Posted on 06/19/2007 7:46:15 AM PDT by april15Bendovr
House Dems May Break Up Immigration Bill
The immigration bill is back, with the Senate expected to debate it over the next two weeks. Senate passage is by no means assured, but the measure appears to have a fighting chance of surviving the legislative maneuvers and counter-maneuvers expected of the next couple of weeks. Keen observers of the current debate, however, have long expressed reservations about the chance of anything close to the Senate "grand bargain" (the bipartisan legislation including both border security measures and a "path to citizenship") making it through the House. In the House, Republicans seem firmly opposed to the legislation -- while Democrats are wary of passing any immigration bill without GOP support.
But now Democratic leaders may have found a partial way out of this impasse. The Washington Times reports this morning House Democrats "say they may break the immigration issue up into a series of smaller bills that would put off the tougher parts and allow others to pass, such as border security, and high-tech and agriculture worker programs that have clear support." That "could buy Democrats more time to work out the tougher aspects of immigration, such as what to do about the estimated 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens now here, but it would go against the Senate's massive catchall approach and contradicts President Bush's call for a broad bill to pass."
Most of the press coverage this morning focuses on the Senate debate. The Chicago Tribune reports Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced the revived measure yesterday, and notes the bill "still will have to clear several procedural votes and weather consideration of a bevy of additional amendments before a final vote is taken." The Hill, meanwhile, notes Reid warned his fellow senators that "the Fourth of July recess might be canceled if the Senate can't complete meaningful work on energy and immigration legislation." The Los Angeles Times quotes a Reid aide saying, "Republican obstructionists are going to have a very simple decision to make later on this week. ... Are they going to stand for efforts to provide increased funding for border security along with comprehensive immigration reform? Or are they going to continue to block one of the top priorities of the president?'" The AP runs a similar story, focusing on Reid's expected reliance on a "quirky gambit known as a 'clay pigeon'" to push the measure through a development first reported by Roll Call yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Washington Times reports Republicans hope the upcoming debate will highlight "clear divisions" on the issue within Democratic ranks, while the Financial Times says the issue illustrates President Bush's status as a lame duck. Nothing, says the Times, "demonstrates his waning power more clearly than the strife surrounding his high-stakes push for an overhaul of US immigration laws." In that debate, "despite the huge investment of political capital, the president has failed to win the backing of his own party."
Why is it that Congress feels the necessity to give 20 million illegals a path to citizenship? We don’t have to “give” them anything. ENFORCE EXISTING LAW. After they can prove that they can do this, then talk to us about new laws.
Sounds like the House Dems are running scared. Guess an election every two years makes you a little more in touch with the people.
That's exactly correct. Which is why we still have a chance to stop this thing. I guess the six years senators have before having to run for reelection is in many cases long enough for voters to forget some of the things they do.
“grand bargain”
For some reason I’m reminded of . . . anyone remember “BUFE”s? (ceramic sculptures)
...the Finnancial Times says the issue illustrates President Bush’s status as a lame duck....
More like a lame turkey in my book.
Last night I stopped at my local McD’s. No one in the store or manning the registers (no one) understood what I meant when I said I wanted a low fat ice cream cone. Last month I had to go to three salad type restaurants before anyone understood that I wanted a low cal salad dressing (all three next to one another, across the street from where I work). The Dunkin’ Donuts where I get my bagel (and which no longer gets my business) uses an outside speaker, but it’s worthless, because the clerk’s don’t understand what you’re ordering.
Um...I sense a pattern.
Because a path to citizenship is really an express lane to a voter's card.
The Dems are ticked that the Immigration bill doesn’t give instant citizenship to the illegals (here now and the ones coming in the future).
According to Rahm Emmanuel, in order to regain control of Congress the DNC had to ‘allow’ a recruitment effort for conservative democrats in certain conservative districts and states.
The dems now have their own conservatives to contend with.
Once again turning United We Stand into Divided We Fall
Deseo un cono gordo bajo del helado.
Deseo la preparación con poca grasa para mi ensalada.
That should help you next time, unless they speak Russian. We also have some stores with other foreign languages.
They are worried that a lot of their first-termers will be very vulnerable if they support amnesty or anything close to it. Still, I read somewhere that Emmanuel believes they can deliver 175-185 RAT votes. Of course that can change if the people start to roar.
The People have already started to roar and are still roaring.
Just ask Kyl, Lott, Graham,....
Even Boxer heard the roar.
On the other hand, if the Senate passes a "comprehensive immigration screw-up" and the House passes a border security bill, the question becomes: What will happen in Conference?
More than likely, a "compromise" bill -- very much like the Senate bill -- would emerge.
Just as it was much easier for the "grand bargainers" to write the bill in secret, it will be much easier for them to amend the bill in the equally secret Conference.
Sorry, I'm not trusting anybody in Congress -- especially the Democrats.
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.