Kill the Bill: Shamnesty showdown Update: Telephone system has shut down Update: Video of Kennedy’s “Gestapo” diatribe Update: Reid attacks talk radio Update: VICTORY! Roll added Update: Goat of the day–Sen. Sam Brownback Switchback Video of the switchback added
9:30pm Eastern update. The venerable economist George Borjas weighs in on his blog with a sober and sobering assessment:
The President bet all his remaining political capital on a proposal he knew would tear his party apart. And the Senate came close to enacting very bad policy. It really makes me wonder: what the heck were they thinking?
There’s something else worth pointing out. Here’s a policy shift–amnesty and guest workers–that the entire political establishment as well as much of the mainstream media and academic elite wanted badly. It is seldom the case that something that the powers-that-be want so much fails to make it through. I am pretty sure there’s a lesson in there somewhere. And the tactics used by the bill’s opponents to fight the establishment’s power and to weaken their control over key junctures in the information flow will provide lots of case studies that will be studied far into the future. No “Mission Accomplished” banners this time around.
Does this end the debate over immigration? No.
Why? Because our immigration system is truly broken.
Regardless of what happened at the Senate today, there are still 12 million illegal immigrants living in the country, and that number is increasing at the rate of about half-a-million a year. And there’s no longer any need for the Bush administration to keep playing the charade of “more enforcement” that received wide media attention in the past few months. The economic and social dislocations caused by illegal immigration are not going to disappear simply because the issue is no longer in the political headlights.
Combine this with a legal immigration system that admits about 1 million immigrants a year–most of which tend to be low-skill workers. The economic pressures that both legal and illegal immigrants put on the low-skill labor market are severe, and have been ignored for years. I suspect that the immigration “problem” would have been long resolved had the labor markets for high-skill workers–say, for example, journalists and attorneys–faced the same pressures as those faced by low-educated workers.
Now that the debate is over, perhaps we can return some sanity and honesty into the intellectual discussion of what immigration does to the United States…
4:30pm Eastern update. Check out our new Hot Air political ad: Meet Senator Switchback.
2:59pm Eastern update. Caught on tape. Allah captured Sen. Sam Switchback’s dirty deed. Gotcha:
1:46pm Eastern update. What does President Bush have to say about shamnesty going down in flames? This:
Connelly Hall, Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, White House News 12:38 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: I thank the members of the Senate and members of my administration who worked so hard on the border security and immigration reform bill. I’m sorry the Senate was unable to reach agreement on the bill this morning.
Legal (sic?) immigration is one of the top concerns of the American people and Congress’s failure to act on it is a disappointment. The American people understand the status quo is unacceptable when it comes to our immigration laws. A lot of us worked hard to see if we couldn’t find a common ground — it didn’t work.
12:40pm Eastern update. Vote-switching weasel Sam Brownback should really just end his presidential campaign bid right now and stop wasting his poor staff’s time.
Reader Dave e-mails: “I think an enduring legacy of the vote will be a new nickname for the Senator from Kansas: Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Senator Sam Switch-back.”
12:34pm Eastern update. Now what? Sen. Jim DeMint has it right:
“When the U.S. Senate brought the Amnesty bill back up this week, they declared war on the American people. This act created a crisis of confidence in their government. Thankfully, the American people won today,” said Senator DeMint. “This is remarkable because it shows that Americans are engaged and they care deeply about their country. They care enough for their country to get mad and to fight for it, and that’s the most important thing of all. Americans made phone calls and sent letters, and convinced the Senate to stop this bill.”
“The Senate rejected this bill and the heavy-handed tactics used to ram it through. Americans do not want more of the same – amnesty and broken promises on the border. Americans want legislation to be written in public – not in secret – and they want Congress to engage in an open and fair debate.”
“There is a better way forward without this bill. The President has said that the border security measures can be implemented over the next 18 months, and they can be done under current law. Now the Administration needs to prove it and stop holding border security hostage for amnesty.”
“Once we have secured the border and restored trust with the American people, we can begin to take additional steps.”
Over to you, President Bush.
Polipundit adds:
In order to pass the Bush-Kennedy amnesty, el Presidente tacked on a $4.4. “emergency supplemental” funding request to the bill. The president should still ask Congress for that “emergency” money to help solve the crisis on our borders.
11:57am Eastern update. Roll added:
Allah adds:
The yes/no switchers were Bingaman, Bond, Brown, Brownback, Burr, Coleman, Collins, Domenici, Ensign, Harkin, McConnell, Murkowski, Ben Nelson, Pryor, Stevens, Voinovich(!), Warner, and Webb…I guess you can thank Sean Hannity for shaming Voinovich into flipping.
