A Power Grab? Seriously?

[Juneau Smog]

And of course Republicans immediately claimed that Obama is going for a “power-grab” following Friday’s announcement that his administration will stop deportations and begin granting work permits for some Dream Act-eligible students. I have no doubt that electoral timing has something to do with his announcement. To which I ask - who cares?

When Democrats make an announcement that is motivated by electoral timing, it tends to be something that expands rights. Republicans, on the other hand, make their announcements about policies which disenfranchise or otherwise limit certain groups. Suddenly, in the 11th hour Gov Rick Scott of Florida decides it's okay to purge 180 thousand voters from the voting roles. Somehow this is justified in Republican eyes because they literally found FOUR cases of illegitimate voter registrations, but when Obama decides he wants to provide a legal path to citizenship to law abiding young people who are productive and live in this country through no fault of their own, instead of ripping families apart, that's a "power grab."

So again, I ask: who cares if Obama’s decision was timed to pick up the Hispanic vote? It’s a good thing. People will benefit tangibly. It is a tiny step toward making America more inclusive. And that has always been a good thing.

Who wants to expand rights, and who wants to take them away? In the end, it’s really all that matters to me. Especially when I consider the Michigan “vagina” debacle yesterday and the fact that Republican men took away female politicians’ rights of speech as they tried to represent their constituents.

Politics is about playing politics. We all know it. Who is playing for you and I?

--

Follow even more exciting misadventures in politics on the Jsmog Live Blog: http://juneausmog.com