While conservatives have justifiably been focusing their attention to the problems
they see in this awful piece of legislation, the various minority factions within the Democrat majority in the US House are having their own problems [3].
Members of the House minority caucuses say they have serious misgivings about the Senate immigration bill and the debate surrounding it, saying that many of the important issues of trade and agricultural policy are being overlooked. ...
"People have to understand that once we start dumping corn and wheat and everything else into Mexico and we wipe out their small farmers, guess where those small farmers are coming? To a town near you."
At issue for many in the black caucus is putting more money into job-training programs for Americans and removing the race aspect from the debate.
Feeling pressure from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, House Democrats say that any notion of moving the immigration policy away from family reunification to a point system favoring educated, highly skilled workers is a deal breaker.
So the Black Caucus understands (at least tacitly) that this bill would hurt jobs in the minority community...and the Hispanic Dems won't give in on a provision that ends chain migration and would favor immigrants who have more to contribute to our society. Given the growth of the important of Hispanics in the Dem base, and the resentment some in the black leadership feel as a result, this will be an interesting battle to watch.
Add to that the fact the the NY Times [4] doesn't like it (because it's too harsh!).
One House Dem doesn't think it will pass...and would rather separate the various issues into individual bills...
Rep. Diane Watson, California Democrat, said that despite President Bush's support and his promises to help Democrats get the bill passed, she doesn't see it happening in this Congress. "I don't think we can deal with all the issues in one major bill, and I suggested that we separate them, making them two bills maybe even three," she said.
She even unintentionally (one would suppose) makes a point conservatives have made...but for different reasons of course:
"They are asking that people coming into the country come in speaking English, skilled, educated and fluent -- well, that is going to be a real hurdle for people who come from very poor, underdeveloped countries," she said referring to the point-based entry-preference system some in the Senate favor.
You don't say. Of course her solution is to not make speaking English, being skilled or educated have anything to do with getting in to the country.
Meanwhile, Bush is going public [5] saying the people who are against this bill "don't want to do what's right for America". Please. On a positive note, one has to wonder if the White House is worried this thing is going down and is getting a little panicky.
More: Polipundit [6] - Captain Ed [7]
