IS CIR ALIVE OR DEAD?

With the government shutdown ended, the conventional wisdom is that the Republican Party’s strategy backfired.  The Republican Party’s approval ratings have plummeted with the American public.   

More moderate forces, such as Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Paul Ryan (R-WI), and Eric Cantor (R-VA) think Comprehensive Immigration Reform may be the way for the Republicans  to stop the falling polling numbers. 

The politics on this will be the key.  On one hand, this may be Maj. Leader John Boehner’s (R-OH) last chance to salvage his legacy.  On the other hand, a substantial rift has developed within the GOP ranks.  Tea Party members, whose unofficial leadership includes Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), contend that the shutdown strategy was effective and likely will not seek to compromise on immigration reform.  One interesting development may be that while Sen. Cruz remains popular, Sen. Lee’s own ratings have plunged.  His fellow Utah Senator, Orrin Hatch (R-UT), has refused to endorse him for re-election.

The Democrats seem like they are ready to deal.  If Pres. Obama and the Democratic leadership can get a compromise on immigration it would cement two of Pres. Obama’s prime domestic policy aims.  The next few weeks will be important.  No pundits believe that a Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill that drags into 2014 has much of a chance at survival.