Posted on 06/19/2007 6:29:36 AM PDT by 3AngelaD
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) efforts to complete work on the immigration bill might again disrupt the weekend travel schedules of those senators running for president. Reid’s warning on the Senate floor yesterday that “if they’re going to be gone from the Senate, they’re likely going to miss votes,” prompted an aide to one of the presidential campaigns to respond simply, “Yuck.”
Reid also suggested the Fourth of July recess might be canceled if the Senate can’t complete meaningful work on energy and immigration legislation.
“It’s our last week here before the July recess, and we’ve got work to do,” Reid said yesterday. “And I hope we don’t run into the July 4th recess, but we may have to if we can’t get things done...”
A review of the candidates’ planned weekend schedules shows that they all plan to be on the road, giving major policy addresses or raising money as time runs out on the second fundraising quarter. And this isn’t the first time... Reid scheduled a weekend vote on an Iraq war resolution in February, complete with a threat to cancel the President’s Day recess, sending most candidates scrambling to adjust their schedules.
At the time, Reid spokesman Jim Manley said no special consideration would be given to senators seeking the Oval Office...
Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) schedule calls for him to address the 26th annual Synod of the United Church of Christ in Hartford, Conn., on Saturday, followed by a “community kick-off” event in San Antonio on Sunday. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has struggled with the immigration issue perhaps more than most, accused by his party’s conservative base of advocating “amnesty” for illegal immigrants.
Indeed, both immigration and the Iraq war have dogged the senator at every turn in what many consider a struggling presidential campaign. McCain was one of few senators who opted not to return to Washington for the Iraq vote in February...Reid said yesterday he doesn’t expect the Senate to pick up immigration until late Thursday, “which will mean votes over the weekend.”
While the majority leader said passage by unanimous consent is “always possible,” it is likely the Senate will work over the weekend, with votes on Monday before 5:30.
What are these guys, just out of college where they can be threatened with summer school if they don’t get in line? “It will mess up your vacation, Spicoli” kind of reasoning?
Reid is not making any friends.
Senators may not care about much. They may sell the country down the river for the cost of a hamburger. But they do care about their vacations.
My prediction is that they are going to blame Reid for this, not the people who are “obstructing”. If a bill is bad, it should be obstructed. Senators do not take kindly to being dictated to.
Yeah, but it was a Clinton aide, so he / she / it is used to saying that.
Nice to add to the tragedy by trying to force a vote to destroy the nation on the 4th of July.
I don’t know.... I liked Lott’s suggestion last week that if they can’t pass the immigration bill, they may as well disband Congress and all go home. Works for me!
I hope we have some senators that care more about their country than going to a bbq.
“I hope we have some senators that care more about their country than going to a bbq.”
Well, with the Amnesty Bill, they obviously care enough to bbq the country.
Hey reid knows what he’s doing. Push the bill that divides the republicans. They fall for it every time!
Yeah, voting in a democratic fashion isn't good enough for these elites. They've got to play games and pull cute tricks. Thank heavens they're not running the country... opps, ummm, nevermind.
Cancel the Recess? There’s nothing like a threat to cancel a recess to strike fear in the hearts of our elected representatives. Let’s see, congess is in session for about 100 days a year. That’s why these guys want those jobs.
July 4th threats from Democrats don’t bother me, it’s the April 15th threats that you need to worry about.
Treat border security as a separate issue.
Next tackle streamlining the LEGAL immigration process.
Next deal with a guest worker program and finally
deal with the illegals already here in country.
There’d be plenty of vacation time between those issues.
You see, what you say is something called “common sense”, which is in short supply in DC.
reid:......”“And I hope we don’t run into the July 4th recess, but we may have to if we can’t get things done...”
with 1/3 of the Senate about to begin their once-in-6yr re-election campaign in earnest after the recess, he knows perfectly well that many of them will revert to the illusion of Patriots and not vote for this monstrousity during their active campaigns......this is why he/they want to get it done now. The clock is ticking in the same manner for the whole House, as well. JMO
The Senate is spending 100% of its time on this amnasty crap. America has no other pressing concerns? Are we no longer at war? The checks from the Chamber of Commerce must be pretty big.
WHAT! A July 4th recess week! I get Wednesday, July 4 off and that’s it! And I pay for them to get a week. And the absurdities go on!
Can you point me to where Lott said that? I am stunned, I did not see that. I did see where he said the amendments would be no problem that they would disappear during reconciliation. Thanks.
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