Thread: If Harry Reid didn't have the votes, why raise expectations?

December 19, 2010

DREAM act fails to pass cloture

Rick Moran
11 Comments

I'm with Ed Morrissey on this. If Harry Reid didn't have the votes, why raise expectations? http://hotair.com/archives/2010/12/18/d ... ils-55-41/ One possible reason to bring the DREAM act up for a vote was to embarrass the GOP with many Hispanics, knowing it would go down to defeat largely at the hands of Republicans. But it also made Reid look weak.

Three Republicans - Lugar, Murkowski, and Bennett - voted for cloture for the DREAM act while 5 Dems voted against. Did Senator Lugar just guarantee himself a primary opponent?

It will be interesting to see Lugar attempt to defend this vote in a primary fight in a little over a year, a fight he's probably guaranteed himself today. Even if one thought that the act had some merit, why would Lugar vote to pass it in a lame-duck session - especially since the budget has yet to be addressed, as well as the START treaty that he has hinted at supporting?

The other Democrats opposing the bill aren't much of a surprise, except perhaps Kay Hagan in North Carolina. Looks like she's hearing footsteps, too, even though she's not up for her second election until 2014.

It's yet another miscalculation by Reid in a rapidly-closing window of opportunity. If he didn't have six of his own caucus in hand, why press the matter at all? Reid raised expectations and then dashed them, a bad strategy in politics. Thankfully, it's also another denial of a significant imposition of policy by a Congress that voters rejected six weeks ago.

I think Lugar had already guaranteed himself opposition in the primary long before the DREAM act vote. But Lugar is extremely well entrenched and it will take a monumental effort to defeat him in a GOP primary. He would be a near lock in the general election unless the Dems run former Senator Bayh or some similarly well known figure. Bayh may be contemplating a challenge to Obama in 2012 plus, the thought that he would re-enter the senate having just retired is faintly ridiculous. But politics is a strange business and who knows what the landscape will look like 2 years from now?


http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/201 ... lotur.html

All Reid did was make Democrats into Republicans. It backfired, no matter how they are spinning it, this illegal alien mess when we have over 30 million unemployed or under employed-means that Democrats will be out of power forever.

Reid knew it was a losing cause , but now he can come back here and blame the evil Repubs

Bottom line is Ol Harry couldn't bring home the burritos

The reality is that it is neither the democrats or republicans fault in this and I wish they would put the blame where it belongs ... on the parents. It is the parents who brought them here as minors and thus the parent's responsibilty. As one person in the comments section in an article about the Dream Act failure wrote: this is one time kids can actually blame their parents for a situation that they were put into.

His plan has always condoned illegal activity. He could run for president of Messico and the Cartels would make sure he won.

Originally Posted by Creoleguy32

All Reid did was make Democrats into Republicans. It backfired, no matter how they are spinning it, this illegal alien mess when we have over 30 million unemployed or under employed-means that Democrats will be out of power forever.

'Bama and the 'Crats were counting noses, but they didn't count on Americans becoming fed up with a government which doesn't work for them.
************************************************** **************
Americans first in this magnificent country

American jobs for American workers

Fair trade, not free trade

Reid made the promise during the campaign that if re elected he would do his best to get this bill passed.

well he tried and failed

Originally Posted by jamesw62

Reid made the promise during the campaign that if re elected he would do his best to get this bill passed.

well he tried and failed

Maybe his loyal Hispanic flock will recall him!

Originally Posted by jamesw62

Reid made the promise during the campaign that if re elected he would do his best to get this bill passed.

well he tried and failed

Ditto...it's a win/win for Reid. He had to bring something forward in order to save face with the illegal invaders that reelected him. As such, he gets to blame the Republicans for being against Hispanics in 2012. This is the case even though he had enough votes from the Republican side for the NIGHTMARE ACT to pass. In fact, it was the five dems that stood for America that sunk him! But Hispanics will never see it that way, as they could never blame their beloved dems for the failure.