Republicans Offer President Obama Pathway to Citizenship

Much of the news this past week focused on the Republican CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) and the rifts in the party. Wedge issues which had been so successful in the past have backfired against them in recent years. Immigration, gay rights, global warming, taxes, and more, but it appears some common ground was found on immigration: Republicans will offer President Obama a pathway to citizenship. Many Republicans still cling to the belief that President Obama is not a US citizen but in the spirit of "bipartisan amity," according to John Boehner, Republicans are now willing to extend this olive branch from the land of opportunity. In Speaker Boehner's words: "Where else in the world can an undocumented illegal alien, by hard work and determination, come here, get an education, learn skills, find work, raise a family, and become the President of the United States? What a country!" ........................................................................................................ Speaker Boehner is aware of the internal Republican struggle with this issue: "If we can just get Louie Gohmert to stop calling Natasha and Malia 'terror babies' that would help," Boehner said .............................................................................................................. In addition to hardliners like Gohmert, Donald Trump, self-described "Birther in Chief," weighed in against granting President Obama a path to citizenship. "Why should he get amnesty?" Trump asked. "He should go to the back of the line with all the other illegals. He shouldn't get special treatment just because he's President." Observers say Trump's intransigence may threaten an already delicate negotiation. "This could be as bad as Richard Nixon's treasonous sabotage of Lyndon Johnson's peace talks with the North Vietnamese," a Republican source admitted. "And that led to five more years of pointless war and American casualties before South Vietnam was eventually conquered by the north. ....................................................... College student Republicans attending CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference), covered up to age 26 by their parent's health insurance under Obamacare, this week cheered when speaker after speaker proposed eliminating Obamacare. They might want to talk to their parents about this. It reminds me of the Tea Party rallies where people held up signs that said Keep Government out of my Medicare............................... And finally, Sarah Palin, former part-time Governor and the main reason John McCain lost his bid to be President in 2008, calls for more subsidies for oil companies, more loopholes for millionaires, tax breaks for rich people, cuts in medicare, social security, unemployment insurance, but supersized soft drinks for all. And believe it or not, she said about her husband Todd, "He's got the rifle; I've got the rack."...................................