To the media, John McCain and NY Mayor Bloomberg are conservatives. Yet, they have to create new phrases to describe these folks and in the media make wild claims. “More than 600 conservative-friendly officials and activists are descending on Capitol Hill Tuesday for a lobbying blitz targeting a wide range of House lawmakers, primarily Republicans, on immigration reform.”
What is, to the media a conservative friendly? “Among organizations involved in the “fly-in” are Partnership for a New American Economy, a pro-reform coalition tied to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg; Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform; FWD.us, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s advocacy group; and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
This is why the media is no longer trusted or respected. Claiming the radical Zuckerberg, Bloomberg and amnesty groups are “conservative-friendly” makes me “liberal-friendly”. This may be the sickest story I have seen.
Conservative groups press for immigration reform
By SEUNG MIN KIM, Politico, 10/29/13
More than 600 conservative-friendly officials and activists are descending on Capitol Hill Tuesday for a lobbying blitz targeting a wide range of House lawmakers, primarily Republicans, on immigration reform.
The effort spans lawmakers from about 120 congressional districts in about 40 states, said Josh Breisblatt, the advocacy and policy associate for the National Immigration Forum. It’s meant to make the conservative case for immigration reform to lawmakers by bringing business experts,
Though some House Democrats are included in the so-called “fly-in,” the overwhelming majority are House Republicans — who have been more resistant to an immigration overhaul than their Democratic counterparts. Breisblatt said those participating in the “fly-in” have also scheduled in-person meetings with key House Republican leaders and panel chairs on immigration, including House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), House Republican Conference Chairwoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), and Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), who leads the House subcommittee on immigration.
“Failure to come up now with a solution to immigration reform is a sign of weakness, not of strength,” said Al Cardenas, the chairman of the American Conservative Union, during a kick-off event Tuesday morning at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Tuesday’s “fly-in” came as a second House Republican backed a Democratic-led comprehensive bill that mostly resembles the sweeping legislation that passed the Senate in June. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida said in a statement that she will support any approach that “will help us move the negotiations forward.”
“Other members may soon produce a bipartisan product that may also deserve support,” she said. “I’m cautiously optimistic that we can pass meaningful immigration reform.”
Still, the Senate’s comprehensive bill, or measures similar to it, have been rejected by House GOP leaders. And one of the key sponsors of the Senate bill, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), has now backed off from pushing his own measure and is advocating for a piece-by-piece method to reform that is favored by House Republicans.
Among organizations involved in the “fly-in” are Partnership for a New American Economy, a pro-reform coalition tied to New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg; Bibles, Badges and Business for Immigration Reform; FWD.us, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s advocacy group; and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
The effort drew scrutiny from the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council, an organization that represents about 7,000 officers and other employees for federal agency charged with carrying out immigration laws. In a letter addressed to lawmakers, the council’s president, Chris Crane, argued that the type of legislation sought by the pro-reform groups Tuesday undermined U.S. safety.
“These groups are interested in increased profits and power,” Crane wrote in the letter, dated Monday. “To my knowledge they have never lifted a finger to assist ICE officers in creating legislation that makes public safety and national security our priority.”
