Posted on 04/09/2006 8:37:04 AM PDT by neverdem
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — President Bush blamed Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid today for the potentially fatal blow dealt to compromise immigration legislation.
The landmark bill, which would offer eventual citizenship to millions of illegal immigrants, fell victim Friday to internal disputes in both parties.
But Bush — echoing earlier complaints from Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. — sought to place all the blame on Reid, D-Nev., who refused to permit votes on more than three Republican-backed amendments.
"I call on the Senate minority leader to end his blocking tactics and allow the Senate to do its work and pass a fair, effective immigration reform bill," Bush said in his weekly radio address.
Hailed as a bipartisan breakthrough earlier in the week, the immigration measure would have provided for stronger border security, regulated the future entry of foreign workers and created a complex new set of regulations for the estimated 11 million immigrants in the country illegally.
Officials said an estimated 9 million of them, those who could show they had been in the United States for more than two years, would eventually become eligible for citizenship under the proposal.
Faced with a major setback only months before much of the Republican-controlled Congress is up for re-election, Bush sought to give life to the issue. Speaking mostly to conservatives in his party, he said border security must be improved and enforcement within the United States needs to be enhanced.
But in a nod to business leaders who support temporary worker programs that would ensure an easy supply of low-cost labor, he spoke passionately about the need to put out the welcome mat for those from other countries.
"Immigration is an emotional issue and a vitally important one," Bush said. "At its core, immigration is the sign of a confident and successful nation."
The legislation was gridlocked as lawmakers left the Capitol on Friday for a two-week break. After bewildering political maneuvering, a key vote produced only 38 senators, all Democrats, in support — 22 short of the 60 needed.
"Politics got ahead of policy on this," Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., lamented.
With large public demonstrations planned over the next several days, other supporters expressed hope for its resurrection. "We have an agreement. It's not going away," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, pledged to have legislation ready for debate in the Senate within two weeks of the lawmakers' return.
Frist, though, stopped short of a commitment to bring another immigration bill to the floor by year's end. "I intend to," he said, but added it would depend on the schedule, already crowded with other legislation.
Frist and others accused Reid of "putting a stranglehold" on the Senate. The Democratic leader has prevented votes on all but a few non-controversial amendments since debate began on the bill more than a week ago.
Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and other opponents expressed frustration that they were unable to gain votes on proposals to toughen enforcement or to leave immigration policy unchanged until the border had been made secure.
"It's not gone forward because there's a political advantage for Democrats not to have an immigration bill," asserted Specter.
Reid swiftly rebutted the claim: "I respect Bill Frist, but his position on this matter simply defies logic. ... He needed the courage to move forward."
Kennedy, who had seemed more eager than the Nevadan all week to find a compromise, declined several chances to offer a strong defense of his party's leader.
Republicans, including those who favored the immigration bill, decided in advance they would cast protest votes to emphasize their opposition to Reid's tactics.
Frist initially advanced a bill largely limited to border security. He then embraced Bush's concept of a broader measure including provisions relating to illegal immigrants. But in doing so, he left behind GOP conservatives, who see the measure as offering amnesty to lawbreakers.
Democrats, meanwhile, had their own divisions, principally between Kennedy and others who favored negotiating a compromise and those who were more reluctant.
In private as well as public, Reid and Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who heads the party's campaign effort, said they did not want to expose rank-and-file Democrats to votes that would force them to choose between border security and immigrant rights, only to wind up with legislation that would be eviscerated in future negotiations with the House, which has passed a bill limited to boosting border security.
AP Special Correspondent David Espo contributed to this story.
We'll take it however we can get it.
Right on the mark. Here's my letter to Cornyn. I sent the same to Hutchison.
"Dear Senator Cornyn,
I am extremely disturbed by the direction the immigration debate is proceeding in the Senate. All I hear is talk of what amounts to amnesty for over twelve million aliens illegally residing in my country. Until the boarder is sealed completely, I want to hear zero talk of "guest worker programs". Both you know and I know that any kind of meaningful work program will be useless until the boarder is secured. Period!
Senator, I voted for you the last time you ran for office. If you vote for any plan regarding this alien invasion debacle that doesn't seal the borders good and tight first, you will receive no further votes from me or mine. That goes for any other Republican in elected office as well. I am watching your every move on this one. "
I have no idea. If an article is about illegal aliens and the writer continuously uses euphemisms to describe them, I send them an e-mail and call them on it. Usually all I get in return is an automated reply or else a lecture about "sensitive issues" or referrals to the Associated Press style guides, i.e.
Five Books Every Writer Must Own - Writer Resources - Writing Tutorial
Housing & Urban Development (HUD) - Web Publication Standards and Style Guide
A Very Fine Letter!
Yesterday, while listening to the radio, CNN News at the top of the hour came on. After reporting Bush's comments they reported (actually more like editorialized!) that he was doing this out of weakness.
The illegal invasion has concentrated the attention of Americans on the nature of democracy and its central bulwark against anarchy---our Constitution and the rule of law.
A pity the pushers didn't factor in that Americans can spot a hidden agenda a mile away. Bandying about a bill that treats these drugged-out lawbreakers better than law-abiding US citizens was about as dumb as you can get.
The arrogance of these illegal mental midgets----lettuce pickers and hamburger flippers, protesting in the streets. These imbeciles actually believe waving the Mexican flag in our faces helps their case.
Some lowlife drug lord actually told these morons that Americans are a bunch of suckers who cannot see past the smoke and mirrors, and that we would sit still for their abhorent amnesty bill.
The drug cadres, the pushers and smugglers, are hiding behind the backsides of our vote-hungry US elected officials, all puckered up to fellate these hyphenates.
No one is impressed by this conspiracy of spineless marionettes dancing limply on the strings of corruption, manipulated by the unseen alien horde puppetmasters lurking behind the scenes, ready to pounce on US assets.
Of course they did. They are all a bunch of cowards and where will they all be during the next attack. Safe and secure making sure they keep their butts out of harms way! Each day I think to myself why do thousands of people die on 911 but then why is it going to happen again?
You better believe it! Because WE the American people are the ones who have to look out for each other because we love our country and it's people. They are only looking out for themselves.
CNN's wrong again. The President isn't doing this out of weakness. It certainly isn't earning him brownie points with anyone I know. I think on this issue he just doesn't have a clue. He's misunderestimating his base yet again, as with Harriet Miers and DP World. Fox radio news played excerpts of the address yesterday where he again said his plan wasn't amnesty. What a nerve! I was yelling at the radio. I am so tired of being played for a fool!
On so many issue the President is fabulous. But every so often that Rockefeller country club Republican upbringing rears its ugly head.
And Bush doesn't?>
boneheads
Or better yet, stop trying.
Seriously, find another burning passion. Take up drinking again. Kiss even more men in public. But on your dream of Amerexico, the home country you want so very bad for my children, just give it a break, just a little pause, until say ... January 2009.
So Bush is blaming a Democrat for killing the immigration bill. I assume he's talking about himself.
Mark Steyn - No easy answers on immigration conundrum
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Interesting.Thanks.
oh, if only i could believe you, i'd be so happy!
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