Cassidy to skip GOP confab

The idea that anyone can ‘save’ the middle class assumes that it’s in danger of disappearing, which it isn’t, and that presidents possess sufficient powers to resurrect it, which they don’t.

Rep. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, said he plans to skip the 2012 Republican National Convention, which begins Tuesday.

Cassidy is bound for Philadelphia instead of Tampa.

His eldest son, Will, next week starts University of Pennsylvania, commonly called Penn.

Vitter backs immigration suit

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., is backing a new lawsuit filed on behalf of 10 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees against the federal government concerning President Barack Obama’s deferred deportation policy for some young illegal immigrants educated in the United States.

The new lawsuit was filed this last week by Kansas’ Republican secretary of state, Kris Coach, acting as attorney for the 10 employees. Coach argues the policy violates federal law and prevents the immigration enforcement agents from doing their jobs.

The new “deferred action” policy specifically applies to those brought to the United States illegally before age 16, and who were 30 or younger as of June 15, provided they lived in the country for five consecutive years and they are in school or have graduated high school, completed a high school equivalency or enlisted in the military.

The “deferred action” grants a two-year reprieve from possible deportation for individuals, not families, but additional renewals are possible. The process is not considered an official path to citizenship and the application fee is $465.

Vitter has criticized Obama’s executive order creating the new policy.

“These agents’ mission is to keep our borders secure, but the head of their agency is directing them otherwise, telling them to undermine their missions and contradict immigration law,” Vitter said in his announcement.

Landry criticizes gay studies

Rep. Jeff Landry, R-New Iberia, continued this past week to draw attention to his effort to get the University of Louisiana at Lafayette to end its academic minor in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender studies.

Landry sent out a news release touting his letter to UL-Lafayette President Joseph Savoie sent Thursday in which Landry contends the university is “placating to political pressures.”

“Diverting your limited resources to advance a political agenda at the expense of our students is unacceptable,” Landry wrote.

University officials have repeatedly said the academic minor in LGBT studies is using only existing faculty and courses in the sociology department and does not cost extra money.

Savoie also wrote to Landry that succumbing to “outside pressure and influence” from politicians or religious organizations could put the academic accreditation of the university at risk.

Landry concluded his most recent letter with a plea for ULL to “put our people over politics and end the LGBT minor.”

Savoie has contended that LGBT-related coursework is an accepted area of study that has been offered at roughly 200 universities nationwide for nearly 50 years.

With its roots in sociology, the LGBT minor could help prepare students for careers as counselors, personnel directors, teachers, social workers, criminal justice professionals, health care providers and managers, Savoie has said.

Jordan Blum is chief of The Advocate’s Washington bureau. His email address is [e-mail].