Thread: Read this!!

WASHINGTON —

The lawmakers who failed Thursday to win a key vote on the immigration reform bill before the Senate said on Friday that they will continue to push the bill forward and believed they could still find a compromise that would pass.

"We are not giving up. We are not giving in," Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., told reporters. He is the chief Democrat at the negotiating table for the immigration bill.

"When it is recognized by the American people that the Senate has not acted (on immigration), I believe there is going to be a wave of support for what we have been trying to do," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who also is on the negotiating team.

The bill, which had been widely criticized, died on a procedural motion Thursday night. But Republican Sens. Specter, Jon Kyl, Lindsey Graham and Mel Martinez were all upbeat after a vote to end debate failed 45-50, failing to reach the 60-vote threshold to move toward final passage.

Click here to see how your senator voted on ending the immigration debate.

Despite the fact that it was primarily Republicans who voted against the maneuver, all the GOP lawmakers who spoke with FOX News were upbeat that the legislation could be revived soon — even within a matter of weeks, with one negotiator noting that last year's bill was first pulled from the floor by then-Majority Leader Bill Frist before it was brought back up again and passed.

Graham said he talked extensively with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and is confident the bill will return for senators to take another crack at developing a comprehensive plan to legalize millions of foreigners living unlawfully in the United States.

"I know where the votes are for final passage. ... We're going to get this done," Graham said, adding that the topic is not going to go away. "All I can say is, if you name a post office, you're going to be talking about immigration."

"There are ways we can do this," Reid said later. "There can be an agreement on the number of amendments. Hopefully we can do that in the next several weeks. We're very close."

Kyl, the chief Republican negotiator, told reporters on Friday that he believed a list of about 10 amendments would satisfy the concerns primarily on his side of the aisle, and that those could be considered in no more than three days on the Senate floor.

Kyl, of Arizona, called on Senate leaders to give the time to the bill -- which in the short-term might seem large, but in the long-run would seem small.

"Who will care whether it was an extra three days if we can achieve the result that we're talking about?" Kyl asked.

Reid said support for the bill exists across the country despite repeated polls showing growing opposition to the thrust of the bill and many of its specifics — particularly on the issues of legalization for illegals here now, a guest worker program and chain migration.

"There are a lot of good things in this bill," Reid said. "I'm a creature of the Senate. I understand we live by the rules that govern this body. I accept that. We're going to do everything we can to pass this bill as soon as we can. When is that? I don't know, but we're going to work hard and try to put aside the hurt feelings that we have. The country needs and the Senate needs to do this."

In the meantime, Reid said, President Bush, who champions the comprehensive reform bill, needs to work harder to get Republicans in line.

"Where are the president's men?" Reid asked. "Where are the president's people. I want to finish this bill. But I can't do it alone, we (the Democrats) can't do it alone. We need some help. And I would hope the president understands....he has a relatively short period of time to help us with this piece of legislation."

White House counselor Dan Bartlett told FOX News that he believed there was still hope for the bill to be revived.

"I think its premature to declare this legislation dead. I know the leadership is still talking. The president urges Sen. Reid to reconsider and work with both Republicans and Democrats and get this bill back on track," Bartlett said.

"Now it's time for every member of Congress, particularly in the Senate, to redouble their efforts. The president will following this very closely, as he continues the discussions here in the G-8 [conference in Germany]. There's no more important issue facing the American people back at home," he said.

The legislation up for debate included a temporary guest worker program and a pathway to legalizing the estimated 12 million or more illegal immigrants in the U.S. It also offers provisions to tighten borders and institute a new system to prevent employers from hiring undocumented workers.

As the Senate drew closer to a vote on the bill, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff lobbied lawmakers to pass the bill, spending nearly three hours in negotiations in a back room off the Senate floor.

Upon leaving, both men shook bill sponsor Kyl's hand and showered him with praise and encouragement, saying the bill would get done. Gutierrez promised, "We're going to get there. No problem."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell agreed that the Senate was close to passage of this bill. McConnell, R-Ky., said the bill failed because Democrats tried to rush it, not allowing Republicans to offer key amendments — like tougher border security measures and legalization process for illegal immigrants — that could win over opponents. All but seven Republicans voted against ending the debate.

"Both of us desire the same result, which is to get a bipartisan immigration bill that would be an improvement over the disastrous status quo we have now," McConnell said of himself and Reid.

"I think we were very close to getting there," McConnell added. "We could have finished this bill in a couple of more days in my judgment. We're giving up on this bill too soon. I think we are within a few days of getting to the end of what many would applaud as an important bipartisan accomplishment of this Congress."

Eleven Democrats also voted against ending debate, even though many who supported it had complained that the bill created a class warfare scenario that locks temporary workers into second-class citizen status and rips apart families by favoring employability over blood ties in the approval of future immigrants.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., called the death of the bill, "a disappointment" but held out hope the measure would survive.

"This issue isn't going away," Kennedy said. "Doing nothing is not an option."

Specter, one of the negotiators in what had been dubbed the "grand bargain," condemned the death of the bill, arguing there was opposition on both sides of the aisle but that Republicans did more to hopelessly stall the bill than did Democrats.

"The Democrats were wrong but the Republicans were wronger, to use a word that doesn't exist."

Specter also said the Senate was diminished by the debate and its inability to pass the bipartisan compromise.

