Shamnesty on the Senate Floor Redux: “Let’s end this thing”
Originally posted June 27, 2007 @ 11:31am
Bumped June 27, 2007@9:52pm
11:10pm Eastern. You know all those calls you’ve made? All those faxes/letters you’ve sent? They are working. Don’t think you can’t make a difference. Here’s the Washington Post headline: “Immigration Measure Appears Imperiled Again.” More quotes of the day:
The Senate yesterday turned back a series of amendments from both parties aimed at substantially altering controversial immigration legislation, but the bill shed supporters as it became mired in procedural hurdles that left backers concerned about its prospects.
The legislation faces a make-or-break vote this morning when senators will decide whether to cut off debate and move to a final vote tomorrow. If it does not get the 60 votes necessary, Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) has said he will pull the bill, all but dashing hopes for any meaningful legislation this year.
Top legislative aides in both parties predicted today’s vote would be very close but would fall short of keeping the proposal alive.
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a key opponent, crowed last night that “they tried to railroad this through today, but we derailed the train.” Another opponent, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) said, “I would say to my colleagues: Let’s end this thing.“
Rolling updates on Senate floor activity
8:00pm update. Jeff Sessions gets the quote of the day…Video added:
“Radio talk show hosts know more about this bill than most Senators, if you want to know the truth.”
7:41pm update. Debate on shamnesty is over for the day. Looks like we are headed to cloture vote tomorrow morning. What happened in the last half-hour is good news for our side, bad news for the open-borders brigade.
The Politico sums it up: Immigration bill struggling.
Proponents of the Senate immigration bill were unable to block an amendment Wednesday on identification requirements, casting doubt on whether the overall measure will clear a crucial test vote set for Thursday morning.
The bill survived its first cloture motion Tuesday by a vote of 64 to 35. Only five senators would need to change their position for the bill to collapse Thursday.
It just so happens that four senators who voted Tuesday to move the bill forward have since seen the Senate reject their amendments, potentially moving some of them into the “no” column. The list includes Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo.), Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ).
At least one of them, Webb, has indicated that he is a likely to oppose the bill.
Menendez has not made a decision, his spokesman said. Dodd’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Bond was reportedly moving against the bill.
And a fifth senator, Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), said he would vote against cloture.
“It’s a tight vote,” said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), the chief Democratic negotiator. “We are going to work, and work hard.”
How about you?
7:17pm update. I stepped away when the Baucus amendment was voted on. The Senate voted not to table it. A Hill source explains that “this is a big deal because Reid’s Clay Pigeon strategy relied on killing amendments so that he could continue his vice grip on the Senate floor. The result of this vote was the Baucus amendment remained alive and the clay pigeon strategy was temporarily derailed and thus Senators’ rights were restored. The remaining amendments in the clay pigeon will not be voted on now before the cloture vote. In all likelihood Reid will give up on the clay pigeon strategy and move that the next vote be on cloture tomorrow morning because he does not want this bill to be debated under regular Senate order. So now the Senate is moving fast towards a Thursday morning cloture vote (probably at 10:30) that is still a de facto vote for final passage of the amnesty bill.”
Stand by…
Well, there’s debate going on right now. Kennedy bloviated for a bit. Thune is now talking: “The die was cast long before debate began…process was bypassed by Grand Bargainers…blasts those playing the race card. It is not anti-immigrant to be for the rule of law. It is not xenophobic to believe that those who come to America should come here legally.”
6:36pm update. Speaking of lack of confidence in our lawmakers, get a load of blubbering, clueless George Voinovich on Hannity. Good gawd. Keep talking, George. You’re the best help we have in killing the bill out there.
6:30pm update. Tom Coburn on the floor. Typing as fast as I can here:
“We have failed to instill the confidence in the American people in the Congress that we are about doing what is in the best long-term interest of our country. It’s not about being against immigration or for immigration. It’s not about being against or for an ethnic group. It’s not about liberal or conservative. It’s about the worry the American people have about the concept we call liberty…There’s worry that the thing that gives us liberty, which is the rule of law, is somehow being tinkered with in a way that undermines our confidence and security in what the American Dream is all about.”
Couldn’t say it better myself.
5:31pm update. Specter is having a snit fit over Grassley’s remarks about broken promises and bad process. Specter’s thin skin is oozing imperiousness. Everything you hate about the Senate. Specter moves to table the Baucus amendment.
5:04pm update. Reid is asking Sessions to allocate some of his time to Grassley to talk about his amendment on employer verification. Kyl wants time to debate. Reid skips Sessions and gives time to Grassley and Kyl to make remarks “for debate only.”
Grassley: “Thank you for the kindness…I was promised by the senator from Penn and senator from Mass that I would have an opportunity to offer an amendment…that promise has been kept. But no opportunity to debate the amendment…” Grassley is irked. Recounts that the compromise package that he agreed to was not what ended up being produced back in April. I was here in 1986 when we had amnesty, as we have in this current bill. Resulted in more illegal immigration…I’m not one who wants to make that mistake again. If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, it is a duck. If it looks like amnesty, talks like amnesty, it is amnesty. And it is amnesty.”
