Washington Republicans Agree with the President in Moving Forward with Immigration Reform and the "Kid's Act" for Dreamers

Many Republicans in Washington are speculating that some type of Immigration Reform bills will move forward before the end of 2013. Republican Eric Cantor is planning on introducing the “KIDS Act,” which gives citizenship to one million DREAMers.

National Review reports: Cantor made his most impassioned public case for the legislation yet at a press conference this morning, saying that addressing the fate of the so-called DREAMers – a reference to the DREAM Act, another bill that would afford citizenship to illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children — is “an issue of decency, of compassion.”
“Where else would these kids go? Again, they’ve been brought here as a minor in many instances having no idea what was going on, knowing no other place than America as home,” Cantor added.
Speaker John Boehner is also supporting the legislation. “This is about basic fairness. These children were brought here of no accord of their own. Frankly, they’re in a very difficult position and I think many of our members believe that this issue needs to be addressed,” he said.

Washington Post reports: Byron York reports that the prospects for reform are still alive, noting there is a core group of House Republicans still working on a series of proposals, though they are shrouded in great secrecy. These efforts, York reports, have the blessing of GOP leaders.''
...Frank Sharry tells me that if Eric Cantor goes through with his plan to introduce the “KIDS Act,” which gives citizenship only to the one million DREAMers, immigration advocates and many Dems probably would be prepared to accept it — if Republicans are also willing to go to conference negotiations. “If the KIDS Act is good on the substance, Republicans will be surprised at how much love it gets from immigration reform advocates,” Sharry tells me. “Many of us would encourage Democrats to vote for the KIDS Act, if in exchange Republicans agree to a bicameral negotiation where all issues are on the table, including legalization and citizenship for the 11 million. This would be a stepping stone (to overall Comprehensive Immigration Reform).”

In a Startling Moment of Clarity, John Boehner ADMITS Tea Party Republicans are from Outer Space!

Cowardly Lion John Boehner, Afraid of the Teapartiers and Grover Norquist , walks out on Debt Ceiling Talks. Hides from President’s Phone Calls!

Afraid of the TeaPartiers and Grover Norquist, Cowardly Lion Republican House Speaker John Boehner has broken off talks with President Barack Obama on getting a budget deal to avert a government default.

President Obama, speaking at a press conference at the White House, told reporters that Boehner would not return his phone calls. "I’ve been left at the altar now a couple of times," the President said. "It is hard to understand why Speaker Boehner would walk away from this kind of deal. Can they say yes to anything?"

Cowardly Lion Boehner, so afraid of losing his House Speaker job, hid from the President, refusing to return his calls.

Democratic Senate Leader Harry Reid said, “Republicans have once again proven unable to overcome their ideological opposition to ending taxpayer-funded giveaways for millionaires, corporate jet owners and oil companies. I applaud President Obama for insisting that any deal to reduce our deficit be balanced between cuts and revenues. We must avert a default at all costs."

Boehner, speaking as his alter ego Cowardly Lion whimpered he would NOT allow Tax Increases for Millionaires, even if they didn't create jobs! He added, "And let me say, I have the same responsibilities as the President of the United States..we need to back away from the tree and take a look at the forest." He then broke out in song: "If I were Kiiiiinnnngggg of the Fooorrreeessssstttt!"

As the debt ceiling debate enters its final stages, House Republicans face increasing political isolation in their opposition to sweeping budget reforms that President Obama has pushed for and polls show most Americans now prefer. Republican resistance to compromise has turned a significant bloc of voters against them, according to several new polls, and has frustrated members of their own leadership as well as establishment GOP figures.

The fear among leading Republicans is that the party may lose an opportunity to lock in budget cuts that go beyond anything Democrats had previously been willing to consider. Five-term Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said he had never seen any spending reductions attached to a debt ceiling vote. "It's inconceivable," Cole said. "Some of the members who haven't been here don't appreciate how much John Boehner has gotten for them." (Poor Boehner...the Nutty Teaparty Republicans Don't Have A Clue about History! and you know what they say about those who DON'T Remember History!) Boehner, an Ohio Republican and the House speaker, is leading an effort to try to prepare his restive House Republicans for a vote to raise the nation's borrowing limit.

Meanwhile, Republicans in the Senate have begun lining up behind a plan, offered by a bipartisan group known as the "Gang of Six," to reduce the long-term deficit by nearly $4 trillion over the next decade. That plan would include about $1.2 trillion in additional tax revenues over the 10-year period that House Republicans have so far resisted. The White House indicated for the first time Wednesday that Obama would be willing to accept a short-term stop-gap plan, but only for a few days while Congress worked out the legislative details of a larger fix. Either way, House Republicans remain the key obstacle to passing a debt ceiling increase and avoiding a possible federal default after Aug. 2. Their strict adherence to a no-new-taxes pledge all but rules out consideration of a larger agreement on deficits and the debt ceiling. Their position is reinforced by the fear that "tea party" groups will mount primary challenges against many Republicans who vote for anything that could be characterized as a tax increase...

The party's enthusiasm for budget cuts over compromise may leave Republicans with less than they could have otherwise achieved. Obama had proposed a 3-to-1 ratio of spending cuts to tax increases, even carving into Medicare and Social Security while drawing opposition from within his own ranks...But the Millionaire backed TeaParty refuses to allow Republicans to compromise. A case in point is the back-up plan being crafted to raise the debt ceiling. It is far less ambitious than the Gang of Six plan, providing less than $1.5 trillion in cuts, a level unacceptable to many in the GOP. It would still represent an unprecedented accomplishment for a GOP House speaker. Nonetheless, rank-and-file House Republicans are unlikely to embrace it.

