From today's Dallas Morning News:
"The mini revolt by House Conservatives after immigration provisions were stripped from the intelligence overhaul bill could spell turbulence ahead for President Bush's plan to grant temporary legal status to millions of illegal aliens."
Full story can be found at www.dallasnews.com, in the national politics section.
The Bush campaign made precious little noise during the fall campaign about his controversial immigration plans precisely in order not to stir up his conservative base.
But, Bush is impatient to spend some of his "political capital" on this issue, which also includes an increase in green cards and makes some small steps to recognize the reality of immigrants in our midst, our economy's need to exploit them for their cheap labor, as well as also their tax dollars and much needed FICA contributions.
Bush stepped up to the counter, laid his money down, only to have the conservatives, led by James Sensenbrenner (R- Wi), who is in charge of shepherding the Intelligence Reform Bill through the House, punch in a "No Sale" sign in the cash register.
This is a significant development for a number of reasons. First, it clearly indicates that Bush's political capital may not stretch very far in the Republican controlled Congress. The lame duck syndrome is setting in even before the lame duck term begins.
Bush smartly floated his proposal during the early part of the 2004 campaign hoping to attract more of the fast growing Latino and Asian voter blocs to the Republican Party, without making enough noise to draw attention from the conservatives who were focused on getting their dear leader reelected at all costs.
There is still dispute whether Bush picked up substantial Latino votes as first reported in the exit polls. Hispanic activists have disputed the exit polls, but Bush was much more competitve in New Mexico, and as of today is the announced winner there.
Democratic leaders who offered not a peep about immigration issues during the 2004 fall campaign (led by the silence of John Kerry on this issue), seem to act as if they have a lot to lose by coming out of the closet and getting behind a sensible, humane policy to legalize (and ultimately enfranchise) the millions of illegals.
Their silence has created the vacuum into which Bush stepped in hopes of gaining hispanic vote share. Their silence allowed Bush to take the lead and shape a proposal that was top heavy on benefits to companies that thrive on the use of illegal workers.
Now with the language lifted by Republicans themselves, primarily on the irrationale that opening up immigration will lead to terrorists poring over the border (Arab terrorists and desperately poor Mexicans being indistinguishable to conservatives, apparently), Democrats have an opportunity to reshape immigration reform to do the right thing and stay positively connected to the largest growing bloc of voters for years to come.
Will they take advantage of this opportunity?
Who knows? For Democrats, the silence continues apace.