Posted on 05/15/2013 11:23:51 PM PDT by Noremac
Politico is discussing the prospects of Barack Obama's remaining agenda in light of the trifecta of scandals exploding around him. While the authors of the piece, Jake Sherman, Ginger Gibson and Seung Min Kim speculate that various of the items on the President's 'to-do list' are to one degree or another, in jeapordy - they seem to see a Silver lining for 'Immigration Reform amidst all the general gloom.
But the scandal trifecta including Benghazi, the IRS probe of conservative groups and the Justice Departments seizure of reporters records presents a new challenge for the House GOP: how to balance a focus on the scandals and the economy.
Of course, the climate is far different in the Senate, and in some way, an outsize focus on scandal could help ease the passage of an immigration bill that is controversial in its own right. Less attention to the immigration bill could actually be helpful in advancing it.
I didn't find anything terribly profound or insightful in the essay, but some quotes from the usual suspects in the 'Gang of Eight', were noteworthy. Lindsey Graham considers Barack Obama to be quite 'helpful':
I think the conditions are ripe for the [immigration] bill to make it through. The presidents been very helpful. Hes been there when weve asked him to be, hes laid low when we ask him, and Ive got no complaints about the president and I think he can be very helpful getting it over the finish line, said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of Obamas chief Benghazi critics.
"He's laid low, when we asked him to". Does that strike you as the comment of a man who believes deep in his heart that what he's trying to push through the Senate is a unqualified win for America? To me it sounds like a guy musing about the tactics he and his colleagues are using to transport an excrement sandwich in the most expeditious manner so the stink doesn't waft far and wide.
Then there's Dicky Durbin. Durbin never pretends to be anything other than he is - a liberal Democrat. Nope, weve got to do our job, said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). We know the president supports us and wants to see immigration reform and we have a lot of work to do on Capitol Hill before it reaches the presidents level of decision.
John McCain is confident - he said he is not concerned at all.
Not in the slightest. Its too big, too important an issue and people are separating it, McCain said. Theyre moving forward with the markup. Theyll have it finished and theyll plan on bringing it to the floor.
Then there's Marco Rubio, whose erstwhile conservative bonafides have gone Cherynobyl since his suicide pact with the Gang of Eight.
One of the fundamental impediments we have to immigration reform is a lack of trust in governments ability to enforce the law and governments willingness to enforce the immigration laws, Rubio told POLITICO. I dont think that anything thats happened over the last four days is strengthening anybodys confidence in the government; quite frankly, I think theres increasing concern that this government and many of its agencies have become heavily politicized.
I could be wrong, but it sounds like he sees the scandals as a possible exit strategy. That remains to be seen. The main takeaway from all this, is that some of these players think they see an opportunity in all this smoke that is wafting around, to get away with something that won't stand up to scrutiny.
Don't let them.
If the RINO’s make the right noises about the scandals, they may be able to push through amnesty without any backlash from the grassroots.
Our emotions will be tied up in the scandals and we will forget about amnesty, tax increases and other liberal things they do.
Great article
Not surprised that all this IRSgate and APgate was done now to give cover for the treasonous Rubio-Obama Illegal Alien/Islamic Terrorist Amnesty bill....seems people finally paid attention when the bill will microchip you
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