by Tom Gallagher
The simple fact that Republican House Speaker John Boehner recently and publicly teased his fellow conservative House members about not wanting to do the hard work on passing immigration reform is both unusual and telling. Here's The Huffington Post's report:
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) criticized his GOP colleagues at an event in his district on Thursday for resisting immigration reform, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported.
"Here's the attitude. 'Ohhhh. Don't make me do this. Ohhhh. This is too hard,'" Boehner told the Middletown Rotary Club, mimicking some House Republicans, according to the Enquirer. "We get elected to make choices. We get elected to solve problems and it's remarkable to me how many of my colleagues just don't want to. ... They'll take the path of least resistance."
Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck confirmed the remarks. "As the speaker often says to his colleagues, you only tease the ones you love," he said in an email to The Huffington Post.
Boehner's comment -- which was not accidental -- when coupled with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's recent common-sense and humane observation that some immigrants risk their lives based on the love they have for their families might reflect an opening in the legislative House gridlock on passing immigration reform. Maybe.
Bush, a potential serious candidate for 2016 presidential race, took a lot of flak from fellow Republicans and some donors for actually describing one reason people often cross borders.
Ironically, comprehensive immigration reform has been a Republican issue, especially during the administration of President George W. Bush, but in the current tea-party-dominated environment, the House Republicans have retreated on this issue. Maybe the House Republicans are finally waking up to the fact that by passing comprehensive immigration reform, they stand a good chance to secure more of the Hispanic vote in the midterm elections and 2016 elections.
