The Puerto Ricans Kill Immigration Reform for Thirty Pieces of Silver

"The Judas Kiss"

According to the account given in the Gospel of John, Judas carried the disciples' money bag and betrayed Jesus for a bribe of "thirty pieces of silver" by identifying him with a kiss — "the kiss of Judas"— to arresting soldiers of the High Priest Caiaphas, who then turned Jesus over to Pontius Pilate's soldiers.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus

should be re-named

The Congressional Puerto Rican Caucus

Xavier Becerra (CA-31)

Nydia Velázquez (NY-12)

Charles A. Gonzalez (TX-20)

John Salazar (CO-3)

Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15)

Joe Baca (CA-43)

Dennis Cardoza (CA-18)

Jim Costa (CA-20)

Henry Cuellar (TX-28)

Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07)

Luis V. Gutierrez (IL-04)

Ben Ray Luján (NM-03)

Robert Menendez (NJ)

Grace Flores Napolitano (CA-38)

Solomon P. Ortiz (TX-27)

Ed Pastor (AZ-04)

Pedro Pierluisi (PR)

Silvestre Reyes (TX-16)

Ciro D. Rodriguez (TX-23)

Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34)

Gregorio Sablan (MP)

Linda Sanchez (CA-39)

José Serrano (NY-16)

Albio Sires (NJ-13)

Obama's Promesa Por Cumplir (Unkept Promise)

We should not vote for re-election in November of Mexican American members of Congress who supported trading their votes for Puerto Rico rather than for a commitment from President Obama for Immigration Reform this year.

The Puerto Ricans Kill Immigration Reform for Thirty Pieces of Silver

A prime opportunity to obtain Immigration Reform commitment from Obama squandered for thirty pieces of silver

PHOENIX (By Jon Garrido, The Jon Garrido Network) April 15, 2010 ― There are obviously many congressmen in Washington who understand the importance of their role to support issues or to vote to approve federal legislation.

With the recent approval of Health Care Reform, votes became a trading commodity of value and no one was more astute than Congressman Bart Stupak from Michigan.

Congressman Stupak's playbook on trading his vote for Obama's Executive Order stating no funds would be used for abortion was central to negotiating a compromise with the Obama administration in passing the health care bill in March.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) also traded their votes to support Health Care Reform but did so at the expense of Immigration Reform.

The priority requirement for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is to care for the needs of Puerto Ricans ― not Mexican Americans.

This mandate comes from the leadership of Congressional Hispanic Caucus chairperson, Congresswoman Nydia M. Velázquez, a Puerto Rican American politician.

The Obama White House knew what buttons to push and they played Velázquez for delivery of the Hispanic Caucus votes by offering financial assistance to Puerto Rico.

Unfortunately, Immigration Reform was not a hot button for Velázquez or the Mexican American U.S. congressmen of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus resulting in Immigration Reform not given any consideration.

Puerto Ricans do not consider Immigration Reform a high priority because Puerto Ricans can come and go to Puerto Rico without hindrance.

The decision to have the CHC vote "yes" on Health Care Reform knocked down a huge roadblock in reaching the necessary 216 votes for final passage, outside of steep political concerns about the bill's impact on the midterm elections.

Hispanic News does not fault Velázquez for being a strong advocate for Puerto Ricans but Hispanic News does fault the Mexican American members of congress for not having the same level of advocacy as Velázquez.

It is apparent the Mexican American members of congress were asleep in their chambers.

The Mexican American members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus should have traded their votes for Immigration Reform ― unfortunately, they did not.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), who rates Immigration Reform as the highest priority in the USA had originally threaten to withhold support for Health Care Reform because of provisions the Senate added restricting the undocumented from using their own money to access the insurance exchanges that would be established by the proposed legislation.

Illinois Democrat Luis Gutierrez said it's scandalous this Congress has done nothing on immigration and President Obama has made things worse.

