A Reason for GOP Holding Back on Immigration Reform

Chris Frates:
“House Republicans head home for the August break having done little to
pass immigration reform, falling well short of Speaker John Boehner’s
goal to vote on legislation before next week’s monthlong recess begins.
But far from a failure of leadership, top House Republicans are casting
the inaction as a tactical play designed to boost reform’s chances.
Keeping immigration on the back-burner helps avoid a recess filled with
angry town-hall meetings reminiscent of the heated August 2009 protests
where the backlash against health care reform coalesced. Doing nothing
also starves Democrats of a target, Republicans argue. … So Boehner,
Cantor, and McCarthy have privately discussed holding off on immigration
until October.”