Kyl objects to Grassley amendment. Kennedy piles on, bloviating about poor illegal workers who might get caught up in “glitches” with the employer verification system.
Grassley has three minutes to respond. Grassley notes that Kennedy simply parroted a Chertoff letter to Grassley. Grassley says he neglected to read Grassley’s rebuttal. He rebuts Kennedy/Kyl on his sunset provisions, verification measures.
4:39pm update. Menendez-Obama-Feingold amendment is tabled. Sessions now has 30 minutes for debate only.
Meantime, North Carolina readers are e-mailing that Burr’s office is telling them he is a no vote on cloture tomorrow.
4:16pm update. Behind the scenes, the vote-trading deals are ongoing. A source tells me that some senators who were promised that their amendments would be included in the Reid amendment package are now being leaned on by Kennedy and the Grand Schemers to guarantee cloture votes in return. John Ensign is one of those senators.
John Ensign (R., Nev.)
h. 202-224-6244 Fax 202-228-2193
Alternate phones:
(702) 388-6605
(775) 686-5770
(775) 885-9111
Rob Bluey finds more buyoffs embedded in the shamnesty bill in the form of pork-flavored earmark.
4:07pm update. Dodd amendment is tabled, 56-41. Reid refuses to yield for a parliamentary inquiry from Vitter.
An unnamed amendment has been withdrawn without unanimous consent. Reid says unanimous consent is not needed. Menendez-Obama-Feingold amendment to amend the point system and move it back to favoring family reunification is apparently up next. Menendez speaks about his amendment. Vitter is trying to get recognized for a parliamentary inquiry. Vitter: Will the majority leader yield? Menendez keeps speaking over them–engaging in debate despite the rules laid down by Reid that have prohibited GOP opponents from debating.
Reid responds to Menendez. Moves to vote on tabling the amendment.
3:59pm update. Vote is underway on tabling a Dodd amendment. Meantime, Noam Askew hears that Domenici will vote against cloture tomorrow. There’s buzz that Nelson and Bond are also likely no’s.
3:29pm update. The Bond amendment is killed, 56-41. Reid is reading the letter he sent to GOP senators regarding the clay pigeon strategy. I posted the exchange yesterday here. David Vitter is trying to get recognized. He is “acknowledged, but not recognized.” Now, Vitter’s allowed to speak.
Vitter: “Senator McConnell is not being railroaded. President Bush is not being railroaded. I’m being railroaded. My colleagues [who want to offer amendments] are being railroaded.”
DeMint gets time to read the GOP senators response to Reid’s letter.
3:00pm update. The vote on whether to table Bond’s amendment commences.
2:42pm update. Vitter asks Reid point blank if he and others will have a chance to offer amendments. Reid extols the fairness of the process. Translation: No.
Debate begins on the Bond amendment, which would bar illegal immigrants from eventually getting green cards. Ted Kennedy is hyperventilating.
There was also a challenge to Reid about whether the $4.4 billion border security sweetener could be used on implementing shamnesty. Reid says it wouldn’t/couldn’t. He’s wrong.
DeMint’s office issued this press release on a CRS report that contradicts the shamnesty crowd:
U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) released Wednesday a report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) which says the new Senate immigration bill contains a major loophole in border security. Supporters of the bill say it provides $4.4 billion in immediate mandatory spending for border enforcement, but according to the CRS analysis, the funds could also be used immediately to implement the amnesty provisions bill.
“This is just another example of how this bill claims to do one thing but does something else entirely. It’s another example of an empty promise being used to buy votes for amnesty,” said Senator DeMint. “The supporters of this bill have been running around trying to convince people that this money will be used to secure the border first, but now we know that’s not the case. If you read the fine print, the bill says this money can also be used for amnesty.”
Here’s the conclusion of the CRS report:
In response to your question concerning whether the $4.4 billion in funding appropriated under the Immigration Security Account could be used to fund the processing of Y or Z visas under Titles IV and VI of S. 1639, S. 1639 appears to require that the trigger mechanisms be funded first. Receiving, processing, and adjudicating applications for the Z visa authorized by Title VI of the Act is one of the trigger mechanisms outlined in Section 1; this means that funding from the Immigration Security Account could be used for this purpose. Section 2(C) would allow DHS to expend any funds remaining after the trigger mechanisms have been fullyfunded on certain activities, including theimplementation of the programs authorized in Titles IV and VI of the Act. Thus, it appears that funding for the Y visa (and other programs) authorized by Title IV of the Act could only be made available through the Immigration Security Account once the trigger mechanisms had been met. However, S. 1639 does not explicitly stipulate whether the certification required bySection 1 would have to take place prior to fundingbeing made available for the additional purposes outlined in Section 2(C).
