Thread: DREAM Act: 14 Key Senators---10 Talking Points

In the US Senate this bill is S. 3827
Congressional Switchboard is: 202-224-3121

14 Key Senators
NumbersUSA list these Senators as being in an undecided category on the DREAM Act:

ALASKA
Sen. Lisa Murkowski -- She goes back and forth on amnesties. Did her scare in almost losing her seat make her a little more attentive on this kind of thing? Too often in the past, she has seemed to trade her vote FOR open borders to get some kind of pork barrel for the state. Will she be different this time?

KANSAS
Sen. Sam Brownback -- He voted YES on the DREAM amnesty back in 2007. But he remains uncommited this time in public. He was just elected governor. Help him see that a YES vote now would immediately hurt his approval ratings.

LOUISIANA
Sen. Mary Landrieu -- She has generally voted with US, especially as she faced tough re-election in 2008. She falsely was reported last week as coming out as a YES. But why is she remaining Uncommitted?

MAINE
Sen. Susan Collins -- She voted YES in 2007. But her statements this week lean toward NO. You have driven her to the brink of a good decision; help her do it right.

Sen. Olympia Snowe -- She voted YES in 2007. But she is up for re-election in 2012. She has seen some other ensconced high-seniority Republicans nearly lose or lose to Primary challengers this year. A vote for amnesty now could make her a real target. It is a good sign that she hasn't declared herself a YES yet.

MICHIGAN
Sen. Debbie Stabenow -- When she was coming up for re-election in 2006, she voted with us. But after winning, she voted YES on the DREAM Amnesty in 2007. Now, she is a Democrat coming up for another election in 2012 after big Republican gains in Michigan in the 2010 election. She is obviously conflicted and afraid to reveal either way. How does she tell Michigan's unemployed in 2012 that she voted to give millions more work permits to illegal aliens?

MISSOURI
Sen. Claire McCaskill -- She voted NO in 2007 and has been one of the more reliable pro-enforcement votes among Democrats. Missouri swung strong toward Republicans in the 2010 elections. So, why is she holding back on announcing a NO now? She was one of the original co-sponsors of Harry Reid's placeholder amnesty bill in winter of 2009. She is very close to Pres. Obama. She is conflicted. Like others on this Undecided list, she probably hopes the vote doesn't occur so she doesn't have to anger either side of the issue.

MONTANA
Sen. Max Baucus -- He was one of the few Democrats who voted NO last time. He has indicated he is leaning NO.

NEBRASKA
Sen. Ben Nelson -- He has been one of our more reliable Democrats but he voted YES on the DREAM amnesty in 2007. He is facing huge battle for re-election in 2012. He has just come out with a statement indicating he is leaning NO, but it is ambiguous.

NORTH CAROLINA
Sen. Kay Hagan -- Her statements indicate leaning NO, but they aren't clear enough.

NORTH DAKOTA
Sen. Kent Conrad -- One of few Democrats to vote NO last time and is leaning NO now. Up for re-election in 2012.

Sen. Byron Dorgan -- Our most reliable Democrat who voted NO last time. But he is retiring and perhaps has different senses of obligation. Why hasn't he clearly put himself in the NO column this time?

SOUTH CAROLINA
Sen. Lindsey Graham -- One of the most pro-amnesty Republicans. But he has said amnesties have to be linked to tough new enforcement. South Carolinians have thought he was impossible to budge, but their constant complaints to him on immigration seem to have helped him step away from pushing for a blanket amnesty earlier this year. This is a very good sign that he isn't a clear YES. Here is a place you can move him to do the right thing.

WEST VIRGINIA
Sen. Joe Manchin -- This Democrat is replacing the always-anti-amnesty Democratic Sen. Byrd. Manchin's statements indicate he is leaning NO. Time to get a commitment to what thre people of his state overwhelmingly want. He has never been through an open-borders fight before. It is extraordinarily important that he get a good taste of strong opposition in this round.



10 Talking Points
For a pdf version of Senator Jeff Sessions 10 objections to the DREAM Act go here:
http://media.al.com/live/other/Dream-Alert.pdf

Please tell your Senators and Congressmen that the DREAM Act is so ridden with loopholes and overly generous provisions that it amounts to little more than a new giveaway for illegal aliens.

In plain English they are:
1. Too high of age limit for applicants: 35 years (perhaps reduced in alternate version to 30) and allowing lawful permanent resident status up to the age of 41. Plus, no application fees are included---shifting costs to other programs in DHS.
2. Potential frivolous application by others seeking a stay of deportation or asylum.
3. Stay of deportation despite certain criminal activity. Effectively, a pardon from deportation--(but not necessarily from criminal prosecution.)
4. Waiver of quota on green cards
5. Automatic qualification throughout US for in-State tuition fees.
6. Very generous college enrollment standards: No procurement of degree required; only need to be enrolled for two years during an eight year period.
7. Does not precisely define "uniformed services" as actual military service. Does this include US park rangers.too?
8. Allows unrestricted future privileges to sponsor relatives. DREAM'ers who obtain citizenship will have very broad sponsoring powers.
9. Generous, federally funded student aid to DREAM'ers. Illegal aliens up to the maximum age will be able to enter the US for years to come and receive federal student aid.
10. Shielding of DREAM Act application information from any DHS removal or fraud investigations.

I think we should talk up the WAIVER clause and the RETROACTIVE clause which basicaly negates all the provisions of the Dream and allows unlimited amnesty.

Thanks for posting. We need to make some calls this weekend to help fill up the voice-mails. Then make our live calls again on Monday.

DREAM ACT VOTE TODAY, PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW!

Go here:
http://www.alipac.us/ftopicp-1144057.html#1144057