We Made it a “Miers Moment” [Babbin to Snow: "'Prove it. Build Duncan Hunter’s fence."]

Human Events ^ | 11JUN07 | Jed Babbin

[familyop]

We did what we set out to do: the Senate immigration “compromise” bill became another “Miers Moment” for President Bush. Last week conservative political power was asserted more strongly than it had been since we forced the withdrawal of Hapless Harriet’s nomination to the Supreme Court. We -- which means all of you who took to the phones to call Congress and talk radio, who made the effort to send the thousands of e-mails senators received asking them to opposed the bill -- were the key factor that enabled the bill’s opponents to prevent passage last week.

We should feel good about this victory. It proved what we all knew but the White House and some Republicans have forgotten: that the "inside the Beltway" crowd takes a huge political risk by ignoring the conservative base of the Republican Party. But we have time only for the briefest of celebrations, because this battle is a long way from won. President Bush, Sen. John McCain and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D.-N.V.) are still determined to pass this awful bill.

While we prepare for the next round, let’s not just excoriate the goats who insist that this bill is good for America. And take the time to honor those few who have fought them to a standstill. There were plenty of the former, and just enough of the latter. First, the heroes.

They are workhorses, not show horses. They stood up against the insults from their own President and the likes of Sen. Lindsay Graham (Embarrassment -- S.C.) who memorably called the bill’s opponents “bigots.” The few were able to withstand the calumnies of the many in the media, their supposed Senate colleagues and the White House pressure for two reasons. First, they knew they were right. Second, you were there -- in great numbers -- backing their play. Senate phone banks were jammed as calls from all over America flooded in, telling Senators that the “compromise” wasn’t good for America.

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R.-Ala.) fought every step of the way arguing against the bill and its devastating effect on our security and our economy. Fellow conservative Jim DeMint (R.-S.C.) stood athwart the bill’s path and earning the enmity of the New York Times’ editorial page by saying, “If it hurts the bill, I’m for it.” (Note to Sen. DeMint: if Pinch, MoDo, and Jill are attacking you, it’s proof beyond reasonable doubt that you’re doing the right thing.)

As always Texas Republican John Cornyn was there to defend conservative principles with intellectual force and political skill. Cornyn’s amendment to prevent criminals from obtaining amnesty was a poison pill to the amnesty crowd. And -- credit given where due -- Sen. Byron Dorgan (D.-N.D.) fought hard to place some rational limit on the guest worker program. If he sticks to his guns, he may be the next Joe Lieberman, outcast from the Democratic Party of Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Howard Dean. Which isn't at all a bad thing.

All four were helped by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R.-Ky.), without whose political management the bill might have passed. Laurels to The Fab Five, and sour apples to the goats. The usual suspects are the goats, but there are standouts among them, from President Bush and Sen. McCain to Sen. Jon Kyl and McCain’s acolyte, Lindsay Graham.

Driving John McCain’s getaway car, Lindsay Graham took to the Senate floor Wednesday night to beg for help from his pals, Ted Kennedy and Barack Obama. At issue was Obama’s amendment to shorten the preference for skilled immigrants over family members. Apparently surprised that he had been used like a rented mule, Graham whined that Obama’s amendment undercut, “…everybody over here who's walked the plank and told our base, 'You're wrong’." Graham is -- we hope justifiably -- scared of the backlash that may come from South Carolina conservatives when he seeks reelection next year.

For Graham to have learned from this experience is, I’m sure, too much to hope for. Neither the President nor John McCain have learned. On Sunday, McCain -- on "ABC with Stephanopoulos" -- blamed this temporary defeat on, "The more conservative, anti-immigrant, anti legislation group..." (apparently Cornyn, Sessions and DeMint), "...backed up by a vocal group of people that were supporting them," (that would be us, folks).

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow defended the bill, emphasizing that the President would give it another push. But he also told CBS’s Bob Schieffer that the White House realized that people have concerns about border security and that, “we’ve heard you.” Though we will always think of Tony as a friend, the only answer to that is, “prove it.” Build Duncan Hunter’s fence.

In the June 5 Republican candidates’ debate, Hunter criticized both the Senate bill and the Bush administration for not building the already-legislated fence along the Mexican border. He labeled the Senate bill “disastrous” and said that border enforcement is a national security issue. And he talked about the fence he championed: “…the Hunter bill, which was signed by the president on the 26th of October, mandating 854 miles of double fence -- not that scraggly little fence you show on CNN all the time, Wolf, that people get across so easily -- if they get across my fence, we sign them up for the Olympics immediately. We’ve got a big fence. But 854 miles of double border fence was mandated to be constructed. Homeland Security has a billion bucks, cash on hand. It’s been six months, and they’ve done 11 miles.”

