Immigration Reform and Impeachment

For John, BLUF:  There are no Hispanic votes in Immigration Reform for Republicans—only a better nation.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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From CBN we have an interview with the new House Majority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, of Bakersfield, CA.  He represents the 23rd District, the Southern San Joaquin Valley, north of LA. Here is Rep McCarty responding to a question about Impeachment:

Oh yes.  When people ask me that, I say ‘have you met Joe Biden?  But seriously…

Here is House Majority Leader McCarthy on what Republicans are trying to do:

The only one talking about that are democrats and they’re doing it because they want to make it political.  If you really look at what we're talking about, we're talking about bringing back the three co-equal branches.  It's not a lawsuit about an individual.  It's about an administration.

Frankly, it is more than this Administration.  And, it is about a supine Congress, which has let its place in the balance slip.  Some have argued that this is the inevitable result of nuclear weapons.  For example, Author Garry Wills.♠

But, back to the part about Democrats crying "Impeachment".  I think it is about providing a form of inoculation for the President for when he finally moves out to grant one or another form of amnesty to illegal immigrants.  The New York Times notwithstanding, it is quite possible the President will exceed his authority in some such action.♥  The Democrats want to be able to claim that the Republicans were planning on Impeachment all along, because those Republicans are dirty, rotten, racists.♦

One thing that surprises me is that people crying for Impeachment can't count.  They don't understand that it isn't just about the Republicans having a majority in the House of Representatives.  Conviction requires a two-thirds majority in the US Senate, which I reckon to be abut 67 Senators.  The Republicans are in the minority in the US Senate at this time and the November elections, while it may give the Republicans a majority come January 2015, will not give them 67 Seats unless terrible things happen between now and the election.  Impeachment, except as bad theater, is a non-starter unless Senator Harry Reid says it is time for the President to go.

I do find interesting the assertion that Republicans need to vote for some Immigration Bill, legalizing the millions of illegal Hispanics (and, one would assume, Irish) in the US.  History suggests that the Republicans would gain NOTHING.  Remember the Civil Rights Act of 1964?  It passed because Republicans supported it in big numbers. 

Chamber	Votes Needed	Party	Seated	Yeas
Senate	51	Democrats	67	46
		Republicans	33	27
House	218	Democrats	244	153
		Republicans	171	136

We had 67 Democrat Senators and only 46 yea votes, five short.  Same with the House of Representatives, with 244 Democrat Members and 65 votes shy of passage.  It is obvious the Republicans made the difference.

And what did the Republicans reap for voting for Civil Rights in 1964.  Honor, justice, righteousness, self-satisfaction.  Oh, and the thanks of President Lyndon Johnson.  What they did not reap was thanks from the Black Community or Black votes in future elections.  Those went to the Democrats, who couldn't muster the votes to make it happen on their own.  Senator Barry Goldwater is scum for voting Nay.  Senator Robert Byrd, despite voting Nay, is honored by Democrats by being elected Majority Leader several times.  There is no political gain for Republicans in immigration reform.  There is only honor, justice, righteousness and self-satisfaction.♣

On the other hand, Blacks who see Hispanics coming into the nation and displacing them, both as workers and as favorites of the Democrat Party, may begin to drift back to the Republican Party.  That would be ironic.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  Bomb Power:  The Modern Presidency and the National Security State.
♥  If he has the authority to do such a thing, why hasn't he acted before now?  Surely it isn't because he is being nice to the House Republicans.  I would suggest he has not acted because he (1) doesn't have the authority and (2) has been concerned about how it will play in the 2014 and 2016 elections.
♦  Or whatever other motivation you may wish to input to them.  Frankly, it is all rubbish.
♣  Try to explain calmly and quietly to those who say Republicans have to vote for amnesty or lose the Hispanic vote, that such a vote won't help the Republicans with Hispanic voters, but if properly crafted, it might help America.