Rahm 2009: not enough votes for immigration reform. Rahm 2008: "go right" on immigration to win.

[madfloridian]

When party leaders decide to do the expedient thing to win instead of standing for what should be our values....this is the result. Not enough votes on issues on which Democrats should be standing firm.

Rahm 2008:

Rahm Emanuel told candidates to “move right” on immigration or risk defeat at the hands of Republicans.

When he was head of the DCCC he controlled the messaging.

From 2008

Two weeks ago he sent a DCCC-connected candidate training a video of himself haranguing congressional candidates to “move right” on immigration or risk defeat at the hands of Republicans. This is similar to the terrible advice he shoved down candidates’ throats last year, although then he was demanding they move to the right on Iraq, dooming the candidacies of Lois Murphy, Francine Busby, Ken Lucas, Tammy Duckworth, Diane Farrell and several others who went along with his demands.

From Markos at Daily Kos in 2007:

Rahm Emanuel is behind efforts to build Democratic support for the Shuler/Tancredo "enforcement-only" bill currently winding its way through the House. Think about it -- our House leadership is strong-arming Democrats into backing a bill which is the central agenda of the biggest racist xenophobe Tom Tancredo.

..."So we won, didn't we? Not according to Rahm and the either bigoted or scared contingent in the House that is ready to -- once again and demonstrably so -- be on the wrong side of the American public on this issue.

Americans don't want hate-based anti-immigration rhetoric and action, they want comprehensive immigration reform that secures our borders and provides a path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrants in this country.

Yet there's Rahm, with a big chunk of the Democratic caucus, making common cause with racist Tom Tancredo.

Daily Kos

And Chris Bowers at Open Left was using very strong language on this in 2008:

don't like Rahm Emanuel becoming Obama's chief of staff, but I also don't think it would have mattered if he chose someone else. If Obama wanted Rahm as Chief of Staff, but Rahm had declined or been denied the slot via outside pressure, then you can be sure Obama would have simply sought someone else who was virtually identical to Rahm in terms of demeanor, tactics, and ideology. The options were basically either Rahm or some variation on Rahm. In this case, I view him as simply the vehicle or the weapon, not the person driving or pulling the trigger.

..."In short, Rahm Emanuel's views on how to win elections are the antithesis of those most commonly found in the progressive grassroots. No public aggression toward Republicans, rolling over to right-wing smear jobs, favoring wealth, conservative Democrats, opposing broad, grassroots activism, and even scapegoating minority groups like immigrants instead of firing up the base. It is bad enough to have someone who governs with one eye always focused on electoral implications, but when that person views elections in a way that is diametrically opposed to everything I, and many other in the netroots, have fought for in the Democratic Party this past decade, I end up with a more pessimistic view of the Obama administration than I had a couple days ago.

Open Left

I don't know about the House plans on immigration reform, but the Washington Post today gives a clue about the Senate version.

Senate Democrats' plan highlights nation's shift to the right on immigration

As protesters in 80 U.S. cities demanded an overhaul Saturday of the nation's immigration laws, fueled in part by anger over a measure enacted two weeks ago in Arizona, a new proposal by Senate Democrats shows how far the debate has shifted to the right since Congress took up the issue in 2007, advocates on both sides said.

I would disagree. I think it shows just how far our party leaders have shifted, and they control the message. Unfortunately.

The Democrats' legislative "framework" includes a slew of new immigration enforcement measures aimed at U.S. borders and workplaces. It would further expand the 20,000-member Border Patrol; triple fines against U.S. employers that hire illegal immigrants; and, most controversially, require all American workers -- citizens and non-citizens alike -- to get new Social Security cards linked to their fingerprints to ease work eligibility checks.

The plan's emphasis on "securing the border first" before taking steps to allow many of an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States to pay fines and apply for legal status was plainly a gesture to Republicans. Even so, no Republican is supporting it, not even Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.), who has been working with Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) in bipartisan talks over the issue for months.

We kept moving to the right on the health care "reform", even though the Republicans never planned to be anything but partisan.

We are moving to the right on education "reform", putting Bush's plans of privatizing public education into fast forward.

Rahm warned his candidates as DCCC chairman to "go right" on immigration. Just like he warned them to not talk about Iraq on the campaign trail.

We are seeing the results of the "go right" message now.

