In the New York Times, columnist Charles M. Blow parses John McCain's statement regarding the latest immigration bill, saying the senator was really discussing the meeting of race and politics.
Senator John McCain, a member of the Gang of Eight that drafted the original legislation, spoke of his support of the amendment to Fox News on Friday, saying, "If there's anyone who still will argue that the border's not secure after this, then border security is not their reason for opposing a path to citizenship for the people who are in this country illegally."
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McCain is hinting at something that I'll say outright: opposition to a path to citizenship among many Republicans isn't about border security; it's about complexions and elections.
Many see a pathway to citizenship as a poison pill for the party. No amount of "surging" can sugarcoat it. (Even if the bill passes in the Senate, its prospects in the House remain dubious, because Republicans there refuse to be wrangled. This week, they voted down the farm bill that the House Republicans had proposed.)
Read Charles M. Blow's entire piece at the New York Times.
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