Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Immigration Reform - How Can They Even Think It?

When the President gets into an untenable situation he likes to do an abrupt about face in order to hide the mayhem.  That is exactly what is happening with his sudden refocus on immigration reform.

It is indicative of a floundering administration.  The ACA web site isn't close to being fixed.  In fact the ACA isn't even the bill that was passed and then declared constitutional by the Supreme Court.  I question whether all the turmoil is worth it because I wonder if what passes for that bill is itself constitutional  but then there are all those "the Secretary shall" rights.

You'd think the unintended consequences would be a teaching moment but it apparently hasn't been. Too much power has been given to said Secretary to dictate what she and she alone thinks our insurance coverage should be.  That she was once insurance commissioner of Kansas is distressing but then such commissioners rarely have experience in the field nor know all the ins and outs of the products they are charged with overseeing.

In other words a rank amateur has designed a government program which affects every single one of us and our Congress passed it without even reading it.  Now it's collapsing as well it should.

To divert our attention the President has retreated to another favorite boondoggle.  Comprehensive immigration reform. Don't go there.  Please.  The last thing we need is another government monstrosity that's doomed to fail before it even gets off the ground.

Those who call for incremental steps should listened to. It's much easier to fix a small dust up than one the size of Obamacare.

The Republicans have nearly destroyed their own party by coming to that realization.  The move from defunding Obamacare to delaying it is a huge difference and they're still not there.  By their own hand I might add.  Had they asked for delay first, forgotten about the shutdown and defunding they still might not be there but it's looking more and more like it will get there in spite of all that has come before.  With some some critical thinking and leadership all the damage could have been avoided.

Now on to immigration.  Leave it alone until this mess is cleaned up or we'll be going through the same agonies again.  Then take it piece by piece.  Those here illegally rate no special consideration unless it's to actually enforce the laws already on the books and treat them for what they are.  Illegal. Congress can only hold so many hearings.  Consider the IRS mess and Benghazi among others have yet to be resolved. The government has trouble functioning in the best of times, it doesn't function at all with an overload it now bears.

Then get smart.  Democrats - get rid of Reid and Pelosi as your leadership in favor of those who would work for the country.  Republicans - find a voice.  You all do a lot of talking but apparently at, not to, each other, and not at all to us.

And to the voters.  Forget about the cults of personality.  We've been there and done that too often and it hasn't worked out too well.  It's time to get back to basics - if we even remember what they are. Please tell me it's not a generational phenomenon.















2 comments:

marlu said...

I did not remember that Secretary Sebelius was insurance commissioner. I remember she was the first daughter of a Governor (Gillian of Ohio) to be elected governor.
Following from the internet: "Forbes has named Secretary Sebelius one of the 100 most powerful women in the world. Before her Cabinet appointment in April, 2009, she served as Governor of Kansas beginning in 2003, where she was named one of America’s Top Five Governors by Time Magazine. From 1995 to 2003 she served as Kansas Insurance Commissioner. She was a member of the Kansas House of Representatives from 1987 to 1995.

Margie's Musings said...

Once years ago, when she was our insurance commissioner, she personally saved me from losing the deductible on my car insurance, Mari. The deputy sheriff investigated an accident I was involve din and he got it completely wrong and would not change his report.

I wa shit in the rear by three different cars that were traveling too fast for icy conditions. I hit no one but my car was totaled in the rear. he called it "no fault" and I had $500 deductible.

All three who hit me admitted they were at fault but my insurance company went with the deputy's accident report.

I called Kathleen and got to her personally on the phone. She pursued the case and made my insurance company return my $500.

So don't talk about someone who has not served you personally. She served two terms as governor here in Kansas and I voted for her each time and she won overwhelmingly.

Kansans really loved her. She was good for Kansas...something I cannot say for Brownback, who is in the process of ruining Kansas.

The health care site is a mess, admittedly. But they will get it fixed.