Posted on 06/11/2007 7:24:03 PM PDT by justanotherfreeper
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell offered hope Monday for reviving a stalled immigration bill, saying the status quo is “indefensible” while being responsible for creating a “de facto amnesty” for millions of illegal immigrants.
The Kentucky Republican said he thought his Senate Democratic counterpart, Majority Leader Harry Reid, “gave up on the bill too soon” after lengthy Senate debate. McConnell said there’s a “good chance” the Senate will take up the legislation again.
In a conference call with Kentucky reporters, McConnell said the fundamental question is whether the status quo is better than the proposed overhaul.
McConnell acknowledged that Republican senators are divided on the issue.
“I think the status quo is indefensible,” McConnell said. “The status quo is what’s produced 11 or 12 million illegal immigrants in the country with no real plan—a de facto amnesty if you will for those who are already here.”
McConnell said the Senate “ought to make an effort to improve on a status quo that seems to me almost everybody thinks is not good.”
The senator refused to tip his hand about provisions in the legislation.
“This is a big compromise with a lot of different proposals in it,” he said. “I’m not going to specify which ones I like better than others.”
The sweeping bill, which would legalize millions of people in the U.S. unlawfully, suffered a serious setback when it failed a crucial Senate vote last week.
Supporters mustered just 45 votes to limit debate and speed the bill to final passage, 15 short of what was needed on the procedural maneuver. McConnell and Kentucky’s other senator, Republican Jim Bunning, voted against limiting debate, as did most Republicans.
McConnell said Monday that he hoped the Senate would get a chance to vote on more amendments and ultimately the bill’s final passage in the near future.
His comments came as President Bush pledged to try to revive the immigration bill.
The legislation was aimed at tightening borders and offering employers more temporary workers from abroad in addition to providing lawful status to an estimated 12 million illegal aliens and putting many of them on a path toward citizenship.
In a statement late last week, Bunning said the bill was worse than the status quo and would not have stopped the flow of illegal immigrants.
“Not only did the bill provide amnesty to millions of illegal aliens, but it also gave them their own V.I.P. line to citizenship and stuck the taxpayers with the bill for their health care, education, welfare and Social Security,” Bunning said.
He said the bill also failed to secure the border and did not create a workable system for employers to verify they aren’t hiring illegal aliens.
Bunning said the immigration system needs overhauling, but put conditions on his support.
“There must be no amnesty or other rewards for illegal aliens,” he said. “Any bill must stop the flow of new illegal aliens.”
Also, he said a guest worker program must protect American workers, include only legal aliens and ensure that the participants “go home at the end of their stay.”
His line’s busy!
LOL. Imagine that.
“Not only did the bill provide amnesty to millions of illegal aliens, but it also gave them their own V.I.P. line to citizenship and stuck the taxpayers with the bill for their health care, education, welfare and Social Security,” Bunning said
In other words it sucks ***!
Dear Mr. McConnell:
I am informed that you are giving hope to revival of the awful immigration bill that was just pulled last week. You may not be paying any attention, but the Republican base is VERY, VERY ANGRY about this bill and now, just when it appears that you folks in Washington were finally listening to the people (as in We the People), you start once again behaving as if We the People don’t exist.
Let’s be clear: you and other Republican leaders (including the President) are DESTROYING THE BASE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. If you have a dream of success at the polls, either this November or any other November, STOP IT. STOP IT RIGHT NOW. We want our country back, we want our sovereignty back, we want our borders secured, we want our laws enforced, WE WANT THE FENCE BUILT.
Sorry about all the CAPS, but it just doesn’t seem like you are listening. Thank you
(Signed)
ping
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.