Posted on 09/04/2006 5:48:05 PM PDT by RobFromGa
Edited on 09/05/2006 1:53:36 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4 — As they prepare for a critical pre-election legislative stretch, Congressional Republican leaders have all but abandoned a broad overhaul of immigration laws and instead will concentrate on national security issues they believe play to their political strength.
With Congress reconvening Tuesday after an August break, Republicans in the House and Senate say they will focus on Pentagon and domestic security spending bills, port security legislation and measures that would authorize the administration’s terror surveillance program and create military tribunals to try terror suspects.
“We Republicans believe that we have no choice in the war against terror and the only way to do it is to continue to take them head-on whether it is in Iraq or elsewhere,” said Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the majority leader.
This is probably a smart move to pickup Immigration in the next Congress..
This decision (if verified) may very well have political ramifications for the Midterm elections...
it's not like they were gonna do anything about it anyway.
Besides bloviate.
At this point with the Senate having a say in the bill and McCain lurking to score middle points, I say no bill is better than a bill now.
Personally ... I hope that McCain-Kennedy bill never sees the light of day and if the House wants to ignore that bill? .. it's fine with me
The Stupid Party is preaching to the choir on this one.
People already trust Republicans on the WOT than the Dims.
"The War on Terror is certainly a better issue to go into the Midterm elections "
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I agree. They need to show the Dems for the enemies of the US that they are -- let the voters see how the Dems are voting against bills that help provide the tools to secure our lives and safety.
I think that this issue is a good one to let the GOP candidates run on their position in November rather than allowing the Dems to use every opportunity to stonewall so that the GOP gets the blame for inaction.
There is time after the election to deal with immigration.
Nope. Nothing unites so many as toughness on immigration.
Capitulation - if true.
Repubs could have come up with another House bill embraces all security and enforcement matters, with guarantees Bush wouldn't defund it, with time to "study" amnesty and worker programs, and run on that issue, for one. Distinguishing themselves from Bush would also help divide their association from him as an unpopular president. Especially needed because it looks like Bush is going to keep his face on TV in his "take charge" mode and Dems will easily reply he hasn't secured Iraq and offers no new ideas. Iraq is not a winner for Republicans.
I'm just concerned about what they're going to try to do after their butts are safe for another couple of years.
You must see a differnt Senate than the one I see, there is no way to get the tough bill you want right now.
The War on Terror is a more immediate threat to the safety of our country...
No bill is better than the cap they were going to pass. This is good news, IMHO.
Better anything than the Senate immigration bill.
According to the panelists on Brit Hume's show tonight...the dems ONLY goal for the rest of the Congressional year..before elections, is to keep anything from getting accomplished..
They have NO plan to let any legislation get through and are willing to filibuster, add tons of amendments, you name it, to keep denying Bush any "wins".
The sujbect of immigration bill came up...and even though the DEMS are really closer to Bush than the Republicans are, the dems "win" more by not letting any bill pass.
The Republicans in the House, see the writing on the wall...and aren't going to give the dems the chance to even cause problems on this.
Mainly because the POTUS' position doesn't fit their agenda, the Republicans of both Houses of Congress need to avoid it...but in a way that makes it sound like the dems are standing in their way.
I share your concern about slipping the hangman's noose and going back to the middle on immigration.
The Immigration issue is a very messy issue, and it does divide us because people in different parts of the country have very different perceptions of this issue. There is also the practical side to deal with.
In any event, the Democrats would have liked nothing more than for us to be arguing with each other over Immigration while they stonewall until the election. The prosecution of the War against Radical Islamic Fascists is more vital to our security than the War against Illegal Mexicans.
So, they're going to further concentrate on enslaving the citizens.
Makes sense.
The Immigration issue is a very messy issue, and it does divide us because people in different parts of the country have very different perceptions of this issue. There is also the practical side to deal with.
In any event, the Democrats would have liked nothing more than for us to be arguing with each other over Immigration while they stonewall until the election. The prosecution of the War against Radical Islamic Fascists is more vital to our security than the War against Illegal Mexicans.
If they refuse to close the border before the election,
I WILL STAY HOME ON ELECTION DAY!
The border = SECURITY!!!
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