It’s worth going back and looking at the order in which they voted, to see who held back and waited to gauge how the vote was going before casting his/her ballot. I’ll bet Mitch McConnell was one of them.
11:55am Eastern update. “A stake through the heart.”
11:30am Eastern update. VICTORY. 53 No’s. Shamnesty is dead. A stake through the heart.
And yes, so was my website for about 10-20 minutes.
Thanks to the stalwart, true leaders in the Senate — especially Sens. Sessions, DeMint, Vitter, Inhofe, Cornyn, and their staffs. Thanks to the House GOP members who made their opposition known. Thanks to the Loud Folks on the right side of the dial. Thanks to the Loud Folks at The Corner, RedState, Human Events, Townhall, Kaus, N.Z. Bear, my colleagues at Hot Air, and all the enforcement-first bloggers out there who weighed in. Thanks to the analysts at the Heritage Foundation, the enforcement/assimilation proponents at The Manhattan Institute, George Borjas, Kris Kobach, Eagle Forum, 9/11 Families, FAIR and Numbers USA. Thanks to the immigration enforcement activists who’ve been at this for years and decades before this one battle began. Most importantly, thanks to all the ordinary “Loud Folks” who called, phoned, e-mailed, and blogged their opposition.
The bill is dead. The work of immigration enforcement and border security continues.
Rolling updates on Senate floor activity
11:04am Eastern update. Finally. The vote begins.
Notable votes so far:
YEA: Brownback (Update: Apparently changed his vote at the last minute.)
NAY: Bond, Domenici, Ensign, Webb
10:59am Eastern update. Sessions interrupts Reid’s drone. What about the time limit? Obama is giving Reid overtime. Now, Reid is using his “leader’s time.” Reid chastises Sessions for rudely interrupting him.
Readers: This is your Grand Bargain. I hope as many of you are watching this as possible. It’s really revolting. Reid continues to drone. I remind you again: The opponents were allocated 10 total minutes to make their case. Harry Reid has exceeded the rest of the hour they said they would take.
10:48am Eastern. Well, here we go. It’s sniveling Harry Reid: “Is immigration a problem? Of course it is. But is immigration a problem limited…to border states, big cities? No. Immigration is a problem all over America.”
Another Sherlock Holmes!
The Corner is buzzing that Reid will be able to strong-arm some of the anti-amnesty Dems.
Now, he’s mentioning a hate mail. As I’ve been noting all morning, this is the Big Theme of the shamnesty side. This is all they have. “Talk radio has had a field day. These generators of simplicity.” After playing the hate card, he disingenuously asserts that he is not suggesting that senators who oppose shamnesty are prejudiced. Reid tells his melting pot story for the 999th time. And he keeps muttering about a watch.
Now: “Mr. President, my skin is real white.” He points out that Obama is black. He points to a Hispanic. “But my skin is American skin.” This is what the precious time on the Senate floor is being used for–emotional bleating that ignores the actual bill on the table.
What an incredibly less-than-mediocre speaker Reid is. And he keeps going on. It’s way past time for the scheduled vote.
10:43am Eastern update. While Specter drones, here’s the video of Teddy Kennedy’s Gestapo diatribe.
Specter: “A vote against cloture is a vote to kill the bill.”
He’s a veritable Sherlock Holmes!
10:37am Eastern update. So we have two basic themes from the pro-amnesty and anti-amnesty sides this morning. The shamnesty senators are playing the fear/bigotry/can’t-do-nothing card. The enforcement senators are repeating the point that the American people have lost faith, confidence, and trust in the government to do its job. Arlen Specter is now trying to argue that the “silent majority” supports his side and that the noisy callers and e-mailers who oppose amnesty do not represent the vast American majority who have consistently supported immigration enforcement first.
10:32am Eastern update. Mel Martinez. Groan. He plays the “can’t do nothing” card. How many seconds before he plays the fear/bigotry card? Waiting. Oops, he ran out of time. Specter jumped in and gave him an extra three minutes because he’s an immigrant. Martinez obliges and echoes the other pro-amnesty senators who have repeated the line about “ugly” opposition.
10:30am Eastern update. Ted Kennedy is yelling at the top of his lungs again, doing his Jesse Jackson impersonation. Invokes civil rights legislation. “We were part of the march for progress. And today we are called again…who among us would retreat on any of those great traditions? Now is the time to secure our borders…Now is the time! This is the place! Are we going to vote for our hopes? Or are we going to vote for our fears?”
