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

By Michelle Malkin  •  June 28, 2007 07:58 AM

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:

switchback.jpg

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:

rollfinal.jpg

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.

***
shamnestykillsm.jpg 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?”

Posted in: Amnesty

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  1. Voinovich Embarrasses Ohio (Again) « Thespis Journal
  2. Pajamas Media
  3. The Roundtable
  4. James Kole for Senator | BitsBlog
  5. Amnesty: The Finale? : The American Pundit
  6. …gettingpaidtowatch » This morning’c cloture vote on the amnesty bill
  7. Hot Air » Blog Archive » 10:30 a.m.: Cloture 2 — Something Wicked This Way Comes
  8. Bluey Blog | Robert B. Bluey » ‘Let’s End This Thing’
  9. Amnesty Bill II: Morning Roundup For 06/28/2007 | Slobokan’s Site O’ Schtuff
  10. FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog
  11. Shamnesty Bill to die today? | BitsBlog
  12. Right Wing News
  13. BizzyBlog » Further Reflection on Voinovich
  14. Turning 25 » Blog Archive » Senate Scratchpad
  15. Bill's Bites
  16. Wake up America
  17. Blogmeister USA
  18. Ankle Biting Pundits » Blog Archive » VICTORY! Amnesty Bill Dies A 2nd Time
  19. AMNESTY IS DEAD!!! | Political Vindication
  20. Amnesty Bill Killed « Axis of Right
  21. Vote For Cloture On Immigration Bill : The Nays Have It! | Stuck On Stupid
  22. Dinocrat » Blog Archive » It wasn’t just the GOP
  23. PAXALLES
  24. 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!
  25. Immigration bill pwned in the Senate!
  26. A Blog For All
  27. Out And About! » Freedom Folks
  28. Ding Dong! The Bill is Dead! The Bill is Dead! « Chaotic Ramblings
  29. JammieWearingFool
  30. Joust The Facts
  31. The TIW Blog » Blog Archive » Lindsey Graham Defiant to the End!
  32. Happy No Amnesty Thursday « Freedom Ain’t Free & Take Our Country Back
  33. Wake up America
  34. NixGuy.com » Ohio Senators Stake Immigration Bill
  35. Pirate’s Cove » >>Americans Never Quit » Senate Shamnesty Goes Down In Defeat
  36. The amnesty bill is dead. « HoodaThunk?
  37. Jesus is Lord, A Worshipping Christian’s Blog » Blog Archive » Immigration Bill Faces Crucial Vote
  38. Keith Burgess-Jackson » Immigration
  39. A Lady's Ruminations
  40. Cloture FAILS on Immigration Bill and Reaction Roundup at Conservative Times--Republican GOP news source.
  41. Lump on a Blog » Blog Archive » Amnesty Bill Dies In Senate (for Now) - Next Target: Fairness Doctrine
  42. UniversalUpdate.com
  43. Iowa Voice » » Bloggers React To Amnesty Bill Defeat
  44. Thinking Right » Blog Archive » Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead
  45. 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
  46. Tel-Chai Nation
  47. Conservatives Under New Thinking » Here Sir, The People Got Their Mojo Back
  48. Life on the Road - A Trucking Blog » Blog Archive » Why The Immigration Bill Failed
  49. Blog @ MoreWhat.com » Blog Archive » Senator McCain’s Support of Amnesty
  50. June, 2007 Archive « Right Minded Online
  51. Time to break out the finest meats and cheeses for a celebration « Right Minded Online
  52. Michelle Malkin » Today was a good day for conservatism

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Comments


  1. #99226
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:02 am, bipartisancomplainer said:

    Shamnesty in deep, deep doo-doo

    LOL! First laugh of the day. It could be a NY Post front page though. :-D

  2. #99227
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:04 am, gregorystephens said:

    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.

  3. #99230
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:15 am, zarsky99 said:

    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.

  4. #99233
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:20 am, miannie said:

    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”?

  5. #99234
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:24 am, terrig said:

    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.

