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Immigration Reform Is Back on the Agenda: What's the Political Strategy?
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| Contributor | Jason |
| Last Edited | Jason Mar 14, 2010 03:19pm |
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| Category | Blog Entry |
| Author | Katie Connolly |
| News Date | Thursday, March 11, 2010 03:50:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | This afternoon the president will meet with Sens. Chuck Schumer and Lindsey Graham to discuss immigration reform. The political strategy of attempting immigration reform this year is curious, especially after the epic health-care-reform drama of the past year. Why would Democrats want to pursue such a hot-button, culturally divisive issue this year? They're already looking like they'll have a pretty depressing performance in the polls this November. Surely they'd want to shy away from championing an issue so easily demagogued by Fox News? Do they really want to get into the inevitable fight with organized labor over guest workers in an election year, especially when, after the Citizens United ruling, union dollars will be more valuable than ever? Surely they're not that self-sabotaging.
But maybe there is strategic political wisdom in bringing immigration to the fore. It's the sort of issue that could energize two key demographics for Democrats: young people and Hispanics. Both groups played important roles in propelling Obama to victory in 2008, and both are showing signs that they're not motivated to turn out this fall. Putting immigration reform in the headlines could change that.
With Democrats in charge of the process, immigration will probably be a far more toxic issue for Republicans than Dems. Just ask John McCain, whose support for reform almost cost him the Republican nomination in 2008 and continued to dog him throughout his campaign. (Hill sources tell me he's still feeling burned by the experience, especially after Hispanic leaders failed to come to his defense during the campaign and so has little interest in championing the effort this time around.) Immigration could inspire heated primary challenges to moderate Republicans, or spur independents and tea partiers to jump into races, particularly in the House. Immigration is a wedge issue for Republicans, and in an election year Democrats may very well benefit. |
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