If Obama want to advance his agenda, he should sit down and keep quiet
Every time Obama takes a public stand on immigration, he makes it that much more difficult for Republican members of Congress to support it. Keep in mind that 94 percent of House Republicans are in districts Mitt Romney carried and that 34 of 45 GOP senators represent states Obama lost. As a result, most congressional Republicans are far more afraid of losing a primary to a more conservative challenger than a general election to a Democrat. It is a lot easier for them to support an immigration bill that has broad-based support in the business and farming communities (and that also happens to be supported by Obama and the Democratic leadership) than to back a bill so popularly identified with the other side. If the president really cares about enacting immigration reform, he will get off the campaign trail, depoliticize it, and keep as quiet about it as he can.
To a hammer, everything looks like a nail; too often with this White House, the solution to any challenge is ramping up campaign-style events. Bad idea.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Impossible.
portlandon on February 22, 2013 at 7:42 PM
Obama’s agenda is not to solve any of America’s problems but to insure Democrat Party supremacy for the foreseeable future. Any problems that are actually solved are a coincidence.
Socratease on February 22, 2013 at 7:54 PM
He doesn’t want it to pass. He wants to use it to try to take back the House.
KCB on February 22, 2013 at 7:54 PM
His agenda is to destroy opposition and consolidate power. Then we will see his policies imposed.
I’ve heard enough from old timey political experts. What you used to know is now wrong.
forest on February 22, 2013 at 7:57 PM
How ’bout we take back the Senate, that should close his pie hole..
hillsoftx on February 22, 2013 at 8:02 PM
Obama doesn’t want solutions. He wants wedge campaign issues. But I do sense he may be on the verge of overplaying his hand. I think folks are finally beginning to sense his game.
Our Community-Organizer-in-Chief, ever so puffed up with his hubris, is on the verge on jumping the shark.
petefrt on February 22, 2013 at 8:04 PM
Oh 0 is laying it to ruin just fine.
Bmore on February 22, 2013 at 8:36 PM
willful blindness from Cook
Obama is trying to use the same scorched earth tactics he used to destroy Romney to destroy the House GOP.
Getting anything passed makes him responsible, which is not what he wants.
commodore on February 22, 2013 at 8:46 PM
*** Obama doesn’t want solutions. He wants wedge campaign issues. But **I do sense he may be on the verge of overplaying his hand. I think folks are finally beginning to sense his game.
Our Community-Organizer-in-Chief, ever so puffed up with his hubris, is on the verge on jumping the shark.
petefrt on February 22, 2013 at 8:04 PM
*** True dat.
** We can only hope…
RavingLunatic on February 22, 2013 at 9:06 PM
Sit down and shut up is the one thing Dear Leader CANNOT do. He MUST be center of attention AT ALL TIMES. He CANNOT let any event go that is getting attention without making sure we know what HIS opinion is, from gay scout leaders, to (likely) who should be Pope.
wildcat72 on February 22, 2013 at 9:23 PM