‘The Daily Show’ slams Congress for inaction on immigration reform

With public disapproval of the House of Representatives hovering somewhere around 77%, John Oliver joked on Wednesday’s “Daily Show� that “Congress� is about to become “the English language’s most offensive C-word.�

And the House’s do-nothing reputation isn’t likely to improve, he argued, given that Republican leaders have refused to vote on a comprehensive immigration reform bill already approved with bipartisan support by the Senate.

“Let’s just be honest now. The House is clearly where things go to die. It’s where parents are going to start telling their kids their aging pets went,� Oliver quipped. “Fluffy’s fine, darling, she just went to committee.�

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The host suggested that one particular challenge facing the immigration bill was the, ahem, “misinformation� being spouted by some members of Congress. Case in point: Iowa Rep. Steve King, who shot to infamy last week when he suggested that most undocumented immigrants seeking legal status under the Dream Act are in the country for nefarious purposes.

“For everyone who’s a valedictorian,� he told the conservative website Newsmax, “there’s another 100 out there that weigh 130 pounds and they’ve got calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert.�

After noting that King’s comments are “hard proof� that he doesn’t use drugs -- “Does he have any idea what 75 pounds of marijuana looks like?� -- Oliver suggested that maybe the congressman is simply supporting the will of his constituents.

But even that turns out not to be the case: According to a poll, some 69% of voters in his district support comprehensive immigration reform, with 59% in favor of a pathway to citizenship.

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Nor is “Unrepresentative King� alone in his distrust of immigrants, Oliver noted. There’s also Louisiana’s Rep. John Fleming, who last month said that many who come here do so “ill-prepared for success,� without the skills or education necessary to thrive.

“Exactly! Do we really want these tired, poor, huddled masses in this country?� Oliver asked. “Show me the place where it says that’s what we want! Show me the place!�

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Twitter: @MeredithBlake