GOP conflicted on government shutdown if Obama takes action on immigration

PHOENIX — Some congressional Republicans are calling for a government shutdown if President Obama takes executive action on immigration reform, but at least Valley conservative disagrees with that tactic.

Former Mesa Mayor Scott Smith said he opposes executive action by the president, but also said Republicans are not off the hook and need to do their job.

“You can’t force the president to do one thing or another; he’s going to do what he does,” said Smith, who unsuccessfully ran for the Republican nomination in Arizona’s 2014 gubernatorial race.

“You can sit out there and complain about it all day long, but that’s not going to change things. What you want to do is give him a bill. Give him a bill that he has to act on.”

Smith said the country is in need of comprehensive reform that could not be achieved through executive action alone, and the only way to remedy the country’s issues with immigration is to have legislative reform from Congress.

Republican governors are split as to whether Congress should conduct a shutdown if Obama goes forward with executive action on immigration. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie urged Congress to avoid a shutdown.

“It’s incumbent upon everybody in Washington, D.C., to do their jobs. And running the government is their job,” Christie said at the Republican Governors Association annual meting Wednesday. “All this kind of hysteria about shutdowns to me is just people who can make news.”

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said the prospect of a government shutdown is on the shoulders of the president, not Congress.

“I don’t think the president should shut down the government simply because he wants to break the law,” he said.

Smith said Republicans are not providing the kind of leadership the country needs, and that its time to work together to get a bill to the president’s desk.

“Until you’ve given him a bill, I think your rhetoric is empty. I think your rhetoric is not going to be taken seriously,” Smith said. “I think if the Republican members of the House of Representatives actually produced action, whether it be one bill (or) five bills, it would basically call the president’s bluff.”

Smith is hopeful Republicans will pass a bill once the party takes full control of Congress if the president does not take the executive action expected Thursday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.