*Updated, with new information on the bottom…
I've received much criticism from local Democrats over the past year for my constant bashing of Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez for not co-sponsoring the DREAM Act, a bill before the House and Senate that would create a path toward amnesty for undocumented college students. Recently, the Orange County Dream Team ratcheted up their pressure on Loretta as well, calling her out at liberal shindigs this past weekend.
Did their public embarrassment of her work? For the past year, Sanchez had insisted she didn't want to co-sponsor the DREAM Act because she sought a more comprehensive immigration reform bill. But that tune changed late yesterday, when she finally signed on as a co-sponsor.
In other news, the Republican Party announced they now support the takeover of California for Aztlán.
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I'll try to get reactions from people later, including trying to figure out what made Loretta change her mind, but in the meanwhile: congrats, Loretta, on finally going with your constituents and advocating for a group that can't guarantee you anything politically. In honor of your courage, I promise not to badmouth you anymore–for the rest of the day, at least…
*UPDATE: The Orange County Register weighs in with a story, and finds Loretta won't even comment to them about her decision to co-sponsor the DREAM Act, so forget about her talking to us. She won't even talk to the Dream Team, according to members who found out about Loretta's decision to stand by them only because someone randomly went online yesterday to check all the names of representatives who are co-sponsoring the bill and was shocked to find Loretta's name there.
But a source close to Democratic bigwigs in OC who requested anonymity told the Weekly that Loretta was none too happy with the prospects of the Dream Team and their supporters hounding her about the issue until Election Day, especially given she'll be having to campaign harder this cycle than most to stave off the presumptive Republican nominee for the right to get slaughtered by her: state assemblymember Van Tran.
“It just didn't look good to have these Latino college students embarrass Loretta at every event in OC,” said the source.
Loretta and her apologists also weren't thrilled about Dreamers entertaining the idea of helping out Cecilia Iglesias, who is also running in the 47th Congressional District race as an independent but has a GOP background. Unlike Loretta, Iglesias had long come out in favor of the DREAM Act, with no qualifications like the congresswoman would attach to her conditional support. Do as we say, not as what we should do, goes their mantra. God bless the Dreamers for pushing Loretta kicking and screaming into the Left–and for leaving her supporters peeved because of the Dreamers' righteous insolence!
