Posted on 06/26/2007 9:57:30 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - The Senate voted Tuesday to jump-start a stalled immigration measure to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants.
President Bush said the bill offered a "historic opportunity for Congress to act," and appeared optimistic about its passage by week's end.
The pivotal test-vote was 64-35 to revive the divisive legislation. It still faces formidable obstacles in the Senate, including bitter opposition by GOP conservatives and attempts by some waverers in both parties to revise its key elements.
Supporters needed 60 votes to scale procedural hurdles and return to the bill. A similar test-vote earlier this month found just 45 supporters, only seven of them Republicans.
Tuesday's outcome was far from conclusive, however. The measure still must overcome another make-or-break vote as early as Thursday that will also require the backing of 60 senators, and there is no guarantee that it will ultimately attract even the simple majority it needs to pass.
The Senate was preparing to begin voting as early as Tuesday afternoon on some two dozen amendments that have the potential to either sap its support or draw new backers.
Republicans and Democrats alike are deeply conflicted over the measure, which also creates a temporary worker program, strengthens border security and institutes a new system for weeding out illegal immigrants from workplaces.
This is a breaking news update. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) The Senate voted Tuesday to jump-start a stalled immigration measure to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants.
President Bush said the bill offered a "historic opportunity for Congress to act," and appeared optimistic about its passage by week's end.
The pivotal test-vote was 64-35 to revive the divisive legislation. It still faces formidable obstacles in the Senate, including bitter opposition by GOP conservatives and attempts by some waverers in both parties to revise its key elements.

Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) appears on 'This Week' with George Stephanopoulos to discuss immigration reform in Washington, June 24, 2007. (Lauren Victoria Burke/Handout/Reuters)

President Bush speaks about immigration reform during a briefing in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House complex in Washington, June 26, 2007. (Larry Downing/Reuters)

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff speaks about immigration reform during a briefing in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House complex in Washington June 26, 2007. REUTERS/Larry Downing (UNITED STATES)
Ever.
L
Against the will of the people.
Based on this, the important cloture vote (60) will come after action on the amendments. That could be the biggest test.
@#$@%^%$#$%^$#%^^ senators!
Based on this, the important cloture vote (60) will come after action on the amendments. That could be the biggest test.




Bush told the truth! He called his bill “amnesty.” Oops! Tony Snow to the rescue, “The President misspoke.”
These traitors need to hear from us that their days in DC are drawing short. The American people will send them packing; every last one of them that support this bill that destroys America as we know it. I urge the American people to not send any of them one single peso for their re-election and to “not” volunteer to work on their campaigns. IMO, we have “no” representation in DC. They’ve turned their backs on the “American” people. Their in-your-face arrogance cannot be tolerated. They were elected to represent the American people not their own power-hungry greed.
SEND THEM PACKING. NO CAMPAIGN DONATIONS; NO CAMPAIGN WORKERS. THEY’RE TOAST!
This WAS the cloture vote. The next vote will only take 51 votes for passage. If you waited for the ‘second’ cloture vote, you’ve waited too long.
This bill will pass the Senate, and I’m changing my voter registration to Independent.
1) Shread your GOP card
2) Plan on spending time at the border, we all need to become Minute Men....
Prediction...it dies in the House

ping
The fuse has been lit.
I listened to Pat Buchanan this morning and he and a Washington Times article as well as this article state that another cloture vote to cut off debate after considering all amendments before the final vote on the bill. Are they all wrong?
A little over a year ago I left the Republican party for crap like this. Well, crap like this and the party not having a pair of . . .erm . . .you know. I am now a Conservative Independent.
And not another dime for Mr. Bush’s idiotic war in Iraq.
Only Fred can help. I am done with these pricks!
Prediction...it dies in the House.
Even so, the Senate must go.
We need to post the names of the 64 Senators who are representing La Raza rather than their constituents.
Then we need to vote them out of office.
I just emailed Allard (CO-R) and Salazar (CO-D) again via their web forms. Salazar's web form was flaky, possibly due to overload; so I phoned his comment line as well.
It still has one more hurdle in the Senate, but I think that the fix is in. Yeah, it'll die in the House - EVERYONE there is up for election next year, and they listen more.
Regardless, certain RINOs and key Dems must be targeted and forced into the private sector.
The government feels safe enought to defy our will.

The shaft is this long!

