GOP Establisment: Congress Should Give Obama 'Blank Check' to Address Border Crisis

by Tony Lee

Jul 12, 2014 11:27 AM PT

While liberal activists keep pushing Democrats to make more concessions regarding the flood of illegal immigrant children across the border, GOP consultants in D.C. are suggesting that Republicans roll over and approve President Barack Obama's request for $3.7 billion without any concessions.

And they are doing so to liberal outlets like the Huffington Post.

Since only $400 million of those funds would actually go to strengthen border security, Republicans have been wary of giving the Obama administration a "blank check" without getting some concessions, like having National Guard troops on the border or changing a 2008 law that prevents the federal government from immediately deporting illegal immigrants who are not from Mexico or Canada.

Al Cardenas, the Chairman of the American Conservative Union, told the liberal outlet that the border crisis is actually an excuse to pass comprehensive amnesty legislation. He said this is a "crisis in need of a solution, and that's what you go to Congress for."

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said Republicans should just roll over and not ask for concessions because doing so would make them "get blamed for perpetuating the problem."

Frank Luntz, the establishment Republican strategist, said "being right is not enough" and Republicans have to "be for something, not just against the President." That usually is code for more government or being Democrat-lite.  

Liz Mair, a Republican strategist, told the Huffington Post that Republicans cannot look "unsympathetic to a bunch of toddlers still eating from bottles and wearing diapers" and risk being "deeply offensive to Latino voters" and motivating more of them to vote for Democrats. 

At least 57,000 illegal immigrant children have crossed the border unlawfully since October of last year, and federal officials expect at least 30,000 more in the next three months. They expect another 150,000 more to cross next year, and the number of illegal immigrant children crossing the border spiked after President Barack Obama unilaterally enacted his temporary amnesty program for illegal immigrant DREAMers.

But the "Blame Republicans First" crowd enables the mainstream media press and liberal outlets to use them to antagonize Republicans who only want to ensure that the border is more secure and migrants from Central America are deterred if they grant Obama $3.7 billion in more taxpayer funds. 

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