Posted on 06/11/2007 7:24:03 PM PDT by justanotherfreeper
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell offered hope Monday for reviving a stalled immigration bill, saying the status quo is “indefensible” while being responsible for creating a “de facto amnesty” for millions of illegal immigrants.
The Kentucky Republican said he thought his Senate Democratic counterpart, Majority Leader Harry Reid, “gave up on the bill too soon” after lengthy Senate debate. McConnell said there’s a “good chance” the Senate will take up the legislation again.
In a conference call with Kentucky reporters, McConnell said the fundamental question is whether the status quo is better than the proposed overhaul.
McConnell acknowledged that Republican senators are divided on the issue.
“I think the status quo is indefensible,” McConnell said. “The status quo is what’s produced 11 or 12 million illegal immigrants in the country with no real plan—a de facto amnesty if you will for those who are already here.”
McConnell said the Senate “ought to make an effort to improve on a status quo that seems to me almost everybody thinks is not good.”
The senator refused to tip his hand about provisions in the legislation.
“This is a big compromise with a lot of different proposals in it,” he said. “I’m not going to specify which ones I like better than others.”
The sweeping bill, which would legalize millions of people in the U.S. unlawfully, suffered a serious setback when it failed a crucial Senate vote last week.
Supporters mustered just 45 votes to limit debate and speed the bill to final passage, 15 short of what was needed on the procedural maneuver. McConnell and Kentucky’s other senator, Republican Jim Bunning, voted against limiting debate, as did most Republicans.
McConnell said Monday that he hoped the Senate would get a chance to vote on more amendments and ultimately the bill’s final passage in the near future.
His comments came as President Bush pledged to try to revive the immigration bill.
The legislation was aimed at tightening borders and offering employers more temporary workers from abroad in addition to providing lawful status to an estimated 12 million illegal aliens and putting many of them on a path toward citizenship.
In a statement late last week, Bunning said the bill was worse than the status quo and would not have stopped the flow of illegal immigrants.
“Not only did the bill provide amnesty to millions of illegal aliens, but it also gave them their own V.I.P. line to citizenship and stuck the taxpayers with the bill for their health care, education, welfare and Social Security,” Bunning said.
He said the bill also failed to secure the border and did not create a workable system for employers to verify they aren’t hiring illegal aliens.
Bunning said the immigration system needs overhauling, but put conditions on his support.
“There must be no amnesty or other rewards for illegal aliens,” he said. “Any bill must stop the flow of new illegal aliens.”
Also, he said a guest worker program must protect American workers, include only legal aliens and ensure that the participants “go home at the end of their stay.”
Boy the GOP leadership goes beyond stupid to plain suicidal.
Keep it up guys and you will be able to hold the GOP Senate caucus in a phone booth....
I wish I knew what it was.
McConnell?????????
WTF is this?
The status quo is INFINITELY better than this abomination. ENFORCE THE G’DAMN LAWS ON THE BOOKS YOU IDIOT.
Hey Mitch, here’s a novel concept: Try enforcing the laws that you whores have already passed. Otherwise, kiss my ass as I do my best to have you voted out of office, scumbag.
Contact Offices
To contact me (Mitch)directly, please select the appropriate office below.
Washington Office
361-A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2541
Fax: (202) 224-2499
CALL HIM FOLKS
exactly, keep calling tell them to enforce the status quo laws on the books now... and illegal immigration will go away.... I cannot understand what is so difficult about enforcing a law that they made..
IMHO. It sunk McCain. Keep it up and McConnell and company (others like Spector, Kyl, etc) will get sucked into it’s black hole of “prove me stupid once and I’ll do it again.” I just hope the voters memory’s don’t lapse by next Nov.
1-202-224-3121
This is McCainspeak. McConnell and Lott will vote for the bill. They just have to finesse the cloture issue.
This is the Washington solution to the illegal problem—just make them legal and the problem is solved.
Security and Prosperity Partnership Of North America
Otherwise, known as Oceania.
It’s looking more and more like the only option is going to be the one that nobody wants to contemplate. There is a solution and it’s written in the Constitution itself. Will it happen though? If the powers that be continue down this path and it tears the country apart, they will have only themselves to blame. We will be facing another Civil War.
The Senators remind me of the proverbial lemmings, blindly going over the cliff.
They are committing political suicide by backing this amnesty. They don't seem to care. The payoffs must be HUGE.
FYI — It’s the American people pitted against the US Congress. It’s a “black” day in American history. We have “in your face” arrogant schmucks, in elected office, that were elected to represent the people. These traitors are out for themselves and themselves ONLY. Time to clean out the Congress and start over. The leadership needs to be bluntly told, no money; no campaign workers; no get elected!
“de facto amnesty” is the new mantra of the pro-criminal axis
Don't worry.... we FReeps keep the shelves stocked with past threads to REWIND/REMIND..... add a little passion and we will BLAST 'em with truth serum.
STOP AMNESTY NOW!! WE CAN DO IT!!
CALL! CALL! CALL! CALL! AND KEEP CALLING TILL THE LINES FRY!
WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! TILL YOU RUN OUT OF INK IN YOUR PEN!
Bombard the Democrats as well, especially the ones that ran on an anti illegal immigration plank and the ones in marginal districts who could be vulnerable. keep pounding on them. This is a bipartisan issue not a Conservative or Liberal issue BUT AN AMERICAN issue.
That may be the best thing to happen. Start over with the laws from 1787 plus about a dozen others passed since. That ought to cover it.
Treason?
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