And this wide!
BOHICA AMIGOS!
It is becoming (has been for quite some time) obvious to everyone that the President is being an enabiller for the other members of the "Blindfold Club" that can not see or hear 85% of the United States of American SCREAMING at them to deport the illegal aliens and NO AMNESTY. As we all know he is not really all that close to the end of his tearm as President but at his current rate of deterioration he will bring this nation to its knees in about one year. So... here is the President...
Bush, at the prayer breakfast, said, We must meet our moral obligation to treat newcomers with decency
Bush said in his remarks Thursday. In other words, if you're worried about border security, you ought to be supporting this bill."
Sen. Jim DeMint (R.-S.C.) What they are doing is that they are holding the things that need to be done hostage for amnesty. There is no reason we need to grant permanent legal status to illegal aliens"
Republican candidate for President Rep. Duncan Hunter (Calif) noted, The Department of Homeland Security has almost a billion dollars on hand now for the border fence and road and lights and sensors."
The idea that we will have border security only if its paid for by illegal immigrants is unacceptable, Mr. Hunter said.
At the same time, the reset of the United States of American is repeating over and over
NO AMNESTY
We now have a situation in which The President of The United States of America is not serving the nation and is insiting others in government to engage in government "by the elite" and NOT "from the consent of the Governed."
examples are...
This elite club of rulers that are roaming freely around this Nations capital pi$$ed off at younger guys who are huffing and puffing against the bill and referring to freedom of speech as Talk radio is running America. We have to deal with that problem" is beyond the pale of nature of the Constitution of the United States. These individuals (trent lott) that they are there at the pleasure of the American Citizen. The very same American Citizen that is hitting the 85% mark of NO AMNESTY BILL!
Now they have, for what, the FIFTH TIME, chosen to resume consideration of illegal amnesty "immigration." THEY KNOW AMERICAN CITIZENS DO NOT WANT THIS.
"from the consent of the governed"
Do ANY of these azzholes even faintly recall somthing about that?
The question to be answered is, as I see it, is what are the options of the President and his "inner sactum" to continue to rule by eliteism and not from the consent of the governed?
How long can he keep up being a rouge President?
Is their a way to "censure" the issue of amnesty for criminal illegal aliens from congress and just let the President coast through till 01/20/08?
Can we reverse the situation and use the clear 70% majority to force deportation enforcment?
Can we use the clear 70% majority to force a proper double fence coast to coast?
With a clear 70% majority can we produce a Bill that induces an approach that is focused exclusively on securing the border, jailing (not fining) employers of illegal aliens and enforce deportation upon detection of illegal presence in the united States?
With a clear 70% majority is there any reason why we must be on the defensive?
Could someone post a list of the #$@#$% senators who voted for this?
"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
Time to drain the swamp that has become a cesspool; Washington DC.

The Mexican response to today's vote:
“Based on this, the important cloture vote (60) will come after action on the amendments. That could be the biggest test.”
Lets hope that the Yes voters did it to not be acussed of not listening to all positions before taking a final binding vote.
We’ll see ................
Remember the article a few weeks ago abdout how GOP donations were down drastically and they had to fire telephone operators? You ain’t seen nothing yet guys. I predict that GOP donations will dry up like Lake Ochochebee during this hot 2007 summer. These traitors are finished.
RHETORIC
Face it, the current President of the United States is not very bright, frankly he is a Clown. You could see it in the 2004 debates when he didn’t know what he was talking about, in his commitment to a war against a coutnry that had never once threatened us and that is killing our best young men and womem while costing at least $2 trillion (remember Bush firing his budget director for the temerity of telling the truth?), in the enactment of stupid, espenxive new federal mandates for prescription drugs and “no child left behind”. And now this? Its the Kennedy-Bush-Lott-McCain-McConnell baby and its one abortion I would have agreed with.
I will support the candidate I want to vote for directly.
Based on this, the important cloture vote (60) will come after action on the amendments. That could be the biggest test.
—
OH yeahhhhh... The Fat Lady hasn’t even started to warm up yet. We got a bunch of dramedy to come ..
The Hou$e is yet to come into play..
There are a lot of mixed reasons behind those votes, but be grateful. We will have to depend on these Dims if this thing is stopped in the end. Dorgan, in particular, has been effectively working against it and got the "poison pill" amendment passed that sunsets the "guest worker" program after five years. He worked with Sessions on this.
“Shread your GOP card”
Done it last year and I don’t even allow the GOP caller to finish his sentence over the phone. When I hear, “Thank you Mr. X for all your generous contributions to the Party..” I put the phone down.
Yes, it has one more cloture vote before the final vote on the bill. And, I’m about certain there is a budget waiver vote which will also require 60 votes to pass.
Yes, the bill does have another cloture vote (said to be Thursday) before the vote for final passage. I’m almost certain there is also a budget waiver vote that will also require 60 votes.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.