Thread: House is left on sidelines by the Senate (immig. discussed)

The Hill
House is left on sidelines by the Senate
By Alexander Bolton - 05/04/10 06:00 AM ET

The Senate will serve as the primary legislative battleground between the two parties over the next six months, leaving House lawmakers mostly spectators.

The House already has passed two of the biggest challenges facing the upper chamber: Wall Street reform and comprehensive energy and climate legislation. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has made clear that the House will act on immigration reform only if the Senate approves a measure first.

House Democrats have little desire for more controversial action until the Senate shows it can digest its agenda. House leaders compiled a list earlier this year showing that the Senate had yet to move on 290 House-passed bills, and Pelosi has promised freshmen and other politically vulnerable Democrats she won’t ask them to take tough votes — even beyond immigration — unless the Senate moves first.

“The main action for a while is going to be in the Senate,â€

The latest bombing attempt in NYC should provide more reasons for our lawmakers to insist upon a secure border. We know that Middle East terrorists have already sneaked across the border...whether blue state liberals believe it or not. I would think that Democrats in states closer to the border may pay more heed, now, to the potential for terror attacks in their home states. Same with Dems in New York. Dems in California, however, are a hopeless lot.

The downside is that even these border state Democrats will have been put in office by their multi cultural constituency...so we know they will drag their feet. Still, terrorism is a very real spectre that any public official with an ounce of brains needs to take seriously. So can we gain some headway with liberal House Democrats by reminding them of the terror threat?