According to the
Congressional Budget Office, the Senate immigration bill grows the economy,
cuts deficits, raises wages, legalizes eight million undocumented workers,
makes the American workforce more productive, and adds more than 10 million
workers to an aging economy.
Congressional Budget Office, the Senate immigration bill grows the economy,
cuts deficits, raises wages, legalizes eight million undocumented workers,
makes the American workforce more productive, and adds more than 10 million
workers to an aging economy.
That’s how Ezra
Klein of the Washington Post sums up the new CBO report and here’s his description
of the reaction from the “Gang of Eight” senators and immigration reform
supporters:
Klein of the Washington Post sums up the new CBO report and here’s his description
of the reaction from the “Gang of Eight” senators and immigration reform
supporters:
“This isn’t just
a good CBO report. It’s a wildly good CBO report. They’re basically saying
immigration reform is a free lunch: It cuts the deficit by growing the economy.
It makes Americans better off and it makes immigrants better off. At a time
when the U.S. economy desperately needs a bit of help, this bill, according to
the CBO, helps. And politically, it forces opponents of the bill onto the
ground they’re least comfortable occupying: They have to argue that immigration
reform is bad for cultural or ethical reasons rather than economic ones.”
a good CBO report. It’s a wildly good CBO report. They’re basically saying
immigration reform is a free lunch: It cuts the deficit by growing the economy.
It makes Americans better off and it makes immigrants better off. At a time
when the U.S. economy desperately needs a bit of help, this bill, according to
the CBO, helps. And politically, it forces opponents of the bill onto the
ground they’re least comfortable occupying: They have to argue that immigration
reform is bad for cultural or ethical reasons rather than economic ones.”
While the bill
increases spending by $262 billion over 10 years, it increases revenue by $459
billion, for a deficit reduction of $197 billion in total. Additionally, it
projects $690 billion in deficit reduction in the second decade of
implementation, from 2024 to 2033.
increases spending by $262 billion over 10 years, it increases revenue by $459
billion, for a deficit reduction of $197 billion in total. Additionally, it
projects $690 billion in deficit reduction in the second decade of
implementation, from 2024 to 2033.
As is often the
case on Capitol Hill these days, lawmakers praise CBO reports when the numbers
help their cause. And when the numbers don’t back them up, they simply choose
not to believe them.
case on Capitol Hill these days, lawmakers praise CBO reports when the numbers
help their cause. And when the numbers don’t back them up, they simply choose
not to believe them.
“The bill’s
drafters relied on the same scoring gimmicks used by the Obamacare drafters to
conceal its true cost from taxpayers and to manipulate the CBO score,” GOP Sen.
Jeff Sessions of Alabama said in a statement.
drafters relied on the same scoring gimmicks used by the Obamacare drafters to
conceal its true cost from taxpayers and to manipulate the CBO score,” GOP Sen.
Jeff Sessions of Alabama said in a statement.
Klein wrote on
his Wonkbook blog that the CBO report will provide marginal help in rounding up
Republican votes for the Senate immigration bill. But the biggest impact may be
on the tone of the debate:
his Wonkbook blog that the CBO report will provide marginal help in rounding up
Republican votes for the Senate immigration bill. But the biggest impact may be
on the tone of the debate:
“Ultimately, the
CBO report rips a layer of artifice from the immigration debate. Few critics of
immigration reform really base their opposition on concerns about the deficit
or the economy. Their real concern with immigration is cultural and
sociological. But that’s dangerous political ground. It’s easier to frame
opposition using the bloodless language of the budget than the combustible
language of national character and composition.
CBO report rips a layer of artifice from the immigration debate. Few critics of
immigration reform really base their opposition on concerns about the deficit
or the economy. Their real concern with immigration is cultural and
sociological. But that’s dangerous political ground. It’s easier to frame
opposition using the bloodless language of the budget than the combustible
language of national character and composition.
“That’s the real
damage the CBO did to the anti-immigration caucus. It took the bloodless
language of the budget away from them. It left them only with their real
concerns — the ones they’d prefer not to emphasize. That will perhaps lead to a
slightly more truthful debate about immigration reform, but one that is much
more dangerous for the anti-reform side, and for the Republican Party.”
damage the CBO did to the anti-immigration caucus. It took the bloodless
language of the budget away from them. It left them only with their real
concerns — the ones they’d prefer not to emphasize. That will perhaps lead to a
slightly more truthful debate about immigration reform, but one that is much
more dangerous for the anti-reform side, and for the Republican Party.”
