Will the GOP get Stupaked?
It's not longer controversial to say that President Obama lies. It's one of those things that just happens to be true, like water flowing downhill. Whatever our president says is only a formality and will be used at a later date to show how much he has "grown in his positions" and how difficult his opponents are.
For example, when the intense debate over ObamaCare was being held, many in the country were opposed to this sweeping legislation. Backroom deals were made, some in the light of day and others maybe not so much. One that stands out is the agreement made with pro-life Congressman Bart Stupak (D) that was intended to limit federal funds for abortion services. Congressman Stupak generously gave his needed vote to pass ObamaCare in exchange for an executive order signed by our president that gave him this guarantee. Most of us suspected this executive order would be easily dismissed, and it was once it became politically expedient for the president to do so.
The ObamaCare bill also includes specific regulations that are designed to protect gun owner's health information and not allow this data to be collected or stored. It is believed that this was put in the bill to limit the opposition of the NRA. It appeared to work.
But then came the tragedy of Sandy Hook. Once again it became politically beneficial for the president to have a change of heart and to reveal his capacity to grow. It was just a bonus that this could also be used to show how backward his opposition is. So he gladly issued 23 Executive Actions. Many of these actions undo the very protections that were afforded gun owners in the original ObamaCare bill. The NRA got Stupaked.
What's next? Oh yeah -- the GOP are running headlong into a bipartisan deal on immigration reform. I think everyone on the right agrees that immigration reform has to first stop the constant flow of illegal immigrants at our borders. Without this we just create an even greater problem. The indications are that border security measures and enforcement are going to be the biggest challenges in this bill.
President Obama has already proven on several occasions that he has selection issues with regard to the laws he allows his Justice Department to enforce. The Defense of Marriage Act, Drug laws, voter Intimidation laws and immigration laws are only a few that, as Eric Holder has put it, Justice "doesn't have the resources for."
What makes these naive Republicans feel that any agreement made with Congressional Democrats and the Obama Administration will be worth any more then the paper it is written on?
Immigration reform will eventually need to be tackled, but we should not trust this president and neither should our Republican legislators. He has done nothing to earn our trust.
President Obama has already enacted his version of Dream Act lite. Maybe we should just step away from the table and let some time pass. We can fix this problem, but not with this president and not at this time.