New Orleans Reading an article in the Phoenix New Times by Stephen Lemons published late last week, makes it hard to believe that immigration reform is really on the agenda this decade, much less this year.  Maybe White House staffer and former Latino GOTV director for the Obama campaign and communications guy, Carlos Odio, was just blowing more air into the desert, but it seemed like he was totally on message, and not much he said augured well for hopes for reform anytime soon.

Here is the tough love Odio brought from the White House:

• • Nothing happens until after health care, a tough fight that is gearing up for the fall from all reports, including today’s Times.
  • Nothing is likely next year in the run-up to the mid-term elections when the Administration will be looking to hunker down.
  • Nothing is going to happen on restricting or curtailing 287(g) utilizing local law enforcement as anti-immigrant Gestapo, and he said this with a shout of the notorious Sheriff Arpaio.
  • Oh, and DREAM act, SCREAM AT, hardly matters, the political wing of the White House doesn’t want a lift on that either.

Odio wanted folks in Phoenix to organize Obama Youth Clubs or some such foolishness.  He is clearly still a campaign hack already working on the next cycle.  That does not excuse him though.  He works for Patrick Gaspard, so this is obviously the real story on how they see the world.

Their message:  we are campaign fodder.  The troubling thing is that many folks still in the post-victory glow are forgetting that with no steak, who cares about the sizzle.

This seems the way they are willing to roll, unless we stop them in their tracks and demand something different.  And, better.

This is all subject to change, but only if we force the change to happen.