Obama:Public Opinion Be Damned

En Garde In The Bunker

My introduction as a lead-in to the piece from Byron York in today’s Human Events, on the illegal immigration mess currently on the national radar screen…

Obama:Public opinion be damned. This says it all: “I hear them. And I understand them,” the rogue fraud “president” declares. But he also adds that he “had to act” on behalf of the immigrants. He alone knows the problem, and he feels for those who might be hurt; it’s just that he’s on the side of those here illegally, and not on the side (nor looking out for the best interest of) the American people; but no explanation for that abomination is to be found. What treachery! Will he tell We The People WHY he “has to” act on behalf of illegal aliens? Why isn’t everyone (especially the party now in full power) demanding an answer?

And what, exactly, does duly enacted LAW say about who is eligible for a green card, how one becomes eligible for a work permit, and what conditions must be met in order to get a Social Security number and card? It seems to me, that even if the rogue fraud “president” has, for the sake of argument, the power to defer prosecution and deportation of illegal aliens, he does NOT HAVE the power to violate, nullify, suspend or contradict duly enacted LAW. Should not the Supreme Cout prevent him from doing so? At least both Houses of Congress at the very least? Obama:Public opinion be damned.

And let’s be clear, since yours truly has himself been through the very lengthy process both of acquiring the precious Green Card (1981 from the American Consulate in Toronto, Canada), and legal naturalized Citizenship (January 5th., 2012), an immigrant is one who has faithfully complied with and completed the immigration process, as prescribed by LAW, and is thus lawfully present in this sovereign nation. Illegal aliens are in no way immigrants, no matter what adjective (undocumented, unauthorized, illegal, etc.,) precedes the word. In no way should We The People allow the leftwing mainstream media, and their progressive cohorts (code for Socialists) who try to cloak censorship in the guise of correctness and sensitivity, and raucous in-your-face illegal aliens and their facilitators, dictate our language, which is the currency of thought. They are ILLEGAL ALIENS, and if that truthful label offends their tender and lawless sensibilities, it’s merely returning the favor of offending the sensibilities of Americans who cherish the Rule of Law, US sovereignty, national security, fiscal prudence, our language, culture, values, heritage and principles. Obama:Public opinion be damned. PERIOD.

REAL Americans, especially those in both Houses of Congress, sent up there to govern by the will of We The People, need to immediately reverse the trampling of our Constitution and the destruction of our nation, that Obama the rogue fraud “president” is dedicated to shredding. We The People MUST ensure that this treacherous and perfidious rogue fraud “president” gets his comeuppance, his actions halted and reversed, his full identification and qualifications unlocked from the secret lockbox, and that he pays the full penalty for his betrayal of the United States, its Constitution, and its citizens. PERIOD.

So on to Byron York…

Gallup recently asked adults around the country a very simple question about immigration: Are you satisfied, or dissatisfied, with the level of immigration into the United States today? Are too many immigrants coming? Too few? Or is the number just about right?

Before giving the results, it’s important to note what that number is. The U.S. awards legal permanent resident status — a green card, which means lifetime residency plus the option of citizenship — to about 1 million people per year, a rate Sen. Marco Rubio calls “the most generous” on Earth. In addition, the government hands out more than a half-million student and exchange visas each year, tens of thousands of refugee admissions, and about 700,000 visas to temporary workers and their families. The percentage of foreign-born people in the U.S. population is heading toward levels not seen since the period of 1890 to 1910.

Click to enlarge…

So is that too much, or too little? Gallup found that 47 percent of Americans believe the level of immigration should stay where it is. Thirty-nine percent want to see it decreased. And just 7 percent want it increased. (The remaining 7 percent said they don’t know.)

Put another way, 86 percent of Americans would like immigration into this country to remain at today’s level or to decrease, versus 7 percent who want to see it increase.

“Americans wish to see current record immigration rates lowered, not raised,” said the office of Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions, who has opposed comprehensive immigration reform measures on Capitol Hill. “Yet the president’s ‘Gang of Eight’ immigration bill … doubles the number of annual guest workers and triples the number of green cards over the next 10-year period.”

Given public opinion, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the bill did not become law.

Gallup did not ask about immigrants who are already in the United States illegally. But a Wall Street Journal poll touched on that question just before the State of the Union speech, asking respondents which issues should be “an absolute priority for the Obama administration and this year’s Congress.” On the list was “passing immigration legislation that would create a pathway to U.S. citizenship for foreigners who are currently staying illegally in the United States.” It ranked 12th out of 15 possible priorities, with just 39 percent calling it a must-do.

Another immigration-related option, passing reform “that would do more to secure our southern border with Mexico,” ranked much higher, with 58 percent of respondents calling it an absolute priority.

Public opinion is not stopping the administration from plowing ahead with the president’s decision to grant quasi-legal status, work permits and federal benefits to millions of immigrants here illegally. The recent confirmation hearings of attorney general nominee Loretta Lynch showed just how determined the president is.

Early in the hearing, Sen. Sessions asked Lynch, “Who has more right to a job in this country — a lawful immigrant who’s here, a green-card holder or a citizen, or a person who entered the country unlawfully?”

It’s a safe bet most Americans would say the person in the country legally should get the job before a person here illegally. But not Lynch. “I believe that the right and the obligation to work is one that’s shared by everyone in this country regardless of how they came here,” she answered.

Sessions went on to ask: What if an employer chose to hire a person who is in the country lawfully over an illegal immigrant covered by the president’s executive action? Would the Justice Department take action against that employer? Lynch wouldn’t answer.

When the polling group Paragon Insights asked recently about the work-permits portion of the president’s action, they found that by 71 percent to 21 percent — a 50-point margin — Americans would support new legislation “that strengthens the rules making it illegal for businesses in the U.S. to hire illegal immigrants.”

No matter. Last November, when President Obama announced the unilateral executive action on immigration, he noted that there are “good, decent people who are worried about immigration,” who particularly fear that “immigrants take jobs from hardworking Americans.”

“I hear them. And I understand them,” Obama said. But the president explained he “had to act” on behalf of the immigrants. Obama knows the problem, and he feels for those who might be hurt; he’s just on the side of those here illegally.

Illegals giving it to Americans…

Many aspects of public opinion favor opponents of comprehensive immigration reform and of the president’s unilateral action. Yet even with that advantage, those opponents sometimes seem unable to make their case effectively. With Republicans now in control of Congress, it’s an open question whether GOP lawmakers can craft legislation that moves the nation’s immigration policy forward while still respecting public opinion.

Byron York is chief political correspondent for The Washington Examiner.