Representative Gutierrez further said, "This administration of Barack Obama will exceed the number of family separations and deportations than even at the height of George Bush, which is saying a lot. Understand the fear and the devastation that are going on. You know, it needs to get taken care of. It's the plight of some 12 million undocumented immigrants that busloads of their supporters came to Washington on March 21 to change."

Health Care Reform Leaves Out Undocumented

As Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, an American Puerto Rican, successfully traded the votes of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to obtain inclusion of Puerto Ricans, where were the Mexican American members of the U.S. House of Representatives in fighting for health care coverage for the undocumented?

Restricting undocumented immigrants from using their own money to access the insurance exchanges that would be established by the proposed legislation were explicitly excluded from the legislation. The question of whether to extend coverage to undocumented immigrants was so politically contentious, under the approved legislation, they will not even be able to buy health insurance in the newly created purchasing pools called exchanges if they pay entirely out of their own pocket.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) did take a page from Congressman Stupak's play book trading his opposition to abortion to obtain his vote for passage of Health Care Reform, but the Congressional Hispanic Caucus traded their votes not for Immigration Reform but for Puerto Rico's residents $1 billion to have access to a state insurance exchange and $6.3 billion for Medicaid spending in Puerto Rico for a total of $7.3 billion.

In addition, whereas the Senate bill strictly limited how new Medicaid funding could be spent, the reconciliation bill gives Puerto Rico flexibility to determine how best to use this funding to expand coverage and improve services.

There was no path to 216 votes without the Hispanic Caucus on board, and that meant every member.

This meant the Hispanic Caucus was the keystone to Health Care Reform approval and with this much leverage, the Hispanic Caucus could have obtained a iron clad commitment from President Obama to proceed with Immigration Reform after Health Care Reform: Unfortunately, Immigration Reform is not a priority with Chairperson Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.). Her priority obviously is ― Puerto Rico.

It is acknowledged the Hispanic Caucus was stymied in much the way Bart Stupak and his abortion caucus was stymied but Stupak was creative and obtained a commitment from Obama not to use federal funds for abortion.

This was the negotiation phase, and they’ll could have secured a commitment for Immigration Reform but they did not. With the present leadership of the Hispanic Caucus, there will not be hardcore rhetoric or credible threats forthcoming from this group.

Obviously, Immigration Reform is not a priority for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Immigration Reform should be the highest Hispanic priority in the USA but other than Congressman Gutierrez, there is no national advocacy. None of the Mexican American members of the CHC are national voices for Immigration Reform. They should all be replaced in the 2010 elections with advocates for Hispanics who would have fought to trade their votes for Obama's assurance Immigration Reform would follow Health Care Reform.

Chairperson Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.), told reporters the broader impact of the Health Care legislation overrode the other concerns. She said 8.8 million Hispanics (she was referring to the Puerto Ricans, not the Mexican undocumented) would gain insurance coverage in the legislation, a "historic opportunity" not to be missed.

In private conversations, members of the CHC said the decision was reached after the unavoidable realization the Health Care bill couldn’t survive without their votes.

“The whole yolk of defeat would be on the 20 people in that room,” a member of the CHC said. “And that was a fact.”

The CHC vote for Health Care Reform was ever so transparent to most USA Hispanics. None said it better than the National Council of La Raza who stood firm against the bill because of the immigration language.

"The argument everyone should support healthcare reform because it's for the 'greater good' has given national leaders an excuse to brush off the concerns of the most disenfranchised and vulnerable communities that desperately need results," said Jennifer Ng'andu, deputy director of La Raza's Health Policy Project.

"More often than not, appeals to the "greater good" come at the expense of the most vulnerable communities."

Immigration Reform Killed in 2010, 2011 and 2012

Nydia Velazquez obviously indifferent to Immigration Reform was bribed by the White House for her vote and the vote of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to approve Health Care Reform. Velazquez eagerly accepting the $1 billion provision for insurance exchanges for Puerto Ricans and $6.3 billion for Medicaid spending in Puerto Rico.

Accepting the bribe, Velazquez effectively killed Immigration Reform in 2010, 2011 or 2012.

No big deal for Velazquez and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Absolutely disgusting and shameful!

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