In case you didn’t catch this, the opponents of shamnesty are rushing through their statements because the Grand Schemers have only given them 10 minutes to speak. The shamnesty senators will get the rest of the hour to talk. “Typical,” says Session, of the way this debate has gone. And so starkly absurd. You’ve got the pro-amnesty senators on the floor now all bleating about how debate shouldn’t be ended…having just limited their opponents’ time to a measly 10 minutes.
10:24am Eastern update. Vitter spoke briefly about arrogance of the out-of-touch Senate. DeMint notes again that the phone system has crushed. Session– I wish our side had gotten more than 10 minutes. Durbin is now up attacking “dark” and “ugly” voices against amnesty.
10:20am Eastern update. Jeff Sessions gives a reality check to the shamnesty claim that illegal immigration will be reduced by referring to CBO analysis. Sessions reports that the Senate telephone system has shut down and crashed because of overwhelming public feedback.
10:16am Eastern update. Salazar’s up. This is the shamnesty talking point of the morning: People are afraid. People are filled with hate. Now, he’s invoking Cesar Chavez! He is obviously clueless about Cesar Chavez’s position on illegal immigration.
10:10am Eastern update. Mr. Melodrama, Lindsey Graham is up. “I don’t claim to be on the right or the wrong side of the American people.” No need to claim. It’s clear as day. I need a Dramamine, he’s moving around so much. I feel bad for the C-SPAN cameraman. “This is as good as it’s gonna get.” Mercifully, he has run out of time.
Meantime, a reader e-mails:
Just got off the phone with Gregg’s office. He’s still NOT committed one way or the other. All offices are open for business.
(202)224-3324
(603)622-7979
(603)577-3823
(603)225-7115
(603)431-2171
(603)752-2604
Another reader e-mails:
Dear Michelle:
I’m a member of the Republican State Committee of Maine. Susan Collins was blasted on local talk radio today by Republicans who said they will not support her re-election next year if she votes for the Immigration bill. There are rumors going around that she has doubts about the bill. If you could post her phone number, it might help swing her to our side. Thanks. Susan Collins Maine office - 207-780-3575.
10:09 Eastern update. DeMint — “This immigration bill has become a war between the American people and their government. It’s a crisis of confidence…This vote today is really not about immigration. It’s about whether we are going to listen to the American people…the allocation of time as we approach this vote is very symbolic. the supporters of this bill out of an hour’s time have allocated 10 minutes to the views of the American people.” Urges vote against cloture.
10:06am Eastern update. Corker: “I have voted three times against cloture, and will vote a fourth time against it…A lot of different things at play–compassion, cheap labor, party politics…America has lost faith in our government’s ability to do the things it says it’s gonna do…People feel they are losing their government. Not to people who speak or look differently. They are losing it to a government not doing the things it says it will do.”
10:02am Eastern update. Dole invokes Grassley’s admission that 1986 amnesty was a debacle. My strong view is that it’s not just promises, it’s proof (of border security and enforcement) that people want.” Dole notes that she has met with sheriffs to help enforce 287(g) to deputize local law enforcement to help enforce immigration law.
9:57am Eastern update. Kyl pimps shamnesty. “I hope that my colleagues will accept that doing nothing is not acceptable.” No. Passing shamnesty would be much worse.
9:49am Eastern update. Teddy Kennedy did his best Geraldo impression, likening immigration enforcement to Gestapo tactics. Video coming. Arlen Specter is lavishing praise on the maaaverick, courageous John McCain, pleading to the Senate not to kill the bill.
Dianne Feinstein: “There is no more important bill than this one.” She invokes the NYTimes line about the “threats” being made to pro-shamnesty. She parrots the line that we are stupid, that “people don’t understand this bill…they don’t understand the threat to national security.” Oh, we understand the threat this bill poses to national security just fine. She plugs the Graham amendment. “Puh-leeeease vote for cloture.”
BTW: NR reports that Ensign is a definite no and informed the the White House and McConnell last night.
***
The second cloture vote, as you know, is scheduled for 10:30am. I’ll be here doing my thang. As I reported last night, there are dire forecasts for shamnesty from every corner of the blogosphere–and MSM: Illegals bill loses support in Senate. Senate Immigration Reform Bill Takes Step Toward the Grave. New Senators Resist Overhaul of Immigration. Immigration Measure Appears Imperiled Again. Shamnesty in deep, deep doo-doo.
Ok, I made that last one up. Dire forecasts never sounded so good. But nothing is in the bag. As readers e-mailed yesterday and the WashTimes reports today, Sens. Burr and Nelson look like solid no’s. Repeat: Nothing is in the bag. Here are some quick phone numbers:
Christopher Bond (R-MO) (202) 224-5721
Sam Brownback (R-KS) (202) 224-6521
Richard Burr (R-NC) (202) 224-3154
Larry Craig (R-ID) (202) 224-2752
John Ensign (R-NV) (202) 224-6244
Mitch McConnell (R-KY) (202) 224-2541
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) (202) 224-6665
Of note: A source tells John Hawkins that Linsdey Graham-nesty is “running scared.” Keep running.
