Kay Hagan needs to pick a fight with President Obama. At a time when she’s touting her moderate credentials, she can prove her independence and show that she’s not just toeing the party line. And right now, there’s an issue that’s tailor-made for such a debate.
In response to the gridlock that’s left an ineffective Congress, Obama has increasingly used executive power to promote his agenda. Now, he’s prepared to give undocumented immigrants legal status without the approval of Congress. As liberal columnist Jonathan Chait points out, whether you agree with the goals or not, he’s setting a dangerous precedent.
For liberals who decried the abuse of executive power by George Bush and Dick Cheney, supporting Obama’s methods is hypocritical. Obama would effectively circumvent Congress by choosing not to enforce the immigration laws currently on the books. Government executives should not be able to pick and choose which laws to enforce based on whether they support them or not. Can you imagine the outcry if a Republican president decided that he or she didn’t want to collect a tax on a certain industry?
And here is Kay Hagan’s opportunity. She should lead by blasting the GOP for it’s refusal to address the immigration question and then denounce Obama’s plan to circumvent the legislative branch. She voted against the DREAM Act because she felt the need for comprehensive immigration reform. And on that point she is right, but it needs to be done through Congress, not through a unilateral action by the president.
She would probably cause liberals to howl but she would embellish her independent credentials and could even take a lead in pushing Congress toward action. We don’t need an overreaching executive branch but we also don’t need anymore posturing politicians like Thom Tillis gumming up the works. Polls show that even Republicans want action on immigration reform.
Hagan should take this fight. Supporting immigration reform has broad support and criticizing the president can’t hurt. She might temporarily alienate her base but the issue is too complicated to have legs. The take away will be that she split with the president and called for Congress to act on immigration. It’s worth the risk. Besides, it’s the right thing to do.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
You surely have missed the entire drift–or most of it. Hagan is a centrist, perhaps a DINO. She is a banker and things like one. She is co-chair of the Third Way, the successor to the DLC, that bastion of massive Democratic failure as Clinton drove right and right. I rate Clinton very low, he gave away what was left of the New Deal and opened the doors for the bankers to screw the country, no encouraged them. Kay would so the same, had she the power. She has wondered back and forth, leaving massive doubts regarding her credentials as a Democrat, but always trying to please some unknown, perhaps you Thomas, concerning her ability to have absolutely no convictions, except she loves money and power. Given her shenanigans with the Party, it will be interesting to see if there is a State Party left after her friends finish their demolition work – i.e. the Wake County Party diversion. Truth, I could easily sit on my hands in November and take some folks with me, particularly the African Americans who she stiffed a number of times, until suddenly they were essential – then lovey-dovey. Bet she will be glad when this is over so she can change back to Direct DINO. Her banker friends will love that. With all that, I hate to see the Teabillies take the Senate seat. But, it will be a hell of an internal struggle for some of us who think the Democratic Party could do far better.
Worst. Advice. Ever.
Wholeheartedly agree. Wonky advice about real peoples’ lives. Obama should do whatever he can to help these families being torn apart. Thomas Mills, you have no heart.
Hagan pick a fight on immigration…you mean the jr Senator from NC Hagan who voted against the Dream Act to prove her moderate creds to the conservatives in the Triad Hagan? Yeah she has lots of creds on immigration. As to a fight with Obama….do Kay…make sure I sit at home come November…go ahead. Hagan has proved she has nothing more than a vanilla center Tom she doesn’t have to prove that to those of us who are Democrats with a big “D”. Maybe she brag about that Dream Act vote and all the other MODERATE votes she has cast I am sure she will pick up two or three republican votes that will put her over the top.
Also, note how ‘picking a fight’ is working out for HRC. Maybe feeding the contard trolls isn’t a good idea. If she wants to run to Obama’s left, great, but she needs THE BASE not just the mushy middle and feeding contard trolls isn’t going to make THE BASE more likely to get out and vote for her.
Yeah, Ms. Hagan will get right on that.
The Unitary Executive is here to stay. Bush created it. Obama isn’t giving the power up. I didn’t favor it then and I don’t favor it now, but I do admit I enjoy how it makes conservative heads explode.
Our useless congress has convinced me that the swiss method of direct democracy is a much better idea than bribable corrupt legislators.