Posted on 04/06/2006 9:57:04 PM PDT by SUSSA
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. Senate compromise on an overhaul of immigration law appeared to get bogged down late on Thursday in the face of opposition by some Republicans who say it would give amnesty to lawbreakers.
It appeared unlikely the Senate would approve before a two-week congressional break on Friday the radical immigration reform that would give millions of illegal immigrants a chance to earn U.S. citizenship.
The bill's backers expressed fear that failure to enact the legislation before lawmakers leave for their spring break could hurt its chances in a congressional election year.
Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada earlier hailed a "breakthrough" on the compromise bill that would include a guest worker program sought by President George W. Bush.
But the two leaders were unable to agree on how many amendments to the bill would be allowed.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.reuters.com ...
NO AMNESTY !
Maybe the Senators noticed the angry mobs of Americans with pitchforks and torches massing outside their offices.
The phone calls and emails are having an effect. If they don't get cloture before the recess it's dead, so everyone needs to keep the phone and internet lines burning! And the pressure needs to be constant during the recess.....they need to go back to D.C. knowing that if amnesty in any form is approved they might as well start making arrangements for what to do when their term of office is terminated.
The two 'alleged' 'leaders'.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
QUISLING: a synonym for traitor, someone who collaborates with the invaders of his country.
KEEP THE PHONE CALLS AND FAXES COMING!!!
The Senate is operating under their usual assumption that, as with the Gang of 14 compromise, people will forget their votes on this issue, not only this November but in coming Novembers. If this bill (or any amnesty, regardless of the pretty name) passes, it will wind up being their biggest miscalculation.
Not over 'till its over ping!
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Looks like they're disappointed that the deal is dying. Good.
"NO AMNESTY! The American people want to see our laws enforced. Those who refuse who pledge to do that will pay the price come November."
Yes, and the next POTUS will be the one who convinces us that he really will build a wall on the border. And since we are so used to being lied to, he will have to be quite definite about it - no moving to the center etc. once he has the nomination locked up.
Just sent this to Senator Frist via e-mail:
Well, I see Senator Frist, that you capitulated to the Democrats and RINO's on the immigration bill, and now back the so-called "compromise" which is in reality amnesty for just about all of the illegal aliens. Glad to know that you, who talked so tough, became such a pinata to be so easily beaten about the head by the President, the Dems, and the RINO's. You practiced medicine. Don't you know where the spine is located? You really need to find one soon.
To say I am disappointed is an understatement. This dooms our country to another 20 years of uncontrolled borders (the cost of paying for this compromise would be astronomical, and therefore unfeasible), and then having to go through passing yet another immigration bill at that time, when we will be Atzlan, rather than the U.S.A.
Thanks for nothing, Senator Frist, and believe me, you can kiss your presidential aspirations good-bye, because the base will now desert you in vast numbers. And trust me, that is exactly what is going to happen. You think it is the illegals out there on the streets, along with a bunch of young people being truant from school, that you have to fear vote-wise. They mostly don't vote, or can't vote, or won't vote, but your Republican base does, in large numbers. You have chosen to please the wrong constituency, and that is the constituency that will do great harm to the future of our country.
The Republican party, in particular in the Senate, and with few exceptions, is now a joke. I see President Bush's poll numbers have dropped again. Want to know why? It's his own Republican base that has had it with him. Good thing he isn't running again, as he'd never make it past the primaries. We need true conservatives running our country, not pseudo-conservatives. How totally aggravating this all is.
Amen. The RINO Quislings are going to be wiped out in 2006, and they are going to wonder what hit them.
We need to keep increasing the pressure during the break. Redouble your efforts. Phone, fax, email. Pound on them good. We must keep the pressure high.
Here's some ammo:
Congressman J. D. Hayworth nailed it:
"The Senate compromise is so convoluted, so complicated, and so unworkable that it surely must have been the work of Senators Rube and Goldberg.Gotta love that last sentence: It is amnesty wrapped in bureaucracy surrounded by fraud."This is deja vu all over again. The 1986 amnesty law had a similar approach, and that was a catastrophe. It said if you could prove you did agricultural work for just 90 days a year for the previous three years, you would qualify for a green card. The number of those applying for this benefit was three times higher than expected, largely because of fraud, which was rampant. The Senate bill would likewise be vulnerable to fraud on a grand scale and be a nightmare to administer. It is amnesty wrapped in bureaucracy surrounded by fraud."
How true!
...oh, and different outcome, too.
Last I heard, the vote for cloture on the compromise bill was 10:30 or 11:30 EDT this morning. Assuming the Dems hold together as a block, they'd need 15 Republicans to get to cloture. Even if all the usual suspects vote for cloture (i.e. Specter, Chaffee, Snow, Collins, Chaffee, Graham, McCain) they'd still need another 8. Hagel and Menendez will vote for cloture since it's their compromise bill, so that brings it to 6. Frist will be interesting to watch - he has to know that a "yes" vote dooms any chance he has at the nomination. Have you heard of any other Pubbies in support yet? Interesting that it hasn't been breathlessly reported that the votes needed have been reached.
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