ZOMBIE SENATORS!
Posted on 06/14/2007 3:55:45 PM PDT by Alaphiah123
Key senators tentatively agreed on a plan to revive a stalled immigration bill on Thursday, aided by President Bush's support for a quick $4.4 billion aimed at "securing our borders and enforcing our laws at the work site."
Officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said Republican and Democratic supporters of the bill were presenting their proposal to the Senate's top two leaders, who in turn arranged an early evening meeting to discuss it.
Precise details to be presented to Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., were not disclosed.
In general, according to officials familiar with the discussions, Republicans and Democrats would each be accorded roughly a dozen chances to amend the measure, with the hope that they would then combine to provide the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster by die-hard opponents. The officials who described the emerging plan did so on condition of anonymity, saying the negotiations had been conducted in private.
The legislation has generated intense controversy, particularly for provisions envisioning eventual citizenship for many of the estimated 12 million immigrants now in the country unlawfully. The bill also calls for greater border security and a crackdown on the hiring of illegal employees.
"We're going to show the American people that the promises in this bill will be kept," Bush said, two days after launching a personal rescue mission.
Any agreement is subject to approval by Reid, who has said repeatedly it is up to Bush and Republicans to line up the votes needed to advance the measure if it is to be brought back to the Senate for debate. Reid, who has expressed misgivings about elements of the bill, sidetracked it last week after supporters gained only 45 of the 60 votes needed.
Republicans accounted for only seven of the 45 votes, and Reid said earlier this week, "We'll move on to immigration when they have their own act together."
Bush's decision to personally announce support for the accelerated funding reflected concerns expressed by Republican senators at a closed-door meeting on Tuesday. Several told him their constituents doubted the government was capable of following through on a commitment to enforce immigration laws.
In a letter sent to Bush before the meeting, Georgia Republican Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson wrote, "This lack of trust is rooted in the mistakes made in 1986, and the continued chaos surrounding our immigration laws. Understandably, the lack of credibility the federal government has on this issue gives merit to the skepticism of many about future immigration reform."
Under the legislation as drafted, money for border enforcement would be collected gradually as illegal immigrants pay the fines and fees needed to achieve legal status. The letter asked Bush to secure the border before other elements of the immigration measure go into effect, and the president agreed in his remarks to the Associated Builders and Contractors.
"One common concern is whether the government will provide the resources to meet the goals in the bill. They say, 'It's fine to talk about it, are you actually going to do something?'" he said.
"To answer these concerns I support an amendment that will provide $4.4 billion in immediate additional funding for securing our borders and enforcing our laws at the work site," he said.
"By matching our benchmarks with these critical funds, we're going to show the American people that the promises in this bill will be kept."
Two Republican supporters of the legislation, Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Jon Kyl of Arizona, had previously proposed advanced funding.
"The moment the presidential signing pen meets the paper these funds will be available," Graham said in a statement welcoming Bush's remarks.
But Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., an opponent of the legislation, took a different view. "I appreciate the effort to fund border security, but there's simply no reason why we should be forced to tie amnesty to it. If the administration was serious about fulfilling the border security promises, then this funding should have been supported all along, not offered at the last minute to attract votes to a bad bill."
Even a decision to return the bill to the Senate floor does not guarantee its passage, given the intense opposition. "We've got people out there on both sides really ready to burn the place down," said Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the second-ranking Republican. "I don't think we ought to let that happen."
The calendar, too, presents obstacles to any attempt to pass the measure before the Senate begins a scheduled vacation in two weeks. Should they choose, critics of the immigration measure could slow progress on other measures Reid wants debated in the next two weeks. The effect would be to further reduce prospects for passage of the immigration bill.
I think the key is Mrs. Chao, who has told her husband to deal with her employer.
Will someone tell me why Frist was behind Lott becoming #2 in the Senate? It is ridiculous the spineless Senator is back in leadership.
Let me guess, that 4.4 billion is already allocated for a wall which has been approved via Congress but will cover the costs of this debacle without a wall being built.
That sums it up nicely.
They do so at their own peril.....they have already been warned there will be political consequences for their actions.
Waaaaay beyond stuck on stupid at this point...
Just say NO to Amnesty!! Keep calling!! It’s NOT OVER!!
U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121
U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121
White House comments: (202) 456-1111
Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep
Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
The height of arrogance.
Mano’s arriba pendejo’s !..........round three.
I just have three words I would like to say to the U.S. Senate Bring it on.
We are going to find out one way or the other which of these Senators cares for the American People and who cares for violating American Laws.
I would rather see it sooner rather than later.That way we can plan on kicking their butts out of power.The Very thing they crave.
Sorry I did catch the reference but THIS CAN’T BE GOOD!
Comprehensive immigration reform is all about inundating the USA with many tens of millions of 3rd world immigrants. Everything else is window dressing.
It doesn’t matter whether we have amnesty, new border security, guest workers or anything else.