While we wait for the Senate to start its business, here’s a little entertainment from James Kole, who penned “The Amnesty Bill Blues” (hat tip: Freedom Folks):
More entertainment: Be sure to check out the update to the story about Tom Tancredo’s special delivery to DHS head Michael Chertoff. Priceless.
And a great one-liner from Lucianne in response to a NYTimes sob story about shamnesty senators trembling at negative mail from constituents: “How are they supposed to fight an enemy that beheads people if the mail turns them to jelly?”
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Trackbacks
- Voinovich Embarrasses Ohio (Again) « Thespis Journal
- Pajamas Media
- The Roundtable
- James Kole for Senator | BitsBlog
- Amnesty: The Finale? : The American Pundit
- …gettingpaidtowatch » This morning’c cloture vote on the amnesty bill
- Hot Air » Blog Archive » 10:30 a.m.: Cloture 2 — Something Wicked This Way Comes
- Bluey Blog | Robert B. Bluey » ‘Let’s End This Thing’
- Amnesty Bill II: Morning Roundup For 06/28/2007 | Slobokan’s Site O’ Schtuff
- FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog
- Shamnesty Bill to die today? | BitsBlog
- Right Wing News
- BizzyBlog » Further Reflection on Voinovich
- Turning 25 » Blog Archive » Senate Scratchpad
- Bill's Bites
- Wake up America
- Blogmeister USA
- Ankle Biting Pundits » Blog Archive » VICTORY! Amnesty Bill Dies A 2nd Time
- AMNESTY IS DEAD!!! | Political Vindication
- Amnesty Bill Killed « Axis of Right
- Vote For Cloture On Immigration Bill : The Nays Have It! | Stuck On Stupid
- Dinocrat » Blog Archive » It wasn’t just the GOP
- PAXALLES
- Pierre Legrand’s Pink Flamingo Bar » LOOKS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO KILL AMNESTY!!! THANK YOU MICHELLE MALKIN, RUSH, HUGH HEWITT, THE CORNER, MARK KRIKORIAN Y'ALL DID GOOD!
- Immigration bill pwned in the Senate!
- A Blog For All
- Out And About! » Freedom Folks
- Ding Dong! The Bill is Dead! The Bill is Dead! « Chaotic Ramblings
- JammieWearingFool
- Joust The Facts
- The TIW Blog » Blog Archive » Lindsey Graham Defiant to the End!
- Happy No Amnesty Thursday « Freedom Ain’t Free & Take Our Country Back
- Wake up America
- NixGuy.com » Ohio Senators Stake Immigration Bill
- Pirate’s Cove » >>Americans Never Quit » Senate Shamnesty Goes Down In Defeat
- The amnesty bill is dead. « HoodaThunk?
- Jesus is Lord, A Worshipping Christian’s Blog » Blog Archive » Immigration Bill Faces Crucial Vote
- Keith Burgess-Jackson » Immigration
- A Lady's Ruminations
- Cloture FAILS on Immigration Bill and Reaction Roundup at Conservative Times--Republican GOP news source.
- Lump on a Blog » Blog Archive » Amnesty Bill Dies In Senate (for Now) - Next Target: Fairness Doctrine
- UniversalUpdate.com
- Iowa Voice » » Bloggers React To Amnesty Bill Defeat
- Thinking Right » Blog Archive » Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead
- Thoughts Of A Conservative Christian Kill the Bill: Shamnesty showdown Update: Telephone system has shut down Update: Video of Kennedy’s “Gestapo” diatribe Update: Reid attacks talk radio Update: VICTORY! Roll added Update: Goat of the day–Sen. Sa
- Tel-Chai Nation
- Conservatives Under New Thinking » Here Sir, The People Got Their Mojo Back
- Life on the Road - A Trucking Blog » Blog Archive » Why The Immigration Bill Failed
- Blog @ MoreWhat.com » Blog Archive » Senator McCain’s Support of Amnesty
LOL! First laugh of the day. It could be a NY Post front page though.
Michelle, I have written my senators twice now. I have convinced several other people to do the same. If we all spread the word and get others to act, it could have a huge snowball effect. Thanks for the dilligence in keeping us informed.
I tried calling Sen Bond….I was forwarded to his mail box automatically and then was told it was full. Sounds like the phones are ringing off the hook this morning. I really hope this bill goes down in flames….I fear for our democracy if our leaders do not listen to the people who voted them into office.
