Red Card for the Republicans

While the rift between the Republicans in the House of Representatives and President Obama grows, Representative Luis Gutierrez, the most active politician in the quest for immigration reform, used a soccer analogy last week to put anti-immigrant Republicans in their place: "You are done," Gutierrez yelled from the podium in his passionate tone. "You are done."


It was a year ago already that a comprehensive immigration bill was passed by the U.S. Senate, but the legislation was never submitted to a vote by Speaker of the House, John Boehner, for fear of retaliation by the "Tea Party," the most extremist group United States politics.

When the comprehensive immigration bill came from the Senate, house Republicans immediately rejected it, calling for a piecemeal approach instead, but they could not agree on that strategy either. Instead, they embarked on a race attacking each other to see who was the most conservative, trying to get "cheap political points." It is strongly believed that the Senate bill could pass if it was given a chance to be voted on.

"A year ago, I gave Republicans a yellow card, to put them on warning if they failed to act on immigration," Gutierrez yelled. "If they failed to act, they would be out of the game. Having been given ample time to craft legislation, you failed. The President now has no other choice but to act within existing law to ensure that our deportation policies are humane."

And now the Republicans find themselves cornered. They have dodged fixing a broken immigration system for years for fear of being targeted by the Tea Party in every election, putting their interests before those of the American people, who strongly support immigration reform and a path to citizenship for those who have leaved peacefully in the country. Now, with upcoming midterm elections, immigration reform is dead for the remaining of 2014.

"Some in the Republican Party kept trying, and I thank them," Representative Gutierrez continued. "I kept hoping the better angels would tap down the irrational and angry angels blocking reform the American people want and deserve."

But all efforts have failed, and now the Republicans face their greatest dilemma. They may do well in the upcoming midterm elections, but they cannot win the Presidency again unless they win back support
from Hispanics, who overwhelmingly rejected their xenophobic attitude in the last election, when President Obama won 80 percent of their vote.

"You are done. You are done. Leave the field," Gutierrez warned. "Too many playground offenses, and unfair attacks and too little action. And I think we all know that you are out when it comes to the White House. By taking no action, even after repeated warnings, Republicans have failed America, and failed themselves."

Enlace a historia en español/Link to Spanish version.