Immigration Debacle for House Republicans

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Thu Jul 31, 2014 at 04:45:44 PM EST
Tags: immigration reform (all tags)

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They'll try to fix it tomorrow, but as of now, the border control bill has been a total debacle for Republican House leadership today.

[Republican Sen. Ted] Cruz, the hard-line Texas Republican, has been working behind the scenes to stir up conservative opposition to a House GOP plan to approve $659 million to secure the border and handle the flow of 57,000 migrant youths.

And it worked. Amid disarray, House GOP leaders canceled Thursday's vote after it was clear they did not have the votes.

Politico has more. [More...]

Does anyone feel sorry for this Republican?

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) said she was at Reagan National Airport preparing to board a flight home to Miami when she was called to return to the U.S. Capitol.

“I was upgraded because of my miles, I was so close!” she said.

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Immigration Debacle for House Republicans | 25 comments (25 topical)

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I think Eric Cantor (5.00 / 1) (#10)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 10:25:20 AM EST

Is the happiest politician in DC today

The existence of (none / 0) (#1)
by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 31, 2014 at 05:52:24 PM EST

"House Leadership" is a debatable proposition.

The hijacking of the GOP by the Tea Party is (none / 0) (#2)
by Angel on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 07:57:24 AM EST

almost complete.

They don't want to govern (5.00 / 1) (#3)
by Mordiggian 88 on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 08:39:54 AM EST

They want to be the monkey wrench in the machine. If they stop the Kenyan Usurper from carrying out his plan to turn this nation into a Socialist state where the 1% can't exploit the 99%, that's enough of a reward for them.


IMO it's more calculated than that (5.00 / 2) (#4)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 08:47:22 AM EST

The goal is to stop government from working and let the idiot media blame "congress". The more dis functional government the easier it is for them to defund it.


Plus (5.00 / 1) (#6)
by christinep on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 09:13:29 AM EST

Captain, the scenario that you outline would then be expected to degrade this President since "nothing is getting done." It is almost axiomatic among some political observers that if an incumbent can be stymied from accomplishing what people expect that two responses would follow ... first, the citizenry would complain against the naysayers (Congress) as do-nothings; second--and after a period of log-jam--the citizenry would transform their frustration into anger at the father figure (President) for not making it better.

It might have worked ... if the Repubs had not been so openly anxious, jumping-at-the-bit, transparently targeting the President from the beginning, and being pathetically inept. We'll see. Meanwhile, President Obama has some adept counter-punchers in the House and the Senate: The straight-forward debate from Pelosi and the successful craft of the cunning Reid. Now, I wonder how Boehner and his buddy in the Senate, Cruz, extricate themselves from their latest fiasco.


Yes (none / 0) (#8)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 09:43:45 AM EST

I also think that a fair number of republicans who still have two brain cells to rub together are starting to realize that this is not a sustainable model.
There is only so long that government can get away with doing nothing. For one thing bridges start collapsing, stuff like that. Also they might be realizing that....wait.....government is......you know.....my job. I might have to.....you know......get a real job.

The next two years are going to be a total washout IMO. Nothing will happen except what the president can do on his own. That's a separate plan. Force the president to act by inaction and then talk about, or more, impeaching him for it.
Sadly I think we are where we are with president Obama. The right can not allow anything to happen for the next two years.

Which brings us to 2016. A very different election year.


Let's look at the bright side (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by NYShooter on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 12:27:38 PM EST

I predict that if Progressives have, to use your proverbial "two brain cells," (and, I realize that's a big IF,) they could get a ruling majority by teaming up with the Tea Party.

I know that sounds crazy, but, let's think out of the box for a minute. And, for inspiration you can look at the unique "partnership" in the Middle East between Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, etc. You know, "My enemy's enemy is my friend."

But, back to my point: The Tea Party and the True Progressives have something in common. Both realize that the existing structure doesn't work; IOW, Government is broken, or, in reality, it has been hijacked. Think about it, what are some of the key complaints the TP has?

Stop shipping jobs overseas; hire domestically.
Get rid of special interest groups.
Average people should be able to run for

office, not just multi-millionaires.

Get government out of our private lives, no more snooping.
Corporations are not People.

Even some of their points that Progressives instinctively reject, I can show you where there is room for compromise. As one example, Corporate income tax. They are against it, and, say it should be zero. Well, I agree. Regardless of what the Supreme Court says, Corporations are not people. And, it's the people who own corporations that should pay the tax. Otherwise it's a double taxation; one at the Corporate level, and, then at the "people" who own the corporation level. If this were done, two good things would happen:

One, the right party would be paying the tax, mostly millionaires, and, government would get even more money. Why? Because corporations would then have no incentive to move their headquarters offshore. Bringing the corporations back to the U.S. would result in the companies not hoarding their profits, and, the result would be releasing trillions of dollars back into our economy, and, that's an, obviously, good thing.

And, two, our corporations would be much more competitive in the marketplace, with all the benefits that that would mean.

Hey, it's a start. The way we're going isn't working, and, a Progressive/Tea Party coalition may just be an idea whose time has come.


IMO the Tea Party (none / 0) (#12)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 01:20:30 PM EST

Is far from monolithic. There is a part, the libertarian part, that does have many things in common with progressives.
But there is another and IMO larger part that mostly exists to hate Obama. It is racist and homophobic at it heart.
I know many of these people personally.

