22 May 2006 Politics Before Policy: Weekly Standard Tells House GOP to Cave to Dems on Immigration

Fred Barnes, writing for the editors of the Weekly Standard, tells House Republicans to bow to filibuster-threatening Senate Democrats on immigration. Reason? Politics.

Concluding paragraph:

This fall, there’s no doubt Bush and Republicans will wage a strong negative campaign against Democrats. But they also must provide voters with a powerful reason — a striking positive achievement — for voting Republican. Passage of an immigration bill would do exactly that. Failure to pass a bill would bring on defeat.

Isn’t this argument the same one that got us the Medicare prescription drug entitlement bill?

Back then, the best possible opportunity for comprehensive Medicare reform was sacrificed on the altar of giving the GOP the opportunity to claim, in the 2004 election campaign, credit for passing a bill providing a prescription drug benefit. And we all know the 2004 elections hinged on Medicare.

My advice to the House GOP: Fight on principle and the politics will follow.

Hat tip: Talking Points Memo