Friday, April 14, 2006

Republican Smears 101



This is how it's done. First the facts: The immigration bill which caused all those huge demonstrations was crafted by the Republicans in power.

House Republicans put up a bill to make being an illegal alien a felony. An amendment was proposed that would have made it a misdemeanor. As the AP reports, "Democrats, including members of the Hispanic Congressional Caucus, voted against the amendment, arguing they did not support criminal penalties. Nevada Republicans Jon Porter and Jim Gibbons also voted against the amendment, which failed. The felony provision remained in the bill, H.R. 4437, and it passed the House on a largely party line vote."

The last sentence means that the bill passed because the Republicans voted for it. Ok.

Next the smears. The Republican National Committee is paying for a Spanish-language radio ad in Las Vegas, Tucson and Phoenix which says this:

The 60-second spot says in Spanish that Reid "blocked our leaders from working together" and blames Democrats for legislation that passed the Republican-controlled House that would make illegal immigrants subject to felony charges.

"Reid's Democrat allies voted to treat millions of hardworking immigrants as felons," the ad says, "while President Bush and Republican leaders work for legislation that will protect our borders and honor our immigrants."

Ohmygoddess.