I wrote to Mel Martinez and the only reponse I received was to be put on his email list for a weekly news letter! How fast can you saw “unsubscribe”?
Thanks also for keeping us up to date. I have written, called & faxed my senators as well as my rep. I have even called a few others (graham for one). I keep hearing people like Sean Hannity say “let not your heart be troubled” well it is troubled because these clowns we as a country elected are not listening to those they work for. Anyway, I’m disliking Bush more and more everyday. He’ll have a lot more to answer for than just Iraq if the next terrorist attack is proven to have jumped in from the Southern border and they came while he was in office. I mean don’t these people get it? Three of the Fort Dix Six came through that border although that was years ago. You would think that would have awakened some of our politicians and our President up. But no, I’m afraid it’s pau and there’s nothing we can do.
It just goes to show there’s no substantive difference between dem senators and rep senators. They mostly seem consistently corrupt. The old roman senate didn’t have anything the U.S. senate doesn’t have in spades. Wait, can I say spades?
Here’s a reform plan: give the applicants a number. Process them in the order they apply in their home countries, just like every other immigrant who ever came here.
The shame is the corrupt body wants to send the intruders to the head of the line. That figures, in a wierd creepy way.
I thought that was an excellent point from Lucianne. Moments like these should remind us that slim-to-none of our elected politicians ‘get’ the Global War on Terror. They’re still treating it as nothing more than a political issue. Just about the only people who really understand what is going on are George Bush (even if he’s gone loopy on everything else), John Bolton, and Independent Old Joe. I’m really disappointed that these people can’t even taken border security seriously, being forced into (maybe) the right decision because of our threatening their seats of power and denial of $$$, let alone the rest of the threats that we as Americans face today. Hope the bill goes down in flames, if not—we just have to keep fighting. If there was as much of an outcry on every issue as this immigration, we might see a much different legislative session. Remember that.
I hope Senator “Graham-nesty” is running scared. One of our Senators here in Tennessee was pro-amnesty until he realized he couldn’t get the rining (phones) out of his ears. Now it is time to work on Sen. Graham. I will be shooting him an email later in the day as well as calling his office. During the primaries I will be able to practically throw my campaign contribution over the state line from here. He doesn’t want to here from us bigots here in Tennessee but I’ll bet he will care if I throw some money at his primary opposition candidate.
bipartisancomplainer
I’m with ya!
ROFL
Even though Martinez(R)FL is not one of the fence sitters, I still contacted his office and told him not to support this. If he did, he would not lose just my vote but my support as well. I bet he understands money! They all do. Let’s not depend on a hand full - go after them all!!!
Does NH’s turncoat, Judd Gregg, need to be called as well? Last I heard he was leaning no.
(202)224-3324
(603)622-7979
(603)577-3823
(603)225-7115
(603)431-2171
(603)752-2604
Here we go again. If one is against illegal immigration, if one lobies one’s elected representives against this particular issue, one is often labeled “vigilante,” “hateful,” “bigoted,” “racist,” not only by the MSM and libs, but now by many elected Republican leaders as well. Et tu Brute? I wish someone could explain how wanting law enforcement or secure borders is “racist.” Can someone make me understand how calling, faxing or e-mailing one’s congressman is “bigoted?” Cuz, I really don’t get it. Seems to me that calling citizens names just because they’re disagree with a their elected representatives’ political position or are trying to influence how their elected leaders might vote, in and of itself, might be construed, at the very least, as dismissive, if not actually “hateful” itself.
I think I can answer your question limmo. Where you’ve been going wrong is that when you call your representative, speak in spanish to be assured that they’ll actually listen to you and not call you a racist.
Have any of you noticed how deverse this
interent movement is?
I have not, because it has not mattered.
Is that not amazing!
We came together as Americans, no hypens, no NRA members, no anti gunners, no pro lifers, no pro choicers, and certainly race baiters.
Just Like John Wayne said, ” I’am an American”.
Thanks MM, for brining us together.
If you haven’t checked it out yet, visit ‘thecapitolist.com’ - the anonymous forum for Hill Staffers - and you’ll see exactly how indignant and arrogant these people are.
One entry: “Everyone on the other end of the phone knows our to do our jobs better than we do. It would be somewhat comical if it weren’t such a collosal waste of our time”
So, apparently, answering phone calls from those who voted their bosses in is ‘a collosal waste of’ their time.
Not only can’t many of them spell ( check it out, it’s funny ) - their arrogance makes you wonder how many of their bosses feel the same way.
