| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Home Front: Politix | |
| Reid adds "Dream Act" to defense bill | |
| 2010-09-15 | |
| Washington (CNN) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid AKA Slimey Bastard of the Senate (and that is saying something) said Tuesday he will add the DREAM Act, a controversial immigration measure, to a defense policy bill the Senate will take up next week. The decision means the defense bill, which often passes with bipartisan support, will be home to two major, thorny political issues -- the other being the repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Reid called the DREAM Act "really important" and said it should be passed because it provides a path to citizenship for young illegal immigrants who go to college or serve in the military. DREAM is an acronym for Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act. Why are Illegal Aliens serving in the Military in the first place?
"And I really, really, really need the 'Hispanic' vote right now so I am pandering to them until November." Many Hispanic voters are angry with Democratic leaders for not doing more to pass an immigration overhaul. The decision by Reid to add the DREAM Act now could help soothe that anger. And Many Hispanic voters are angry that our borders are not secure. But that doesn't fit the narrative. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell called Reid's decision "needlessly controversial." The Senate will need 60 votes to take up the bill next week, and Reid said Tuesday he doesn't know if he has enough votes. In short Reid is taking a page out of Obama's book and holding the Defense bill hostage until he gets his Dream act - just like Obama is refusing to honor his oath and defend the nation from invaders until Amnesty gets passed. | |
| Posted by:CrazyFool |
| #6 Go ahead. Enroll illegal aliens in our colleges at a time when enrollment for our own citizens is being restricted due to budget cuts. Jackass. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2010-09-15 14:46 |
| #5 Bottom line; both riders are typical election year wedge issues and have no chance of being passed. Call it fourth quarter indentity politics. Or another opportunity to call the Republicans phobes and haters. The DREAM act doesn’t have the votes because the provisions for in-state tuition and back door amnesty for family members are too controversial. The “Don’t ask Don’t Tell” repeal isn’t going anywhere until the military brass has completed their review – and that’s still a year out. Even Obama has telegraphed that one. But what the hell, maybe Harry can secure the La Raza endorsement and get Lady Gaga off his back at the same time. You know how the Dems love their twofers. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2010-09-15 10:57 |
| #4 Remember the political classes run on the idea of maximising the ability of their members to rent-seek. So immigration for lower wages and higher housing pressure to raise rental income. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2010-09-15 10:00 |
| #3 My question about illegals in the military was more about how do they get in - having no official 'papers' - and being 'illegal' and all that. As for immigrants getting ahead in the process via the military - I'm all for it as long as they serve honorably. And I don't see why illegal alien students should get to jump to the head of the line. (I also don't see why they should get in-state tuition rates). |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2010-09-15 08:58 |
| #2 Reid's Dream act is his sleezy way of trying to get elected and at the same time trying to make the trunks look like they are opposed to the Defense bill. He is hoping the trunks will oppose his Dream Act so he can say trunks aren't supporting our military. Harry, the voters are on to your load of crapola. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-09-15 08:32 |
| #1 Harry's not doing anything new except providing some perks for college students. As is said, Harry is trying to act like a mensch at election time to curry votes. It is like taking credit for something he didn't really do and making it look like he has done something and that he supports the military. Why should people here illegally get a path to citizenship by going to college? They should be booted to the back of the line or booted out. I'm O.K. with legal immigrants serving in the military as a shortened path to citizenship. In 2007, about 70,000 foreign-born men and women serve in the U.S. armed forces, or about 5 percent of the total active-duty force, according to the Pentagon. Of those, nearly 30,000 -- or about 43 percent -- are not U.S. citizens. Military service already provides a streamlined path to citizenship according to immigration policy. Under INA Section 328, persons who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces (including active duty, reserves, or national guard), can file for Naturalization based on their current or prior U.S. military service. The requirements for eligibility are that the applicant must have served honorably or have separated from the service under honorable conditions, have completed one year or more of military service, and be a legal permanent resident at the time of his or her examination by USCIS on the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. This used to be three years, but Congress changed it to one year in 2002. Filing for naturalization under this provision of the law, Section 328 of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, as amended (INA), excuses the applicant from any specific period of residence or physical presence within the United States, so long as the application is filed while the applicant is still serving with the military or within 6 months of an honorable discharge. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2010-09-15 08:27 |