Thread: Shuler: McCain blocked immigration bill

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/200 ... /803260330

U.S. Rep. Heath Shuler says he believes Republican presidential candidate John McCain blocked his immigration bill from getting a vote on the U.S. House floor. McCain's staff denies it.

The Waynesville Democrat spoke to the Rotary Club of Hendersonville on Tuesday. He said the Republican leadership tried to bring the Secure America Through Verification and Enforcement Act to the House floor. They used a provision of House rules called a discharge petition, in which a simple majority can bring to the floor a bill that is stuck in committee.

The petition had 181 of the 217 signatures needed to force a vote on the bill.

"It was going great until McCain blocked it," Shuler said.

McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, called Republicans in Congress and asked them not to sign the petition, Shuler said. He said after McCain's intervention, Republicans in the House were less willing to sign onto the bill.

"We've really slowed down in the last week in Washington," Shuler said.

A spokesman for McCain denied any involvement, saying the senator has neither taken a position on the SAVE Act nor tried to block anyone from signing it.

SAVE Act

The SAVE Act is in a strange position. Republicans want to force a vote on the bill, trying to show they are tough on immigration. The bill increases border security and requires employers to verify the residency status of new employees.

Shuler said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership were not pleased with his attempts to get the bill to the House floor.

"They said (the bill) was not the proper thing for our caucus," Shuler said.

But he said the SAVE Act is "not about Democrats. Not about Republicans. It's about what is best for America."

Shuler said he went to Washington to solve problems and was not willing to go along with the leadership in his party.

"You can't be scared in Washington," Shuler said. "You have to do what is right."

Shuler said he understands party leadership and that the party system has a role. But he said partisanship and the struggle for power get in the way of solving problems.

"We need to move forward as a country," Shuler said. "Not as Democrats, not as Republicans."

Finding unity

Shuler said he is not excited about any of the three presidential candidates left in the race -- McCain, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama. He said fringe elements of both parties have too much influence on the process.

"When I look at the presidential candidates, I don't think any of the three gives me a sense that we can come together," Shuler said.

He cited President John F. Kennedy as an example of a leader who unified the country. He said Kennedy had a vision and brought the country together to put a person on the moon. Shuler said the country was unified after the 9/11 attack, but seems to be more divided now.

"We seem to have lost a little," Shuler said.

Spence Campbell, a Rotary Club member and a candidate for the Republican nomination in the 11th district, said the talk was a good way for people in the club to understand the congressman. Campbell, former chairman of the Henderson County Republican Party, said he was respectful of Shuler as a candidate and did not want to quibble over points he made during the talk.

"Given the opportunity, I would have a lot of questions about what he said," Campbell said.

I'm not doubting Mr. Schuler believes this is what occured but I'm wondering how he found this out and why he believes it.

It's no secret that John McCain is neither well liked, nor highly respected, by his fellow Republicans most of whom.....from what I understand....view him as the poster boy for RINO.

Further, the Republicans would love nothing more than to piss off the Dems by forcing SAVE to the floor.

I guess all of that begs the question of how McCain could have turned so many Republicans against signing with one simple phone call.

It just doesn't make sense...............

We need two things.

One, a list of all Republicans that have not signed the discharge petition and..

Two, someone needs to contact Shuler's office and ask for a list of who they think McCain talked out of signing.

W

Maybe Shuler is saying this to put McCain on the spot and force him to take a side.

McCain will most likely have to support the SAVE act in order to win the much needed conservative vote.

What is Shuler saying? That it's all over???

McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, called Republicans in Congress and asked them not to sign the petition, Shuler said. He said after McCain's intervention, Republicans in the House were less willing to sign onto the bill.

Good find LE.

If this is true, while not surprising it's still disturbing. I hope we can regain the momentum on this common sense, long overdue measure.

McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, called Republicans in Congress and asked them not to sign the petition, Shuler said. He said after McCain's intervention, Republicans in the House were less willing to sign onto the bill.

What intervention? I'd like to see some facts on this. I wouldn't put it past McCain, however, such an accusation needs to be backed with some sort of evidence.

I hate being left wondering, did McCain block it or didn't he? Hopefully some more information on this will reveal itself over the next couple days. If McCain did in fact block the SAVE Act - his actions need nation-wide attention!

Related story from yesterday's Washington Times; no mention of McCain though:

House GOP campaign arm plays offense on immigration

The House Republicans' campaign arm is going after vulnerable Democrats for refusing to support an immigration bill that would mandate stricter enforcement measures.

Yesterday the National Republican Congressional Campaign Committee sent out a blast e-mail to 21 districts in Democratic hands condemning their occupants for failing to support a bill introduced by Rep. Heath Shuler, North Carolina Democrat, Secure America with Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act.

The bill has attracted strong Republican support, as well as the backing of some Democrats who have signed a discharge petition in hopes of bringing it directly to the House floor. The bill calls for the recruiting of 8,000 new border patrol agents and 1,200 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and equipping them with more sophisticated technology. It would also call for 13 more federal judges overseeing border arrests and bolster funding for the E-Verify computer system for confirming citizenship status.

"[Insert Congressperson's name here] has alienated herself from a rapidly growing bipartisan effort to bring about an immigration enforcement bill that she claims to represent," NRCC spokesman Ken Spain said in the e-mail blast. "The only thing [Rep. Insert name] is accomplishing in Congress is proving that she favors obstructionist tactics over real solutions for major problems facing America."

Carrie Sheffield, Web editor, The Washington Times

Posted on March 26, 2008 9:54 AM

http://video1.washingtontimes.com/fishw ... s_o_1.html

Well, Shuler played a good move trying to put McCain on the spot. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Although it does make McCain look pretty bad when he acts like he hasn't an opinion on the bill. If he cared about real immigration reform he would.

Perhaps it was just an exercise to show McCain's real stance on the issue instead of buying into the PR generated garbage he's trying to pass off now.

Originally Posted by Squire

Well, Shuler played a good move trying to put McCain on the spot. Unfortunately, it didn't work. Although it does make McCain look pretty bad when he acts like he hasn't an opinion on the bill. If he cared about real immigration reform he would.

Perhaps it was just an exercise to show McCain's real stance on the issue instead of buying into the PR generated garbage he's trying to pass off now.

well how do ew know that Shuler isnt telling the truth.
i tihnk it might be important to look at the list on numbers US Aof those who have signed and call them and ask them if they got pressure from mc cain not to sign it and then call those who have not signed it and ask them the same thing