Lawmakers who want to extend health coverage to illegal immigrants will not block the passage of the final health care reform bill so long as the White House offers a substantive promise to start pushing comprehensive immigration legislation this year.
Democrats who want a comprehensive bill that reforms immigration law but also offers a pathway to citizenship have threatened to vote against health care if illegals aren't included in the new system, making immigration one of the sticking points as Democratic leaders negotiate the final details.
Democratic leadership aides believe that a firm White House promise of a comprehensive immigration bill will be enough to quell any House dissent.
Hot Air points to the obvious problems with that line of thought.
Newsflash for the left: Amnesty’s not going to pass in this political climate if it couldn’t pass in 2007, so either this is all an elaborate kabuki aimed at tactfully caving on benefits for illegals or the CHC is a really, really cheap date. As for the right, if this sounds familiar it’s because The One has been hinting at doing it for at least four months. Not sure why it hasn’t been more of a talking point among conservative pundits — probably people would just as soon avoid another clash with Hispanic voters — but it’s about to become a hot potato.
Considering the massive uprising from Americans back in 2007, if Obama dares try to start the amnesty argument again, this year, especially before the 2010 elections, the projected wins for Republicans might just surpass anything previously suggested.
This is more than just a hot potato, this is mass political suicide of major proportions for the whole Democratic party.
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