Once again, Florida Republicans crushed the hopes of Florida DREAMers.
That’s how the Florida Democratic Party sees it.
In an email to supporters, the FDP highlights how Tallahassee Republicans fought “among themselves” over whether young undocumented immigrants — identified as “Florida Hispanics” –should be allowed to pay in-state tuition at public colleges and universities.
Sen. Jack Latvala says immigrant tuition bill “over,” after Senate Appropriations Chair John Thrasher ruled last-minute attempts to pass the in-state college tuition bill as “out of order.”
Oh, the pain of parliamentary procedure.
“The Republican Party has once again shown its mean-spirited, anti-Hispanic agenda,” said FDP Political Director Christian Ulvert adding that Florida Republicans “sided with their extremist Tea Party base” to deny affordable education to “bright young children.”
“Whether it’s bigotry or pandering,” Ulvert adds, “Tallahassee Republicans just cannot stop disrespecting Florida’s Hispanic community.”
Ulvert glosses over one fact, that in-state tuition for undocumented students was a bipartisan issue, actively supported by none other than House Speaker Will Weatherford.
To cast all Republicans as “pandering” or “bigoted” is just too broad, and certainly doesn’t help matters, especially when the bill enjoyed ample GOP support.
Nevertheless, being realistic would be too “nuanced” for a political email, wouldn’t it?
