Posted on 05/20/2007 10:09:38 PM PDT by Rennes Templar
Fewer than 20 senators are publicly committed to supporting the immigration deal that hits the Senate floor today while nearly 40 are already opposed or have serious concerns, underscoring how difficult it will be for President Bush and his allies to craft a coalition that can pass the bill.
A Washington Times survey of Senate offices and public comments after the deal was announced Thursday found an additional 32 senators who said they cannot even take a position yet -- a result of the fact that the deal was written in secret by a dozen senators and the Bush administration, wasn't even finalized until yesterday and still hasn't reached many Senate offices.
"I did not agree to any immigration deal and was not part of the negotiations," said Sen. Jim Bunning, Kentucky Republican and a likely opponent. "From what I have heard about the bill, it gives amnesty to the estimated 12.5 million illegal immigrants in this country."
Senators will be asked to make their first vote on the measure today, on whether to begin debating the bill. It will require 60 votes to pass, and leaders of both parties are urging their members to vote for it, so the debate can at least begin.
Opposition comes from the left and the right -- and both sides are vowing to offer amendments to try to move the bill. What is not clear is whether the two sides will be willing to team up to scuttle the bill.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Good question. I thought it was a done deal.
I don't trust a damn one of them. They can say anything they want in public, but when the chips are down ( and the checks are written) its that final vote that counts.
Remember its easier to apologize than it is to ask permission!
LA RAZA!!!
Watch and see if they add a bunch of pork to the bill to get it passed. Then see if Bush objects to that pork as much as he did the pork in the Iraq funding bill.
Then let's hope that it does happen to our duplicitous members Chambliss and Isakson. You saw them up on the podium with Kennedy and heard their comments this weekend, right. They have been front and center on this from the start. I guess the chicken plants got scared over the upcoming state law changes.
Well, I think the McCain for President campaign is dead now.
Since this the Bush WH #1 priority, I expect lots of pressure from them to get it done.
I agree, but there would be no labor shortage if a certain percentage of the population weren't well paid to sit on their arses and not work.
An American "Food for Work" program is needed.
The fact that any support it is disturbing enough.
It may be the WH’s #1 issue, but American Patriots can still put the “Harriet Miers” effect on this issue.
“It’s dead, Jim.”
Viva la pinatas!
I can’t wait to help change the minds of my senators, Kerry and Kennedy... /s
Get this Senators....You want a new job? Then pass the bill...
If there’s a more arrogant bunch of left wing Marxist slobs than in Levin’s office, it’s unknown to me. Levin has appeared once in 10 years in my territory and his staff refuses to hold town meetings. Levin is well disliked around here.
Productive citizens and conservatives are leaving this socialist state by the tens of thousands. What remains are welfare slobs, socialist bureaucrats and the various lawyers, engineering firms and construction companies that leech off the taxpayer body and retirees.
MI is DOA for any conservative looking to live a productive life and will be so for a generation or more.
They have a deal to get this travesty out of committee, not to get it passed?
Maybe this is a good thing - get it out of committee and kill it for good in a vote?
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