In the end, it may be a negative reaction in financial markets, rather than political pressure, that spurs action. Boehner's "got a big problem," Weber said. "You've got to make the case that the broad conservative principles can be served by this agreement."

Poor Boehner! Since he is running scared from the TeaPartiers who refuse to see the NEED to Raise the Debt Ceiling, he is between a rock and a hard place. What is clear is, he needs to adopt a compromise with the Democrats and raise the Debt Ceiling before we as a Nation default on our debts. Poor Boehner! He needs to distance himself from the Tea Party Zealots and Grover Norquist and come back to Reality and partner in a compromise with the President and the Democrats and Raise the Debt Ceiling without extensively harming our Seniors. He should also include forcing Millionaires to pay Some Taxes!

Independent Republican Leaders Vainly Attempt to WOO Latino Voters WITHOUT their Party Members' Consent!

Like a secret liaison, some Republican leaders, including John Boehner, are attempting to woo Latino voters. Republican lawmakers on Thursday signaled a willingness to tackle immigration reform measures, specifically those relating to skilled worker visas. Led by (Republican) Virginia's Bob Goodlatte, the House Republican Technology Working Group released its list of top technology concerns relating to economic growth in the U.S. Under the banner of "Ensuring American Access to the Best Workers," the group said it would "examine current visa and immigration laws to make sure we attract and retain the best and brightest minds from around the world."

In addition to skilled workers, the group announced that it would also focus on access to network spectrum, cyber security issues, intellectual property protections, fair trade agreements, tax code and regulation reform. While the GOP has historically championed free trade, tax reform and decreased regulation, the group's embrace of immigration -- however limited -- was hailed by reform groups as a step forward.

Rebecca Peters, the director and counsel for legislative affairs at the American Council on International Personnel, told Huff Post that the GOP agenda was "very encouraging." Her business advocacy group sees the recent bipartisan political movement -- including the president's immigration speech in El Paso, Texas, last month and the 2010 Republican plan for job creation -- as evidence that reform might be on the horizon.

Compete America Executive Director Scott Corley, whose advocacy group focuses on immigration concerns for skilled workers, said in a statement, "We applaud the House Republican Technology Working Group for emphasizing the link between access to top talent and U.S. job creation. We encourage the growing list of supporters on both sides of the aisle to turn their talk into action.” (see the rest of the article here.)

One can only speculate: Some republicans are looking to woo Latino Voters. However, most logical American Latinos will NOT buy their behind the scenes attempts!

John Boehner/Republicans Diss American Latinos

Every year since 2003, the George W. Bush years, there has been a Cinco de Mayo celebration on the Capitol grounds, and every year it has been HOSTED by the Speaker of the House. This year, John Boehner said NO! He is NOT hosting this event.

The question was asked by the leadership of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Rep. Charlie Gonzalez. Rep. Gonzalez sent a letter to Speaker Boehner in an effort to convince him do the event. Former speaker Nancy Pelosi even offered to help plan the event. Boehner’s response was an awkward throat-clearing. Basically, Boehner said, No Way Jose, Sorry Charlie! "YOU Should Host Something."

With Boehner's awkward response, the Republican Party once again disses American Latinos.

Note: It wasn’t the best of possible political moves. Cinco de Mayo is a big deal among Latino’s of Mexican ancestry in the US; bigger than it is in Mexico itself. In Washington, on Capitol Hill, the date has served to celebrate all things Latino in America: from politics to culture. It would have been a great opportunity for the top Republican on The Hill, third in line to the presidency, to show a little love toward the voting group he needs to keep his party in power. But he didn’t.

He probably thought no one would notice.

Republican John Boehner - In the Pocket of Big Business

NY Times Reports:
A G.O.P. Leader Tightly Bound to Lobbyists
WASHINGTON — House Democrats were preparing late last year for the first floor vote on the financial regulatory overhaul when Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio and other Republican leaders summoned more than 100 industry lobbyists and conservative political activists to Capitol Hill for a private strategy session. The bill’s passage in the House already seemed inevitable. But Mr. Boehner and his deputies told the Wall Street lobbyists and trade association leaders that by teaming up, they could still perhaps block its final passage or at least water it down.

“We need you to get out there and speak up against this,” Mr. Boehner said that December afternoon, according to three people familiar with his remarks, while also warning against cutting side deals with Democrats. That sort of alliance — they won a few skirmishes, though they lost the war on the regulatory bill — is business as usual for Mr. Boehner, the House minority leader and would-be speaker if Republicans win the House in November. He maintains especially tight ties with a circle of lobbyists and former aides representing some of the nation’s biggest businesses, including Goldman Sachs, Google, Citigroup, R. J. Reynolds, MillerCoors and UPS.

They have contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to his campaigns, provided him with rides on their corporate jets, socialized with him at luxury golf resorts (that's why Boehner is so Tan and called the Tan Man) and waterfront bashes and are now leading fund-raising efforts for his Boehner for Speaker campaign, which is soliciting checks of up to $37,800 each, the maximum allowed. Some of the lobbyists readily acknowledge routinely seeking his office’s help — calling the congressman and his aides as often as several times a week — to advance their agenda in Washington. And in many cases, Mr. Boehner has helped them out.