience, and they want the white man slave to pay for it too.

IT is an extremely powerful NArco terrorist-MexicoGovernment-familyExploitation lobby.

[JudgemAll]

Indeed, they are saying we will fix the border while they are destroying it and telling the ICE to stand down on current enforcement.

It is the same communist meme of mixing ends justifying the means, a matter of convenience.

IT is a pretense to say you can rebuild something after destroying it, it is a Jesus like pretense of false messiaship.

WE build and rebuild AMerica every day via ingenuous Capitalist cells called businesses.

These people are not scientific, they are alchemist and think they can change the laws of the universe itself instead of using those laws to build cars to go places, they imagine a science doing away with that.

They are mentally ill.

[stephenjohnbanker]

” Yes...not American, too. The MS Ocho”

Thank you!

[stephenjohnbanker]

” IT is an extremely powerful NArco terrorist-MexicoGovernment-familyExploitation lobby.”

Indeed it is.

[onyx]

BUMP

[freekitty]

I have heard the House is scheduled a vote to overturn Obamacare this coming week? Does anyone have info on this?

[onyx]

You’re right.
I don’t know which day of the week.

[freekitty]

Thanks onyx.

[onyx]

I wish I could remember which day.
I read Cantor’s statement!!!!

[freekitty]

No problem. I will be watching for it.

[OldGoatCPO]

This passes and I am done voting in anything but local elections. I held my nose and voted Republican last year. I convinced myself better Romney than Obama and voted the lesser of two evils. I even argued on FR, we have to get rid of Obama, why get rid of him when we have McCain, Christy, Graham representing Republicans?
Never again, if these idiots think the white vote failed to turn out for them in 2012, wait till they see what happens in 2014. I am a pretty average guy and I am feed up with Republicans and hate liberals with very fiber of my being. I am left with no party and no candidate, may as well stay home and watch reruns of I Love Lucy.

[stephenjohnbanker]

My sentiments exactly.