Thread: This Is Not A Drill

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1. COMMENT

This Is Not A Drill

Some in the bar are misreading the Senate's debate on
Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR). The Senate is not engaged
in idle debate, it is determined to pass a bill.

This should not be news. The Senate was determined to act last
year also, and despite setbacks the Senate did pass S. 2611, the
McCain-Kennedy bill (some of the setbacks were severe, remember
the Martinez-Hagel compromise which cut the legalization
beneficiaries in half?). What has changed from last year to this
year, is political control in Congress. And this affects CIR's
language, and its legislative twists and turns, decisively. Last
year, the Republicans were in control of the House, and chose the
path of confrontation rather than compromise. This was a
political decision, and one which backfired on the Republican
Party, being responsible in part for the GOP's losing both
Chambers of Congress. This year the Democrats are in charge of
both Chambers - with consequences to CIR's language which we
spell out below.

In 2006, Senate Republicans could be certain that in passing a
liberal bill like S. 2611, loaded with benefits (SKIL, AgJOBS,
DREAM, etc), these benefits would be significantly watered down
in a two step process. First, the House's bill would have none of
the generous benefits - as indeed, the Sensenbrenner bill
H.R.3347, which the House had already passed, clearly showed.
Second, the Conference to reconcile these widely different bills
would be controlled by Republicans from both chambers. The likely
result would be a middle ground with fewer benefits, and harsher
language all around, than the Senate's bill.

In 2007, the reality could not be more different than last year.
This time, Senate Republicans can be certain that no matter how
harsh a bill they craft, the bill will be significantly
liberalized in a two step process. First, the House's bill will
likely be STRIVE, or something even more generous (and bear in
mind that STRIVE is more liberal than McCain-Kennedy in the
number of its beneficiaries, in addition to having SKIL, AgJOBS,
DREAM, and other goodies). Second, the Conference to reconcile
the Senate's tough bill with the House's liberal bill will be
controlled by Democrats from both chambers, probably Sen. Kennedy
and Rep. Conyers. The likely result will be something far more
generous than anything the Senate will pass.

That is why Sen. Kyl has to get all the concessions from Sen.
Kennedy in the bank now, while the issue is still in the Senate.
This way, Sen. Kyl is assured that the final Act will be slightly
tougher on enforcement than otherwise. And that is why Sen.
Kennedy continues to make concession after concession necessary
to move the bill along, knowing full well that during Conference,
the CIR bill will become more generous.

To the great credit of the politicians of both parties, they are
moving the legislative process forward in the Senate despite
strong opposition from both ends of the political spectrum. And
the House is doing more than waiting in the wings. As Rep. Hoyer,
the House Majority Leader, has already let slip,
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/rei ... 05-16.html
the House is determined to act on immigration regardless of what
the Senate does. The House's bill, the first glimpse of which
should be available during markup in the week of June 4th (the
same week that the Senate will finalize its bill), will likely
have so much good news that the bar will likely drop its
collective jaw! A Conference is, therefore, very likely on this
bill even if the Senate bill fails.

The bar should face up to the undeniable fact that our
immigration law is broken, and badly in need of a total re-write.
That is the process that the Senate has so courageously begun.
Those who cannot see the trees of the Senate bill's language for
the wood of the legislative process would be well counselled to
heed Bismarck's admonition that Laws are like sausages, it is
better not to see them being made. Lets make improvements to the
extent that is possible as the process unfolds, and prepare for a
feast at the end. Bon Appetit!

We welcome readers to share their opinion and ideas with us by
writing to mailto:editor@ilw.com.
__________________________________________________ _______________http://www.ilw.com/immigdaily/digest/2007,0529.shtm

I'm gagging!

From the same band of sell-outs.

Future Of Immigration

Tamar Jacoby of the Manhattan Institute points out the historic significance of the immigration bill being debated in the Senate: "The immigration deal the Senate produced last week is far from perfect, and its critics, left and right, make many valid points. But much of the criticism misses the forest for the trees. Left out of the debate: the historic scope and significance of the deal -- its ambition to deliver an immigration system that grapples with globalization and the choices it poses for America."

We welcome readers to share their opinion by writing to weeklyeditor@ilw.com.

Last year, the Republicans were in control of the House, and chose the path of confrontation rather than compromise. This was a
political decision, and one which backfired on the Republican
Party, being responsible in part for the GOP's losing both
Chambers of Congress.

We know what of minion believes and spewes this!!!!!!!

Dixie

Since the Democrats are in power in they don't seem to like Guest workers to much. But might be making a deal with the Republicans, so that is why they have 200 thousand down from 400 thousand. Both sides will work on sending this through. Is there enough votes on our side to make a few improvements like inforcement and extra border guards "yes". Will the president enforce those parts of the bill "NO" in that is a fact. As long as the North American union stuff gets through they don't care how much lipstick they put on this pig. Once the closure gets voted for, I expect about 62-64 votes for it. I hate to say it...That Vitters amendment showed me all I needed to know.

The next Quastion if the house will use this BILL, in drop strive. Because if they use Strive they will have to go back through the senate. I don't think they are going to do that.

What do you think?