A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.

6 December 2017 — 1544 mdt

Democrats should not shut down the government over the DREAM Act

Today, most eyes are on the Democratic lynch mob that’s driving Al Franken out of the U.S. Senate because he’s been accused of squeezing womens’ rumps and other minor forms of sexual misbehavior.

Franken’s ouster — which seems certain — will not shut down the government, which would do real harm. But a power play on immigration by other Democratic senators might, reports Vox. Advocates of the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for approximately 800,000 immigrants, virtually all from Latin America, who when very young were brought to the United States, illegally, by their parents. Culturally, the Dreamers are American. But unless protected by the DREAM Act, or a change of heart by President Trump, our border police will round them up and deport them. That’s why:

…six liberal senators have committed to opposing the federal spending bill unless it contains the DREAM Act, including Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Corey Booker (D-NJ).

At least two senators, Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), said they would not threaten a government shutdown and hold up a spending bill over the immigration fight. Republicans need at least eight Democratic senators to keep the government open.

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“Anyone that was here before certainly would never vote for it [the shutdown] again. It’s absolutely the wrong thing to do,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) told Vox last week.

I agree with Feinstein. Shutting down the government is a terrible idea.

Immigration reform will not occur while Republicans control Congress and the White House. The best way, probably the only way, Democrats can help the Dreamers is by learning how to win elections again. That might happen if there are any Democrats left after Democrats have purged their party of rump squeezers and other social undesirables who offend the party’s financially secure intelligentsia who are so sure of their moral superiority.