Senate Dems play politics with DREAM Act and the military

[Naxere]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/katenocera/s...dreamers-measu

Say what you want about the Republicans in the House shooting it down (and I'm sure you will), but at least you'd think the Senate Democrats would do the right thing? Wrong. This is a prime example of what's broken with our political system. Neither side is willing to give an inch at this point for fear of that's all they'll get.

House Republicans blocked a vote on a measure this week that would allow young undocumented immigrants to serve in the military — and Senate Democrats will probably soon do the same thing.

Democratic Sen. Carl Levin, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said on Thursday there was “consensus” among Democratic senators to not include it in the Senate version of the bill. “I’m not planning on it,” he said. “I’m all for the bill, but I’ve been told it’s not a propitious time to try to move it. Tactically, it’s not good time move it.”

But blocking the military provision is considered important politically for Democrats’ bigger plans on immigration this year. One Democratic aide said Democrats didn’t want to push anything that would give House Republicans a reason to not go further on broader immigration legislation this year.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

Isn't the American military turning away most of the applicants anyway?

[KrazyK923]

Convenient you left out the reasoning the mysterious aide gave for why they're doing this:

We don’t want to give them an excuse to say, ‘OK, we’re done now,’” the aide explained.

Or, you know, the second-half of the article which explains exactly why they're doing this:

Senate Democrats attempted put all the pressure they can on House Republicans to pass a comprehensive immigration bill, or bills that would allow the two bodies to conference, instead of acting on smaller fixes.

And then, you know, you have Chuck Schumer himself confirming:

We are not going to go along with minor fixes that fail to address the huge systematic problems of our immigration system today,” he said. “If the oil is leaking in your car, your muffler has a hole in it, and you have a flat tire you don’t change the windshield wipers But that’s what they want to do with this ENLIST Act. Republicans are barely even considering that, but it doesn’t even scratch the surface of our immigration system.”

“So anyone [that] thinks the ENLIST Act is going to satisfy anybody that something was done on immigration reform is whistling to the wind,” he added.

Because we all know, the House is so eager to just do all of the things. Fact is that politics is a strategy game. It shouldn't be a game, but its become a game for various reasons. And you don't blow your political capital load on a minor change when you're going for the whole cigar. Because Schumer is totally right. If this would have passed, and signed into law, the House would pat itself on the back and declare it finally did something about our immigration system, and want to move on and not talk about it anymore. Because it isn't a political viable topic for them.

[Spectral]

Well, I guess I can always hope that they make such a kludge of it that it just never passes at all.

[Orlong]

Both parties have it wrong. They SHOULD be more concerned with getting RID of the illegal aliens. Not making laws to give them job opportunities. (I refuse to call them undocumented workers since its against the law for them to be here) securing the damn border and monitoring visas for expiration like most other countries do. Not enforcing the law, and embracing illegal immigration is a slap in the face to immigrants who waited their turn, payed their dues and achieved legal status the right way as well as a slap in the face to all Americans

[Naxere]

I have no problems with allowing those who are here because of the DREAM Act to serve in the military. There's no excuse for the Democrats not to be the bigger party here and get it done. Instead, we get this political stalemate because both sides are afraid if they give a little bit then nothing else will happen.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Because we all know, the House is so eager to just do all of the things. Fact is that politics is a strategy game. It shouldn't be a game, but its become a game for various reasons.

It's always been a game. This complete obstructionism started and is almost entirely committed by the house. The Senate sees that house Republicans are doing it, and do it once? Republicans throw a shitfit.

[Butler to Baby Sloths]

I have no problems with allowing those who are here because of the DREAM Act to serve in the military. There's no excuse for the Democrats not to be the bigger party here and get it done. Instead, we get this political stalemate because both sides are afraid if they give a little bit then nothing else will happen.

*Because they KNOW that if they give a little bit then nothing else will happen.

[Puremallace]

I have no problems with allowing those who are here because of the DREAM Act to serve in the military. There's no excuse for the Democrats not to be the bigger party here and get it done. Instead, we get this political stalemate because both sides are afraid if they give a little bit then nothing else will happen.

