Senate illegal immigration amnesty: cloture or defeat. And: what you can do.

Posted Wed, Jun 6, 2007 at 10:17 pm

[6/7 8pm UPDATE: The bill has ceased to exist... for now. The final try at cloture failed, but the bill might come back later in the year. Please read the original entry below if you'd like to help prevent future tries at amnesty.. Like Business Week predicting a bull market just before the stock market crash, the cover of Time's June 18, 2007 issue - apparently released today - intones "Why Amnesty Makes Sense".]

[6/7 3:30pm UPDATE: On the floor right now, Harry Reid is disclosing that last Saturday he met with Cardinal Roger Mahony, and the latter called him an hour ago...]

[6/7 Noon UPDATE: The bill failed the first couple cloture votes, and there might be one later this afternoon. Harry Reid says: "It's daylight hours in Europe. Maybe [White House chief of staff] Josh Bolten can make some calls... The headlines are going to be, 'The president fails again.' It's his bill.". I'm outsourcing CSPAN-watching to Michelle Malkin and The Corner; if you want to prevent this and future amnesties, please read and act on what's below.]

I haven't concentrated on the Senate bill for various reasons, not the least of which is that I don't think it's going anywhere. And, even if it makes it out of the Senate, it will sink even more under its own weight in the House, and will also put many Senators on record as having supported one of the worst, most anti-American bills in history. And, even if Bush ends up signing it, its disastrous impacts will be known immediately. At that point, there is to a great extent no going back. However, the newly legalized former illegal aliens will not have the vote immediately, and there will still be time to take action, and there will no doubt be such a groundswell of public opinion (among those eligible to vote) that something is bound to happen, and that won't be favorable to any of those who pushed or voted for the bill.

I'm also more concerned with the larger issue of preventing future amnesties and encouraging politicians to support our laws. I have already outlined what you can do to block this and future amnesties. While that's more difficult than making phone calls, it will also be much, much, much more effective. One of the keys to this issue is that politicians feel they can get away with things like this even if they have to weather the storm of hundreds of angry phone calls for a few days.

On the other hand, if trying to push bills like this has a measurable impact on their political careers, many will think twice. Business and racial power groups can only do so much harm if politicians are afraid to carry their water. Our goal should be to make supporting illegal immigration or amnesty radioactive, something that politicians would no more do than they would support other things which are widely considered radioactive. There will always be extremists who'll keep pushing the issue, but our goal should be to make supporting illegal immigration something limited to that group rather than something that's considered mainstream.

Unfortunately, my plan has not met with much support, but that doesn't mean I won't keep pushing it. If you want to help out, here's the plan.

In any case, here are some news items related to the bill:

It's apparently been dealt a significant blow, with an amendment from Sen. Byron Dorgan passing that would end the "guest" worker program after five years. See that link for other amendments that passed and that didn't.

Later today (Thursday) Harry Reid will apparently call for a cloture vote on the bill.

Racial demagogue Robert Menendez tells a constituent that it would cost "as much as $250 billion" to deport all illegal aliens; he appears to be using an overstated figure from the Center for American Progress' "study" which used an extremely suspect methodology.

Sens. Barack Obama and Lindsey Graham traded words on the Senate floor, with the latter complaining about an amendment from the former which would have favored chain vs skilled migration.

Twenty-six Arizona state legislators, together with Sheriff Joe Arpaio, have signed a letter urging Senator Jon Kyl to back off the bill.

Monkey Boy goes to Washington.