Regardless of everything else, the fact that the shamnesty gang is pushing for a vote on this bill before everyone has even had time to read it should be enough to vote against cloture. These “fence sitters” are simply weighing the benefits of siding with the bargainers vs. the consequences they will face back home.
interent = internet
Iam old and it is early
GOP county committees are catching fire on this, bigtime. This means that GOP grassroots, conservatives, and populist Ds are merging fully. Sen. Bond is solid No-cloture. … People like Coleman and Gregg? Oh, come on, guys. Amnesty House is burning. See what happens if you stay inside.
Cloture/amnesty vote scheduled for 10:50, actually.
Did anyone catch Voinovich on Hannity? The guy didn’t even know that the Hutchinson ammendment failed! He thought it passed. It didn’t seem like he’d even taken a stab at reading the immigration bill. When Hannity asked him about the fairness doctrine, Voinovich didn’t seem to have any idea what that was. ??
jrlinggreenbay, Are you sure that is the correct address for the forum?
I’m not having any luck and need a laugh….
Yes, limmo - I caught most of it when he replayed it later in the program.
And his rush to leave the program - along with his parting shot of “I look forward to coming back and maybe we can have a more rational dialogue” - insinuating that Hannity was being irrational for questioning his lack of knowledge about the bill - was a true testiment of how ignorant these Senators truly are.
http://www.thecapitolist.com/
That’s the direct link to the site.
Thanks it worked,
This entire episode should open the door for new leadership in the Senate and the RNC. Sessions and Demint should engineer a coup to at least get Lott out of the Whip position. The money will not flow until the shake-up occurs.
I am unfortunate enough to have Voinovich and Sherrod Brown as my Senators. I have been emailing and faxing them both on a daily basis since this whole thing began. All I get in return is form letters thanking me.
After listening to Voinovich on Hannity yesterday, I am so embarrassed that I voted for this man. What a joke.
Trying to come up with some ideas for t-shirts and bumper sticks to have made up for my Great Senators of Ohio, especially our RINO Voinovich.
Can’t wait till this thing dies
I knew Burr would do the right thing. I have gained a lot of respect for our other Senator Dole from NC on this debate. Burr is new and Republicans are going to like him. He took John Edwards’ seat. Lord knows I DO NOT want another John Edwards representing my state.
We haven’t found another Jesse Helms yet, but it took Jesse 30 years to become the patriotic senator he was when his career ended. We may not find another Jesse, but Burr is 1000x better than Edwards.
I just fear if you run a guy like Burr out, there’s some Edwards waiting to take his place. I still have no idea how Edwards won the NC senate seat when he did.
Geez, That site Sounds like a Kindergarten class…..
Yes, ajmontana, I agree.
And these people are working in the Nation’s Capitol and are the ones answering the phones when you call.
Scary, isn’t it?
My question is - do they get their childish mindset from the elected representatives? Or is it the other way around?
Fatboy’s gonna pop a gasket. LMAO
Teddy Kennedy is ranting again…….
Gah, anyone listening to Teddy K spew this garbage? retch
OMG - he just likened the enforcement of Immigration laws ( speaking about arresting illegals, going and seeking them out ) to the Gestapo!!!!
This man is out of his mind.
Believe it. This is what I received from my State Party apparatus.
He would know about Gestapo tactics
Why is he stating that the OTHER SIDE didn’t offer amendments?
If I recall correctly, these amendments were not allowed to be presented?
What am I missing here?
Spector is making me ill. I expect this type of dribble from a Dem….but hearing it from a Republican is sickening.
He’s complaining because Senators changed their votes - or said they’d vote one way, and then voted another way.
That’s laughable.
I’m sorry, but is Arlen Specter mentally disabled? This guy is a total embarrassment.
Gayle:
The problem is that those amendments that were voted on were chosen by Reid and Spector as the only amendments to be allowed to be brought up - They ‘cherry picked’ which amendments would even be discussed.
They are not allowing any new amendments other than those specially approved by the pro-amnesty crowd.
How democratic….
Can’t get through to Brownback at all—since last night. Phone mailbox is full, fax constantly busy and then when I do get through it rings and rings with no pick up.
I smell a rat.
Michelle, after listerning to Kennedy and Specter, I think they know the bill is going down. Specter did a good job putting down his own party. I hope people from Pa. notice this. ww
Diane F.: “The problem is that people don’t understand the bill”
Yeah, like your buddy Voinovich?
Now Feinstein is saying that those who don’t want the bill don’t understand the bill….
Kinda hard to understand something that was written in secret - that they won’t allow to be read on the floor - that even our Senators haven’t read - and that they have tried to force through the system so fast that no one has an opportunity to debate / read / understand it.
