Yet Another Example of Republican Nihilism and/or Obstructionism. Oh Yeah, It's Also Yet Another Example of the Whole Flawed Constitution Thingy... So It's Kind of a Twofer. Isn't That Special?

(This is not a Matthew Yglesias safe post. You've been warned.)

Evidently a bunch of Republican congressmen dressed up as a mariachi band and passed themselves off as the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to get into the White House. Unsurprisingly, His Obamaness fell for it:

A group of Hispanic lawmakers on Thursday will tell President Barack Obama that they may not vote for healthcare reform unless changes are made to the bill’s immigration provisions.

Clever brutes, those Republicans. It seems those Republicans will stop at nothing to deny the American people the high quality, affordable healthcare insurance they keep telling pollsters they don't want.

The bastards.

Anyway, it now appears these sinister Republican types are singing a song neither Barry nor Kamikaze Nan want to hear:

Unlike abortion, immigration has flown beneath the radar, and almost seemed to vanish altogether as House Democrats have wrestled with how to accept a Senate healthcare bill far different from the one they passed in November.

But immigration remains just as explosive an issue and carries the same potential to derail the entire healthcare endgame, a number of Democrats said.

That would be this week's healthcare endgame, for those of you keeping score.

Since last fall, Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) members have kept quiet, at least publicly, about their objections to the immigration provisions in the Senate bill.

.....

Hispanic Democrats say they haven’t moved from their stance that they will not vote for a healthcare bill containing the Senate’s prohibitions. 

Not to worry. Markos Moulitsas will be on Keith Olbermann's show tonight threatening primary challenges against the whole Congressional Hispanic Caucus and Dennis Kucinich if they don't get their shit straightened out. Of course there's always the danger that nobody will actually watch Olbermann tonight, but I'm sure someone will let the CHC and Dennis in on the secret.

Note: Ha, ha! Didn't mention the Constitution thingy. Got ya, Matthew.

Comments

[Mike Myers]

Well you know that the Obamacare "package" (there may or may not be an actual bill depending upon how Harry, Nancy and Barack slept last night--some days it's there, some days its not) is so loaded up with special interest goodies that it looks like a pinata. So why shouldn't the Hispanic caucus say that there needs to be something for the illegals in the pinata. Chinga su madre, there's something there for everybody else isn't there?

[Allen]

I can hardly wait for Obama's foray into immigration reform. You think his healthcare reform is a clusterfuck? You ain't seen nothing compared to what he'll do for immigration reform.

I can see it now, we'll have the SEIU in a street brawl with La Raza in downtown L.A. Throw in the LAPD, and we'll have the epic cage match.

[richard mcenroe]

Frankly, in that mix I see the LAPD sitting back laughing and 'Tubing cell phone videos to the internet.

"What the hell are you doing about this, officer?!"

"Kicking them back into play, ma'am..."

[Allen]

Richard, true. how about Bakersfield and the Kern County Sherrif's Department then? The KCSD has had it's moments.

[Zimriel]

How dare you troll against MattyMatthew Yglesias? Don't you get it? His relative youth and paucity of chest hair just means he's inherently smarter than a Palin-worshipping wingnut like yourself. You probably shop at Walmart too.

[Dennis the Peasant]

Only poor people shop at Walmart. I don't even do Costco. I'm Orvis/LL Bean/Lands End when it comes to fashion, and a Kimber man when it comes to pistols. As far as cars go, I'm a Volvo kind of guy. So as you can see, I'm high end all the way.

Matt's probably into peoples' organic food collectives and whatnot.

[richard mcenroe]

yer just inches from turning into a crunchy con, Dennis.