The Real Crisis

Last week, the world witnessed an epic and shocking tragedy. Yes, the US Shutdown Sh*tfest hasn't been the only troubling event in the world. Less than a mile off the coast of the Italian island of Lampedusa, a boat containing about 500 African immigrants caught fire and sank. As of yesterday, the Italian Coast Guard has recovered 274 dead bodies.

So far, only 155 people have survived the boat wreck. A few of those who survived have tried explaining to the world why they would embark on such a perilous journey.



And they're not the only ones who have had explaining to do. The European Union has been forced to confront shortcomings in its foreign and immigration policies in the wake of the Lampedusa Tragedy. Why did all these people die? And why have so many risked their lives to crash onto such a tiny island?



Of course, immigration reform isn't just an issue Europe must tackle with. It's also a major issue here in America. But thanks to the G-O-TEA manufactured crisis turned Shutdown Sh*tfest, the issue of comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) has almost completely dropped off the radar in DC.

Yet even in the midst of all the latest and greatest unnecessary drama, some refuse to let CIR die because of insani-TEA run amok. Earlier this week, Reps. Steven Horsford (D-North Las Vegas) and Dina Titus (D-Paradise) joined with House
Democratic leaders to introduce HR 15, the long awaited House
comprehensive immigration reform bill. After waiting over three months for House Republican "leaders" to respond to the Senate's passage of S 744 (the Senate's bipartisan CIR bill), House Democrats are sick and tired of playing an unnecessary waiting game that's constantly been tainted by unnecessary drama.

While our borders haven't recently experienced a singular tragic event like the Lampedusa boat wreck, immigrants here worry about family breakups, loss of work, persecution, and even deadly force. Long story short: the lives of immigrants coming to America are not easy, far from it. Instead, immigrsnt families must overcome numerous hurdles, big and small, just to survive in America.



In the wake of Lampedusa, Europe must confront a host of economic issues at home and abroad. So must America as we witness the many casualties of our broken immigration system. And we will never fix that system until we address the plight of the 11.7 million undocumented immigrants and the reasons why they could not access the "legal way". We've already detailed the economic case for CIR, but there's also a basic humanitarian case to be made.

Why must these people suffer? Why must our immigration system remain broken? And why are so many politicians wasting time on manufactured crises while ignoring the real ones?

Why Can't They Do the Same?

It's over. It's finally over. The crisis is over... In Italy. Former Prime Minister and current "Bunga Bunga" Champion Silvio Berlusconi finally relented and allowed a confidence vote to pass the Italian Parliament so current Prime Minister Enrico Letta can actually have a functioning government to work with.

Lucky him... And lucky Italy. Here in America, we don't have a functioning government. Instead, we have an ongoing G-O-TEA manufactured crisis that's been taking its toll on the nation as the standoff reaches its second day.

Even before the shutdown insani-TEA, austerity was threatening economic recovery. Today, ADP reminded of us of this as it warned of the "softening job market". Austerity has already been taking its toll on the economy. And now, we have unnecessary drama to make matters worse.

For the last few months, we've been reading about political turmoil leading to financial worries in other nations. Just this week, Europe has been jittery over the looming breakdown in Italy. But in the end, Berlusconi relented and the Italian Government was able to save itself. When will G-O-TEA Congresscritters allow our country to do the same?

At least now, we have some good news to report on this front. Republicans' traditional allies on Wall Street are now publicly siding with President Obama after privately scolding G-O-TEA "leaders" over the shutdown melee. And to make matters even worse for those G-O-TEA "leaders", a few House Republicans are beginning to call for the end.

Last night, Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Virginia) took to MSNBC to call for an end to the shutdown showdown.

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So when will Reps. Joe Heck and Mark Amodei do the same? If Silvio Berlusconi can finally let go for the sake of his nation's best interest, why can't more House Republicans do the same?