Thread: Nuggets of Wisdom and Irony from Senate Immigration Debate

Hi folks. Some of you have been following some of the [admittedly rather lame] near real-time summary of the deliberations taking place this week on the immigration bill (S134. I appreciate your interest and participation - as appropriate.

I went through the 4 or 5 related threads, and after a tidying up of the raw notes, was able to extract some very interesting, poignant, timely, etc. quotes from the senators speaking on the floor.

I do urge everyone to take a few minutes to give them a look - if you can manage it. I do think they are worth the small time required. In addition, they appear to me as though they would make great supporting information to include with your upcoming communications with senators and their staffers (not to mention to share with family and friends).

I can't speak for anyone else of course, but, I do believe you'll be pleasantly surprised and simultaneously repulsed rudely at what you're about to read.

Many Thanks / Enjoy.

PhE

PS. Oh - std. disclaimer: I have done my best to transcribe what I thought was said on-the-fly (not easy for someone not used to doing it! - eg. me.
Anyway, I have tried to be as accurate as possible - there still could be errors and I will correct and revise as problems are uncovered.

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25 May 2007


Cornyn(R-TX):

"Senators have gotten more phone calls, emails, than anything that has come before this senate."

"Designed for failure" [regarding the S1348 bill]


Sessions(R-AL):

"This is not good legislation. This bill should not become law."

"We spent more time on the bankruptcy bill."

"In retrospect, Sen Specter said it would have been better for bill to have gone through committee."

"Unbelievable, that this bill would not even go to committee?"

"Did you have public hearings? Did LaRaza get to put in their opinions? Did CoC get to put in their opinions? This is not an open process."

"Phrase 'subject to the availability of appropriations' was used 18 times."

"The phrase 'authorized to be appropriated' used 20 times."

"Just because it's in the bill, doesn't mean it will ever happen."

"I can't vote for this bill. I can't go to my constituents and tell them we have a good solid immigration reform bill."

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24 May 2007


Kennedy (D-MA):

"Even on the floor of the US Senate - they don't understand it" [referring to immigration law in general]


Dorgan (D-ND):

"If we don't have border security, I'm afraid we'll be back here in 15 years having this discussion all over again."


Coleman (R-MN):

"If bill is passed, there is no need for sanctuary cities. If the law doesn't pass, we will protect criminals."

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23 May 2007


Grassley (R-IA):

"I don't blame the American people for being mad we're not enforcing the law."

"We can't trust the trigger in this bill."

"I would like someone to be able to tell me this will be the last amnesty.
In 1986 we made a big mistake..."


Specter (R-PA):

"We have a border that is porous."

"Critics say proposed bill is amnesty. It is not: people are fined, and
have to learn English."


Brownback (R-KS):

"Since 1995, illegal arrivals have outnumbered legal arrivals."


Obama (D-IL):

"The bill here is a fine first step - but strongly believe it needs changes."


Martinez (R-FL):

"We'll do all we can to enforce the border."


Sessions (R-AL):

"We ought to be very cautious."


Gregg (R-NH):

"US public will not be sold on Comprehensive Immigration Reform until the border is secured."


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22 May 2007

Sessions (R-AL):

"1986 amnesty was given on promise of enforcement. Enforcement never happened. The Congress and President had never taken enforcement seriously."

"I can't buy this as a legitimate compromise - I don't like it."

"Business employers don't pickup that tab - the US taxpayer does."

"Clearly creates a system whereby illegals are treated significantly better than those already trying to come here legally."

"We should not provide every single benefit [to illegals] that we provide to those that have chosen to come legally."


Isakson (R-GA):

"Most significant domestic issue facing the USA".


Dorgan (D-ND):

"What about people that have been waiting in other countries to come here legally?"

"Without immigration quotas, everyone would want to escape poverty."

"No one in the Senate has lost a job to outsourcing..."

"Businesses say, 'they just can't find Americans to take these jobs'.
What is at work? The hand prints of those that want to bring in cheap labor."

"Bringing in more workers doesn't make any sense to me..."

"Where is border security - is it a false promise?"


Sanders (I-VT):

"The problem is: we don't have enough good paying livable wage jobs for Americans."

"I wonder how it is, that with a supposed shortage of workers, then why are wages and benefits going down?"

per Sanders by Tom Donohue of USCoC: ""Americans affected by offshoring should stop whining".

Relating to earlier debate before NAFTA..."we had to improve the economy of Mexico, so they wouldn't send their workers here".

"The people that gave us advice on NAFTA are also giving advice on this bill - they were fundamentally wrong."

of Steve Ballmer (Microsoft): "Lower the pay of US professionals to 50k/yr and it won't make sense to do business with other countries...'


Webb (D-VA):

"Who is speaking for the hard-working people of our society?"

"This is the party that is supposed to stand up for the hard-working people of our society..."

THANX PHRED!

I know how much work you put into the CSPAN notes and it was really a huge help, at least for me.