01/27/2014
The contempt some GOP leaders feel for their party’s base is really impressive. https://t.co/RVrE94BZPv
— Byron York (@ByronYork) January 25, 2014
That’s Byron York on Twitter, linking to a WSJ story that says that GOP leaders want to roll over on amnesty — after the primary season.
He notes that the
Wall Street Journal stirred a lot of interest this weekend when it reported that GOP leaders are hoping to put one over on voters who oppose reform. The plan, the Journal said, is to delay a vote on a bill until after the deadline passes for primary challenges across the country. That way, a GOP lawmaker whose constituents oppose reform could lay low until the coast was clear — no primary challenge! — and then vote against his voters' interest. From the Journal:House leaders hope to bring legislation to the floor as early as April, the people close to the process said, after the deadline has passed in many states for challengers to file paperwork needed to run for Congress. Republican leaders hope that would diminish chances that a lawmaker’s support for immigration bills winds up sparking a primary-election fight.
If true, such a GOP strategy would certainly set off a lot of anger among conservative voters. But is it true?
On Sunday I talked and emailed with four sources intimately involved in the immigration matter, and the picture that emerges is yes, some Republicans have discussed delaying action on immigration until after the threat of primary challenges passes. But no, it does not appear that the GOP leadership is planning to do it or is even pushing the idea — and besides, there is no guarantee at all that Republicans will agree to do anything on immigration, anyway.
… Another leadership aide stresses that "absolutely no" decisions have been made and "I've not heard one word about primary calendars and filing deadlines. That [Wall Street Journal] passage is people projecting their desires.
Are House Republicans planning to pull a fast one on immigration?, By Byron York, WashingtonExaminer.com January 27, 2014 [Emphases added]
It looks like some members of the GOP have too much sense to try this particular plan.
If Republican leaders want a foretaste of the "anger among conservative voters", they can look at the comments section of Byron York’s column, or for that matter, the comments section of The Wall Street Journal piece.
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