Immigration reform pitch morphs Tea Party protests
| Atlanta
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano鈥檚 call for immigration reform legislation is a moment of truth for a major campaign promise from President Obama: A 鈥渢ough but fair鈥� road to legalization. It also raises the curtain on a likely legislative battle, firing up grassroots conservatives who鈥檝e gained increasing notice -- if not political power -- in recent months.
For many conservatives like Idaho resident Andi Elliott, looming immigration policy reform is simply proof that Democrats plan to 鈥渏am amnesty down our throat.鈥�
鈥淎nd those,鈥� the Tea Party organizer in Hamer, Idaho, says, 鈥渁re fighting words.鈥�
Coming off a muscle-flexing summer of widespread protests and success in the off-year elections, the Tea Party coalition began its first major realignment Saturday, joining forces with anti-immigration reform groups in over 50 鈥淭ea Party Against Amnesty and Illegal Immigration鈥� rallies across the US in places from Anchorage, Alaska, to Snead, Alabama.
Critics say the emerging Tea Party coalition of the mid-1800s Whig party realignment, as pro-slavery Southern Whigs aligned themselves with anti-immigration forces, leading to the formation of the Know Nothing Party and the eventual demise of the Whigs as Northerners formed the Republican party.
A similar dynamic (minus the slavery issue) could be at play today. A big question for conservatives has been whether the Tea Party energy can be captured by the Republican Party or whether the Constitutionally-minded political insurgency will ultimately hurt the GOP鈥檚 鈥渂ig tent鈥� strategy to incorporate moderates into a revived voting bloc.
But treated at first as a joke by many liberals, the Tea Party movement has slowly earned the respect of mainstream analysts as it鈥檚 proved effective at mobilizing critical independents and, some say, helping to change the dynamics of the 2010 Congressional elections.
As a result, immigration reform proponents are tempering their optimism in the face of protests like the ones that took place Saturday.
鈥淲hat are the prospects for an immigration law to pass? In my view decent,鈥� says Arian Campo-Flores in a 鈥淭hat may sound na茂ve, given the fact that unemployment has topped 10 percent and tea-party activists are feeling more energized than ever.鈥�
On Friday, Ms. Napolitano attempted to reframe the immigration reform agenda. She said Congressional demands that the government step up enforcement have been met. And she also argued that a downbeat economy is an appropriate time to revamp immigration law.
"These are major differences that should change the immigration conversation," said Ms. Napolitano.
Blogger Ed Morrissey at Hot Air thinks Democrats are misreading the political reality.
鈥淥bama may have been thinking that he could split Republicans in 2010 by pushing the issue, but few in the GOP will go along with amnesty or Amnesty Lite with unemployment in the US above 10 percent,鈥�
Meanwhile, the Tea Party/anti-amnesty coalition that took to the streets Saturday is tapping into the fears of America鈥檚 鈥渟ilent majority,鈥� says Ms. Elliott, in Idaho. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to be like World War II when the Japanese bombed us: They鈥檙e awakening a sleeping giant.鈥�
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