  6. #99236
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:28 am, citizen said:

    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.

  7. #99238
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:35 am, NeoConNews said:

    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.

  8. #99241
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:39 am, Ron Rockstar said:

    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.

  9. #99242
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:40 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    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!!!

  10. #99244
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:41 am, MrC_5150 said:

    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

  11. #99252
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:49 am, limmo said:

    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.

  12. #99254
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:52 am, NeoConNews said:

    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.

  13. #99257
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:58 am, Dersu said:

    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.

  14. #99258
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:58 am, jrlingreenbay said:

    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.

  15. #99259
    On June 28th, 2007 at 8:59 am, WisCon said:

    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.

  16. #99260
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:00 am, Dersu said:

    interent = internet

    Iam old and it is early :)

  17. #99262
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:05 am, Moe of MO said:

    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.

  18. #99267
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:12 am, MCDubs said:

    Cloture/amnesty vote scheduled for 10:50, actually.

  19. #99271
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:18 am, limmo said:

    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. ??

  20. #99272
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:24 am, ajmontana said:

    jrlinggreenbay, Are you sure that is the correct address for the forum?
    I’m not having any luck and need a laugh….

  21. #99273
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:24 am, jrlingreenbay said:

    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.

  22. #99275
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:25 am, jrlingreenbay said:

    http://www.thecapitolist.com/

    That’s the direct link to the site.

  23. #99276
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:26 am, ajmontana said:

    Thanks it worked,

  24. #99278
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:29 am, pedro4 said:

    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.

  25. #99279
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:30 am, freaksloan said:

    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

  26. #99280
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:34 am, ThackerAgency said:

    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.

  27. #99281
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:34 am, ajmontana said:

    Geez, That site Sounds like a Kindergarten class…..

  28. #99284
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:38 am, jrlingreenbay said:

    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?

  29. #99286
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:40 am, MrC_5150 said:

    Fatboy’s gonna pop a gasket. LMAO

  30. #99285
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:40 am, jrlingreenbay said:

    Teddy Kennedy is ranting again…….

  31. #99287
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:41 am, WisCon said:

    Gah, anyone listening to Teddy K spew this garbage? retch

  32. #99289
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:41 am, jrlingreenbay said:

    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.

  33. #99290
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:42 am, ScottG said:

    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:05 am, Moe of MO said:

    GOP county committees are catching fire on this, bigtime. This means that GOP grassroots, conservatives, and populist Ds are merging fully.

    Believe it. This is what I received from my State Party apparatus.

  34. #99291
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:43 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    He would know about Gestapo tactics

  35. #99292
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:49 am, gayle said:

    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?

  36. #99294
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:50 am, jrlingreenbay said:

    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.

  37. #99295
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:52 am, WisCon said:

    I’m sorry, but is Arlen Specter mentally disabled? This guy is a total embarrassment.

  38. #99296
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:52 am, jrlingreenbay said:

    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….

  39. #99297
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:53 am, IrishEi said:

    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.

  40. #99298
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:55 am, WildWillie said:

    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

  41. #99299
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:55 am, WisCon said:

    Diane F.: “The problem is that people don’t understand the bill”

    Yeah, like your buddy Voinovich?

  42. #99300
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:55 am, jrlingreenbay said:

    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.

  43. #99301
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:55 am, gayle said:

    That is what I thought.

    I am taking my meds early so I won’t convulse! LOL!

  44. #99302
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:56 am, gayle said:

    Shutup Frankenstein.

  45. #99304
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:57 am, Dersu said:

    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.

  46. #99305
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:58 am, ajmontana said:

    Blah Blah Blah …Feinstein, Saying we dont understand? Pahhhhhhhleeeezeeee

  47. #99306
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:58 am, IrishEi said:

    Frankenfeinstein blaming talk show hosts!!!

  48. #99307
    On June 28th, 2007 at 9:59 am, gayle said:

    We need RUSH and Hannity in the SENATE!

  49. #99308
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:02 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    Is this Bill even finished yet?

