Scapegoating For Dummies

Digby's piece this afternoon on immigration is a very worthwhile read.

The Republicans did block immigration reform during the Bush years. The question now is whether there is one Republican Senator who will break a filibuster. From what I gather, they have been counting on Huckleberry to convince a couple of Senators to come over with him which is like counting on Ahmadinejad bringing along Hezbollah to recognize Israel's right to exist. It would require an earth shattering change of personal character and strategy on both their parts. It's possible, but probably not the most practical plan. In fact, it's so impractical, you can only assume it is designed to fail.

So, the problem is still Republicans, obviously. But it's also pretty obvious that it's Democrats too. I don't know how many votes they have today for immigration reform in either house, but if this is any indication, they are losing them rather than gaining them. I doubt very seriously that they have 59 in the Senate and who knows what they have in the House. The ground has shifted because of inaction and economic distress and it's very likely that there have been a lot of Democratic defections since the last go. And I'd guess they would have a hard time getting more than a handful of Republicans, even those who desperately need Latino votes. The whole political class is running scared of the angry right, as usual.

So no, I don't have very high hopes for immigration reform either.  If the Democrats played it right the could really get this done, but the fact of the matter is too many of them are scared of being called soft on immigration or un-American or whatever.  Can't have the banksters taking the blame for the economy.  They've been getting pounded on enough and they've made it clear to the Republicans that this stops now, find a new scapegoat.

Right now John Cornyn and his NRSC buddies should be thanking Jan Brewer with flowers and candy.  She's just handed them the keys to the kingdom.

Well sure. This is the way right wing populism always works. The Big Money Boyz screw the little guy and the little guy, feeling impotent, takes it out on the even littler guy, usually an African American or recent immigrant. And then a bunch of politicians exploit it for their own gain. Welcome to America whenever things aren't going well.

Treating anyone who looks like they might be Latino like a criminal isn't going to assuage anyone's fears and frustrations, however. In fact, it's going to make it worse because the entire Hispanic community --- citizens and non-citizens alike --- can no longer trust the authorities and are far less likely to cooperate in investigations, which makes everyone less safe. And because of that one of the sad results of of this whole mess is that it is now going to be open season on Latinos, with the predator types assured that their victims won't feel comfortable going to the police. Everybody loses but the assholes.

That's about the right of it.  Obama's going to get the blame on Lake Palin too, even though the men behind this man-made disaster are the blokes at BP.  The events of the last two weeks are going to weigh heavily on America for years.  The wingers have to realize if they can stick all of this on Obama and the Dems now, they've got clear sailing for 2010, 2012 and beyond.  They really can effectively end his presidency, and over the next couple of weeks you're going to see them try rather mightily.  Obama's been working triple overtime to get out in front of this, but the rest of the Dems are too tired it seems to fight this good fight.

Watch to see if any Dems start throwing Obama under the bus on immigration, Lake Palin, or the NYC car bomb.  I'm honestly surprised it hasn't happened already, especially on the oil spill.  You'd better believe the second that happens, the Village is going to smell blood and go straight for Obama's jugular.