Thread: Short goodnight expected for the DREAM Act during lame duck

Short goodnight expected for the DREAM Act during lame duck

By Mike Lillis - 12/06/10 06:00 AM ET

The DREAM Act — a priority of Democrats in both Congress and the White House — faces a difficult future in the lame duck.

Even as Democrats in both chambers prepare to consider the measure this week, Republicans and centrist Democrats are already lining up to shoot it down.

The climb is particularly steep in the Senate, where Republicans will filibuster the hot-button bill, and even former sponsors now stand in opposition.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, for instance, was the lead sponsor of the original DREAM Act when it emerged nine years ago. But already facing pressure from conservatives surrounding his 2012 reelection bid, the six-term Utah Republican is "sprinting to the right" away from the proposal, according to Frank Sharry, executive director of America's Voice, an advocacy group lobbying for the bill.

"He's not on any of our 'get' lists," Sharry said.

Hatch spokeswoman Antonia Ferrier declined to comment Friday on whether Hatch supports the underlying policy. She said Hatch's opposition — at least in the near term — stems from the recent vow among Senate Republicans to deny everything that hits the floor before the Bush tax cuts and government funding issues are settled.

"Everything's a 'no' until the tax issue is resolved," Ferrier said.

Hatch is hardly alone. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) is also promising to vote against the DREAM Act next week. Though she was one of seven current Senate Republicans to vote in favor of a similar measure when it came up in 2007, the latest version "is very different from and broader than previous efforts," her office said Friday in an e-mail.

"The current legislation would include green cards and citizenship, which under present law would follow with amnesty for those who came here illegally as adults," the e-mail read. “[Hutchison] has and continues to support allowing for student and temporary, renewable visas for qualified students and graduates who have grown up and been educated in the United States. But she will not support legislation now being put forward as the DREAM Act because it goes far beyond dealing with these affected young people."

Last month, more than a dozen immigration-reform activists were arrested outside Hutchison's office in San Antonio as they lobbied the Texas Republican to support the bill.

A number of centrist Democrats are also promising to fight the proposal. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) voted against the measure three years ago and "is inclined to oppose the bill again," spokesman John LaBombard wrote Friday in an e-mail.

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), who voted in favor of the measure in 2007, says he won't do the same this time around. His opposition, according to spokesman Jake Thompson, is twofold. First, the Senate should be focusing on jobs and the economy before it does anything else, Thompson said. And second, the provisions of the DREAM Act should be included as part of comprehensive immigration reform — an effort, he said, that shouldn't proceed "until the borders have been secured."

Sen. Bob Bennett (R-Utah) is an early anomaly among the Republican DREAM Act backers of 2007. He said he'll support the bill if it comes up as a standalone measure.

"Putting it in a bill that has a number of objectionable aspects is not something I support," Bennett said Friday in an e-mail. "If Harry Reid brings it to the floor as a standalone bill, I will vote for it.â€

Has Lugar gone on the fence, because the last time I checked he was supporting this monstrosity?

Republicans and centrist Democrats are already lining up to shoot it down.

Fond memories of the old video game "Duck Hunt". Put many, many quarters in that machine back in the eighties.

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

Republicans and centrist Democrats are already lining up to shoot it down.

Fond memories of the old video game "Duck Hunt". Put many, many quarters in that machine back in the eighties.

My first console videogame! Used to love playing that and Super Mario Bros. on my NES.

Friends of ALIPAC,

We have some terrible news to report. According to our friends at NumbersUSA, the illegal aliens and their supporters are beating us with more calls arriving in support of Amnesty than opposed to Amnesty with your lawmakers.

They are even forming new phone banks in expectation of the first votes for Dream Act Amnesty now scheduled for WEDNESDAY Dec. 8!

While several scientific polls show we Americans oppose Dream Act Amnesty 59% to 22%, the well planned and well financed efforts of the Open Borders Lobby are winning in DC.

To turn thing around we need you to: A. Mobilize and respond to our requests for help. B. Mobilize and organize others around our requests for help. (Be the media!) C. Combine your time and funds to help us get more lawmakers and media sources opposing Dream Amnesty ASAP!

Step 1: Please vote in this online poll at CBS where the illegals are winning at the time of this email
Vote NO on Amnesty
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162- ... 03544.html


Step 2: Please call the 73 targeted offices in the US Congress that are coded YES or UNKNOWN on Dream Act Amnesty. Do your best to get a NO out of these offices. Please report any new YES or NO on Amnesty reports to us so we can adjust our tracking list. Please craft your own message.

Yes, I will not let the illegals win against Americans in DC and I am on the phones now at this link....
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-219949.html


Let's flood those 73 Democratic offices in Congress with calls and emails fast and furious today (Monday)! Let's grow our "No On Amnesty" list quickly!


The ALIPAC Team
www.alipac.us

Here's a list of the yea's and nay"s
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-219633.htm
And here is a list of targeted Senators and House Reps.
http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-220425.htm