LatinaLista — For anyone who has blogged, tweeted, marched or called on behalf of the DREAM Act these past several months, today’s events in the U.S. Senate chamber were extremely disappointing.
While it’s interesting to note that most of the mainstream media is choosing to focus on the GOP strategy of derailing the cloture vote on the Defense Reauthorization bill as reacting against repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” (DADT) they’re ignoring the more obvious — a reaction against debating the DREAM Act.
(Photo source: #Multi_American)
That ulterior motive became crystal clear when Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell proposed a different procedure — one that would have apparently enabled unlimited amendments, the first 20 of which would have to be defense-related and none of which could relate to immigration.
Singling out immigration was clearly a sign as to what the GOP did not want to talk about. Had it truly been DADT, wouldn’t that have been mentioned by Sen. McConnell?
Time and time again, representatives from the GOP have illustrated their intolerance for even talking about illegal immigration because to talk about it would legitimize the issue.
So, as these children and young people, who were so counting on the GOP leadership of this country to show true compassionate conservatism, they must wait. As they wait, they get older and their lives continue to be put on hold.
The only hope left is that there were a few Senators who said they supported a stand alone DREAM Act bill and not one attached to another bill. It can only be hoped they’re being truthful.
If ever there was a bill that needed to be passed sooner rather than later it’s the DREAM Act.