[suffragette]

1. Wrong Way Rahm at it again

K&R

[Demeter]

22. Everything he touches...in a way, it's a good thing

If he did to immigration what he's done to Goldman Sachs and Health insurance, we'd all be moving to Mexico.

If he keeps power much longer, we may do so anyway.

[suffragette]

23. It's reminding me of some of what Sensenbrenner was pushing awhile back

That Rahm's recycling some of those ideas doesn't make them any better.
Everything he touches.... yep!

[old mark]

2. Rahm 2010 - get this man another job....elsewhere.....nt

[IndianaJoe]

3. I'm a leftie too. But Obama's a "centrist"

He's the best alternative I have right now. But am I disappointed with him? Yes, I am.

I think he's politically timid. The Repubbies weren't timid. And look what they did to us. I don't think that the problems that are facing us now lend themselves, in all cases, to half measures. I bought in to "Change You Can Believe In". Lukewarm palliatives don't thrill me much.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. They're not just caving in, now they're digging caves. K&R

[Pirate Smile]

5. Obama didn't do what Rahm wanted after Scott Brown won the Mass Senate seat. Obama will

do what he thinks is right. Rahm gives his opinion but he doesn't make the final decision. The House wont touch it unless the Senate can pass something - and, frankly, Obama can't force the Senate to pass anything if the votes aren't there so we'll see what happens. I have no doubt Obama would like to pass comprehensive immigration reform. I do have a lot of doubts about whether Congress could actually pass it. It really would make HCR look tame. The one difference is that the pro-reform advocates would be just as fired up and willing to march and scream as the anti-reform advocates.

[madfloridian]

6. Rahm had a great role in our lack of votes. His influence permeates the House.

He already made sure the House would not be able to pass it.

Now it looks like the Senate won't do much either.

I can't wait to have to get a new Social Security card with my fingerprints on it. :shrug:

"The Democrats' legislative "framework" includes a slew of new immigration enforcement measures aimed at U.S. borders and workplaces. It would further expand the 20,000-member Border Patrol; triple fines against U.S. employers that hire illegal immigrants; and, most controversially, require all American workers -- citizens and non-citizens alike -- to get new Social Security cards linked to their fingerprints to ease work eligibility checks."

[IndianaJoe]

7. Those new National ID cards are sure to be non-starters.

And when Latinos actually find out what the Dem "Reform" package looks like I don't think they'll be very happy.

With Obama it always seems like we start by giving away half the package for openers and then whittling away on the rest in "negotiations" with Republicans that wind up opposing the final package anyway. That isn't the way the Republicans operated and they always seemed able to steamroller through what they wanted with smaller majorities than ours.

[madfloridian]

8. "to get new Social Security cards linked to their fingerprints"

That is punitive to everyone.

[IndianaJoe]

10. It seems to be a Biometric Card that everyone will need to get

a job. Like I said, a non-starter. Civil libertarians and Anti-Government conservatives will never go for it.

[bonnieS]

28. Impractical but a job maker

My first thought was that elderly people, like my 90 year old mother in Florida, are not going to go get this ID card, even tho they go out shopping, play bingo, etc. when taken.

My second thought was that if all 300 million of us need to do this at record speed, they will have to create 1 million (?) jobs for people to handle it. This is great! (sarcasm)

[sabrina 1]

18. Rahm speaks for the president. He is his COS. If Obama

doesn't agree with him, he needs to make that clear to Congress. Otherwise, what you are saying is that the president is allowing his COS to 'make policy'. This is precisely what we expected Rahm to do but were told to STFU, that the President would be the one making policy.

Then, it's time for him to start speaking for himself and to slap Rahm down every time he usurps (which is what you are basically saying) his authority.

That man needs to go. From the minute he was named COS the writing was on the wall.

[madfloridian]

20. I agree.

[madfloridian]

9. Must be...

another unpopular topic.

:shrug:

[rpannier]

17. These topics make people uncomfortable

Obama has yet to come out with a position on this bill, though I doubt he wouldn't sign it should it cross his desk.

Issues like this make the unwavering supporters of the President nervous because it's hard to finesse this kind of bill.
They will say they doubt he'll sign it, but they don't know for sure (Just like you and I don't know)

The administrations Education Reform Program (Race to the Bottom) and their environmental regulations with regards to wolves have made me dubious about the administrations intentions.

Unlike DADT, which has to be overturned by Congress, these issues are one they have direct control over.

[madfloridian]

11. So how do you feel about fingerprinting everyone for Social Security?

I was fingerprinted as a teacher, required here.

