GOP senator: Healthcare bill may cost immigration overhaul

JyArete · 03-19-2010, 07:52 PM

Can't he just do the right thing???!?@??! It's the politics in Washington...

Quote:

Reporting from Washington
The lone Republican inclined to support the Obama administration's bid to pass a major immigration overhaul said Friday that if a healthcare bill passes this weekend, the immigration effort is dead for the year.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is considered a crucial player in the immigration debate -- a Republican prepared to cross party lines and vote for a bill that would provide a path to legal status for the 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally.

Graham has spent months working with U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) to draft an immigration bill. The two met privately with President Obama last week, delivering a three-page blueprint.

On Thursday, the Washington Post's website published an op-ed article coauthored by Graham and Schumer laying out a proposal seen as the basis for a politically viable bill.

But Graham's support has never been a sure thing. In recent days, he had made clear he was unhappy about the procedures Democrats are using to push the healthcare bill to a vote.

"If the healthcare bill goes through this weekend, that will, in my view, pretty much kill any chance of immigration reform passing the Senate this year," Graham said Friday, two days before thousands are expected to march in Washington in support of an immigration overhaul.

Neither Schumer nor the White House would comment on Graham's statement.

With Senate Democrats one vote shy of a filibuster-proof majority, Graham is positioned to make or break any immigration bill. To date, Schumer's office and the White House have not succeeded in recruiting another Republican who might back an immigration overhaul.

More broadly, Graham's announcement is a worrisome sign for a White House with many more domestic projects on its agenda. Graham has been seen as a potential ally in efforts to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay.

Advocates of an immigration overhaul were angered by Graham's statement.

Eliseo Medina, a union official who attended a White House meeting last week on immigration, said:

"If the Republicans want to be responsible for killing immigration reform, they are going to send an unmistakable signal to the Latino community that they don't care about them . . . And the Republican Party will have to take their chances at the polls in November and in 2012."

http://www.latimes.com/features/heal...,6978019.story

dreamberry · 05:45 AM

There is nothing new in this article. Senator Graham said this last week.

Irvinsote · 03-19-2010, 08:53 PM

I have this feeling even if the health care bill doesn't pass, the opponents of any immigration reform will put the excuse of Obama trying to push down the health care bill as a point to say that he is trying to do the same with immigration, and make people believe that "he is a socialist, and all the good stuff they say right now about him and the health care bill, etc".

Ughhhh!

IDK if I am wrong, but Politics should use more reverse psychology to calm people down. I mean, there are just people out there that just want to oppose to anything that their opposing party suggest.

Sonawabich · 03-20-2010, 12:55 AM

Healthcare, recession, unemployment, looming elections, Obama not caring, no GOP backers.

*SIGH*

DA User · 03-20-2010, 02:22 AM

Why is it dead if HCR passes?

dreamberry · 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DA User

Why is it dead if HCR passes?

My take on this is that if HCR passes then Republicans will absolutely not want to cooperate; that is what Senator Graham claims. Look at health care reform though, democrats are assuming they will have no Republican votes and still pass it, so it's still entirely possible to pass an immigration reform without their support.

Oh and Senator Graham is a republican, funny ain't it?

arodriguez · 03-20-2010, 09:33 AM

It's inevitable for health care reform to pass. There are enough votes for it to pass now. what Graham is not so discreetly saying is that there will be no immigration reform.

gebodupa · 03-20-2010, 11:22 AM

I think this is completely ridiculous honestly.

Obama has a big majority in both houses, he is one person short of the magic 60 in the Senate. He should be able to pass more stuff that goes along with the philosophy of his party.

freshh. · 03-20-2010, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gebodupa

I think this is completely ridiculous honestly.

Obama has a big majority in both houses, he is one person short of the magic 60 in the Senate. He should be able to pass more stuff that goes along with the philosophy of his party.

But he still has people in his own party that won't vote along party lines every time. Look at HCR reform. He's having to do a whole lot more wheeling and dealing then he should have to just to get the votes that he needs.

Abaddon · 03-20-2010, 02:26 PM

Yes but don't forget the filibuster mechanism!

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GOP senator: Healthcare bill may cost immigration overhaul