That is what I thought.
I am taking my meds early so I won’t convulse! LOL!
Shutup Frankenstein.
Specter and his traitor cronies want the 12-20 mil to come out of the shadows.
Right not the scumbags among themat least stay in the shadows and still they do great harm to our society.
Think how much worse it will be when they are allowed to come out of the shadows.
They will no longer have any worry of deportation.
Blah Blah Blah …Feinstein, Saying we dont understand? Pahhhhhhhleeeezeeee
Frankenfeinstein blaming talk show hosts!!!
We need RUSH and Hannity in the SENATE!
Is this Bill even finished yet?
Kyle: AGAIN with the talk show hosts!
GO DOLE!!!!!!!!
I need Popcorn for this……
Just got off the phone with Gregg’s office. He’s still NOT committed one way or the other. All offices are open for business.
(202)224-3324
(603)622-7979
(603)577-3823
(603)225-7115
(603)431-2171
(603)752-2604
Can you feel the daggers she is getting from the Libs?
Well at LEAST DOLE spoke on OUR behalf!
She is a lovely lady that I have had the pleasure of meeting!
Michelle, thanks so very much for helping concerned Americans, like myself, be and stay informed on this travesty of a bill.
War against the people and the senate!
That is gonna leave a mark.
VOMIT.
GrahamCracker’s about to crumble
Did Graham just say that the American people don’t understand what is going on?!
Is he on Crack or something????
WE DONT WANT IT AGAIN!
Lindsey Graham is a buffoon, but at least he is getting a nice aerobic workout.
Graham cracker is making me dizzy. Stand. Still!!
Does Michelle read our posts?
LOL bring the government together!
ding-ding-ding best ever. I just spewed coffee!
BTW, the difference in the time allotments between For and Against Cloture speakers this am, gives a pretty good indication of what the Democratic idea of the Fairness Doctrine is.
IOW, Fairness to Democrats is: We talk, you shut up.
Jammed through the Senate and up the butts of the American people!
On June 28th, 2007 at 10:17 am, gayle said:
Does Michelle read our posts?
She is typing right now, better not to bother her just yet.
I’d better behave then….(blushing!)
Phones shut down - woohoo!!
Thank you my friends for supporting this country. I actually shed a tear hearing that the phone system is shut down because I know, sitting here at home, alone with my computer and my telephone, I am actually not alone, for you are with me.
God Bless America
They represent the citizens, not illegals….what do they NOT GET?????
Turbin will help us, just wait and see.
I hope he cries
Vitter - I have come to love this guy….
What bill I continue to ask?
Is the bill even finished?
There I am again - dark and ugly - LOL
Oh GAWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the little troll who lives under “bridges” is now yelling
Too bad Kyla and fellow Grand Scammers have refused to apply that maxim to enforcing existing laws for so many years.
Dems knocked down race?
Go back and check your history Teddy.
We are in dire need of great changes in our Imperial Senate. Six year terms are ridiculous. How about enacting term limits and repealing the 17th. Amendment.
MUTE
Their probably just saying the phones are down to make it stop….rofl
Now is the time - VOTE NO!!!
(”Kyla” should read “Kyl”. A typo, but now I kinda like it.)
On June 28th, 2007 at 10:32 am, gayle said:
MUT
ETANTThere, fixed it
That was the longest 30 seconds of my life I’ll never get back….damn
It scares me that there are people in the U.S. that would actually elect some of these “Senators”.
Kennedy said “people living in fear”.
Yea me. I’d rather 12 million live in fear than 30 million legal Americans.
Hopefull
Huh, phone system down? Do any of those day laborers have enough training to repair it?
on my soap box….
I like your style!
Florida is sinking in vomit at this very moment. I should know, I live there.
Ditto gayle
One South Carolina Senator gets it!
I live in NC, fastest growing area in the South …concerning illegals.
My county has become Tacoville and I HATE IT.
Wife is from Fayetteville. I like to call it Fayette-vile
Funny, I don’t hear these pro-amnesty senators saying ANYTHING about ensuring the well being of the -AMERICAN- people. Plenty of bleeding heart stuff about caring for people who shouldn’t be here, though.
Then fully debate it on the Senate floor and tell the American people what is in it! Please talk slowly so our tiny little brains can try to understand
Fayetteville is about 45 minutes from my town….I live in Johnston County!
Small world huh?
Gayle, Welcome to my world in Palm Desert, Ca. I feel you’re pain.
Can they say anything of value in 90 seconds?
Amen - rule of law!!!
Mrs. Malkin needs to run for senate so she can give Ted Kennedy the same shellacking she gives Geraldo each night on Fox!
