Posted on 06/27/2007 9:59:38 AM PDT by Jacksonville Patriot
Senate Sausage [Kathryn Jean Lopez]
Brian Darling, director of Senate relations at the Heritage Foundation, e-mails:
Someone once said not to watch how sausage or legislation are made. Today especially I prefer to be at the sausage factory.
As if the Senate floor situation could get any worse, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's staff is now rewriting the Clay Pigeon amendment behind closed doors. It is the intent of the Majority Leader to bring this new unread Amendment up without the Republicans seeing the language. Yesterday Senator Reid did not have his massive 373 page amendment ready when he started debate on it and mistakes were made in the initial drafting. This fact was not discovered until Republicans objected to waiving the reading of the bill, and the Senate Clerk had nothing to read. Shockingly, Reid scrambled around, put the floor in morning business for a few hours, and then allowed Kennedy's staff make final changes to the amendment. The language was finally made available around 5:30 pm and Reid "graciously" gave Republicans the night to go through it before moving to it this morning.
This morning Republicans announced that Reid's amendment did not include the Sessions EITC provision in the touchback section, despite the fact that all previously passed amendments were supposed to be incorporated in the bill and the Clay Pigeon amendment. This oversight is the only mistake so far found, yet there may be other mistakes and intentional omissions in the 373 page amendment. This morning Reid put the floor back in morning business and sent his staff off to rewrite the mega amendment once again. Today, "the most deliberative body in the world," is left to debate legislation that they do not have a copy of. When Republicans asked if the amendment could be read once it was written, Reid objected because "it would take up too much time." Reid is promising the changes in the new amendment to be minimal, yet he has yet to allow Republicans to see the amendment, much less to check the changes.
This is a true outrage and shows the extreme measures the proponents of Amnesty will use to pass this bill, without any significant debate, nor any time to read.
06/27 12:34 PM
Reid is an embarrassment.
What’s the big deal? The Republicans will roll over on this, too.
Vote on it then write it?.......
Lawmakers are not allowed to read the law they are making?
And this is freedom for America?
This should be an unconstitutional act and Reid should be chastised.
Typical example of a democrat running our government.
"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
I couldn’t believe how DiFi objected several times to letting the actual amendment being read! She was overtly showing that her side did NOT want the contents revealed!
But our people have been so admirable, esp. Sens. Hutchison, Vitter, De Mint and Sessions. They are arguing vigorously with their amendments, to have the bill put out in the the open, etc. and should be commended for their efforts. Thank God for these people.
This whole debacle is becoming such a mixed can of worms that it has to be killed. It’s getting downright dangerous now. What are they smoking in DC? You have to wonder?
This Congress is ruining our country. RATS yelp about Veep not being forthcoming and Reid’s doing the same thing.
The fix is in!
“This oversight is the only mistake so far found...” I would be willing to bet there are some DEVASTATING oversights in the amendments in their current form, implanted by Kennedy staff and others just waiting to explode if they pass this bill. Just like the disastrous 1965 bill and the equally disastrous 1986 bill that the senators neglected to read before they enacted.
“Reid Demands Vote on Immigration Amendments without Divulging
Actual Text”
So much for that lie about Democrats being the champions of “transparency”.
Thanks for posing this, Jacksonville Patriot.
Just making it as they go along.. wow.
This is getting pretty ridiculous. Shamnesty, Scamnesty, Grahamnesty,, now .. Ramnesty.
—
Congressman BillyBob, question.
At what point can or should someone file suit against the Senate ie the US Gubamint and petition for redress re: this whole affair?
I know the Senate lives and breathes their own form of rarified air,, but at some point, one would hope saner minds prevail. It pays to know one’s options,, besides the next election cycle, that is.
Reid is a bastard. And Clinton and Gore and Carter too. And Kennedy. There are many others. Wall to wall bastards.
Congressman Billybob
Yesterday, the White House all but said that the president didn’t care what’s in the amendments. So Reid, I’m sure, is making the most of an AWOL president.
This is what happens when a president refuses to be a leader in the legislative process.
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