  50. #99310
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:03 am, IrishEi said:

    Kyle: AGAIN with the talk show hosts!

  51. #99313
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:04 am, gayle said:

    GO DOLE!!!!!!!!

  52. #99316
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:06 am, ajmontana said:

    I need Popcorn for this……

  53. #99317
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:06 am, MrC_5150 said:

    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

  54. #99318
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:07 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    Can you feel the daggers she is getting from the Libs?

  55. #99319
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:07 am, gayle said:

    Well at LEAST DOLE spoke on OUR behalf!

    She is a lovely lady that I have had the pleasure of meeting!

  56. #99321
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:10 am, rslancer14 said:

    Michelle, thanks so very much for helping concerned Americans, like myself, be and stay informed on this travesty of a bill.

  57. #99323
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:11 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    War against the people and the senate!

    That is gonna leave a mark.

  58. #99324
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:11 am, gayle said:

    VOMIT.

  59. #99326
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:13 am, gayle said:

    GrahamCracker’s about to crumble

  60. #99327
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:14 am, IrishEi said:

    Did Graham just say that the American people don’t understand what is going on?!

  61. #99328
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:15 am, gayle said:

    Is he on Crack or something????

  62. #99329
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:16 am, ajmontana said:

    WE DONT WANT IT AGAIN!

  63. #99330
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:16 am, Always Right said:

    Lindsey Graham is a buffoon, but at least he is getting a nice aerobic workout.

  64. #99331
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:16 am, MrC_5150 said:

    Graham cracker is making me dizzy. Stand. Still!!

  65. #99332
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:17 am, gayle said:

    Does Michelle read our posts?

  66. #99334
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:18 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    LOL bring the government together!

    ding-ding-ding best ever. I just spewed coffee!

  67. #99336
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:20 am, Always Right said:

    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.

  68. #99337
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:21 am, The Raging Republican said:

    Jammed through the Senate and up the butts of the American people!

  69. #99339
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:21 am, Dersu said:

    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. :)

  70. #99340
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:23 am, gayle said:

    I’d better behave then….(blushing!)

  71. #99342
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:25 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    Phones shut down – woohoo!!

  72. #99346
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:26 am, Heartland Perspective said:

    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

  73. #99348
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:27 am, gayle said:

    They represent the citizens, not illegals….what do they NOT GET?????

  74. #99349
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:27 am, Dersu said:

    Turbin will help us, just wait and see.
    I hope he cries

  75. #99350
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:28 am, jrlingreenbay said:

    Vitter – I have come to love this guy….

  76. #99351
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:29 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    What bill I continue to ask?

    Is the bill even finished?

    There I am again – dark and ugly – LOL

  77. #99353
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:30 am, gayle said:

    Oh GAWD!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  78. #99354
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:31 am, gayle said:

    the little troll who lives under “bridges” is now yelling

  79. #99355
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:31 am, purplepeep said:

    Kyl pimps shamnesty. “I hope that my colleagues will accept that doing nothing is not acceptable.”

    Too bad Kyla and fellow Grand Scammers have refused to apply that maxim to enforcing existing laws for so many years.

  80. #99356
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:31 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    Dems knocked down race?

    Go back and check your history Teddy.

  81. #99357
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:31 am, The Chairman said:

    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.

  82. #99358
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:32 am, gayle said:

    MUTE

  83. #99359
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:32 am, ajmontana said:

    Their probably just saying the phones are down to make it stop….rofl

  84. #99360
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:32 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    Now is the time – VOTE NO!!!

  85. #99361
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:33 am, purplepeep said:

    (”Kyla” should read “Kyl”. A typo, but now I kinda like it.)

  86. #99362
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:33 am, On-my-soap-box said:

    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:32 am, gayle said:
    MUTETANT

    There, fixed it

  87. #99363
    On June 28th, 2007 at 10:33 am, ajmontana said:

    That was the longest 30 seconds of my life I’ll never get back….damn

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Angry mob.

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Yes, they are.

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Because it never dies.


Categories: Amnesty



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