What happens if the President doesn't sign an executive order on immigration by the end of the year?

[kentuck]

We know he was getting a lot of criticism from the Latino community before the election because they did not like him postponing it simply because some Democrats running for re-election did not want to run with that issue hanging over their heads. So the President, because he feels obligated to do so, has decided that he needs to sign an Executive Order before the end of the year.

So what happens if the President decides to give the Republicans time to pass immigration reform on their own without his EO? They are saying it will "poison the well" if he acts on his own. It's almost like they want him to sign an Executive Order so they don't have to bother with it?

But if the President does not do something by the end of the year, will this hurt the President and the Democrats with the Hispanic vote? If the President explains to Latinos that he is giving the Republicans the chance to pass comprehensive reform on their own. And if they don't, he will sign an executive order giving amnesty to the 11 million undocumented in this country? Would the Latino community accept that? Would the Republicans feel any pressure to act? Wouldn't this put them on the defensive to do something about immigration.

I think the President needs to play hardball with this issue. He should offer the Republican a window of opportunity to do something about it on their own. If they don't he can sign an executive order anytime he wants. On the bright side, this would create havoc with the Republican caucus.

[peacebird]

1. They aren't going to work across the aisle with him anyhow, so he should act, and soon.

[kentuck]

2. Do you see the pressure this would put on the Republicans if he did not?

As he explains to everyone that it is much better to pass comprehensive legislation?

[TheKentuckian]

3. No, I for one don't. What pressure applied from who? What consequences are there and when will they

bite them?

It's not that I don't get what should play out in what we'd call a sane world but we know shit doesn't work like that for no shortage of reasons starting with only the political junkies would get the message at all other than distorted and misleading snippets by the likes of Fox but also "the liberal media" like the networks.

I can't imagine a plausible pressure that offsets cheap, easy to abuse labor and an issue to rile up the rubes on.
They need to do it sometime but it won't be until they can take all the credit to make a play for that Hispanic vote, they are not going give Obama any such feather for his cap.

[kentuck]

4. The way I see it...

Republicans don't want to touch immigration reform at all, because of their Tea Party base.

If Obama signs an executive order, Repubs will do nothing but stand back and criticize and threaten. They will do their best to alienate the President and the Democratic Party from the Latino voters.

If the President does not sign the EO by the end of the year, he can explain to the Latino community that a comprehensive bill would be better, BUT if the Republicans do not pass a bill "soon", then he will have no choice but to sign an executive order.

He can keep the Republicans occupied and on the defensive for however long he wants. He can keep the pressure on them with the immigration issue. He could beat them at their own game. That may sound cynical but that is the way I see it.

[TheKentuckian]

6. He can't beat them in any meaningful fashion though unless winning means kicking the can.

Nor is comprehensive magically better, before it is done it could just be comprehensively horrible and counter productive that will have to be vetoed and then sucking the blame for failure to get a bill passed into law as well.

There is no putting the Republicans into a pickle that will break the dam or any such thing. Just examine memory, no matter how absurd or illegal their actions there are few if any long term ramifications ever.

There are many reasons why and weaseling around and lack of moral compass or ignoring it if one is posted for too clever by half gamesmanship are no small parts of the recipe for derailing the train.

I mean it is essentially a plan to spread it on thick and hope for the TeaPubliKlans to fuck up in a useful way or at least in a way that maintains the status quo without pissing anyone off.

[JEB]

5. Do it because its the right thing to do.

He ended Don't Ask, Don't tell. Act now to save families much agony. Do the right thing and trust that people will support it.

[Recursion]

7. Congress ended Don't Ask Don't Tell, in a lame duck session

Here are the bills:
https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/2965
https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/senate-bill/4023

Obama was vilified here for getting that to go through legislative channels, but it was the right way to do it.

[JEB]

8. Are you against an executive order on immigration?

[Recursion]

9. That would depend on the order (nt)

[JEB]

10. My guess is that it would be worlds better

than anything the Repub. Senate and Congress could muster.

[Recursion]

11. There's something to be said for the legislature making the law and the pres executing it, though

Immigration isn't really my wheelhouse and I don't know a lot about it. If there's an order that's a good idea that isn't just blatantly going against current law, I'd be for it.

[azmom]

12. He needs to act today!

We were pissed when he postponed it until after the election. Now he said before the end of the year, do you think we will accept another postponement? We don't care about the politics of it. We delivered the votes in 2008 and 2012. A debt is owed. Screw us and you'll see what happens in 2016.

[kentuck]

13. He's gonna sign it...

But I don't know if it is a popular issue with the majority? However, I do think it is the right thing to do.

[azmom]

14. It's not popular because many

People have been misinformed about it. They think that Amnesty is going to be given to all the illegal aliens now in the US. And that is not the case. Not by a long shot.

[kentuck]

15. As they say...

A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes...