Shamnesty document drop: The “Clay Pigeon” amendment Update: Pounding Reid…and getting your RNC refund Update: House GOP passes anti-amnesty resolution
10:43pm Eastern. Here’s an easy-to-use, interactive video phone guide to the shamnesty senators who voted YEA on cloture today.
10:15pm Eastern update. A reader wants to know whether the Georgia Republican Senators’ amendments are in the clay pigeon package. Yes, they are there. But remember to take all this amendment talk with a grain of salt. These are being used to try and buy off shamnesty votes. They are amendments in name only.
Anyway, the Chambliss amendment relating to Social Security totalization agreements is here. The Isakson preemption/Home Depot amendment is here.
9:12pm Eastern update. The clay pigeon package is now searchable and linkable, thanks to the indispensable NZ Bear.
Ed Morrissey is wading through the amendment package. Here are a few of the quick points he has already raised:
POINT 1: Page 21, lines 12-16, apparently reinstated the 24-hour limit on probationary background checks. Remember when they promised to fix that so that no one would get a probationary card without passing the full background check? I guess they broke that promise.
POINT 2: Page 29, lines 12-end: The Z-visa has unlimited 4-year terms. I don’t think this is a change, but shouldn’t the immigrant at some point actually immigrate?
POINT 3: Page 33, lines 19-25: Z-visa non-immigrants over the age of 65 are not expected to maintain employment in order to remain eligible to be in the US. Again, why would they be here if they’re not working and not applying for a regular immigration status?
POINT 7: Page 69, line 20: The DREAM Act, providing scholarships for the children of illegal immigrants, still exists in the bill.
POINT 8: Page 89-90, lines 22-04: The 24-hour limit on background checks still holds within the Ag Workers section (the temporary guest worker program). If it takes longer than 24 hours, they get their credentials. (h/t: commenter Redherkey)
POINT 9: Page 92, lines 14-15: Do I read this correctly? The new limit on guest-worker visas is now 1,500,000 — not counting dependent Z-A visas? Wasn’t this originally 400,000 and reduced by half later?
7:20pm Eastern update.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The House Republican Conference today by 114 to 23 passed a resolution introduced by U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) that expresses opposition to the Senate immigration bill. “Today’s vote illustrates overwhelming opposition among Republicans in the House to the Senate immigration bill and the process in which it was developed,” Hoekstra said. “The Republican Conference has always advocated for immigration reform, but the Senate bill is bad public policy that does not reflect our position.” The text of the Hoekstra resolution is as follows: “Resolved the House GOP Conference disapproves of the Senate immigration bill.” “We have always reserved concerns about the policies that it advocates, but until now we have remained on the sidelines,” Hoekstra said. “It is important that we publicly express our opposition to the Senate bill before consideration is complete.”
Townhall.com’s Dean Barnett, subbing for Hugh Hewitt on the radio, notes that a large number of House GOP members sat out the vote. That is disturbing.
***
I’ve just received the PDF file of the 373-page “Clay Pigeon” amendment.
The blogosphere’s open-source intelligence-gatherers will be integral in digesting this thing. Dig in.
***
To borrow Glenn’s phrase and Allah’s metaphorical application, what’s needed right now: An army of legislative skeet-shooters.
***
While I wait for my printer to churn out this piece of clay pigeon poop, let me reiterate just how crummy this process is. The Grand Schemers drop this thing in on a Tuesday evening and expect they’ll be ramming it through–in as little as 48 hours–on Thursday or Friday with severely limited debate again.
Crummy. Stanley Kurtz is right:
Something about this immigration battle doesn’t sit well. For all the bitterness of our political battles, there’s at least the sense that the government responds to the drift of public opinion. The Republicans in Congress turned into big spenders and the war in Iraq went poorly. As a result the Democrats prospered in 2006, if narrowly. That’s how democracy works. Our politics are often angry and ugly (and that’s a problem), but this is because the public is deeply divided on issues of great importance. Deep down, we understand that our political problems reflect our own divisions.
Somehow this immigration battle feels different. The bill is wildly unpopular, yet it’s close to passing. The contrast with the high-school textbook version of democracy is not only glaring and maddening, it’s downright embarrassing. Usually, even when we’re at each others’ throats, there’s still an underlying pride in the democratic process. This immigration battle strips us of even that pride.
I’m still stuck on the way this bill was going to be pushed through without a public airing of crucial provisions, in the two or three days before Memorial Day recess. But I should be stuck even further back–on the way this bill was cooked up in a backroom deal that bypassed the ordinary process of public hearings. We take them for granted, but those civics textbook fundamentals are there for a reason. We’re going to pay a steep price for setting the fundamentals aside.
Update:
Flashback..
“The Senate conducts most of its business by cooperation and consent. The minority provides that consent with the expectation that the courtesies it extends to the majority will be met with respect for minority rights. And no Senate right is more fundamental than the right to debate.”
- Senator Harry Reid, March 15, 2005
Letter to then Majority Leader Bill Frist
More:
U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) said Tuesday that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid bears responsibility for the immigration bill after Reid used his powers to guarantee votes on a few amendments while blocking all others. According to the Senate historian, this has never been done before in U.S. history.
“Senator Reid has been trying to portray this immigration nightmare as solely the responsibility of President Bush, but today we saw just how bad Reid wants it. He used his power as Majority Leader to manipulate and abuse the rules of the Senate to ram this bill down our throats. He has set up a process that guarantees votes on a few amendments while blocking all others. This has never been done before, and it’s the most heavy-handed and rigged thing I have ever seen. This bill may have Ted Kennedy’s name on it but it belongs to Harry Reid now.”
After the Senate voted to cut off debate on the question of whether to resurrect the Senate immigration bill, Senator Reid set up unique debate process that guarantees votes several hand-picked amendments but blocks consideration of all others. Senator Reid used a parliamentary tool called a “clay pigeon” to divide a giant amendment into multiple amendments and then moved to block all others. No other member of the Senate besides Reid could have accomplished all of this without being stopped by another Senator. No other Majority Leader in history has done this.
“Republicans need to take a step back and realize what happened today. Senator Reid turned the Senate into the House and fundamentally undermined minority rights,” said Senator DeMint. “I was always told the Senate was the saucer that cooled the pot, but Senator Reid is forcing us to drink straight from the spout. Republicans better wake up soon or they can expect Senator Reid to use this tactic in the future to raise taxes, increase spending, and weaken our national security.”
All true. But it doesn’t take away the slap in the face the GOP Grand Schemers and the White House administered when they decided to collaborate on this nightmare.
Speaking of holding Republicans accountable, check out the latest in our anti-amnesty Hot Air ads:
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- FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog
- Captain's Quarters
- Doing What Clay Pigeons Do at Conservative Times--Republican GOP news source.
- Having Some Clay Pigeon for Dinner (S 1639 Immigration Bill) « Utah Rattler
- Doing What Clay Pigeons Do (Updating Through The Evening) at Conservative Times--Republican GOP news source.
- List of Shamnesty Republicans : 186k Per Second
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Categories: Amnesty, Document drop
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I have not had a good feeling about Georgia since Jimma Caarter, but have high hopes for my two senators that have continued to oppose, with discussion and merit, shamnesty.
Fools. Congress tried to lock the PDF. They did this to prevent copying text from the PDF into an easy to search and annotate Word document.
That protection took about 10 seconds to remove. HA!
If I’m reading it correctly, it says that illegals won’t be deported if “the alien demonstrates that the alien’s departure from the United States would result in extreme hardship to the alien, or the alien’s spouse, parent, or child”. I wonder what would define “extreme hardship”. No longer living in the US?
Thanks Michelle.
I understand now, instead of illegal aliens they are “nonimmigrants”, and instead of amnesty its called “permitting them to lawfully remain in the U.S.”
I’ve been such a bigot to think it was amnesty.
No amnesty for the law breaking foreign invaders!
amerpun “I wonder what would define “extreme hardship”. No longer living in the US?”
No longer being able to watch Oprah (with Spanish subtitles)?
My computer is choking on this thing - looks like I’ll have to switch to “Veesta.”
ExCarMagGuy said:
“Fools. Congress tried to lock the PDF. They did this to prevent copying text from the PDF into an easy to search and annotate Word document.”
Surely you’re not suggesting the Grand Scammers don’t want the public to know what they’re up to? lol
I’ve converted the pdf into plain text format and uploaded to a free online file storage site so folks can download it:
clay-pigeon-amendment (plain text format)
(I know - don’t call you “Shirley”!)
How much more do we have to take? I’m calling DC every day. (Grahamnesty’s on speed dial) Yes, I’m in SC. I read somewhere today a suggestion that Fred run as the “Reagan Party” candidate. Interesting thought…
as far as the fools in the present govt. are concerned
- the phrase ” be careful what you wish for comes to mind … “
El Chupacabra said:
-instead of illegal aliens they are “nonimmigrants” -
What hyphenated euphemism is next? “Backup-Americans”?
Watching the Senate on C-Span 2.
Are they going to read the entire amendment?
OMG……
Why even honor those law abiding immigrants with a naturalization ceremony?
With this bill it’s an insult.
Isn’t it ironic that as we prepare to celebrate our independence we are inching closer and closer to losing it.
I hate to be a conspiracy theorist, but I just get the feeling that there is some big stuff at play here that the American People could never fathom.
The amendment gives me a headache.
For those who may not be sure where to catch it online - CSPAN live video:
CSPAN 2 - Senate live video feed
Our Senators could have the clerk read the bill. Why hasn’t this happened? Will the clerk read the amendment? Where are the points of order?
By summary: What’s up with the no-amnesty side? We came to work, right?
“We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.” (Abraham Lincoln, 1809-65)
I’m worried that they ultimately don’t understand this and the consequences for all.
Kurtz has gleaned an essential truth that we should stop and look at; this bill is going to pass the Senate despite the overwhelming opposition of the American people.
It will probably fail in the House (I predict Pelosi won’t even bother to bring it up for a vote). But what it says about the Senate is profoundly disturbing.
The bill’s backers are among the largest contributors to political campaigns - the Chamber, NAM, and other large business PAC’s as well as big individual corporations known for political activism. By thumbing their nose at the people like this, the Senate is essentially saying that the people don’t matter, that we know what’s best.
The Senate can afford to do this given that 2/3 of its members are not running in 2008. But most of us have very long memories and I daresay that if they go ahead and demonstrate they don’t care very much what we think then the feeling will be returned in spades when it comes time for their re-election.
The Raging Republican said:
RR, I don’t think it requires a conspiracy theory inasmusch as they are pretty upfront on their intent to - as Lou Dobbs puts it - “scr-w the middle class”. (Along with everyone else)
From a quick cursory read, the basics of this still suck.
The Z visa is still 24-hour SHALL issue mandate, complete with foreign travel privileges (not just home country)
English requirement is still 12 years after application (end of SECOND four year EXTENSION of Z-visa)
I haven’t seen any additional scrutiny for nationals of terror-associated countries (Hewitt’s point)
The Senate has sold America out. Shame on them.
Wow, the CBS Evening News just did a 12 SECOND story concerning the shamnesty bill.
Thanks a bunch for all of that great reporting.
First story - Republicans speak out against Bush and Iraq plan of course…
So lets just put a price on all lawbreakers…illegal drug distribution…$5000, rape $10,000, murder $20,000..we can save money and shut down our prison systems. Evidently our lawmakers can put a price on lawlessness!
Idiots are still idiots whether they are in the Senate or not. This bill should never have seen the light of day again.
purplepeep,
Thanks for converting this into .txt format - for some reason, I was getting error messages in my browser when trying to download the .pdf file from the link.
I’ll start “digging in” to it as Michelle suggested.
Rick Moran - “The bill’s backers are among the largest contributors to political campaigns - the Chamber, NAM, and other large business PAC’s as well as big individual corporations [Tysons Foods, Del Monte, McDonald’s, Carl Junior’s, etc., etc., more etc.]known for political activism. By thumbing their nose at the people like this, the Senate is essentially saying that the people don’t matter, that we know what’s best.
They have truly sold out to those who want to legalize and institutionalize and increase a serf class in the country of Lincoln.
Grrrr…I’m at the “last straw” stage.
Despite weasel Chertoff’s claims, Z Visa holders will NOT have to pay any back taxes. As I read it, tax liability is limited to the year of application.
It just keeps getting worse and worse. This bill is complete amnesty. Nothing more. I would love to know what is being promised in the back rooms to get these “republicans” to vote for this sham.
My guess is it’s over 1 million in cash AND residency on the new palm islands in Dubai.
What traitors.
I hear and see people talking about what will happen next election. I can tell you right now that what they are counting on is the very, very short memory people have about things like this. Lots of people are all churned up about this right now, but in two years…
The Senate no longer reflects the electorate, and hasn’t in a long time. The House is slipping further away. All that is required is for good men to do nothing.
Ann Coulter’s on hardball right now doing her thing !
You’re most welcome, sapientia. It’s a “rough” direct-from-pdf conversion, but it’ll do in a pinch.
Purplepeep,
Nice job on the conversion.
Sapentia,
If you are having trouble opening the PDF in your browser, download it first to your PC (Right Click the link, “Save Target as…). Once sucessfully downloaded, open it in Acrobat Reader.
lol - all I did was click to convert it. But thanks anyway, ExCarMagGuy, hope it’s of some use!
I am a patriot in with no Party. I feel so betrayed by those I voted for. This is the most disgusting display of outright disrespect for our Country and for our Citizens.
Off Topic, but not completely.
Our Strategy in Iraq is Not Working - Richard Lugar
Richard Lugar is as brilliant and realistic as Jorge “ROP” Arbusto is “dumber than a box of rocks” and delusional.
IMHO, of course.
Adobe Reader can be sluggish & quirky, I usually use “Foxit Reader” for PDF files. (I believe there’s also a freeware version of it)
I avoid a lot of IE problems in using “Maxthon”, a freeware browser that wraps around (uses) IE but is much less lunky and has all sorts of nifty extras (e.g “AdHunter” to turn off ads in webpages).
I like to go as fast and light as possible!
Our only hope is with the House. The reality challenged Senate (with the exception of a brave and small minority) has written their ticket out of the Senate.
I wish we could throw those asses in jail.
Well, I’m so disgusted with the president and with the corporations/chamber of commerce right now, that I’m starting to feel like a liberal.
This is confusing. I thought they were our allies.
Here is a fair trade:
We keep all 12 million
illegalsundocumented Americans, and Mexico takes Harry Reid off of our hands!Here is an idea
12,000,000 x $8000 = $96,000,000,000/year
That is a low estimate of the per year cost of illegals in this country. That is what the taxpayers will pay.
Instead, offer a $500 dollar reward for citizens to turn in illegals (to be paid upon capture) and let’s figure $300 for a plane ticket out of the country. That’s roughly $800.
12,000,000 x $800 = $9,600,000,000 one time cost to deport 12 million illegals.
Now to all those that say it is impossible or not feasible or too expensive to deport the illegals, basic math and a simple plan shows otherwise. I’d rather pay $9 billion to get rid of them than $96 billion per year to keep them.
Also, Lets not just fight Congress lets pressure the border states Governors to order their respective gaurd units to close the border. They don’t have to ask for federal approval. Threaten them with the loss of their jobs too.
This is the death pf the Republican party. How can anyone of the Republican Senate ever expect the support of it’s base. After calling us STUPID, BIGOTED AND LOUDMOUTHED. and then pxxing down our backs with this Bill
Remind each 2008er that they have 496 days left & counting. Don’t let that closed door hit them on the way out. thank you.
This isn’t the end but only just the beginning.
1. Keep calling, day and night, until the coingress gets the message of the people whose will it is they are supposed to represent.
This was only clouture. The bill itself still needs to run the course.
2. Let your senators know how proud you are of those who voted against this monstrosity, and how good they are in the face of adversity and how you will support them with loyalty. That reinforcement really helps.
3. Let the Republican traitors know just how much you won’t forgive them if this passes, and how tirelessly you will work to ensure they are not the Republican candidate in the next cycle - that you will never forgive this.
4. Write letters to newspaper editors, online venues and the like.
This has become more than a boarders/complexion of America issue. This is now also a matter of corruption in the way Reid is using his power. If he ultimately succeeds, the effect on democracy in this country could be prfound for decades to come.
DON’T GIVE UP FIGHTING. JUST FIGHT HARDER!!!
I wouldn’t vote for an amnesty supporter even if he were the last person alive on the planet.
From Captain,s Quarters
Sigh. It reads the same way to me. What were those Senators smoking?
Whoops, re my #46, Captain’s Quarters
And it took my local and state police departments more than nine weeks to complete my background check for a pistol permit…
stevem said: “And it took my local and state police departments more than nine weeks to complete my background check for a pistol permit…
It probably took them 8 weeks to investigate why you didn’t speak Spanish.
I’m getting a bad feeling about the House. If the Hoekstra vote was only 114 to 23, that means we’re talking about probably 40 Republicans who will join most of the Democrats in passing this. The D’s could even excuse some of their more “conservative” members and have enough to pass - remember, they only need 218 and we know Bush will sign this piece of garbage.
Enforce the existing laws first!!
It is laughable how ridicules this bill is and the Senate is a deck of cards with nothing but Jokers in it. Vote these Morons out!
“Some people are intelligent enough to realize that there are some issues, llike the Supreme Court, where we are better off with Republcans.”
In another generation, if the amnesty passes, the LaRaza wing of the El Dimocrato party will win the Presidency and the Senate. They will pass and the new El Presidente Alberto will sign a new law expanding the U.S. Supreme Court to 19 members. Rafael, Ramirez, Ramiro, Raul, Renau, Roman, Sandro, Santiago, Sergio and Toraidio will be the new members. So it really won’t make any difference then, will it?
“Grown-ups sometimes have to make difficult choices.”
Mental patients sometimes have to take their meds.
Comment by GOP, The G is for gag | 6/26/2007 - 10:22 pm
I have never before in my lifetime witnessed such an important political event as this amnesty cloture vote today and been clueless as to why and how it happened. Republican and Democrat citizens alike hate the bill and want the same thing; enforcement first. Didn’t matter. I know the politicians are looking for votes and cheap labor but 70% of their constituents didn’t like this amnesty bill. Didn’t matter. Democrat Senators ignored their constituents but so what, that’s nothing new. But our guys not only alienated their base but managed to take ownership of this godforsaken piece of excrement in a Democrat controlled congress. Quite a feat. Slick. And they were bullheaded about it too, refusing to answer the phone or respond to virtually any type of correspondence other than personal visits. Did they lock their constituent offices, too? Our own President and Republican Senators called us names like “nativists” and “bigots” and accused us of not knowing what was in the Bill, yet did little to illuminate us as to its contents. Did they know what was in the bill?
Other than Robert Rector at the Heritage Foundation did anyone address the costs associated with the Bill? Did anyone address the health concerns associated with an invasion of unscreened people which could amount to 20% of our current population? And what about the threat of terror coming across our borders?
And what a disappointment one of our Senators turned out to be. That would be Richard Burr of North Carolina who is a neighbor of mine here in Winston-Salem. So much for the next neighborhood picnic.
And for what? This is the most confounding part of all. Why would you stop representing your constituents and risk political oblivion to support this? Money? Promises from the leadership or the president? Why? Time to rethink the 17th amendment. It’s lame.
Who represents us? Laura Ingraham, Michelle, NRO, Rush, Mark Levin, Ace, Savage and so many others on the net and talk radio, that’s who. And now our elected representatives, including prominent Republicans, are talking about having to “do something about that.” It’s bizarro world. Up is down and right is left. (Left remains left, of course.)
Makes me wonder.
Fight Now … or forever hold your peace.
Another disturbing aspect of this piece of garbage is that it specifically preempts state or local efforts to discourage or punish illegal immigration by forbidding states and localities from requiring employers to use the EEV system to verify that workers are legal.
It’s not enough, apparently, for these Washington clowns to water down the law; they have to enfeeble the states and localities as well, so that they guarantee that all attempts to discourage illegal employment are foiled.
What still suprises me is the requirement that it takes 3 or more misdemeanors to disqualify someone from receiving a Z visa (Page 6, lines 10-11). I guess this was the still the same as the original bill, but you can have a person convicted twice of domestic abuse or DUI or child molestation and still be allowed to apply for the Z Visa. Now I know why Luis Gutierrez said on Meet the Press “If you’ve committed a felony, you’re not eligible” instead of committed a crime.
P.S. I called Gutierrez’s office and told that I was pointing out a “ticky-tac” thing when I asked why he mentioned felony instead of any general crime. And was assured that Mr. Gutierrez does not support any criminal being eligible for a Z-visa.
All those businesses who have employed illegal aliens and paid them under the table get amnesty from tax law prosecutions as well.
The biggest lie in this bill are all those “subject to the availability of funds” border and enforcement agents it says will be hired over 5 years beginning in FY 2008. Congress and President Bush have funded only half of the border agents, ICE agents, and detention bedspaces the laws passed since 9/11 authorized.
I ploughed through the whole mess and I can’t decide which of these amendments I like best:
Pg. 345: Establishment of a
Bridge to NowhereCitizenship and Immigration Services in Fairbanks, Alaska.Pg. 278: Strengthening of American Citizenship (for illegals, of course) wants to give out $500 grants for people to learn English. Yay! It also wants to establish a “US Citizenship Foundation” in DC (some senator’s cousin needs a job, I guess).
Pg. 294: Asylum rehearings for Iraqis whose claim was denied by immigration judges due to “changed country conditions.”
Pg. 344: “Authority for Aliens with Probationary status to serve in the armed forces.” As soon as that extensive 24-hour security check is done, the Senate says: Uncle Sam wants YOU!
Pg. 345: “Consultation with Congress” appears to eliminate the President’s role in certifying those laughable enforcement “triggers.” They want to leave GW out, after all his hard work. Oh, the humanity!
Just heard my Congress woman on the radio, Hirano (Moron-HI), the Amnesty Bill is flawed. We need unlimited chain migration for families because that is what makes America strong. Right. it is the opposite. Watching these inbred Muslims and driving by Spanish slums in our cities, it is obvious that integration and intermarriage is what built this country. Chain families destroy the nation.
Senator and Chief PorkMonkey Ted Stevens strikes again!
This bill just keeps on giving!
A refund? That implies that the RNC has deserved my money sometime recently.
Sad to say, that hasn’t been the case.
Well yeah there is that.
If Reid can pull this rabbit out the hat what does clay pigeon portend for the future?
Could the worst be yet to come?
I want to know who voted against and especially what GOP members didn’t vote at all on the Hoekstra resolution. Those are the people we have to pressure. And they’re all up for re-election next year so they might be able to hear us.
We need to get recall petitions going on the Senate traitors.
GOP=Corruption
DEM=Oppurtunity
Read the whole thing.
You know what Raging Republican you are far from alone. I was talking to a few friends today as I did a job most Americans wont do ( mow my own lawn )
we were discussing the fact that this bill was dead, finished, kaput. The only reason we could see for its rise from the dead was to drive the wedge deeper between Conservatives and the GOP.
Librals have to love the division because that opens the door for them to hold and possibly gain more power. Once that happens shamnesty will be the least of our worries.
Reminder everyone, here’s the link to Inhofe’s Kill the Bill Petition as is endorsed by Powerline:
http://www.securebordersnow.com/
Hint: there’s no limit to the number of emails you can send and you can pretty much pull any name out of your you-know-what, put @yahoo.com in back of it, and chances are it’s a valid email address.
You are exactly right BluegrassHindu. No matter if it’s a conspiracy or not. If this passes (I think it will), then those who already think they are our masters, and run this country, will believe they have the upper hand.
They will then set about to totally destroy the middle class, which has already taken a big hit.
What do you want to bet that they will pass it on July 4th, as an “in your face” to the citizens?!?
Here is Newt’s take on the immigration problem. I for one would vote him in as President any day of the week!
Long……copy/paste;
Those who are trying to force through the Bush-Kennedy-McCain immigration proposal argue that only their version of comprehensive reform will work. They are simply wrong.
Forget that their bill is impossible to implement and that there is no evidence the federal government could possibly administer a Z visa for 12 million-plus (your government cannot tell you to within a million what the number is) people who are here illegally.
A core failure of the Bush-Kennedy-McCain bill is that it makes the problem bigger than it needs to be. By trying to force a single solution in one bill, it makes the system even more unworkable and more likely to fail. By accepting the government’s failure to keep its word for the last 21 years (since the passage of Simpson-Mazzoli in 1986), the Bush-Kennedy-McCain plan both increases the number of people who will be legalized despite their illegal behavior and sends a signal to others to come to America illegally in the expectation that there will inevitably be a third wave of amnesty as we “bow to reality” (in Secretary Chertoff’s phrase) once again about 2017.
Before you believe any of the promises to keep the government’s word THIS TIME see the eerily parallel quotes from the 1986 debate.
There is a dramatically better and simpler alternative. It will lead to fewer people being in America illegally. It will lead to a nation confident that its laws will be enforced. It will signal the world that you can come to America legally but you will not be able to come illegally. It will signal to every American that their uniquely American civilization will be renewed and strengthened.
This approach is far better than the Bush-Kennedy-McCain bill.
Ten Simple, Direct Steps to a Legal American Immigration System
Keep the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli commitment and control the border. In The Reagan Diaries (HarperCollins, May 22, 2007), President Ronald Reagan wrote that he was going to sign the Simpson-Mazzoli bill because “it’s high time we regained control of our borders and [this] bill will do this.” For national security reasons, it is vital we regain control of our border. Congress should pass a narrowly written emergency border bill to finish the necessary fence in less than a year and to have complete border control within two years.
Announce an immediate shift of Internal Revenue Service resources to audit companies that are deliberately hiring people illegally. We do not have to focus on deporting those who want to work. We need to focus on the Americans who are getting richer by deliberately breaking our laws, hiring people illegally and failing to pay taxes. These people are cheating their own country. We should focus on fining and making it economically impractical for Americans to deliberately encourage law breaking. Economic penalties for knowingly hiring someone who is illegal should rise dramatically with each employer (including subcontractors) conviction, making it simply too expensive to cheat. This will eliminate the magnet of illegal jobs, will begin to diminish the flow of new illegal workers and will lead some illegal workers to return home voluntarily.
Outsource to American Express, Visa or MasterCard the job of building a real-time verification system so that honest companies can confirm the legal status of all workers and identify people with forged papers before they hire them as fast as your automatic teller machine identifies you and gives you money in a matter of seconds. We must distinguish between companies that deliberately hire illegal workers and companies that hire people who they believe are legal. It is the government’s duty to help this second group of companies by providing a real-time verification system for identifying the legal status of all workers so that it is possible to screen out those with illegal documents. The government should outsource the creation of this system so that it is easy, fast and accurate.
Focus deportation efforts on criminals. Those who claim that opponents of the Bush-Kennedy-McCain bill support mass deportations are simply wrong. We want a system in which honest work is available for law-abiding workers and in which the natural attrition of declining job availability will reduce illegal behavior. However, there is one group that should be deported immediately, and the law should be modified to make it easy to do so. Criminals have no future in America. In every major city and increasingly in small cities and even small towns, gangs have become a problem and people feel a rising sense of insecurity. There are at least 30,000 illegal gang members now in the United States. The system should focus on deporting criminals so that people who are here illegally understand that breaking the law will get them deported immediately.
Cut off all federal aid to any city, county or state that refuses to investigate if a criminal is here illegally. These so-called “sanctuary cities” are in effect abetting the violation of American law and increasing the risk to honest, law-abiding Americans. They should be cut off from all federal aid if they refuse to help enforce federal law.
Offer intensive education in English to anyone who wants to learn English, and make English the official language of government. This will begin to reassert the commitment to assimilation and Americanization that has historically been part of legal immigration to America.
Ensure that becoming an American citizen requires passing a test on American history in English and giving up the right to vote in any other country.