2:20pm update. Sessions and Vitter continue to blow the whistle on the crummy process. Here’s the latest wire coverage of the battle on the Senate floor.
Reid is back up, pointing out that he has the “concurrence of the president.” Yes, that is the problem, isn’t it?
Oh, gag. Ted Kennedy asks Reid if it is his understandinng that shamnesty will result in the strongest southern border in history. Why, yes, Reid says, yes, it is!
1:49pm update. Cornyn takes the floor. “This immigration bill is leaving all of us with a sense of deja vu. We’ve been here before and strangely, not much has changed…The condition under which we’re allowed to speak now only allows us to speak, but not be so presumptious as to offer amendments.” (Someone hands him the newly-drafted clay pigeon package.) “I just got the 400-page monstrosity (holds it up)…look forward to reading it.” Points out again that he is constrained by Grand Schemers from bringing up amendments.
1:13pm update. Webb amendment tabled. Sen. Sessions back on the floor: “The process has not been a pretty one to date. Senators do not have copies of the newly-drafted clay pigeon amendment…The procedure that the majority leader has chosen–he has chosen to utilize a procedure never before used in this Senate. That procedure will allow Sen. Reid to approve every amendment that will be offered to this legislation. If it’s not a part of his clay pigeon, you’re not in…He picks the amendments. That has never happened in history before.” Sessions signals that they have procedural moves in mind to try and stop this. “What would Paul Wellstone say? Or Jesse Helms?”…I object to that process. Sessions is waging a full-frontal assault on the shamnesty bill–economic, border security, historical failures. Mocks the “Masters of the Universe” behind the grand scheme. Rips the bogus triggers and phony fencing promises.
12:55pm update. Hutchison amendment killed. Now there’s a vote on Webb amendment.
12:01pm. More squabbling about process. Sen. DeMint wants to reserve the right to object. Reid won’t let him reserve the right to object. DeMint: “How many rules are we gonna change?” DeMint loses. Vote on the Hutchison touchback amendment now underway.
11:48am. Dianne Feinstein is proposing an amendment. Harry Reid asks that it be waived and interjects to make a point about the $4.4 billion security funding sweetener.
Feinstein now speaking in opposition to Hutchison’s touchback amendment. “Who will report to deport?” Hutchison responds that the offer of a secure ID included in the shamnesty bill is the incentive.
Sorry, Sen. Hutchison. It’s a fraud.
11:41am. Sen. Sessions is up. Sen. Reid says he knows what’s in the bill. Neither he nor any other senator has read what’s in this amendment. He says he wants to make us happy. How about making the American people happy? They’re using every parliamentary trick — some that have never been used — to move this bill forward….Make no mistake about what’s being done here…amendments will be blocked…the power to control this process is in the majority leader’s hands. It’s never been done like this before. This is an unprecedented step, a step by which the leadership is creating a new tactic that will eliminate the ability of individual senators to propose amendments and engage in debate.
New video : Jim DeMint fights to keep Reid and Company from railroading the debate.
11:35am update: Vitter notes that a brand, new mega-amendment is going to be dropped. He is asking for a morning business adjournment for time to read the whole damned thing. (My words, not his.)
Reid responds: This is not new. Changes are “minor.” He offers to sit down with Vitter to tell him what’s in the revised package.
Vitter objects to depending on the other side to tell him what’s in the package.
Reid deflects blame again to Republicans. “This is a process. I have really tried to be fair, not tried to take advantage of anyone, tried to be as candid with people who support as with people who oppose.”
Cue the violins. Get out the Kleenex.
***
***
Originally posted June 27, 2007, 11:31 am
Ok, I’m switching gears from the Fairness Watch back to Shamnesty Watch. Debate over the “clay pigeon” package has been ongoing. Jim Geraghty blogs Jim Webb’s statement. Now, Harry Reid and David Vitter are bantering about word changes.
Meantime, word from the Hill:
The Senate is in a bit of a holding pattern right now with regards to the “clay pigeon” amendment. Last night after Reid finally unveiled his “clay pigeon,” conservatives objected to expediting the debate and that gave folks a little time to examine the 373 page document. Now “grand-bargainers” are redrafting the clay pigeon amendment. It is not yet clear how much they will change the document we were introduced to only yesterday, but it is certain that they are changing it to correct a myriad of mistakes.
Apparently the clay pigeon wasn’t ready for prime-time.
So again, we wait for another massive new amendment that nobody will have the opportunity to see ahead of time. Yet the Senate is still expected to clear this monstrosity tomorrow.
Quin Hillyer says keep your hopes up and your eyes on the ball:
According to Insider(s), Burr, Brownback, Gregg, Nelson of Nebraska, and Webb are VERY good targets for switching against cloture (or perhaps not being there, which amounts to the same thing). Pryor, Bond, and Coleman are other serious possibilities. I am told, too, that Barbara Boxer remains decidedly unhappy with the bill, and is still a definite possibility to switch to the anti-cloture, anti-amnesty side. Others to watch are Collins and Snowe of Maine, who I had counted as lost causes but who apparently still might be open to persuasion.
