Posted on 06/07/2007 9:00:14 PM PDT by LdSentinal
Two weeks ago, when the immigration bill landed on the Senate floor, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) voted against an amendment that targeted one of its key provisions: a guest-worker program that President Bush and many U.S. companies have sought for years.
Shortly after midnight yesterday, DeMint returned to the floor, and along with three conservative Republican colleagues, voted in favor of the same measure he had opposed, to sunset the program after five years. Not that DeMint has anything against guest workers. He supports the idea. But weakening the guest-worker program would leave the bill in tatters -- and in the twisted logic of the Senate, that served DeMint's greater goal of derailing the legislation.
"If it hurts the bill, I'm for it," DeMint explained matter-of-factly.
The early-morning vote shocked members of the bipartisan coalition who have struggled to pass an immigration bill, one of the most complex and controversial issues that Congress has tackled in years. Leaders in both parties condemned the GOP switchers for conspiring to sabotage legislation that had taken countless delicate negotiating sessions to craft. And that was exactly the intent. The four new votes were the result of an aggressive last-minute lobbying campaign by the legislation's Democratic and Republican critics.
"I'm embarrassed to say they were trying to kill the bill, and I'm ashamed of it," Republican Whip Trent Lott (R-Miss.) said of DeMint and his associates. He fumed that the senators had voted against their principles and on an amendment offered by Democrats, no less.
But that's the Senate, where tactical voting is par for the course, and where a single disgruntled lawmaker -- or in this case, four -- can run even the most artful compromise aground. And that was the ultimate conclusion of their vote, leading to the legislation's demise last night.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I’ll help Reid out. Here’s what you offer, Harry:
1. Build a long, strong, effective fence.
2. Increase border patrols and assure that agents have real enforcment power. (No catch and release, etc.)
3. DENY illegal aliens access to any government services, including schools. Require mandatory, automatic deportation of any illegal alien who ATTEMPTS to ACCESS any government service, whether such service is federal, state, or local. (Note: The only exception would be dire-emergency medical treatment, followed immediately [after sufficient recovery time] by mandatory, automatic deportation.)
4. REQUIRE a MANDATORY JAIL sentence for any illegal alien found to be holding fraudulent identification, followed by mandatory, automatic deportation. (Note: Lengthier jail sentences would be MANDATORY for the identity theft of living American citizens.)
5. Require fines and criminal proceedings against any employer (including company officers and responsible hiring personnel) who knowingly hires and employs illegal aliens.
6. Anchor babies (babies born to illegal alien parents) are to be DENIED citizenship, and are to be immediately deported along with their parents. (Note: This provision should be made retroactive, say, sixteen years.)
7. Any law enforcement officer (federal, state, or local) who, in the course of normal law enforement activity, becomes aware of an illegal aliens status is REQUIRED to notify the appropriate federal authorities immediately and hold that alien in custody for no more than three days (sufficient time for federal authorities to take custody).
(Note: Jail sentences for any illegal alien criminality noted above must be MANDATORY MINIMUM sentences in order to avoid end runs by liberal activist Democrat judges.)
The above seven provisions, if passed, will fully resolve the illegal alien problem. Illegals will disappear BY ATTRITION since they will be: a) unemployable, b) unable to access government welfare and other services, and c) unable to enroll their illegal alien children in government schools. Many, if not most, illegal aliens will return to their countries of origin voluntarily since there is little reason for them to remain in the US.
(Note: No logistically burdensome and expensive roundup of 12 million-plus illegal aliens is required, recommended, or even necessary. Therefore, the red herring argument against tough measures can be dismissed out of hand.)
Meanwhile, reasonable LEGAL immigration laws should be streamlined, strengthened, and ENFORCED in order to address the legitimate needs of employers.
Say what you want about Tom Daschle but he was able to out-flank helmet head time and time again on the Senate floor. Daschle basically wound up being the de facto Majority Leader thanks to Trent's ineptitude.
Even the great compromiser himself, Bob Dole, never became the kind of door mat that Lott was.
I swear that all the traitors who tried to do America in were the same ones at Julius Caeser's assassination. Now we're stuck with them, or so they think.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Leaders in both parties condemned the GOP switchers for conspiring to sabotage legislation that had taken countless delicate negotiating sessions to craft.
Boo Hoo, it’s soooooo sad. All those countless delicate sessions...
What cry babies.
Only one of the sessions counted, and that is
JEFF SESSIONS from Alabama my hero and honorary
Hawaiian.
FReeper activism BUMP! Hooray tenthirteen!
In our dreams. All of the major black politicians and civil rights organizations support any liberalized immigration law/shamnesty that comes down the pike. The late Barbara Jordan was an exception on this.
Is it any coincidence that Oldsmobile sales went into a slow decline after Teddy swam away from his?
It’s called brilliance. And it worked perfectly. They are now heroes of the Republic!
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
In this case, we should be thankful that Lott is such a pathetic, ineffective leader. The fact that this clown is the WHIP for the republicans in the senate is alarming. lol
Strom Thurmond would be soooo disappointed in Trent...
Yeah 23% is a majority. Not
What there are, are generous business interests that are up against the wall as places like Hazleton and the entire state of Oklahoma begin to enforce current law. If they can not repeal the law as it stands now, they are done. And they will pay millions to try to accomplish this.
Barbour should run against him
DeMint may have saved Kyl’s career. Kyl’s latest vote was against cloture, (so in effect Kyl helped to kill the bill), and perhaps that fact, plus Kyl’s conservative prestige prior to this immigration disaster, might save him.
Go to rightwingnews.com for more of a take on this.
Apparently DeMint, Sessions, Bunning and Coburn were extremely instrumental in killing this according to this story and Hawkins. I suspect Cornyn as well and we know Dorgan was.
We owe a debt of gratitude to the main adocates for our borders. I strongly supect Sessions was the ring leader in putting this together though. ;-) Kudos to them all for denying the pressures put on them. Now THAT is TRUE courage.
BTW, just think of what we could get done if men like DeMint and Sessions were the Republican leadership. they outwitted the Rino’s and dems. Something the others have never been able to do. Not that I think they wanted to.
Coburn is listed as not voting ?
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