Hispanic Caucus and Health Care
[Guest post by DRJ]
The Hill reports the Hispanic Caucus is conflicted over health care:
“Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) members face a tough choice in how to vote on a healthcare bill that will benefit their constituents but contains tough provisions on illegal immigrants.
“The bottom line was that we’ve got to pass healthcare insurance reform because it benefits our communities, maybe in greater proportions than others, and that’s been [the president’s] message, whether it was back in October, November, December and here we are in March,” said Rep. Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas), the first vice chairman of the CHC.
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But the Texas Democrat noted that at least a dozen members of the CHC are “tied in knots” over the prospect of choosing between opening up avenues to health insurance to many of their constituents and supporting what they worry is a precedent-setting policy of immigrant discrimination.“This is really not an easy one for the caucus,” Gonzalez said somberly. “My sense of it is that a lot of these votes are going to be cast at the eleventh hour. I really believe that.”
The Hispanic Caucus members voted for the House bill and will likely vote for the Senate bill, although Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) claims he won’t. However, these quotes suggest the Caucus members view illegal immigrants as part of their communities — which they probably are, and as their constituents — which they aren’t. How can they “represent” illegal immigrants?
— DRJ
But I was assured by wingnuts that undocumented people were covered!
imdw (8f8ead) — 3/16/2010 @ 1:11 pm[…] more here: Hispanic Caucus and Health Care […]
Hispanic Caucus and Health Care | Liberal Whoppers (d16888) — 3/16/2010 @ 1:29 pmIf his vote is needed, Gutierrez will vote for the bill. He’s one of the few Illinois polticians with even less backbone than pseudo-Senator Roland Burris. Besides, there’s a good chance Luis might be indicted down the road. Best to get on Oama’s good side now.
jimboster (fe0b27) — 3/16/2010 @ 1:43 pmWho’s covered?
If they’ll vote on the bill, we’ll finally have a chance to find out what’s in it.
Transparency, as defined by the Queen of Hearts!
AD - RtR/OS! (02b3ae) — 3/16/2010 @ 1:49 pmHow can they “represent” illegal immigrants?
How long do you really think it will be before illegals can vote? Then how long will it be before the Taliban can vote here as well?
drjohn (dcfed0) — 3/16/2010 @ 3:40 pmHow do you know that they’re not voting now?
AD - RtR/OS! (02b3ae) — 3/16/2010 @ 5:35 pmMotor-Voter wasn’t passed just to get more people into the DMV.
This is all a head fake.
BHO, prior to his immaculation, swore a holy of holys that illegals would NOT be covered for any benefits at all, save ER visits. Here was the backfill by his aides: the illegals would be made legals, therefore, problem solved.
The next big thing in the pipeline by accounts I have read is immigration reform. The Hispanic Caucus can make all the noises they want, but they know good and darn well that this is just posturing. There will be no need to worry about their “constituents” fully qualifying for everything excepting suffrage.
Ed from SFV (7f3244) — 3/16/2010 @ 6:41 pmAs reported today, Homeland halted work on the virtual fence. The timing, in light of the Hispanic caucus’s conflicting interests and possible split vote, makes it all the more suspect.
Dana (1e5ad4) — 3/16/2010 @ 7:06 pm