Immigration Reform on Hold?

From the Wash Times:

Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, an architect of the Democratic campaign that regained control of the House last year, says his party will not attempt comprehensive immigration reform until at least the second term of a prospective Democratic president.

The congressman's statement was reported by a Hispanic activist and confirmed by Mr. Emanuel. "Congressman Rahm Emanuel said to me two weeks ago, there is no way this legislation is happening in the Democratic House, in the Democratic Senate, in the Democratic presidency, in the first term," Juan Salgado, board chairman of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, told the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) at its annual convention last weekend.

More here.

For those of us who believe in open borders (or as close to open as you might get), I think this is good news. However rotten the immigration status quo is, the reform bills passing around seem worse, larded with all sorts of employer regulations and restrictions and a committment to some sort of beefed-up, sure-to-be-useless wall and enforcement efforts. And Emanuel's statement strikes me as politically savvy, too. Despite the clamor about the immigration issue, it really isn't the electoral motivator observers claim it to be (that's one of the great unlearned lessons from the 2006 midterms) but it certainly appeals to the worst in candidates and voters.

reason on immigration here.

Comments

Anonymo the AnonymousWacko | July 25, 2007, 8:20am | #

Why isn't SoCalledReason investigating RahmEmanuel's NefariousLinks to the MexicanGovernment?!? ThisOneTime Emanuel WasSeen at a DummyCorporation MechaFront called TacoBell ordering a NumberSix -- he speaks their SecretCode! Aaah BrownPeople!

thoreau | July 25, 2007, 8:49am | #

I agree with MikeP.

Finkelstein | July 25, 2007, 8:52am | #

Ahhh the Democrats. The "party of the people" doing what it does best. Ignoring issues of the people. Just like Iraq

GIT ER DONE

James Ard | July 25, 2007, 8:56am | #

Nice to see the ugly populists coming out on the left. Maybe my formerly beloved radio talkers will shut up about immigration when they recognize the company they're keeping on this issue.

x,y | July 25, 2007, 9:59am | #

Despite the clamor about the immigration issue, it really isn't the electoral motivator observers claim it to be (that's one of the great unlearned lessons from the 2006 midterms) but it certainly appeals to the worst in candidates and voters.

It is politically savvy, but not for the reasons you say.

1. The Democrats know this issue would mobilize a lot of otherwise disgruntled Republicans. So the Dems lay off until a point in time where Republican mobilization will matter quite a bit less.

2. This has the added benefit of allowing time to run its course, i.e., millions more immigrants (legal and illegal) crossing the borders. The more experience people have with these immigrants -- which should generally be good experiences -- the more palatable immigration "reform" becomes.

VM | July 25, 2007, 10:31am | #

Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, an architect of the Democratic a terrific dickhead

there ya go...

Scooby | July 25, 2007, 12:05pm | #

No need for the strikethrough. Can't he be both?

Minion of URKOBOLD | July 25, 2007, 3:13pm | #

Scooby | July 25, 2007, 12:05pm | #
No need for the strikethrough. Can't he be both?

AHHHHHHHHHH.

urp

jh | July 25, 2007, 3:15pm | #

And when the second term of the Democratic president working with Democratic majorities in both Houses of Congress rolls around, well, goshdarnit, first we need to elect another Democratic president, and then in THEIR second term we'll maybe start thinking about setting up an exploratory committee to consider the possibility ...

Feel free to substitute "Iraq withdrawal" for "immigration reform" in the above story.