Video: The indefatigable Laura Ingraham rallies.
I missed this, but commenters say that Sen. Specter was on the floor and stated: “The will of the Senate will prevail.” Sounds very Specter-y.
***
Some context on the ongoing battle via an e-mail from Heritage Foundation analyst Brian Darling to The Corner’s Kathryn Lopez:
Someone once said not to watch how sausage or legislation are made. Today especially I prefer to be at the sausage factory.
As if the Senate floor situation could get any worse, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s staff is now rewriting the Clay Pigeon amendment behind closed doors. It is the intent of the Majority Leader to bring this new unread Amendment up without the Republicans seeing the language. Yesterday Senator Reid did not have his massive 373 page amendment ready when he started debate on it and mistakes were made in the initial drafting. This fact was not discovered until Republicans objected to waiving the reading of the bill, and the Senate Clerk had nothing to read. Shockingly, Reid scrambled around, put the floor in morning business for a few hours, and then allowed Kennedy’s staff make final changes to the amendment. The language was finally made available around 5:30 pm and Reid “graciously” gave Republicans the night to go through it before moving to it this morning.
This morning Republicans announced that Reid’s amendment did not include the Sessions EITC provision in the touchback section, despite the fact that all previously passed amendments were supposed to be incorporated in the bill and the Clay Pigeon amendment. This oversight is the only mistake so far found, yet there may be other mistakes and intentional omissions in the 373 page amendment. This morning Reid put the floor back in morning business and sent his staff off to rewrite the mega amendment once again. Today, “the most deliberative body in the world,” is left to debate legislation that they do not have a copy of…
Like Hot Air’s Allahpundit says: Craptastic.
***
WashTimes web exclusive: Let the forging begin!
The head of a Mexican forgery ring was convinced he could make phony documents that illegal aliens could use to indicate fraudulently that they were eligible for a new amnesty, says a government affidavit recounting wiretapped phone calls the man made.
Julio Leija-Sanchez, who ran a $3 million-a-year forgery operation before he was arrested in April, was expecting Congress to pass a legalization program, which he called “amnesty,” and said he could forge documents to fool the U.S. government into believing illegal aliens were in the country in time to qualify for amnesty, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent said in the affidavit.
In recounting a wiretapped telephone conversation, ICE agent Jason E. Medica said he heard Mr. Leija-Sanchez tell an associate the forgery ring could “fix his papers” to meet the requirements of a legalization program such as the bill the Senate is debating today.
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Trackbacks
- Turning 25 » Blog Archive » Open question to Comcast: why is C-SPAN 2 on a higher channel than C-SPAN 3? (Senate debate on amendments live blog)
- Amnesty On the Floor : The American Pundit
- FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog
- Watching The Sausage Being Made From Clay Pigeons at Conservative Times--Republican GOP news source.
- The TIW Blog » Blog Archive » DeMint: Amnesty Amendments Offered Sight Unseen
- Sonoran Alliance » All hands on deck!
- Thoughts Of A Conservative Christian Shamnesty on the Senate Floor Redux: Hutchison, Webb, Bond, Dodd amendments killed…Revealed: Enforcement funds could be used for shamnesty…DeMint, Sessions, Vitter, Cornyn shine light on Reid railroad attempts Upda
- Wake up America
- Contact Senator Ensign : The American Pundit
- Webloggin - Blog Archive » Video: Immigration Update - Dems Block Reading of Amendments Before Vote
- The Wide Awake Cafe » Working in the Interest of bin Ladenism
- California Conservative
- FORGED PAPERS RING FOR SHAMNESTY BUSTED « Texas Hold ‘Em Blogger
- Blog @ MoreWhat.com » Blog Archive » GOP Amnesty
- The 7th Vote Is Always The Killer | Slobokan’s Site O’ Schtuff
- Bill's Bites
- BizzyBlog » Wow, Was That Weak (Hannity Skunks Voinovich)
- Amnesty Bill II: Daily Roundup For 06/28/2007 | Slobokan’s Site O’ Schtuff
- politicalpartypoop.com » Blog Archive » “Let’s end this thing”
- Right Wing News
- Voinovich Embarrasses Ohio (Again) « Thespis Journal
- Jesus is Lord, A Worshipping Christian’s Blog » Blog Archive » Immigration Bill Faces Crucial Vote
- Immigration Bill Faces Crucial Vote | JesusMySavior
- No Runny Eggs » Blog Archive » Amnesty dead, Volume 2
- Senate Votes In Favor Of Continued, Unfettered Illegal Immigration And Illegal Employment Practices
- A Great Day for America | Adam's Blog
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I don’t know, Michelle, I think this still has a good chance of being sunk.