Within the context of these proven changes, establish an economically driven temporary worker program like the Krieble Foundation proposals. Any temporary worker would have to pass a background check to ensure they are not a criminal, would have to give biometric information (retinal scan and thumbprint) for a special card that would be outsourced to American Express, MasterCard or Visa so it would be harder to defraud and counterfeit, and would have to sign a contract committing them to pay taxes and obey the law or be removed from the United States within two weeks without recourse to long court processes.
Create a special open-ended worker visa for high value workers who bring specialized education, entrepreneurial talent or capital that will grow the American economy and make America a more prosperous country.
Workers who came here illegally but have a good work relationship and community ties (including family), should have first opportunity to get the new temporary worker visas, but instead of paying penalties, they should be required to go home and get the visa at home. This way they are beginning their new career in America by obeying the law. It is amazing that those who advocate a large fine and the new Z visa, which would be administered in a hopelessly expedited manner, suggest that going home to get a new legal admission to the U.S. is somehow too complicated. If people can break the law by entering the county illegally, they should be able to obey the law and enter America legally.
These 10 steps would lead to a controlled border, a profound revitalization of the core values of American civilization, a renewed respect for the law and an economically driven system of legal temporary workers in an orderly and controllable manner.
This program would work vastly better than the dishonest and hopelessly complex Bush-Kennedy-McCain proposal now being pushed so hard by the establishment against the wishes of most Americans.
Why the Bush-Kennedy-McCain Immigration Bill Is Worse Then You Think
And make no mistake about it: the Bush-McCain-Kennedy immigration bill has to be stopped, once and for all. It was bad to begin with, and the Senate isn’t making it any better. And it’s not like they haven’t had the opportunities. Consider these votes:
An amendment offered by Republican Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota would have closed the gaping hole in our national security created by so-called “sanctuary cities” — cities in which city policy forbids police from even inquiring about the immigration status of people they arrest. DEFEATED.
An amendment offered by Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas would have denied legal status under the bill to gang members. DEFEATED.
An amendment offered by Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma would have required congressionally approved certification that concrete border security and internal law enforcement measures have taken place before the amnesty and guest-worker provisions of the bill are implemented. DEFEATED.
Thanks for posting that link to NRO. I was wondering why so many pages of the bill were dedicated to “Unaccompanied Alien Children,” since no one, to my knowledge, has mentioned this as a one of those major problems that needs instant fixing with this massive legislative mess.
Now we know it’s there to weaken national sovereignty.
GOP=Ineptitude and corruption
DEM=Total corruption and complete bankrupcy of the Founding Fathers vision
Now is the time to end the two-party chokehold on OUR GOVERNMENT
“L’arbre de la liberté… croît lorsqu’il est arrosé du sang de toute espèce de tyrans (The tree of liberty grows only when watered by the blood of tyrants).”
Bertrand Barère de Vieuzac, 1793
Welcome to Mexico……….
I just got off the phone with the RNC. I cancelled my membership and demanded my refund.
There must be a way to follow the money trail.These Senators should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. No way this isn’t about money .
This was just posted on TheCapitolist.com - the anonymous forum for Capitol Hill staffers:
>
Wonderful to see inside the minds of even these low-level staffers. I hope that this stands out as another reason to make sure that theses indignant politicians hear from us on election day.
So much for “working for the voters”.
How arrogant.
Sorry Michelle - my last entry didn’t post correctly - it omitted the copy from the other website….trying again.
This was just posted on TheCapitolist.com - the anonymous forum for Capitol Hill staffers:
“Got this e-mail from last night on my House e-mail address:
-begin email quote
No No No!
I cannot believe the senate has gone as far as to betray the people of these
United States by voting for the continuation of this horrific bill.
You can mark my words that these traitors political careers are over! We Will stand up and vote!
This is Taxation WITHOUT representation and the senate Does Not represent the American People! - end email quote
I love it when constituents (or in this case, some whack-job who has my e-mail address) say things like “mark my words.” Right before I blocked his address, I replied that in fact, the immigration vote will not change the outcome of a single Senate election…
6/27/2007 - 9:13 am
Wonderful to see inside the minds of even these low-level staffers. I hope that this stands out as another reason to make sure that theses indignant politicians hear from us on election day.
So much for “working for the voters”.
How arrogant.
Called both the NRSC and the RNC to have our names removed from their database- Neither one was surprised, and neither asked why. (NRSC database frozen in computer) Woman at RNC was very snippy when I told her why.
Whatever happened to the part of the oath where all federal employees, including the president wear to uphold the law of the land and to “protect and defend from all enemies foreign and domestic”? Are we now the enemy?
the Senate is on….anyone watching?
Where’s Michelle with her updates??
Reid is blabbering about getting our troops home.
I almost believe we’ll need them IF this travesty bill passes.
