Graham: DREAM Act push damaged wider immigration reform effort (RINO planned amnesty push in 2011)

The Hill, Washington, DC ^ | 2010-12-18 | Ben Geman

[rabscuttle385]

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Saturday that the failed Democratic effort to pass the DREAM Act in the lame duck session dealt a blow to future talks on a wider immigration bill.

“It was an exercise to try and taint Republicans with Hispanic voters, knowing that the DREAM Act under these circumstances could never pass,” Graham told reporters in the Capitol after the bill sputtered on the floor.

“What they have done on the DREAM Act is hurt overall comprehensive immigration reform,” he said.

The DREAM Act, which would give legal status to illegal immigrants who came to the country at a young age, lived here for at least five years, graduated from high school and attended college or served in the military, fell five votes short of the 60 needed to overcome a GOP-led filibuster — 55 to 41.

Graham has worked with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) in the past to try and seek a Capitol Hill compromise on a wider reform plan -- one that would blend increased enforcement and border security with a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, among other measures.

He said the DREAM Act effort will make it harder to bridge divides on immigration, noting the impassioned advocacy on both sides of the issue.

“Our base is all riled up that this is amnesty, so you have taken a debate on immigration, one part of it, you have gotten people emotional before you can sit down and reason your way through a comprehensive bill,” Graham said. “Doing this vote the way they did it has hurt the ability to do comprehensive reform next year to some extent.”

[Democrat_media]

Yeah the liberal mainstream media ruined the Republican brand and controls even many who think they are conservative.

There is no 3rd party. The “tea party” worked within the Republican party to make it better to replace some RINOS with real conservatives. The tea party did the right thing.

See you and liberals agree and say the same thing that Republicans and the Republican party are the problem or responsible for most problems.

This is a 2 party system. By you constantly bashing Republicans and the Republican brand and the Republican party you help democrats/socialists and socialism.

The Republican party is improved now in the new session in 2011. Can it still be improved? Yes . But it is not the threat you make it out to be . The democrat party is the threat.

[Democrat_media]

I've debated and argued with many liberals on Internet chat rooms and forums and even in person and all the liberals say the same things all you who constantly bash Republicans here say about Republicans. Republicans are the devil to liberals.