They want to enforce a new rule of law…not the one that is already on the books. They complain that we don’t trust them, yet they pretty much say previous laws passed by them are inadequate and unenforceable.
What am I missing?
LOL Raging
Geraldo-dine got pasted last night. He is so far gone he may be beyond the Hale-bop comet with a pocket full of quarters.
I just had illegal framers to build my house….NO, I didn’t hire them…my contractor did.
Everyday that I went over there..late afternoon…to check their progress, they reeked of alcohol.
Most had their own vehicles. Guess it’s ok for them to drive and to drink on the job. Their boss was Hispanic as well, so why complain and what good would it have done?
It sickened me everytime but they spoke no English so I could say nothing to them. Guess they don’t read English either, hence not obeying the LAWS.
Just an example here of what goes on in this community. Driving is dangerous because most illegal males drink from morning through the evening and DRIVE without insurance.
So much for a legal system.
I think they are speaking of this session. Reid and company have been circumventing the rule of law.
LoL, This it what he heard at a fitness club? Specter is full of beans.
It just strikes me that the Dems employment of Specter, Lindsey Goobergraham and Mel Martinez and the like as “USEFUL IDIOTS” is very much akin to them trying to find Iraq War veterans to campaign as opponents of the war.
IOW, the Dems love to “turn” former opponents and parade them as champions of their new cause. And the best way to describe them is USEFUL IDIOTS….
Great political theater…
The pols know the bill is dead. They’ve always known it. Those screaming, like Kennedy and Graham, are posturing for political points. Kennedy is idiot proof. If he was ever going to be thrown out, it would have happened a long time ago. Graham has a problem however.
The opponents are playing to their audience too.
Everyone wins, except of course, for the country. The Dems “did their best” to pass the bill. The Republicans “did their best” to kill the bill.
We’re stuck with the same millions of illegals and no border enforcement. “Shamnesty” was definitely the right name for this farce.
He sounds like a drone.
Kennedy demonstrated his disregard for the rule of law very early on in his political career. He has continued to undermine the rule of immigration law time after time, beginning in 1965.
Vote yes then no. C’mon, smoke the pipe…
How long until Dingy starts blaming Republicans for everything?
Drone II
LoL, This it what he heard at a fitness club?
SpecterSphincter is full of beansFixed
Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.
Please make Bleid stop.
(needing a Kleenex for poor ole Tommy, alias Imaginary Friend)
RIED says letters filled with hate.
Well DUH!
Wonder why
Talk Radio is the debble.
Tommy, lmao he meant Tomale
En”rich”ed. Yeah, I like it!
ajmontana LOLOLOL!
Reid will turn an angry letter over to law enforcement but what does he do about Tommy’s illegal friend ? …. NADA.
I’m sorry. But what the hell does any of this have to do with selling out America?
(I mean what Reid is talking about.)
WHO CARES????????
I was adopted and have a watch too.
Video news clip from CNN -
A Texas town where Spanish is the official language.
Video
I fear that in the cloak room the arm twisting will do us in.
I pray my Senator Cochran stands firm
Uh-oh…race card.
10:55 a.m. and Reid says “Talk radio is having a field day with this……..moron. Now he is talking about his in-laws and a watch and a ring he wears. What about his parents. Didn ‘t they do anything positive for him in his life. He’s dumbing us down with every dispicable word out of his mouth.
Harry Reid is the King of rhetorical questions.
(Is Harry Reid the King of rhetorical questions?)
“…walked 20 miles to school.
barefoot…
in the snow…
uphill…
both ways…”
And they all did the immigration thing the right way I bet.
Did he just say Hispanics - in the back?
Bwahaaa
Who WROTE his speech? The nanny?
I like his unnamed sources (Tommy), illegal who asked what he should believe. Enablers…..
“Amnesty” Mel Martinez really deserves a violinist to accompany his touching story about coming to America when he was 15. He tells it again and again. And again. Whenever he isn’t running errands for George Bush.
I just call my senator Susan Collins AGAIN. I’ll now call Sen Snowe AGAIN. Collins office says they are getting many calls. She wouldn’t say how the senator would vote.
He is stalling
I am tearing up. I think I will vote nyet!
Now, go stand in the corner.
Ooops, he’s special.
Stinking crud, this is what they do instead of actually talk about the bill?
Question: Did Reid’s parents-in-law immigrate here legally, or illegally? There doesn’t seem to be a difference in his mind.
My last name might’ve been Tsalapatanis. Big whoop.
Sessions is one of my new favorites.
Sessions is a real trooper!
He just admitted that we have all these appropriations already….it̵