22 minutes ago Obama urges action on immigration; suggests more piecemeal approach

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...meal-approach/


Washington (CNN) – President Barack Obama urged swift congressional approval of immigration reform on Tuesday, offering a potential opening to Republicans on the divisive presidential priority.

"Right now, everybody should be focused on making sure that that bill that's already passed out of the Senate hits the floor of– the House of Representatives. It's not as if the votes are not there. The votes are there," the president said in an interview with Telemundo.

"The only thing that's preventing it is– you know, Speaker Boehner's decided that– he doesn't wanna call it right now," he said.

Obama said he might be open to a House bill that takes a more piecemeal approach, as long as the legislation that reaches his desk "speaks to the central issues that have to be resolved" to fix the immigration system, from strong border security to making sure employers aren't taking advantage of undocumented workers.

Immigration reform would be a major achievement for Obama, especially with such sharp divisions in Congress, and is seen by many as crucial for Republican efforts to gain more support among Hispanics.

But time is limited this year on the legislative calendar, and looks even narrower with fights looming on federal spending, Obamacare and raising the nation’s debt ceiling, or borrowing authority, to pay its bills.

The Senate bill passed in June would allow undocumented workers to gain provisional legal status, but then requires a series of security and enforcement provisions to be in place before those immigrants can gain full citizenship.

The Senate is a non-starter for most House conservatives.

CNN White House Producer Becky Brittain contributed to this report.

Well. Can't blame the president any more. Gotta feel for him. He is right. You can't play ball when you have no opponent at all. The Repubes are just unwilling to do ANYTHING! The fuck is Obama suppose to do?? Deferred Action for EVERYONE would be so complicated and would bring a lot of legal headache for the administration. I sincerely hope the Republicans pay BIG for this in the elections.

They can force a debate on Syria but can't on immigration? They didn't pass the senate bill to the house, there's no discharge petition being worked on. They just lay down on their stomachs and say "welp that's that". Obama can't do much true, but those fucking house democrats are spineless. Still Obama can call special sessions of congress and stuff so yeah, he could coerce the house to passing something.

I don't see anything wrong with piecemeal.