If I were on the Senate floor, that’s what I would have done this afternoon when Sen. McCain shamelessly compared advocates of an amendment that would bar amnestied guest workers from the earned income tax credit to…racists during the Jim Crow era.

Sen. Jeff Sessions explained the rationale for his amendment earlier this week:

I would also just point out I will be offering tomorrow, or soon, an amendment to deal with the earned-income tax credit situation that is raised by this legislation, focusing on the amnesty in the bill and what will happen after amnesty is granted, before they become a full citizen. The Congressional Budget Office has concluded that the earned-income tax credit will pay out to those who came into our country illegally $29 billion over 10 years. The earned-income tax credit has been on the books for some time. It is a good bit larger than most people think. The average recipient of it receives $1,700. Lower-income people get a larger amount. Over half the people who we expect will receive amnesty are without a high school degree. They are receiving lower wages. They will be the ones who will particularly qualify for this. This is a score that has been given to us by the group that is supposed to score it—$29 billion will be paid out.

If they go all the way and become a citizen they will be entitled to this like any other citizen, and they will be entitled to get it under my amendment. But I do not believe we should award people who have entered our country illegally, submitted a false Social Security number, worked illegally—I do not believe we should reward them with $29 billion of the taxpayers’ money. That is a lot of money.

McCain’s response:

What’s next–are we going to say work-authorized immigrants are going to have to ride in the back of the bus?

Watch it.

***

Meanwhile, Rush Limbaugh (whom John McCain attacked as a “nativist“) grilled Tony Snow on immigration and amnesty this afternoon. Expose the Left has the audio.