Legal Commentary

Suckers?

By Big Tent Democrat

d-day writes:

TPM reports that immigrants rights advocates and their allies in Congress will not block health care legislation that could include harsh anti-immigrant provisions, so long as they extract a promise on comprehensive immigration reform. [. . ] It’s kind of unclear who’s saying what here. Leadership appears secure that the Congressional Hispanic Caucus won’t block the health care bill. There are some anonymous sources claiming that, as trade, they will accept a promise to move on the immigration bill.

(Emphasis supplied.) A promise from whom? Clearly not Obama, who, we have been told, has no power over the Congress. From Speaker Pelosi? Since Ben Nelson decides what legislation passes the Congress, unless the promise is also from him, it seems an empty promise. As d-day argues, "Given the risk-averse nature of this White House and Nancy Pelosi’s vow not to tackle controversial subjects in the House without the Senate going first, it’s puzzling why the CHC would accept any kind of promise as an iron-clad guarantee to move to a bill." Obviously so. Are the CHC members suckers? I think not. They know they are getting nothing. This is a fig leaf.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on January 05, 2010 (boomark / email).