That said. There is a long tradition of conservative democrats in this area. My brother in law is one. Former (retired) elected democrat. Never voted for a republican in his life. Until John McCain. We have worked together in the past.
I can tell you he plans to vote for Hillary.


Off Topic... (none / 0) (#14)
by ScottW714 on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 01:48:51 PM EST

... I bet there aren't many D voters who can say the first time they went R was McCain/Palin. That is soooo weird.

But I agree, the Tea Party would not exist without Obama or Hillary. If McCain had won, they would have went back to being republicans, instead of angry republicans with a dumb name.

It's why the House has become dysfunctional, Ted Cruz and company are more interested in ideology than governing and their ideology is so far right, that they would never vote with the D's on principle.

They can't even get it together to get dollars to Obama to deport Hispanics. Jesus, if that ain't a symbolic of the Tea Party, I don't know what is. I think that is generally referred to as 'cutting off one's nose to spite the face".


" That is soooo weird." (none / 0) (#15)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 02:00:40 PM EST

Honestly, in this part of the country, it's not.

Surely you are old enough to remember the Dixiecrats? Gotta tell ya, that is not a historical term. They are alive and well and all over the south.
I personally would guess I know or are related to several hundred "democrats" who voted for McCain. Maybe not for the first time but fir a common reason. Obamas skin color.
Sad fact of life in the south. I'm sure GA and Tracy will agree.

Also

'cutting off one's nose to spite the face"

Completely agree with this part and made a similar comment earlier.


I Am Not, I Was 10 When Reagan... (none / 0) (#17)
by ScottW714 on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 02:52:59 PM EST

...took the reigns.

I know the history, but it just never occurred to me that people would vote for McCain because he wasn't black. I mean... I know it happened, but I guess I tend to think D's are more or less like me/us in regards to race.

Now you have me wondering how bad McCain would have lost to a white candidate.


: Strangely enough (none / 0) (#19)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 03:02:36 PM EST

I don't think the out come would have been all that different. I really believe that for every vote Obama lost for one reason he gained one for another. I was working at a game company and was amazed how engaged these kids were. For the first time in their lives. Inauguration Day was like an all day party.

: You never (none / 0) (#22)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 03:38:19 PM EST

can say for sure but the exit polls are what we have to go on and I think they showed that Hillary would have won by 10 points instead of Obama's seven.

Here (none / 0) (#21)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 03:35:33 PM EST

they call themselves Republican but they have the dixiecrat mentaliity about race.


There are still a few (none / 0) (#23)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 03:39:50 PM EST

Die hard Dixiecrats around here. It's easier to just say you are a republican unless, like my brother in law, you gave made a career of convincing people that "the Republican Party is not for the common man". In the long run it's less awkward to just admit you are a racist.


: I have (none / 0) (#24)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 03:45:16 PM EST

to laugh around here when the old time Republicans get so incensed about the dixiecrat policies of people like Deal and Perdue. All I can say is you are the ones that wanted them in the party.

I agree (none / 0) (#18)
by jimakaPPJ on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 02:54:51 PM EST

and wish I had written that.


The GOP just can't help it (none / 0) (#5)
by MKS on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 08:53:36 AM EST

It is their nature. They will self destruct.

Rand Paul appears to be the future of the GOP. The social conservatives are almost completely defeated. When they realize that defeat is complete, they will dissolve away as an organized political force and the Libertarians will take over.

Rand Paul will not get the nomination this time around. But he will win the New Hamshire Primary. And he will have a strong showing overall. The Republicans are not ready just yet for him.

But Rand Paul will get the nomination in 2020 and will pose a formidable threat to Hillary's re-election.

Sounds like (5.00 / 2) (#7)
by CoralGables on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 09:39:46 AM EST

you have a new job


: I was gonna ask about powerball (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 09:44:35 AM EST

: Sure (none / 0) (#25)
by MKS on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 04:54:14 PM EST

How much would you like me to invest on your behalf?

Hmm (none / 0) (#13)
by Ga6thDem on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 01:30:05 PM EST

agree with you about Rand Paul this time around but not sure they would be willing to have an also ran in 2020 instead of a moderate governor who actually could win. Maybe by then they will get the message or maybe not.


After immigration bill's demise, GOPers dine... (none / 0) (#16)
by Angel on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 02:23:32 PM EST

...at a Mexican restaurant.

The dramatic scene at the Capitol on Thursday night, wherein House Republican leaders pulled their own immigration bill in the face of a conservative revolt, apparently worked up not just tempers, but appetites, too.
Although their party wants to shore up security on the Mexican border, some House Republicans seem perfectly okay with culinary imports, at least: Just hours after word went out that the bill had been yanked from the floor, a group of House Republicans were spotted dining at a Pacifico Cantina, a popular Mexican restaurant along Barracks Row on Capitol Hill.
The party, which included Reps. Renee Ellmers (N.C.), John Runyan (N.J), and Jaimie Herrera Buetler (Wash.), seemed in good spirits, a fellow diner said. Tortilla chips and beer were spotted headed in the direction of their table.

Source: WaPo

This little gem was linked in one of the comments.

: How could you (none / 0) (#20)
by CaptHowdy on Fri Aug 01, 2014 at 03:04:41 PM EST

Possibly satirize these people?