Menendez fears immigration setbacks ("one poison pill after the other")

NJ.com, The Express-Times ^ | Sunday, June 24, 2007 | BILL CAHIR

[BornInASmallTown]

WASHINGTON, D.C. | An alarmed U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez said he would support two key motions to bring an immigration bill to a final vote. But Menendez wasn't sure he would endorse the overall bill once all the GOP amendments and other legislative hurdles were cleared.

"There's one poison pill after the other, largely on the Republican side," Menendez claimed at a news conference Friday. In particular, Menendez said he would oppose a plan by U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman to authorize state and local police officers to arrest people on federal immigration charges.

The Senate on May 24 defeated the Minnesota Republican's proposal, 49-48. But Coleman may get another bite at the apple under a deal that will allow at least 10 more GOP amendments and nine Democratic proposals, if not more, to the Senate immigration bill when debate resumes this week.

Menendez, D-N.J., also said he would resist an amendment by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, who would compel both spouses in any family to return to their country of origin before completing their application for legal residency under the Senate bill's new Z visa.

[goldstategop]

WE WANT TO KILL IT! I don't think Bob Menendez appreciates just how much the party's base and the country loathes legislation with no redeeming features. NO AMNESTY!

"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

[Hydroshock]

We are trying to kill this bill senator. Then we will run you and the rest of the proamnesty traitors out of congress.

[at bay]

A little extreme, don’t you think? I would favor an amendment that would say ALL family members must return to their country of origin and make application like everyone else who didn’t sneak in....what a minute, that’s the law right now! Nevermind, we don’t need the bill.

(You sound a little stressed, as I am. It’s important to have a little fun with this insanity).

[Guenevere]

to read later

[windsorknot]

With all due respect, Mr. Mendendez, the Amnesty Bill is one big poison pill that most Americans aren’t willing to swallow.

[the anti-mahdi]

Senator Mentalduhs has a problem with police arresting illegal immigrants.

I swear I cannot get past the utter effing vacuousness of these so-called Senators—Do we need to spell it out in crayon on manila poster boards with little drawings?

If there is any justice, this clown is retired in the next election.

[Man50D]

(You sound a little stressed, as I am. It’s important to have a little fun with this insanity).

I suggest we renounce our U.S. citizenship, leave the country and reenter through Mexico as illegal aliens. We will be eligible for free medical care and other benefits and by that time the current illegal aliens will be U.S. citizens so they can pay for our free benefits! How's that for insanity.

[JohnLongIsland]

time to send some letters, faxes, e-mails etc. to this torecelli wannabee:

317 Senate Hart Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
202.224.4744
202.228.2197 fax

One Gateway Center,
Suite 1100
Newark, New Jersey 07102
973.645.3030
973.645.0502 fax

208 White Horse Pike, Suite 18
Barrington, New Jersey 08007
856.757.5353
856.546.1526 fax

[rovenstinez]

The Senator’s position is difficult to understand, if the police run a computer check and find someone is found to be a fugitive of the law, WHY can’t police, fireman, marshalls, sheriffs, game wardens, highway patrol, and deputized posse’s apprehend those who need to come to the bench before a judge? WOW...this is the brink of anarchy.

[Soul Seeker]

So basically Menedez iz as scared of going on record in support of this as some Republicans, because he’s using these amendments as a convenient excuse not to vote for final passage? Some people ought to inform Menendez everyone including his Dems are going to be informed the cloture vote IS a vote for the bill. These pols are not going to slip out of responsibility that easily.

[Savage Beast]

"Menendez said he would oppose a plan by U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman to authorize state and local police officers to arrest people on federal immigration charges."

Don't they have that authority right now--under existing law? De jure if not de facto--and interesting concept in itself--?

[Savage Beast]

"That's a killer amendment," declared Menendez.

Okay. Kill the entire "bill". And enforce existing law.

There. That was easy, wasn't it?

[azhenfud]

My love for the United States, my connection to this nation through citizenship to her, far exceeds any free offer any two-bit politician or group thereof could ever conceive.

[at bay]

I suggest we renounce our U.S. citizenship, leave the country and reenter through Mexico as illegal aliens..

I got the coyote if you got the dinero.

[sgtbono2002]

The Immigration-Amnesty bill IS a poison pill.

[Greg F]

A vote for cloture is a vote for the bill. The way I read it Menendez is saying he WILL vote for cloture while trying to claim he opposes the bill. If he opposes the bill why vote for cloture when the whole world knows that a vote against cloture kills the bill?

[Greg F]

bump

[goldstategop]

Why? Because our leaders don't believe in the rule of law much less than respect for our national sovereignty. If they did, they would never even contemplate amnesty. That is the gulf that exists between them and the American people. They don't take those things seriously; we do! So they don't have a clue as to why the country is fit to be tied over what they're doing selling it out in the spirit of ethnic pandering on the one hand and pleasing corporate fat cats looking for an endless supply of of "cheap" - read, slave labor on the other hand. Its the rare politician who doesn't read the polls and Menendez is either principled, unusually brave or a fool.

"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

[goldstategop]

Menendez knows that what he calls "poison pills" in the minimum that would make the bill acceptable to conservatives. But the way he looks at it, those amendments would doom amnesty altogether. What the elites cares about isn't securing our borders. They are totally opposed to what people beyond the Beltway regard as plain common sense, which is a commodity in short supply in Washington, particularly in the U.S Senate.

"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