Posted on 11/22/2014 6:00:06 AM PST by cotton1706
WASHINGTON – Here's what Republican elders are telling their colleagues: Please, don't be stupid. As they wait for President Obama to announce Thursday evening that he will shield millions of undocumented people from deportation, the GOP's Congressional leadership is counseling colleagues, including the most conservative ones, how -- and how not -- to respond.
Several members described a concerted effort to quiet those most likely to make inflammatory remarks that could hurt the party.
“Count to 100 before you say anything,” South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said he told conservatives in the House.
Many Republicans admit to worrying about what fellow party members might say. In the past, comments like those of former Missouri Republican Congressman Todd Akin about "legitimate rape," for example, have put the GOP on the defensive. So the establishment has carefully worked out the talking points for Thursday.
Look to the statement from House Speaker John Boehner’s office Wednesday for the best blueprint.
“If ‘Emperor Obama’ ignores the American people and announces an amnesty plan that he himself has said over and over again exceeds his Constitutional authority, he will cement his legacy of lawlessness and ruin the chances for Congressional action on this issue -- and many others,” Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said.
In other words, Republican leaders want to hear talk about overreach and amnesty, not commentary on immigrants or calls for impeachment.
But try as it might, leadership can’t make members stick to the script. Getting off message poses a real danger because Democrats will be looking for any opportunity to paint the GOP as insensitive to the plight of immigrant families, offensively ignorant or just plain racist.
(Excerpt) Read more at ibtimes.com ...
Too bad Sessions didn’t do that
I think you are wrong about that. I think illegal immigration is every bit as huge an issue as obamacare; take a look at what happened in Oregon if you think it is not.
Screw this OBSESSION with Fox News! It was Jeff Sessions, that conservative icon, who said impeachment was not an option. And, unlike Dr. K., his opinion does actually matter. Get it right.
I Am humbled that you could set me right.
If Republicans are careful in their speech, the MSM reaction will be: "Opposition to Obama's noble effort to reunite families is rooted in pure racism."
Perhaps a bit more effort should be put - ala Reagan - into talking over the heads of the MSM and putting the issues into to clear, unmistakable language that the politically out-of-touch can understand. As the Swiss Guards of the Welfare State, the MSM is never going to characterize any issue in a way favorable to those who wish to shrink said State, no matter how careful their speech.
You need to get a reality check.
Immigration was one of the flash points of the last election (#3 on the list).
Why do you think Obama waited until after the election?
Please go back to your Grover Norquist worship altar.
“’Count to 100 before you say anything,’ South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said he told conservatives in the House.”
Nothing like unsolicited advice from Tippy Toes.
Poosays ...
The GOP is an utter fraud. All they wanted was to get control of the OPM pile so they could give it to their friends. They no more care for the American people or the constitution than Obama.
They will do nothing byt wail, stomp their feet then move on.
I'd love to hear them explain whats the use in avoiding saying anything "controversial" if your side keeps losing fight after fight.
What a pair of cupcakes.
If they just kept quiet it would drive the Democrats Nuts
Sen. Cruz has spoken up.
That said, the EXEMPT GOP enables Obama, again.
It is their corrupt and treasonous choice
as the Constitution is/has been abrogated
over, and over, and over.
Each enablement by the EXEMPT GOP
has led to further abrogation
making the GOP far beyond complicit.
Coming from two people who CAN’T count to 100, that sounds pretty funny.
The dirty secret is that American politics has devolved into a “Party First” ideology.
It is supposed to be “America First.”
Huh? What polls are you reading?
Everyone I know is livid over illegals. The illegals are everywhere and are destroying our culture.
I have liberal relatives in Chicago that have turned against Obama big time because of this one issue.
I know people all over the country and ALL have commented on illegals flooding their area.
Our Founders knew the corrosive effect political parties would have one our Republic.
Over time I have become firmly convinced that if we are to ever defeat the RATS and rollback government, we must first utterly destroy (politically) the GOP.
We can never defeat the RATs as long as the GOP is infested with evil RINOs.
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