I think they realize that if they send it back to the house the chance a immigration bill will move before the elections IS ZERO TO NONE and the defense bill will just sit there and gather dust. While I am seriously ok with some of the defense projects coming to a halt because they are massively bloated. The problem is things like refit on aircraft and ships will slow down and that is a problem.

I am also slightly pissed off immensely at Hispanics who are supposedly this massive voting block not doing jackshit to turn the house blue. This would have passed in 2011 if Dems had the house. In the supposedly heavily Hispanic state of Texas tea party nut jobs swept the elections and they want to put up an electric fence on the border and build a mote with alligators.

[Pitkanen]

I have no problems with allowing those who are here because of the DREAM Act to serve in the military. There's no excuse for the Democrats not to be the bigger party here and get it done. Instead, we get this political stalemate because both sides are afraid if they give a little bit then nothing else will happen.

Wait, so the Dem's trim out something to appease the Republican's to make it more palatable of a bill for them... and they aren't being the bigger party?
Boehner won't endorse a pathway to citizenship + Hastert Rule = what's the point of even discussing immigration.

[Orlong]

I have no problems with allowing those who are here because of the DREAM Act to serve in the military. There's no excuse for the Democrats not to be the bigger party here and get it done. Instead, we get this political stalemate because both sides are afraid if they give a little bit then nothing else will happen.

Nobody is here because of the DREAM act because the DREAM act was never passed.

[Sunseeker]

Politicians playing politics? Say it ain't so!

[Orlong]

Wait, so the Dem's trim out something to appease the Republican's to make it more palatable of a bill for them... and they aren't being the bigger party?
Boehner won't endorse a pathway to citizenship + Hastert Rule = what's the point of even discussing immigration.

A pathway to citizenship already exists. Its called go back to where you came from, apply for citizenship, wait your turn, pay your fee, get a green card and then immigrate.

[Pitkanen]

A pathway to citizenship already exists. Its called go back to where you came from, apply for citizenship, wait your turn, pay your fee, get a green card and then immigrate.

Yeah, because that totally works out for people who aren't highly educated.

[Sunseeker]

Yeah, because that totally works out for people who aren't highly educated.

Even for highly educated or skilled individuals, the cost and time involved is just nuts. Even completely qualified people, who have passed every test, have been here for years, are hard-working and productive can get denied decades after their initial immigration simply because our system is so completely broken and incompetent.

[Orlong]

Yeah, because that totally works out for people who aren't highly educated.

Why would we WANT a country full of uneducated people? We have enough of those already. Most countries wont let you become a citizen unless you can prove you will be a benefit to society, have an education, and a job lined up (see Australia, Mexico, Canada, Bahrain, Israel, Iran)

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Even for highly educated or skilled individuals, the cost and time involved is just nuts. Even completely qualified people, who have passed every test, have been here for years, are hard-working and productive can get denied decades after their initial immigration simply because our system is so completely broken and incompetent.

They may not be citizens but they are allowed to live here legally while they wait it out on their green card.

[Pitkanen]

Even for highly educated or skilled individuals, the cost and time involved is just nuts. Even completely qualified people, who have passed every test, have been here for years, are hard-working and productive can get denied decades after their initial immigration simply because our system is so completely broken and incompetent.

The highly educated part actually gives you a chance of a job-sponsored green card. For jobs that pay at the level of the lower 50% of Americans, the green card becomes as expensive to the employer as the wages.

[Fugus]

Is it sad that after I read the bill was about letting illegals server in the military, the first thought that jumped into my head was if this passed they would shortly afterward pass resolutions to cut military pay for the newer enlisted and then see a massive push to get the current guys out?

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On topic, I thought you could already server in the military to become a citizen? You just played hell to get in to do it.

[Callous1970]

If we allowed undocumented aliens to serve in the US military wouldn't that be an open door for a hostile nation to slip spies and sabateurs into our armed forces? We do let documented non-citizens serve, and they can earn their citizenship through that service, but allowing completely undocumented aliens would be stupid.

[Pitkanen]

If we allowed undocumented aliens to serve in the US military wouldn't that be an open door for a hostile nation to slip spies and sabateurs into our armed forces? We do let documented non-citizens serve, and they can earn their citizenship through that service, but allowing completely undocumented aliens would be stupid.

FEAR!
I assume they do fairly extensive psyc evals while they do their an%$ probing to see if you are fit for service.