Syrian Refugee Fight Sparks Government Shutdown Threat

[Purveyor]

Source: Politico

Lawmakers say they may try to attach restrictions to a must-pass spending bill, possibly provoking a showdown with the White House.

By Seung Min Kim , Jake Sherman and Burgess Everett
11/16/15 01:15 PM EST
Updated 11/16/15 05:11 PM EST

A cascade of Republicans on Monday implored the Obama administration to scrap plans to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in the United States next year, saying they pose an unacceptable security risk in the wake of last week's terrorist attacks in Paris.

And, in a dramatic twist, the sudden standoff is raising the possibility of a government shutdown next month.

Throughout the day a host of Republican governors around the country, wary that refugees could end up in their home states, blasted President Barack Obama’s plans. But those governors lack real sway over the process, and some are asking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to insert a provision in the Dec. 11 spending bill that would bar more Syrian settlers.

The politics are moving fast: The Democratic governor of New Hampshire, a Senate candidate, is siding with conservatives, and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is reversing his support for a $1 billion spending bill intended to allow in more Syrian refugees after touting the measure just weeks ago. GOP leaders are keeping their options open as they mull whether to try and block new Syrian refugees by adding language to the must-pass spending bill.



Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/gop-lawmakers-syria-refugees-215936

[Vincardog]

1. The radical reich need to quit putting poison pills in "must pass legislation". Fuck them and their

FEAR

[msongs]

2. the syrian mess is substantially the fault of those making US policy, and that includes repubs.

endless wars since 9/11 have unexpected consequences

[wordpix]

11. you're right + repukes wouldn't even discuss Syria and O's plan

Obama and Dem leaders just about begged them to discuss and debate. I'm sure he wanted backing in what he thought best to do, or maybe hoped a better plan would emerge with more people involved. But repukes would not discuss. What a bunch of chickenhawk shits they are.

[murielm99]

3. Let them look like the fools they are

going into the election season. People are tired of the do-nothing attitude. Maybe a few of them will lose their elections.

[FLPanhandle]

5. No politician who is worried about getting re-elected will advocate taking in Muslim refugees now.

It would be political suicide. Those that are still for it will stay quiet until this receeds in memory a bit, or they aren't worried about re-election.

[840high]

6. Yes it would. People are still scared.

Let it die down a bit.

[pampango]

10. Politicians often act politicians. i just hope that liberals act like liberals.

It will be interesting to see what our presidential candidates have to say about Obama's plan to admit Syrian refugees.

[wordpix]

12. "It will be interesting to see what our presidential candidates have to say"

Yes it will. Dem candidates especially b/c the repugs are divided between the Rand Paul isolationist view and neocon blow-them-up attitude of the others. Then there's Trump. It will be interesting indeed to hear more from the R's but I don't think it'll be easy for them to come up with a foreign policy plank for their platform.

I look forward to Hilary vs. Bernie on this topic, for sure.

[FLPanhandle]

13. I don't want them to shoot themselves in the foot over this topic.

Be vague. Non commital. Whatever.

Do not open the door to a republican presidency over this.

[pampango]

14. "Be vague. Non commital." Perhaps a good short-term political strategy but not

one we normally recommend to our candidates in countering what republicans are peddling.

[FLPanhandle]

15. On this topic, anything Dems say will be used in Republican TV ads for the next year.

To Bernie/Hillary: Just don't hand the republicans the ammunition to kill you with.

[NonMetro]

19. You're right. This is very dangerous politically.

Many Democrats seem to be pooh-poohing the fear that this has caused, and saying: oh that's just the right wing fear mongering, as usual. And yes, there is some of that, but what happened in Paris, and the renewed threats from ISIS is not right wing fear mongering. It cause for concern, and it's alarming. People are frightened, and they have good reason to be. Democrats should not just dismiss it as if their was no real basis for it, because there is.

[Thor_MN]

20. Even though all the terrorists identified so far are European Nationals?

Not a "refugee" amongst them at this point.

Conservatives are shitting their britches over refugees, and they can't figure out the difference between a terrorist and a refugee.

[branford]

21. That does not appear to be correct.

It appears at least one of the terrorists infiltrated Europe claiming to be a refugee with a forged Syrian passport.

People were afraid of infiltrators, including ISIS's threats to send agents with any refugees, before the attacks in Paris. The worst fears of many have now been confirmed, and the right-wing, both in Europe and elsewhere, will politically benefit.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/15/europe/paris-attacks-passports/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/authorities-confirm-one-of-the-paris-attackers-came-through-greece/2015/11/16/78b112fa-8c64-11e5-934c-a369c80822c2_story.html

[DeadLetterOffice]

4. SMH n/t

[Jeb Bartlet]

7. And.....

this is exactly he response the terrorists wanted, thanks Republicans for being so easily led down the garden path. /s

Seriously, Republicans (and you dumbass fucking blue dog Dems) start thinking like the lawmakers you are trying so desperately to convince people you are and stop reacting like the children you so often resemble. You're trying so hard to convince the public that you're the party that can lead and the first thing that even resembles a crisis and the entire lot of you pee yourselves like infants.

Here's a clue since the lot of you don't seem to have one. Allowing refugees into the country takes up to 18 months of people being vetted by law enforcement and intelligence agencies. The idea that a terrorist is going to wait 18 months and go through intense scrutiny to try to sneak into the country to carry out a terrorist attack is just mind numbingly STUPID.

Quite being so intentionally stupid Republicanism.

[allan01]

8. so fed up with these so and sos holding us hostage

and throwing tempertantrums if they dont get their way. boo hoo

[underpants]

9. Geebus they are so controlled by there propaganda

This is getting beyond embarassing

[Sunlei]

16. Republican kneejerk fearmongers

[47of74]

17. I hope the President stands up to these GOP fucksticks.

And tells them that stuff with poison pills are DOA as far as he's concerned.

[Maeve]

18. "Home of the brave" my ass

Oooo, scary people! Gee, if there was just a seasonal story about migrants looking for a safe place to rest and being turned away....