Reid Moves Forward On DREAM As Senate GOP Pledge To Block Any Legislation That Is Not A Tax Cut For The Rich

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has brought a new DREAM Act bill to the floor of the Senate, with cloture possibly being filed on Thursday, with an actual vote on the legislation ripening on Saturday, with a vote more likely to occur early next week.

The new legislation is different from other versions of the DREAM Act in four ways:

1. There must be 10 years of temporary status vs. the previous 6 years in order to be eligible for benefits.
2. The New Legislation bars those eligible for DREAM Act from access to health care subsidies.
3. The Age cap on those who are eligible is now 30 as opposed to in previous versions where the age was 35.
4. Removal of the language that would have not punished states for providing in-state tuition.

Meanwhile, the Senate GOP have just released a letter saying that they will block votes on any legislation that does not extend the Bush era tax cuts. The tax cuts in question are for those who make over $250,000 a year. As is, Senate Democrats would like to extend the tax cuts to all those who make less than $250,000 and allow the tax cuts for the wealthy to expire. The full letter from the Senate GOP to the Senate Majority Leader is posted HERE.

While it is certainly within the Senate GOP's prerogative to seek to block legislation that they percieve as not helping the economy, holding all legislation back seems counterproductive at best. The DREAM Act is important for the military, as well as giving those who are for all intents and purposes an exemplary part of society an opportunity to excel and further contribute, which ultimately will help the economy.

Beyond the economic merits of the DREAM Act, there is the very real imperative of empowering those within our society who are among those who have the very least to continue to better themselves and contribute to our countries well being. "Our country" is the appropriate term because even though those who would benefit from this legislation are the children of immigrants, this is the only country they have ever known.   The Wall Street Journal editorial board said it best yesterday:

"What is to be gained by holding otherwise law-abiding young people, who had no say in coming to this country, responsible for the illegal actions of others? The Dream Act also makes legal status contingent on school achievement and military service, the type of behavior that ought to be encouraged and rewarded."

At the end of the day every Senator who is wavering in their support of this legislation, should ask themselves what is to be gained from crushing the dreams of those who want nothing more than to contribute to the safety and economic prosperity of the country.