We can only hope.
Did Specter actually say “The will of the Senate will prevail” or was I just hallucinating?
You weren’t hallucinating.
When communists are in charge of the U.S. Congress and the White House, that’s what you get.
In a democracy you have lengthy debates before passing a Bill.
In communism you shove in people’s throats precipitately what is unpopular so that it becomes fait accompli.
I wanna puke.
Shutup.
Big Bird needs to be plucked
A hill staffer on their web forum just stated:
” I am always amazed by how many constituents are surprised when a Members doesn’t vote they way they wanted them to. They think that just because he/she was elected…they have to vote the way their constituents want them to. Umm…no…we are a republic. Our system of government was never meant to work that way. You elect them and they make these decisions for you.”
Except when 99% of those who elected you are telling you to vote a certain way! The arrogance continues and is staggering!
Yeah, they make all the decisions for us “racist rednecks”.
I think it’s time for a good old-fashioned revolution.
I am always amazed by how many constituents are surprised when a Members doesn’t vote they way they wanted them to.
Yeah, Tom Daschle was similarly surprised in ‘04, wasn’t he?
Specter has no clue. His brain cancer obviously ate away the part that may, at one time, helped him to understand what the job of an elected representative is.
Specter, Lott, Reid and the rest are not members of the House of Lords!
I’ve been listening to CSAN II while working at home. The dems are really trying to force this bill through with little or no debate. I hope some of these
weak knee republican wake up soon. I got a call from the RNC this morning looking for donations. It was an opportunity to let them know what I think about the current state of the republican party. I also emailed the chairman of the RNC this morning with the same info. Specter was his usual shelf , nothing new. I also don’t trust senator Hutchison on this issue. Vitter and Demint are trying to slow the pace with no help from their
leaders. Lott is no where to be seen.
I am an Aussie/Londoner so I don’t know the procedures of your Senate. But what is happening right now in your Senate would NEVER EVER happen in the UK Upper Chamber (House of Lords) or the Lower (House of Commons. Dropping out any Committee review whatsoever would be unheard of.
It is akin to dictatorship - ramming through legislation with no time for reflection - not even time to read the “damned” stuff.
People say your Senate is the greatest legislative body in the world. Total BS judging by this performance.
Johninlondon:
It USED to be the greatist legislative body in the world.
I guess BURR read all of his mail yesterday.
As I said, communists are running the White House and Congress.
It’s not dictatorship, it’s not socialism, it’s worse: It is Communism.
The ex-communists Easter Europeans who are so eager to move to America: Stay home, you have more freedom than we do.
More nuggets from our favorite capitol hill staffer website:
This person can’t spell, and doesn’t know basic grammar, yet he/she/it is working in DC helping our Senate overlords cram this POS bill down our throats.
Folks, this nonsense has to stop.
As I said, communists are running the White House and Congress.
It’s not dictatorship, it’s not socialism, it’s worse: It is Communism.
The ex-communists Eastern Europeans who are so eager to move to America: Stay home, you have more freedom than we do.
Tell me another country to move to where taxes are next to nothing and the citizens have a voice….
I am thinking about the Bahamas.
Any thoughts? I am serious.
But, but I thought that we were a representative republic and thus it is supposed to be the will of the people as expressed through our elected representatives (in essence the holders of our proxy) that was supposed to prevail.
How naive of me!
Harry Reid, Teddy Kennedy and the RINO “Grand Bargainers” are nothing more than jackbooted Stormtrooper thugs rolling over all parliamentary rules of decorum and procedure with arrogant glee.
It is positively disgraceful to see.
No, no, we’re just s’posed to shut up while our overlords decide FOR US. At least that’s what the hill staffers think.
I’m watching the Senate proceedings on C-SPAN. What I am seeing and hearing amounts to a coup.
I cannot believe that Senators are not allowed to read the bill before voting. This is not democracy. I just got off the phone and said same to my senator Brownback’s office. I am so upset I cannot believe what is happening to our country.
IndCon:
Come now. You don’t really believe that the government is controlled by communists do you? If you’re trying to get a rise out of people, that’s one thing. But if you truly believe that, may I suggest a long sabbatical at “Sunny Acres Rest Home?”
We need to move, but where???????
Was watching the vote on the floor to table Senator Hutchinsons’ amendment. Kerry came up to the table and gave an up(yes to table), then a down, then settled into a yes gesture to have his vote counted. That was hillarious.
If all these unprecedented procedural manouvres succeed, the US will rue the day. This is the direct erosion of your freedom - carried live on C-Span.
For anyone wanting to leave the US - try New Zealand. They may be leftie, but at least it is a proper parliamentary democracy, and the folks are just great, property is cheap, seafood is fresh and plentiful, the wine is as good as in California, and everyone marvels at the variety of the scenery in such a compact country.
Isn’t this the same way the Roman Senate was behaving close to the time that the Roman Empire fell?