There is no need for further legislation to build those 854 miles of fence (or to take many other measures to improve border security.) In the debate, Hunter said the Bush administration has a case of “the slows” on building that fence. If the President really has heard us, he could cure that with one phone call to Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff.

Please make that call, Mr. President. It won’t buy our support for that awful Senate bill, or end this Miers Moment for you. But it would prove what Tony Snow said was true.

[Hugin]

…the Hunter bill, which was signed by the president on the 26th of October, mandating 854 miles of double fence —

So at the current rate the fence will be built by sometime around 2066. Maybe our grandkids can have a fiesta to celebrate.

[shove_it]

“Lindsay Graham...The Strumpet of the Senate.”

Excellent tag line.

[backhoe]

[canuck_conservative]

".... he could cure that with one phone call to Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff."

Uh-oh. There's the problem right there: Chertoff is one of the biggest apologists for the Amnesty crowd.

Get rid of that clown Chertoff now and replace him with someone who actually cares about real security on the southern border, not just someone who loves kissing Latino ass!

[tiger-one]

The new calling plan, “Call All”

It is time to call beyond the published phone numbers. Example; 202-224-3121 is the published number for the Senate Switchboard. If you dial 202-224-2887 you get the Senate Commerce Committee answer line. 202-224-3445 end up with the Senate Building Health Unit The idea is to work through the last four digits in sequence who answers give them the message. Some of you geeks, I say that with admiration; can probably develop a list of all the combinations which will keep us busy from the calling end. Are you with me?

[tiger-one]

You got that right!!!!

[hershey]

Pray hard and keep up the pressure!

[tiger-one]

The new calling plan, “Call All” Including DHS

It is time to call beyond the published phone numbers. Example; 202-224-3121 is the published number for the Senate Switchboard. If you dial 202-224-2887 you get the Senate Commerce Committee answer line. 202-224-3445 end up with the Senate Building Health Unit The idea is to work through the last four digits in sequence who answers give them the message. Some of you geeks, I say that with admiration; can probably develop a list of all the combinations which will keep us busy from the calling end. Are you with me?

DHS

Citizen Line
Operator Number: 202-282-8000
Comment Line: 202-282-8495

Media Contacts
Agency Press Rooms and Contact Numbers
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS): 202-272-1200
Customs & Border Protection (CBP): 202-344-1780
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): 202-646-4600
U.S Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE): 202-514-2648

[A.A. Cunningham]

[EmilyGeiger]

Is anyone running against Sessions. I know Artur Davis said he would at first, but backed out when he realized he didn’t stand a chance.

[blam]

"Is anyone running against Sessions."

No.

[EmilyGeiger]

Good. :)

[ovrtaxt]

Thanks for faithfully posting those numbers everywhere! You’re doing a fine job.

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[ken5050]

Babbin does his usual excellent job of running through the list of heroes and villians on this bill. I stull, for the life of me, can't figure out what happened to Jon Kyl....

BTW..looks more and more like Graham will face a primary challenge in SC in 2008

[EmilyGeiger]

can’t figure out what happened to Jon Kyl....

I don’t think anything happened to him, I think he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Saying what he needed to, to get elected, or he was one that was easily swayed by the glitz and glam of D.C. Either way that just makes him a standard politician!

looks more and more like Graham will face a primary challenge in SC in 2008..........

Good! I can’t stand him. Just seeing his face makes me sick. He is another one that became an instant disappointment. He makes me think of someone who was bullied and picked on in school, and will do anything to be liked or popular instead of building his own character. I hope someone really good runs against him.

[hellinpetticoats]

Thankyou for your dedication, 2DV.

[beckysueb]

I think all the senators who voted against cloture to help kill it, should have been mentioned as heros, too. Without them, it couldn’t have been done.

[bt_dooftlook]

http://www.sendspace.com/file/do74vs

Here’s a link to a spreadsheet of S1348 vote results - let your senators know where you agree with them and where you disagree - keep it civil to have the greatest impact.

[Afronaut]

I worked at a major Financial Firm right across the street from the WTC site. We had a major software roll-out that had overseas as well as managers from Dell all working on it. It really was not as major as it turned into.

They built 7 WTC from the ground up before we rolled out the product.

So you can build a major skyscraper faster than rolling out a piece of software, no one like that I pointed out this obvious tidbit.

If they want me to go down there, I will get that fence built for them in record time. I am not kidding.

[Politicalmom]

Sorry, they don’t get a pass if they helped to CREATE this monster, like our treasonous weasels from GA.

They worked against what our state legislature has achieved, and against the will of the majority in GA. They LIED to us when we phoned, and insulted us during public appearances.

Chambliss and Isakson are history.