In the end, the current 12-20 million illegals soon will each be able to bring in their family members. Add this to all the anchor babies and we’ll be overrun with 3rd world folks in numbers that will sink us.
"Mmmmmmm, dough from mega-corporations and globalist interests."
When the courts and ACLU get on the fines and penalties, bye bye funding for border security. It is too punitive, don’t you know? You didn’t buy this ruse did you?
No kidding. They've basically declared war on the electorate.
ZOMBIE SENATORS!
Agree. Let’s have this fight right here, right now!
ping
.
“We’ve got people out there on both sides really ready to burn the place down,” said Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the second-ranking Republican. “I don’t think we ought to let that happen.”
.
What, to augment the financing already approved to build a barrier which was never built?
This is rapidly going from politically comical to personally frustrating.
Those G-D globalists senators and Jorge are determined to turn over the Southwest to Mexico! I hope they all choke on the rubber chicken dinners at their freakin’ fund raising dinners!!! I am fed up with these clowns!
Gee whiz Senator Lott why bring back the bill then? He hears the people telling him that he ought not sell our country down the river but proceeds full steam ahead. Sh*t happens Senator Lott and I hope you get your fair share of it.
“aided by President Bush’s support for a quick $4.4 billion aimed at “securing our borders and enforcing our laws at the work site.””
Lip service. WE’RE NOT THAT STUPID, MR. PRESIDENT.
Who the hell do these senators think they are?,on both sides of the aisle.
It's time for a Third Party to get some votes,and one of them will get mine in 2008.
"The $4.4 billion would be spent immediately and then repaid out of fees and fines collected through the path to citizenship program and the guest-worker program, Mr. Snow said."
There is a disconnect here. Last week, Kennedy, Durbin, et al, said medical and social services required for the immigrants would be paid "out of fees and fines collected through the path to citizenship program and the guest-worker program".
Well, which is it? Paying for border security or medical / social services?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
The “details” are obvious. Republicans can present 10 amendments that Kennedy knows will be voted down. Dummies can present 10 amendments, pre-approved by Kennedy, that will all get majority approval.
Then, both sides will agree that the process was fair and the bill should get an up or down vote.
Sure looks fair to Kennedy!
No donations first and no votes second.
HAHAHA ... The Democrats get exactly what they want... Red meat for the GOP.... I bet they wish this infighting lasts until right before the 08 elections.....
Well this is going to pass...there is no doubt now.
Enforcement only. Nothing else is going to fly.
One glaring problem with this promise - according to that pesky Constitution, all spending bills must originate in the House of Representatives, not the Senate. So any amendment that promises to spend more money than is already appropriated is meaningless unless the House includes the same language in their bill. If the House passes a bill without the extra spending, they can’t just insert the Senate language into the conference report. So we never get the additional spending, but the amnesty gets passed anyway. No thanks!
Print and send to the RNC...
“They do so at their own peril.....they have already been warned there will be political consequences for their actions.”
They don`t seem to care. 99.999 % of this country could oppose it, and they would still try to ram it through.
Here is what is going to happen with the latest iteration of Fool the Yahoos. Republicans will provide enough flipped votes to prevent filibuster. Then when the bill comes up for final passage, 9 or 10 of these guys will be allowed to vote against the bill. It will pass and they will be able to tell their constituents they voted against it, figuring they are too dumb to realize that the cloture vote was the one that counts.
Now that’s witty!
They look more like the Stepford Wives to me.
I seriously doubt it. When election time rolls around, the Dems and Pubbies will roll out their standard round of "social issue" scaremongering ("If you don't vote for me, Gays will marry" or "Gays will never marry", etc.) and the base on both sides will hold thier noses and vote 'em back in.
This “110th Congress” will go down in the history books as the Congress that destroyed the greatest country on earth through their greed for cheap labor and cheap votes in return for uncontrolled illegal immigration.
Dear Trent,
ESAD.
HAHAHA ... The Democrats get exactly what they want... Red meat for the GOP.... I bet they wish this infighting lasts until right before the 08 elections.....Wrong again. They don't. The issue is a winner for Republicans, though a confused field with Bush's position. The "Class of 2006" new dems mostly were tough on enforcement like the Repubs.
bttt
“Under the legislation as drafted, money for border enforcement would be collected gradually as illegal immigrants pay the fines and fees needed to achieve legal status.”
Mr. President, how stupid do you think I am? The illegals wouldn’t go back home if we paid them $5,000, let alone them paying us $5,000. You know it, and I know you know it. You simply are trying to pull the wool over our eyes.
Here is a suggestion, SECURE THE BORDERS! Then we can talk about hiring immigrants to do the jobs Americans will not do.
However, the HOUSE keeps the cookie jar.
They ought to rename this bill “Michael Myers” after the Halloween movie murderer that just would not die.
$4.4 billion vs. $500 billion for Iraq. Hey Bush, GFY.
Will Lindsey Graham wear a pink or pale blue tie w/matching light loafers? Forgive me, the bigot in me just let that out.
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