Thank you JohninLondon !
All others please give ideas!
Imagine how much worse if Hitlery gets elected…
I think we’re seeing our country being sold down the river right before our eyes.
Too bad people don’t have the guts to go DO something about it.
No, I’m just imagining things, let’s see:
1- Bush is not shoving the amnesty bill in our throats, Congress is not doing the same thing.
2 - The “fairness doctrine” is not shoving communism in people’s throats.
3 - Both parties and the so-called “representatives” of the people in Congress are doing the people’s will.
4 - The White House is feeling the heartbeat of the people.
Yes, maybe I need a “a long sabbatical at “Sunny Acres Rest Home”" to see things clearly!!
Great Fly Fishing in New Zealand also, I’ll bring the Marguerita’s, opps….make that Bloody Marys………
IndCon:
Let’s see, congress is pushing cut-and-run (surrender), they want to take away free speech, gun ownership, and destroy the country by giving it away to illegals.
It’s worse than communism.
They’ve made pacts with the SATAN/EVIL.
You bet. And it’s going to be even worse if the hardcore Lefties take over the White House and gain a larger majority in the Senate in ‘08.
Awwwwww. Poor, poor, Mr. Gregg. He had his chance to do the right thing yesterday.
Jdawg…I know. Most of the people are too caught up in Paris Hilton’s trials and tribulations to pay any attention.
What we are seeing the results of is the consistant dumbing down of the American public and it’s been going on for decades.
Slowly but surely our schools, institutions and churches (read: Christian) have been eroded by communists following the strategies set forth at the turn of the 20th century.
Throw enough circuses and serve enough bread to the people and they will eventually pay more attention to the circus, and depend on the government for the bread, rather than actually thinking for themselves and earning the money to pay their own way in society.
My humanities teacher (high school) once worte I’d rather be red then dead” on the chalk board. She proceeded to explain to us that all great empires fall and that one day the United States would fall as well. I didn’t believe her then, but I’m starting to now.
The only thing that will save us is a complete overthrow of the government that currently sits on the hill, and we can only do this by electing true representatives. This is accomplished at primary time, and by all accounts the numbers of primary voters out side of a major election cycle is woefully small. Hell, voting turn out is pitiful even during major election cycles.
I still have a small glimmer of hope, but it’s starting to fade. Still I won’t stop fighting until there is nothing left to fight for.
I don’t mean to sound like a religious zealot, but here goes;
When OUR country turned its back on GOD….he did likewise.
We are now paying the price.
You don’t sound like a religious zealot, you sound like right.
I would add the following:
When the Europeans turned their back on God, Islam took over.
America, beware!
Apparently, part of the “agreement” on this ridiculous bill is for Leader Reid to move to table all Republican amendments, while Sen. Specter is supposed to move to kill the Democrat-sponsored amendments. In other words, the idea of sham votes on the “shamnesty” bill is now reinforced.
2 Trillion dollars to support the illegals.
Where does that money come from? US, the taxpayers.
Like I’ve said, NO TAXES…STRIKE
As Sessions just pointed out, they don’t even have a revised copy of the clay pigeon, so they’re voting on something they haven’t even read.
It wouldn’t bother me if all the amendments get killed, by the way — there’s not enough lipstick in the world to make this pig acceptable.
It looks like Reid is trying to kill the bill. He knows that his parlor tricks will lose the Republican Senators who voted for cloture just to see what might be put forth in amendments. This sounds like good news for opponents.
Even better news…If the cloture votes fail tomorrow, this pig goes to its grave.
If front of 7-11’s and Home Depots every weekday morning.
Legions of largely unkempt men milling around while someone says “I can give you a very good price, why would you want to pay more?”
Looks more than a little like the South of say the pre 1860’s I would think.
Lincoln is weeping.
IndCon:
How does any of that prove that the government is made up of “communists?”
What is a communist? Do you have a clue?
Watching Senator Sessions on the floor, I get the sense that he is speaking to an empty chamber. Why call it a debate, if there is no one there to hear reaonable arguments that might change their mind?
#45 feralcat (nice nic, btw)
The Home Depot thing gets worse…in some cities in Caifornia, the city councils are forcing Home Depot to build shelters, provide bathroom facilities and fork up dollars for “training” for the illegals who ply their wares in front of Home Depot.
If HD won’t pay up, then permits don’t get approved for the building of new stores.
I love the smell of extortion in the morning.
@13 - People say your Senate is the greatest legislative body in the world.
That is mostly just Arlen Spectre and Bobby Byrd who say that. They love to puff themselves up. What I think can truly be said is that it might be the most ~pompous~ legislative body in the world! (Byrd misses those ornate costumes that he used to wear in a previous body where he lead magnificent men.)
#47 captivated…
Because most Senators are like the average two year-old…all ego and hard headedness.
Now the bad guys know which homes to avoid.
