When Barbara Boxer gets angry, watch out. She's got a wicked gift for sarcasm and straight talk which she wasn't afraid to use liberally during her 19 minute floor speech on immigration, childish Republicans, and the looming shutdown of the DHS.
The clip above is pared down to include the most delicious moments of her speech. It's still long, but I encourage you to watch it if for no other reason than to enjoy the experience of hearing someone say what we're all thinking.
Here are some teasers:
The Center for American Progress, states it would cost more than $50 Billion to deport the entire population that the president is protecting.
And here's the deal - I've never heard of a Republican (and I will stand corrected if any Republican corrects me) I've never heard of a Republican complaining when President Eisenhower used his executive order power to help immigrants, when President Nixon did the same thing to protect immigrants, when President Ronald Reagan, their hero, protected immigrants, when George Bush Sr. protected immigrants, when George W. protected immigrants, they all used their authority.
Show me one Republican that stood up and said, 'Oh, this is outrageous! Let's impeach the president!' But it's President Obama. And they're annoyed because he won twice. Sorry. Sorry. Wake up and smell the roses. He IS the President. And he is doing the right thing for America, because he loves America.
Oops, take THAT, Rudy Giuliani!
So I say to my Republican friends. There's a presidential race coming. Forget this last one. Get over it. Okay? Let's work together. Listen, I served with five presidents. I'm a strong Democrat. Everyone will tell you that. But I respect the office of the presidency. If I didn't agree with Ronald Reagan, I came down here and said it. But we had the respect back and forth. If we lost, we lost. And we moved on. And that worked both ways. I know what it is not to like the policies of a president. I get it. But don't overdo it and make it so personal. Get on with it.
Grow up. Do your job, you know? Do your job! Have respect for the office of the presidency.
Don't suddenly say executive orders are bad when the president you don't like does it, but you don't say one word when a Republican president does the same thing!
Senator Boxer is a force of nature when she's angry. At no point was she angrier than when she was recalling what might have happened to her if her mother had been deported after she came to this country. After recalling what might have been her fate, she dropped the gauntlet.
Let's hear it. Do you want to deport the DREAMers? Come on with it, and we will have a vote. You want to deport the parents? Come on with it, and we will have a vote. You want to kick 11 million people out of this country? Come on with it, and we will have a vote and debate on it. But don't hold the Department of Homeland Security hostage because of this issue.
And then she dropped the mic.
It's always so refreshing to hear the good guys for a change instead of the nutters at CPAC. Enjoy.
[h/t Daily Kos]