Just contatced my Representative, Chris Smith, R, NJ 4. Learned that he hasn’t even formed an opinion on the amnesty issue- (still waiting to see what the Seante does with the fiasco of yesterday) Sent him, via USPS, a Bush peso
Kennedy just said that WE NEED TO LISTEN TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE and pass this bill…
He must be in withdrawals or a blackout.
Here is Sen. Boxer’s reply to me after I sent her Michelle’s atricle “Clear the Backlogs first” turns out it was baloney. She waffled yesterday… What a shocker…
“Thank you for contacting me to express your views on immigration reform. I appreciate hearing from you.
As you may know, the Senate recently debated S.1348, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007.
In its current form, this bill is unworkable and unfair. I am particularly troubled by its proposal to create a new guestworker program. I have always had problems with guestworker programs because I believe they lead to increased illegal immigration, a downward pressure on American wages, and a loss of workplace protections.
That is why on June 7, 2007, I joined 49 other Senators in rejecting cloture, thereby preventing the bill from proceeding to a final vote. Be assured that I will keep working to fix our broken immigration system in a manner that protects American workers and reduces illegal immigration.
Again, thank you for writing to me. Please feel free to contact me again about this or any other issue of concern to you.”
Boxer’s reply is not a surprise, as was her vote yesterday.
The reply I got from Russ Feingold (D)Wisconsin, was that he voted FOR cloture even though he disagreed with the bill to “move the process forward” and have more debate.
What kind of backward logic are these officials using? Boxer, Feingold, etc…and now Kennedy saying they must listen to the American People - and PASS this bill?
Congress: Listen to the American People and secure the borders now!!!!
Gayle’ Dang, I left the room. Did he really say that? Kennedy must be on Angel Dust.
Yes, in his FINITE wisdom he did.
Y’all need to watch this debate!
TRAITORS
Kennedy’s raising H$LL
I need a Kleenex….those libs are making me feel touchy feely, painting a picture of how the ILLEGALS need all of our rights.
Guess they FORGOT that we the people VOTED and they are accountable to US, not illegals.
Please refresh my memory; what country is this???????????????
Kennedy is stating that illegals contribute to our economy.
How does he figure that considering all the freebies they get not to mention the taxes.
Oh! That’s right. WE PAY, so I guess we are the true contributors.
Just saw this on the Capitolist:
These people are SOOOOOOO clueless.
We’ll see come next Nov. I’ve decided to pull all my support from Larry Craig, since he voted for cloture.
I’m adjusting my TV set to black and white to be more realistic to a keystone cops flick.
I lost my video feed - only have audio - but someone ( Dominici? ) just asked for an amendment to be read on the floor - then votes on the amendment - each time it was rejected by objection. He then stated that those objections clearly show the powers that be don’t want the the contents of the bill to be heard / known.
The canary sings……..I OBJECT
Another entry from a Hill Staffer on their forum website: ( I really wish these weren’t anonymous )
“These morons should think a bit before calling and telling us to just “enforce the laws already on the books!” Yes, because it’s just that simple. They actually think it’s possible to detain, process, and deport 12 – 20 million men, women, and children…on top of the thousands already being deported. Yep, Congress should just wave its little magic wand and make this while problem disappear. I am so sick of the f*$&ing idiots, whose only source of information happens to be talk radio, calling to tell us how we aren’t
doing anything about the problem. What?! No, the alternative to this bill is to do nothing.”
Actually, the alternative is to secure the borders properly and enforce existing laws.
IF they cannot handle what’s here now, what in GOD’S name do they think they can handle a year from now?
Oh, they won’t. A blind eye to all illegals.
I am WOUND UP TODAY!
Reid stating “We need to FIX THIS”…over and over and over regarding immigration.
How about this; “LET’S FIX THE SENATE”.
You’re FIRED.
If you needed a brain transplant and were offered one of theirs, would you take it? This Bill needed to be roundfiled from the get go.
Today I am changing my voter registration to Independent … our Marine is on the way to Iraq for a second time and it makes no sense to fight over there with the gates wide open here. My list of complaints is too long to enumerate, but let’s start by drilling in Alaska.
The “undocumented workers” will keep coming as long as there is work. No one believes that the federal government can control the border. If the feds can’t figure out how to sit in an office and issue passports who thinks they can figure out a way to cover some rough country…
SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION like over 68,000 of us have, of Senator Inhofe. Its provided through http://www.powerlineblog.com. Here is the address - http://www.securebordersnow.com/
Here is the wording:
“Members of the United State Senate,
I am one of the millions of Americans who believes our first priority as a nation should be to secure our borders by enforcing existing laws. Amnesty is not the solution.
I urge you to vote against the immigration reform bill currently being considered in the Senate and to oppose any future effort that undermines our national security or grants amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants.”
Sign it and check out where the votes are coming from! DO IT DARN IT!