There's an apparent list of non-committal Senators here: robertbluey.com/blog/2007/06/06/amnesty-opponents-making-progress-in-senate

Tags: 
center for american progress
comprehensive immigration reform
obama immigration
barack obama
bob menendez
harry reid
roger mahony
lindsey graham
jon kyl
microsoft
joe arpaio
guest workers
byron dorgan

Comments

Fred Dawes (not verified)

Thu, 06/07/2007 - 19:09

"This is good news", The system got the word of what may have happened if it attacked the American people with this evil bill. The one world people are mad as hell, and this fight for freedom from the third world rulers must go on until all people are free of the rats. I say deport all illegal aliens, and deport that rat Barack Obama he needs to go home to his little Muslim friends AND THANK YOU JOE ARPAIO, and the 26 Arizona Legislators that helped to stop the next civil race war in this country. But also understand this fight is not over Bush/Mexico City may use his powers to make a Amnesty bill become law by the back door.

Gary (not verified)

Fri, 06/08/2007 - 01:20

So Reid met with the guy who runs the child sex ring in LA? When is the IRS finally going to get serious and revoke the Catholic Church's tax exempt status?

eh (not verified)

Fri, 06/08/2007 - 07:37

I have a hard time seeing the status quo, i.e. illegals 'living in the shadows', being accepted in a quasi-official way, e.g. by the non-appearance of amnesty bills in the future. I think there is no question there will be another attempt, perhaps not before the 2008 election. I also doubt whether internal enforcement will be increased enough to result in either a significant number of deportations or voluntary departures. Increased measures on the border are more likely, IMO. Chances for an eventual amnesty of some kind are 50:50 or better -- the 'human element' argument will weigh in favor of those already here. Which is why it is so important that border security be GREATLY enhanced. Because it is so difficult to generate the political will to do something about illegals once they are living here.

llamajockey (not verified)

Fri, 06/08/2007 - 13:49

eh, Sorry but I sense a mood of desperation among Illegal Aliens, La Raza, MECha the Cheap Labor Lobby, Catholic Church... Balmer is in Washington and Gates is hitting the Graduation Speech circuit for a reason. Corporate American wants the virtually unlimited H1-B and since they have failed to get it the last 4 years they see their best hope as burying it in a massive "Compromise" Bill. Gates and Silicon Valley alone have thrown tens of millions at this election cycle. What is Silicon Valley going to due with hundreds of thousands of H1-Bs who have been in this country for 8-15 years as virtual indentured servants with hopes diminishing of becoming US citizens unless they have an Anchor Baby or get a green card?? Many will decide to go back to India to work in the growing Off-Shore IT industry and occasionally come back to visit as L1 visa "Non-Immigrants". However, from what I have read the there is still a strong need for H1-Bs both because they are actually more cost effective and because they serve as critical liaisons to Offshoring. Next, unlike in 2004 there are now sizable grass roots groups like USANumbers which are not going away. I believe that USANumbers will only continue its growth rate in the coming year. Over a half million to a million "thought leaders" on Immigration issues and Amnesty, expansion of the H1-B, New "Temporary" visa programs will be even more difficult. Secondly the Republican Candidates except McCain know very well how Border Security and Immigration Enforcement polls. Republican also know that Immigration issues will positively crush either of the current Democratic front runners Hillary and Obama in the general election. The last issue is that having stoked expectations for Amnesty the pandering Democrat, Republican and Mexican American politicians know they have strapped themselves to the Tiger's back. I believe many of them think that riots in LA and other towns through out the South-West are a real possibility if they abandon all hope of Amnesty.

Fred Dawes (not verified)

Fri, 06/08/2007 - 22:10

So llamajockey its hopeless? the system will come-apart if people don't get in line for Mexico city? or just walk-away from the USA And forget that this country was made for Laws and the ideals of duty? so what you are saying is business the king? "Well yes its always been that way", but when business attacks the ideals of a nation that business become the enemy of the people AND IF THE GOVERNMENT ATTACKS ITS OWN POPULATION THAT GOVERNMENT IS EVIL. and so what if millions of our enemies riot and rampage all over our so called cities and towns do not people have the right of defense against a population of our real enemies? Do we not have the right of life over total race enslavement? By a evil political system of monkey's? I say let the people of the world attack here! let the enemies of freedom attack now!, we have Gun's to.