The entire process behind this bill reeks. If nothing else, the machinations that have gone on here point out one very clear fact - most in Congress abhor accountability and no longer believe they are a government “of the people”.
Any piece of legislation impacting the future of this country is derserving of a spirited and open debate, consistent with the tenants of a true democracy. That has not and is not happening here. Instead, we are seeing an elected Congress out of control, highjacked by special interests. Harry Reid increases his value to Las Vegas businesses (Vegas runs on cheap illegal labor, from cooks, housekeepers to maintenance personnel), Boxer gets brownie points with the agriculture and travel businesses in California, and George Bush and his band of followers get free press to perhaps run for high offices in Mexico (just kidding, perhaps).
And there is one additional undeniable fact - without the internet, the vast majority of the Country would not have a clue as to what was happening. I am certain that politicians on both sides are silently cursing Al Gore for his invention…
Most are at lunch…notice the vacant seats.
It’s a done deal. They are only speaking so we will know they tried to have their voices heard.
It should be mandatory that they all be present. We did not vote for these people to NOT do their jobs.
#48 Pulchritudinous Patriot, I guess that the city councils in California want to provide human facilities for the new serf class (AKA, latter day slavery light) that El Presidente , the House of Lords and their plantation owner contributers are trying to institutionalize.
Lincoln is weeping and Sherman is trying to rematerialize to come back and burn el Casa Blanca and the Capital building to the ground.
feralcat,
You speak so eloquently! haha!
It’s the truth!
I have been trying to call Senator Bond’s office all day and can’t get through. Keep the call coming!
At least two-year-olds might pick up their toys and stop playing.
They also may be in committee hearings. And don’t give up hope yet. One might imagine that Webb’s amendment being shot down will winnow his vote from the “yes” column on cloture yesterday to the “no” column tomorrow (as he voted on 6.7.07). He’s probably not the only one — and only five switched votes would, hopefully, lay this garbage to rest once and for all.
You don’t need to search the books to find a definition of communism. Recent history is a perfect example.
In fact, current history is the evidence. Look at Cuba, Venezuela, China, Russia, North Korea, for example.
Communism might not be openly declared in America, but some folks in Washington D.C. (on the Left and on the Right), in the White House and special interests groups (like Soros’ groups) are pushing for a government control of our lives.
There are examples given above by another poster on how the government want to control your life and mine.
If this is not communism, I don’t know what it is. One might argue that is close to slavery.
I am glad I just moved to Alabama. Sessions is SO getting my vote.
Is it just me - or is listening to Senator Sessions talk painful? It’s as if he’s on stage at an improvisation club and has no idea what he’s going to say up there.
I do wish they stop the courtesies and the politically correct verbage.
Instead of saying, “IT’S UFAIR!”…..how about
“IT’S ILLEGAL/UNETHICAL and you are NOT honoring those who voted you into office!”
Just burn them a new one conservatives!
Look for Teddy the K. Lott’s probably on the floor doin’ some bootlickin’ there.
Or else Teddy’s sent him around to slap some uncooperative Republicans around.
Actually, It IS communism, only it now known as “progressivism” by the Dems. Reid is borrowing his tactics from Marx and Lennin.
Hi, Michelle…long-time admirer, first-time poster…
Let’s allow the redoubtable Tim Robbins to comment on this on-going immigration bill miasma:
Don’t you just love it when a Hollywood-holier-than-thou really gets it (even if he needs a little help)?
Kennedy says this bill will give us the strongest border in the history of the country….
Reid responds by saying that “Even if we did nothing else except this portion of securing the border….they should vote for it.”
I agree - so let’s drop everything else and just enact the border security portion!!!!!
I’v had a feeling the beltway was scerwing over us. Now, thanks toC-SPAN, you can actually watch.
Farmer
In Western Europe, they call it “Socialism;” in America, we call it “Liberalism” and/or “Progressivism.”
But the fact of the matter, it is Communism.
You are right.
Can Reid not look up when he’s talking?
Anybody heard from “Presidential hopefull” John McCain. Take a poll today..
McCain is packing to move to Mexico.
Who?
Isn’t this a good way to illustrate the way this ‘ethical’ congress operates? They say they are for the will of the people - but they make deals behind the people’s backs.
The Democrats turn to trickery to get what they want done, but the Republicans tend to want to weigh the merits of an issue - understanding that Senate rules are in place for a reason and should not be abused.
The last vote for cloture highlights their MO and could be good for campaigning.
Just HOW do they believe these “fees” are going to be collected to cover the costs of the Travesty Bill???
They can’t even FIND these illegals.
Do they really think we believe they’ll enforce anything? They don’t care, bottom line.
Barf bag time.
Kennedy is yapping
#44 said:
If I lived in Kentucky or Mississippi, I’d be inclined to contact Sen. McConnell or Sen. Lott to encourage them to use the “process” argument to get out of whatever pact they may have made on this bill. Sens. Sessions, Vitter, DeMint, Bunning, and Cornyn need their party’s leadership behind them to fight, as Sen. Cornyn said earlier today, this “monstrosity.”