But this will be a national database of just everyone.

Not sure I like that.

[Pirate Smile]

13. I was fingerprinted to join the Bar - it was required. It does make you feel a bit uncomfortable.

[madfloridian]

14. We should ask our party why they are doing it. To whom are they appealing.

The answer would be to placate the extreme right.

[liberation]

31. The bar is a "privilege" in a sense, not a right...

... biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig difference.

[ima_sinnic]

12. those who go off to the right will find themselves voted out--simple as that

Rahm can take his losing strategy and shove it.

[LWolf]

15. +1

[cornermouse]

16. When has he not gone to the right on an issue?

For that matter, when has Obama not gone to the right on an issue?

[n.michigan]

19. Fire up the left base? He would risk impeachment! No one trusts either now.

Bad guys, not good guys. Corporate strawmen.

[EFerrari]

21. I'm beginning to think that sheet plastic and duct tape was Rahm's idea, too.

lol

[Jefferson23]

24. This is from December 2009, but I believe is still relevant:

snip* during the 2008 campaign Obama did promise action on immigration reform within his first year, i.e. 2009.

Would failure send Latinos into the waiting arms of Republicans? That is very unlikely, as many Republicans have been associated with efforts to derail immigration reform. A more likely scenario is that Latinos would be less than enthusiastic about either Democrats or Republicans and may not turnout in large numbers in 2010 or 2012 if Democrats dangle immigration reform before Latinos, and then fail to make good.

– Gary Segura & Matt Barreto, Directors of Research, Latino Decisions

http://latinodecisions.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/will-latinos-abandon-the-democrats-if-immigration-reform-fails/


Of course we now have the Arizona disastrous bigoted immigration law, and thousands are demonstrating against it. If Obama and the Congress
go right, they not only will be morally wrong, they'll likely screw themselves out of votes via low voter turn out. Why would they risk so much ill will?

I have never seen Obama as a man who did not know what he wanted to do, Rahm evidently reflects his views. If that is not true in this case, he had better make that abundantly clear asap.

[madfloridian]

25. The AZ law does not appear to have made much difference...

and they are still going right.

[Jefferson23]

29. That would be a major slap in the face if they continue on that path.

And politically, insane imo.

May Day Rallies Held To Protest Arizona’s Anti-Immigrant Law

Hundreds of thousands of people marched in over 80 cities on Saturday in support of immigrant rights and to protest Arizona’s new immigration law that allows police officers to stop and interrogate anyone they suspect is an undocumented immigrant. Some of the largest May Day protests took place in Los Angeles, Dallas, Milwaukee, New York and Washington. Outside the White House, 35 people were arrested including Congressman Luis Gutierrez. The Illinois Democrat was wearing a t-shirt that read “Arrest me, not my friends.” At the Washington rally, Arizona resident and Navajo Indian Roger Huskey voiced support for a boycott of the state of Arizona.
Roger Huskey: “No, I don’t want to be treated like this, I’m not going to accept this and when we take a look at something like the tourism, like I said, it’s going to affect the dollars. People already have this perception. My mom has been pulled over in the last week, my dad, my brother and his wife. All within a week and this law hasn’t even taken effect.”

In Los Angeles, an Argentine immigrant named Tamara took part in the May Day protest.

Tamara: “I’m Argentinean, even though I may not look "immigrant” and I may not be stopped in Arizona, I’m still an immigrant and I think it’s important for all of us to show up and show the different faces of immigration and the different faces of the American youth."

The actor Martin Sheen also attended the Los Angeles rally for immigrant rights.

Martin Sheen: “In a sense something bad has been turned into something good, we need to thank the lawmakers and the governor of Arizona for SB1070 because it has reunited the national debate on immigration reform to a fever pitch, So Arizona thank you, we’re very grateful.”


http://www.democracynow.org/2010/5/3/headlines#1

[madrchsod]

26. anyone who follows Illinois politics knows....

rahm is a snake in the grass. he was a solid neo liberal who cared nothing for what is right and wrong.it`s winning at all the costs.

illinois is going to be sending a republican to fill obama`s senate seat and a far right governor. oh well....

[GreenPartyVoter]

27. I wish Rahmbo would "go right" back home.

[LiberalLovinLug]

30. If Rahm were President

and Obama his Chief of Staff,
I wonder if anything would be any different.

Probably not.