We have been discussing the extraordinary and public decision of President Barack Obama to withhold any information on his promised changes in immigration until after the election. While immigration remains one of the most important issues of this election, Obama officials have admitted to preparing for the changes while refusing to give any details or even summaries of what is being planned, as we discussed again yesterday. There has been surprisingly little hard reporting on the decision to withhold this information from voters until after they have voted. However, yesterday White House CBS reporter Major Garrett broke from the mainstream pack and pressed White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest on a report that the Administration has order material for a “surge” of immigration IDs of up to 9 million in one year. Ernest called the questions “crazy” and encouraged everyone not to speculate . . . before the election obviously.
The Administration has ordered materials to print green cards and employment permits consistent with Obama’s controversial “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” program. The order would reportedly allow for the printing of 4 million such IDs per year and allow for a capacity to handle a “surge” for 9 million IDs in 2016. The document specifically refers to a “surge” and the need for the contractor to be ready to fill such an order.
This is the latest such report of preparations for a massive unilateral action by the President that the Administration is steadfastly refusing to confirm until after the election (but before the New Year).
Garrett however faced the same stonewalling. Ernest dismissed the question as “relatively clever way” of trying to get the Administration to confirm its plans before the election. He insisted that this was little more than the ordering of some paper. However, Garrett responded “Don’t be absurd with us! That’s not just an ordinary piece of paper it’s central to what the president has promised in public to do … is that coincidental or is it unrelated?” It was the type of question that has been missing in the White House press for years on such controversies.
Ernest responded by saying that “You would have to ask the DHS about orders of green colored papers that they’ve ordered” and added that all of the questions about the plans after the election (in a matter of weeks) are “crazy.” If the Bush Administration had taken such a position, the press corp would have burned the press room to the ground. However, it was left to Garrett to press the point.
The dismissal of the order is just “green paper” misses the “surge” provision and this little added detail of the “green paper” order. It mush be “100% polycarbonate solid body card stock with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and holographic images embedded within the card construction substrate layers, card design service, and storage.” Not exactly photo copier stock.
Putting aside the order and Earnest’s “caution” not to try to guess the post-election plans of the President, there remains the much more important issue. Forget about the paper. Forget about the other reported planning by the Administration. There remains the fact that this Administration is openly withholding any information in its plans for unilateral presidential action despite the President’s pledge to take action after the election and before the New Year — only a matter of weeks. It is a cynical decision to prevent voters from being fully informed of the plans in a major policy area. Regardless of how one feels about immigration policies, it should be condemned by people across the political spectrum.
More importantly, the media has to show some independence from the White House in this and other stories. Garrett is one of the few such reporters to press the point. His extraordinary exchange however was not covered by the mainstream press and, once again, the stonewalling on the issue was again dropped. I expect given the record of the White House corp, such questioning from Garrett does seem “crazy.” After all, disclosure of such plans might harm the White House in the upcoming election and only a “crazy” reporter would pursue such a story.
Here is the video of the conference and article.
There is the TTP, TransPacific Partnership and then it’s evil twin, the TTIP, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
They are both in trouble right now for multiple reasons; one of them being that some, but by no means all, of the Democrats feel their constituents might up and revolt if they give fast track status to the bill. Alas, it would be a mistake to imagine or assume the Democrats, even with the help of some Republicans, would be enough to protect the country from this disaster should the other problems (Japan for one) be overcome.
The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.
Patrick Henry
Rep. Grayson Warns About Details of Classified ‘Trans-Pacific Partnership’ Agreement
Watchdog groups, Sen. Warren join demand for transparency…
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=10081
TPP IS TREASON
The Republicans need to learn how to play the race card, too. Why aren’t they running ads about the Democrats disenfranchising Blacks out of jobs??? That’s what giving green cards to 30 million plus Mexicans is going to do.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Those trade bills are being held up now by the dems. McConnell will get them on the fast track.
Well, on top of all this other stuff is the unholy TPP deal. Sounds like that is another brewing nightmare for Americans to have to deal with down the road.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-13/trade-deals-wed-obama-to-republicans.html “President Barack Obama won a standing ovation when he called in his speech to Congress last week for lawmakers to approve stalled free-trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama. The cheers came from the Republican side of the chamber.
“He got virtually the entire Republican party to stand up on that,” Representative Darrell Issa, a California Republican who has challenged the administration’s policies, said in an interview after the Sept. 8 speech on jobs. “On their side, only a dozen or so stood up. That’s where the president’s problem is.”
Victory for Obama on the trade accords may require the votes of most Republicans, who have opposed him on issues from health care to increasing the federal debt ceiling. That’s because some of the president’s fellow Democrats won’t support deals they say would cost jobs and fail to protect workers in other countries, Bloomberg Government reported. ” There will be more republicans in the senate and more votes for the trade bills.
Brooklin Bridge, I am guessing the new leader McConnell (same old leader) will be on board with any pro corporation legislation that is offered.
We don’t have rights because there is a Bill of Rights.
http://tenthamendmentcenter.com/2014/10/17/free-people-claim-their-rights/
I agree with Darren, but the good news -if there is any in that realm- is that Obama is becoming a lame duck. Even with the blessing of the PTB, it’s getting harder for him to back-hand some of the more vile legislation through. I’m moderately hopeful, for instance, that the amazingly obnoxious trade bills (the ones that will give corporations power over national jurisdictions) will be watered down or fail at least in part due to his increasingly lame duck status.
Of course it won’t end there. After coronation, Hillary or her Republican counterpart will obediently take up the task where ever Obama leaves off.
Darren,
I sense these last two years will be do or die for the Progressive era. He’ll either complete the destruction of republicanism in this country or he’ll effectively unite liberals, independents and conservatives against the progressives and we’ll begin to reconstruct government to its original purpose.
These last two years will be our “house-divided” struggle not much different than the mid-19th century America.
When politicians conceal their plans we know they’re screwing us.
Liberals vs Progressives.
Round 1 is firing up
Democrats about to see their own Tea Party as the Libertarian leaning Liberals are starting to say enough is enough and want to get away from the Establishment and radical left fascist Progressives.
been waitin for this fight for awhile
The radical left doesnt care. Anything for a cause
This guy summarizes it pretty dang good
Transparency?–see
http://youtu.be/XR6Ads0A3cU
bc – I’m not a Tea Partier and one wonders if you couldn’t wait to make that comment. Obama does not have a transparent administration and has repeatedly lied to us about information about the immigration.
” Forget about the other reported planning by the Administration. There remains the fact that this Administration is openly withholding any information in its plans for unilateral presidential action despite the President’s pledge to take action after the election and before the New Year — only a matter of weeks. It is a cynical decision to prevent voters from being fully informed of the plans in a major policy area. Regardless of how one feels about immigration policies, it should be condemned by people across the political spectrum. ”
Why does he do it? Better yet, why do you defend him? Meanwhile the problem of El Salvadorian and Honduras Children being encouraged to cross the border continues. With no plan in action till after the election.
Only a heartless congenital Narcissist with Borderline Golfing Disorder would do such a thing. 🙂
My advise to you is lighten up 🙂
Of course that presupposes that there will be a Presidential election.