Is The Immigration Tide Turning?

Several stories out today that may indicate that immigration reform may pass after all.  First is news about a recent hire by Speaker Boehner:

People on both sides of the immigration debate saw House Speaker John Boehner’s decision to hire a longtime advocate for immigration legislation as a sign he may be serious about moving something through the House.

Mr. Boehner is hiring Rebecca Tallent, who most recently has been the director of immigration policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center but worked for Sen. John McCain for many years and was deeply involved in his work to pass an immigration bill during the Bush administration.

Second is a new assessment by Majority Leader Reid.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) will “cave in” on immigration reform, expressing confidence that a proposal will pass the House sometime next year.

Reid on Tuesday said Republicans would sign on to a deal if they ever want to see a GOP president again.

Perhaps more people are paying attention to the economics of regulatory reform captured in the graphic above by the Bipartisan Policy Center (for more see here).

By: Stuart Shapiro

Stuart is a professor and the Director of the Public Policy
program at the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers
University. He teaches economics and cost-benefit analysis and studies
regulation in the United States at both the federal and state levels.
Prior to coming to Rutgers, Stuart worked for five years at the Office
of Management and Budget in Washington under Presidents Clinton and
George W. Bush.