GOP Obscures Its Role In Blocking Immigration Reform
Hispanic voters are upset that Obama didn’t push harder for immigration reform in his first two years, when he had large Democratic majorities. But they’re more vexed with Republicans, who have used their clout in Congress to thwart multiple efforts by Democrats to advance the cause. Now, heading into a presidential election with a sizable deficit among Hispanic voters, a key part of the GOP’s — and Mitt Romney’s — damage-control strategy is to obscure their own role and instead blame Obama.
“Obama promised pathway [to citizenship] and DREAM Act … and he delivered nothing. He’s not to be trusted,” Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus told reporters recently, saying Obama “either lied or is so grossly negligent in following through on his promises when it comes to immigration.” On the campaign trail, Romney has accused Obama of using the issue of immigration as a “political weapon.”
Other than a handful of speeches and supportive statements, Obama has done little to put pressure on Congress to reform immigration. But the GOP’s argument lacks important context. When the Senate held a December 2010 vote to proceed on DREAM Act — which would have provided a pathway to citizenship for undocumented children who attend college or join the military — just 3 Republicans joined 52 Democrats in its favor. The rest of the GOP senators blocked it from getting the 60 votes needed to advance.
Beyond that Democrats, backed by Obama, have offered multiple comprehensive immigration reform bills that include a pathway to citizenship to those in the country illegally. Republicans have repeatedly thwarted those efforts — some say “amnesty” of any kind is off the table, while others have demanded that Obama secure the border before they consider anything.
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/04/republicans-romney-obama-immigration-reform.php
The added benefit to the GOP has been that the "federal government has done nothing about immigration reform" has empowered republican-run states to push their own "immigration reform" at the state level.
It's hard to believe that may people (Hispanics or anyone else) are going to believe this GOP tactic that it has nothing to do with Obama's failure to enact national immigration reform, but I guess the have to try something.
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