No need to pack to go to Mexico, it is coming here. I guess the state department doesn’t have to worry about processing those passport applications afterall.
Look on the bright side, we get a new national holiday, Cinco de Mayo, we can take siestas in the afternoon, and 20 years from now El Presidente Jose Felipe Juan Santoro Jimenez Smith will be working out the final details of the trans Canadian highway.
I am confused! LOL~
What are they getting ready to vote on now?
Voting to table amendments….
Ok, thanks!
See this comment.
Thanks MCDubs….I like the way CSPAN lists the proceding as “Leaders voting to table ( kill ) amendments….”
Table makes it sound like they’ll talk about them later….Kill is the more appropriate wording.
They haven’t even passed this legislation - and there’s already proof of characters getting ready to circumvent it. I wonder if they care?
http://washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070627/NATION/106270081/1001
Here’s a fun Kennedy website:
Fun With Fatboy
I’ll check it out….thanks for the humor!
Senator Inhofe has an online petition you can sign, via powerlineblog.com. You can go here to sign it - http://www.securebordersnow.com/ Here is the language -
“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.”
BOXER????? what happened to her “no” vote?
A vote to silence the critics amendments passes….
And now Reid starts his preaching again.
Somebody PLEASE SLAP THE CRAP outta REID!
Vitter is recognized on the floor - then the recognition is taken back with the explanation that is was a mis-statement to recognize him in the first place.
What is Reid so afraid of?
Corrections made :).
Reidy is trying to sound like Mr. Rogers……Welcome to the Neigborhood.
Reid claims that a “significant number of the 60″ Senators who voted against Cloture came to him….. - and that’s why he brought it back to the floor.
His letter says “a group of Senators including Minority Leader McConnell, Republican Conference Chairman Kyl and Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Specter”…
How many people are “Significant” in his mind….and if only a handful out of 60 is significant - what does he consider the over 90% of calls from citizens who disapprove of this bill?
Is that not significant?
Sean Hannity is interviewing Senator Voinavich. Unreal. He is completely oblivious to the pitfalls of this legislation and its costs. He’s acting like a jerk and refuses to honestly answer to Sean’s questions, EXCEPT TO ADMITTING HE HAS NOT READ THE BILL NOR CONSIDERED THE COST ANALYSIS OF IT!!
Well, I wouldn’t be stupid enough to admit it. How dumb is that?
We don’t have to deport anybody. Just give them a number and let them wait until all the legal immigrants are processed. They just have to go to the end of the line instead of cutting in front, right?
The sooner they go to apply, where they’re supposed to apply, the sooner they can start being processed and vetted, right?
Is there some reason to give the illegals the first place in line? Why would anyone want to do that?
Just make it a free market thing, and remove all the incentives to cheat, like the baby factories and welfare for foreigners. Make the babys born of foreign parents citizens of the foreign country. Make them pay like Americans pay for what we get.
Nothing unfair about any of that, right?
The only thing that’s unfair in context of the present topic is the idea that for some reason the law breaking trespassers should suddenly be blessed with a place at the head of the line. That’s not just un-American, it’s inhuman. Right?
It’s not really very complicated you know. Say the line of legal applicants to immigrate into America has a certain number of applicants, Just for illustration purposes let’s say the seniority number of the very last applicant is 555.
Well, the next applicant obviously is 556. Right?
I mean, what’s so hard about this? This doesn’t deport anybody. This doesn’t defraud the legals either. It just establishes the entry order. The next person who applies will be 557. It can be any one of the millions of trespassers. They just have to apply like 555 did. Right?
What’s so hard to understand about this. We don’t have to deport anybody. We also don’t have to legitimize them out of order. Right?
People: Focus on job at hand! We can win. CALL THE TARGETS FOR NO-CLOTURE TOMORROW. ALSO FIRM UP, BOLSTER, COMMEND THE TUESDAY NO-CLOTURES WHO MIGHT WANT TO FLIP FLOP.
Forget Reid, forget Bush. Both are irrelevant for today and Thursday. Save them for another day. Today, let’s defeat shamnesty!
What matters? GETTING VOTES. Push. Go for it. We can win this!
I want to express my thanks to everyone on this site today, I have been getting consumed by anger over this Bill and I appreciate the smile you have put on my face.
Ajmontana - being here and sharing is like a big “Kum ba ya” session for all of us anti-amnesty people.
The real thanks goes to Michelle for allowing us the opportunity to vent and keep each other informed.
Hat tip: Michelle
Moe of MO said:
Just in case you’re not already doing so, send free faxes to your senators - good or bad - by this website.
The Democrats killed Sen. Webb’s amendment. He said if his amendment was shelved, then he would vote against amnesty. By tomorrow afternoon this bill is toast IMO. No help from Pa. though.