Obama Won't Deport

Was there ever a chance that he really could have gone that far? I don't know.

The immigration speech President Obama gave a week before Thanksgiving was the one he was supposed to give before Labor Day.

But Obama punted until after the election. "I want to spend some time, even as we're getting all our ducks in a row for the executive action, I also want to make sure that the public understands why we're doing this," he said on Meet the Press in September.

[...]

"Mass deportation would be both impossible and contrary to our character. What I'm describing is accountability — a commonsense, middle-ground approach: If you meet the criteria, you can come out of the shadows and get right with the law. If you're a criminal, you'll be deported."

[...]

While [GW] Bush issued a number of small-bore executive orders — to expedite citizenship for immigrants in the military, or to defer deportation for students affected by Hurricane Katrina — his speech called on Congress to act.

Obama announced much more sweeping orders, delaying deportation for millions of immigrants. He dared Congress to act.

[...]

Some in Congress are talking about using a spending bill to limit his executive action. Efforts to get an attorney general confirmed — much less a Supreme Court nominee — just got more difficult.

[...]

Bush left office with the work undone. Obama has all but ensured it will remain so for his successor.

  USA Today

Analysis by economist and Twitterer Billmon:

Still think putting off immigration to try to save handful of doomed red state Dems was a bad trade, but there is an upside to doing it now.

  Billmon Twitter

Immigration reform is now a GOP's "third rail" (One of a growing list of GOP third rails). Because it's not even about immigration any more for GOP base - it's about white political & social power.

  Billmon Twitter

Dems have more leeway (or feel they do) from base to push it or not, depending on circumstances. But for GOP, it's an invitation to intra-party thermonuclear civil war. There is zero wiggle room. They managed to keep the ultras more or less under control through GOP primary season this time. Which is something. But they know lunatic asylum can erupt at any time as long as Obama's around. Really, as long as any Dem is in WH. Base went batshit over Bill & will over Hillary if she wins.

  Billmon Twitter

So, depending upon whether Dems want to keep the ultra right stirred up or not, perhaps they should be pushing Jim Webb, instead of Hillary Clinton.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.