Senate Coalition Crosses Borders

The vote was close. A cluster of senators from both parties, authors of the immigration bill under debate, hovered over the clerk tallying the votes on an amendment that could bring down their fragile compromise legislation.

At 45 to 45, Arizona's Jon Kyl, the lead Republican architect of the bill, put his hand to his chin. At 48 to 45, he crossed his arms and bit his lip. Ken Salazar, the Colorado Democrat who helped write the bill, leaned in.

The count stopped: 49 to 48. The amendment had passed, and their bill looked doomed. The bipartisan team sprang into action.

Kyl shot across the room to urge two Republicans still in the chamber to switch their votes. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) targeted Democrat Daniel K. Akaka of Hawaii, who listened, hesitated as Kyl drew close, then gestured to the clerk to change his vote.

In the center of the room, Salazar and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) kept their eyes locked on the clerk until he called out the new tally: 48 to 49.

In deeply divided Washington, the coalition behind the Senate immigration bill is unusual and — so far — unusually effective. The lawmakers, who span the political spectrum from deeply conservative to passionately liberal, spent hundreds of hours together in Senate conference rooms writing the 628-page immigration bill, phrase by painstaking phrase.

I'm tired of my representatives telling me what is best for me. I, along with tens of thousands of others like me, voted for our Senators and House members to "represent" our positions. NOT THEIRS! It pi**es me off to no end to have these arrogant jerks purport to know more than I do about those things that affect me. In the case of illegal aliens invading our country I see first hand the destruction of our property, the waste of our tax dollars and total lack of respect for my country.

Shame on all those who are responsible for selling our nation down the river. I never thought a bus would be big enough to take out the United States of America but now, with this bunch of pickelheaded globalists that have slithered onto Capitol Hill I am not too sure. It appears that they are the ones driving the bus.

"I never thought a bus would be big enough to take out the United States of America but now, with this bunch of pickelheaded globalists that have slithered onto Capitol Hill I am not too sure."

You are getting close to the answer on what's really going on. "The new world order" has membership from both Republican and Democrat parties, and are slowly but surely destroying our constitution, our nations sovereignty, our freedom, property ownership rights, while making illegal treaties and agreements with the New World Order government, which is run by selected not elected, global Marxist elitist moonbats.

We the people need to take control of OUR country back, and we can begin doing that by throwing out those who have broken their pledge to uphold the constitution and protect the sovereignty of OUR nation.

Senate Coalition Crosses Borders -- The 12 senators, who have dubbed themselves the "grand bargainers" ...

Republicans

Saxby Chambliss (Ga.): An opponent of last year's immigration bill, Chambliss answered his front-office phones in May to explain the new legislation to angry callers.
Lindsey Graham (S.C.): Booed by home-state crowds for his immigration stance, Graham is unrepentant. Critics of the bill, he says, "have an obligation to tell us what to do next."
Johnny Isakson (Ga.): Isakson provided the key to talks with his idea of "triggers," security benchmarks that must be met before other reforms proceed. He says he explains the bill "on the plane, everywhere I go."
Jon Kyl (Ariz.): The GOP's team leader won a hard-fought 2006 election in which he said voters demanded action on immigration. But critics abound. "I have learned some new words from my constituents," he said.
Mel Martinez (Fla.): The Senate's sole immigrant, the Cuban-born Martinez was an essential link to Democrats early in the talks.
Arlen Specter (Pa.): Specter, who helped write the 2006 bill, said of the new measure: "No matter what we craft, it's going to be attacked from the right and the left."

Democrats

Richard J. Durbin (Ill.): The No. 2 Democrat in the Senate, Durbin has championed the Dream Act, which gives citizenship to illegal immigrant children.
Dianne Feinstein (Calif.): The only Californian, Feinstein advocated tougher border security and a guest-worker program for farmers. She's known for her command of policy detail.
Edward M. Kennedy (Mass.): A force on immigration for decades, the 75-year-old Kennedy is aiming to make this bill a part of his legacy.
Patrick J. Leahy (Vt.): The chairman of the Judiciary Committee, which oversees immigration, Leahy has a keen interest in refugee and asylum issues.
Ken Salazar (Colo.): The former rancher has been the team's peacemaker. "When people thought the talks would break apart, Ken would bring them back together," Martinez said.
Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.): A key player in the 1986 immigration reform, now widely criticized as an "amnesty," Schumer has had a smaller role in shaping this bill.

At 45 to 45, Arizona's Jon Kyl, the lead Republican architect of the bill, put his hand to his chin. At 48 to 45, he crossed his arms and bit his lip.

Oooh, a real horse race, lol.

In the center of the room, Salazar and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) kept their eyes locked on the clerk until he called out the new tally: 48 to 49. They had won.

Oops, there's that "predetermined outcome" thingie again. Duh.

I think it is time to put together our own state coalitions and demand recalls of every Senator who votes for this immigration bill.

Mothers Against Illegal Aliens are trying to do a recall of Kyl and McCain in Arizona. I hope they can get something going and according to them recalls are allowed in the state:

For those individuals who did not believe that ARIZONA can recall their senators, please see below the signed statements by both Jon Kyl and John McCain who have signed the "Statement on Recall" which clearly states "that they deem themselves responsible to the people and under obligation to them to resign immediately if not re-elected on a recall vote."

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