The decision is a reversal of Mr. Obama’s vow to issue broad directives to overhaul the immigration system soon after summer’s end, and sparked swift anger from immigration advocates. The president made the promise on June 30, standing in the Rose Garden, where he angrily denounced Republican obstruction and said he would use the power of his office to protect immigrant families from the threat of deportation.Today:
“Because of the Republicans’ extreme politicization of this issue, the president believes it would be harmful to the policy itself and to the long-term prospects for comprehensive immigration reform to announce administrative action before the elections,” a White House official said. “Because he wants to do this in a way that’s sustainable, the president will take action on immigration before the end of the year.”Who are these conservaDems the President wants to help, even at the expense of doing the right thing for millions of immigrant families? Jon Stewart gives you a peek (at about 1:30) of who Obama's fighting for, even as they dis him. Hey, we like Alison Lundergan Grimes and, for that matter, almost (almost) any Democrat over a Republican. But, endlessly favoring short-term political calculation over taking a principled stand (and we're looking at these Democratic Senate candidates just as much or more as we are the President) is not leadership.
But, if you want short-term political calculation, try this: to the extent the President's further alienated the immigration reform community while maybe marginally helping a few conservaDems, this looks like a lose/lose proposition to us.
BONUS: Charles P. Pierce has his usual pithy read about Obama's decision.