"To listen to the debate the last several days, I think people wonder just what is going on," Specter said. "We crafted a bill, bipartisan ... and as of this moment we have not succeeded. I believe we will yet succeed. Accusations have been made that it is amnesty but the fact is if we do nothing we have silent amnesty. This matter is on life-support but it is not dead. It is not moribund."

While Reid insists the bill is not dead, a crowded Senate calendar complicates its prospects. Reid immediately moved onto energy policy after the vote.

FOX News' Major Garrett and Trish Turner contributed to this report.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,279213,00.html

Please provide the source link....

Thanks!

The bill, which had been widely criticized, died on a procedural motion Thursday night. But Republican Sens. Specter, Jon Kyl, Lindsey Graham and Mel Martinez were all upbeat after a vote to end debate failed 45-50, failing to reach the 60-vote threshold to move toward final passage.

See!! I told you guys. I heard Jon Kly on the radio with Hugo Hewitt , and Jon Kyle is raring to GO.

I don't know what GWB told him, but he sure told him something.

Man your battle stations, (phones and faxes) cause things are going to hit the fan around here next week.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,279213,00.html

"When it is recognized by the American people that the Senate has not acted (on immigration), I believe there is going to be a wave of support for what we have been trying to do," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who also is on the negotiating team.

Observation: Specter is totally delusional. We need to remind him. Call, write, fax

"I know where the votes are for final passage. ... We're going to get this done," Graham said, adding that the topic is not going to go away

Observation: Shady back room deals, earmark vote trading, special interest money payola, barganing for alliances

"All I can say is, if you name a post office, you're going to be talking about immigration."

said Graham.

Observation: I have no idea what that means. Maybe I'm missing something, but anyone else have a clue?

Reid said support for the bill exists across the country despite repeated polls showing growing opposition to the thrust of the bill and many of its specifics — particularly on the issues of legalization for illegals here now, a guest worker program and chain migration.

Observation: Reid is as delusional as Specter. Not only that, the statement by Reid is illogical. Shouldn't there be some sort of test or the possession of a minimal IQ to be a Senator?

"There are a lot of good things in this bill," Reid said

Observation: Not according to me and most Americans

"I'm a creature of the Senate

Reid stated.

Observation: translated..."I'm a creature of the Black Lagoon"

The country needs and the Senate needs to do this."

Reid went on

Observation: The only people saying the country needs this are Senators and the President. Therefore the only logical conclusion is that the country does not need this.

"Where are the president's men?" Reid asked. "Where are the president's people.

Observation: Running like hell away from Bush.

And I would hope the president understands....he has a relatively short period of time to help us with this piece of legislation."

Observation: You're time has come and passed. You lost, deal with it. If you persist in bringing back this trojan horse, you will go down in flames again from an even greater wrath and backlash from the American people.

In the meantime, Reid said, President Bush, who champions the comprehensive reform bill, needs to work harder to get Republicans in line.

Observation: Bush work hard??? (Reid being delusional again). If Bush needs to work hard he can get and cozy partner up with his hard working "guest workers".

"Now it's time for every member of Congress, particularly in the Senate, to redouble their efforts. There's no more important issue facing the American people back at home," he (Bartlett) said.

Observation: That's what the vast majority of American people have been saying since they caught word of the Scam-nesty legislation being railroaded through the Senate. And that's why they sent it down in flames.

As the Senate drew closer to a vote on the bill, Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff lobbied lawmakers to pass the bill, spending nearly three hours in negotiations in a back room off the Senate floor.

Observation: Since when has it been in the job description of the Commerce Secretary and the Homeland Security Secretary to lobby the Senate for passage of legislation, particularly one that was obviously opposed by the vast majority of the American people. Shouldn't these two secretaries actually be doing the jobs they were appointed to?

Gutierrez promised, "We're going to get there. No problem."

Observation: Another delusional government employee. No your not going to get there, wherever "there" is unless "there" is being without your cushy government job when Bush is gone in 18 months. Then you will be "there"...gone.

We're giving up on this bill too soon. I think we are within a few days of getting to the end of what many would applaud as an important bipartisan accomplishment of this Congress."

Observation: another Senator being delusional, this time McConnell. If they want to "accomplish" something stop beating this dead horse and move onto something else.

"This issue isn't going away," Kennedy said. "Doing nothing is not an option."

Observation: The vast majority of people want Kennedy to go away and doing nothing about forcing Kennedy to go away is not an option.

"The Democrats were wrong but the Republicans were wronger, to use a word that doesn't exist."...Specter

Observation: You've heard the old saying...never argue with an idiot. 'Nuff said.

"To listen to the debate the last several days, I think people wonder just what is going on," Specter said.

Observation: New saying...never listen to an idiot.

Zeezil's Observations


That was great! 10 points.

Yes that was very good and very well done!

Specter must have Alzheimer's. It's hard to believe anyone could say something so stupid and out of touch with reality. Wow.

If anyone is still responding to this topic would someone please tell me the source of these idiots poll data? Every article, news story, or in person for that matter, is and was totally against this scam, with the exception of a few bleeding hearts or chambers of commerce crooks. also why are we not up in arms about repealing the 14th amendment to the Constitution? They are using it against us contrary to what the writers intended. Thanks for any help.