A Good Feeling about This (Enjoy Watching It Die)
By Repair Man Jack Posted in Immigration — Comments (12) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
The “compromise” on immigration looks one-sided and grim. It’s a give-in, a mail-in, a folderamma and they couldn’t even be brief and put the bottom line up front. Instead, they have a several hundred page UnaBummer Manifesto of stupid public policy, that isn’t even being discussed in committee before it is rushed to the floor for 1 week’s debate.
The details that have come out look genuinely demoralizing. It seems to have been the most damaging immigration bill the US Senate could have written. Leave it to a Kennedy, and you’ll always wind up getting driven off the bridge. Here are some salient highlights of how bad this legislation truly is.
“Title VI of a draft copy of the bill breaks down amnesty visas into three categories:
Z-1 — Illegal aliens present and working in the United States up to Jan. 1, 2007.
Z-2 — Parents and spouses of illegal aliens qualifying under the Z-1 category.
Z-3 — Children of illegal aliens qualifying under the Z-1 category.
These “Z Visa” holders can stay in the “Z” status indefinitely, which means they never have to pursue “a pathway to citizenship.” They also would be able to get Social Security numbers and benefit from some welfare programs. Shockingly, there is no cap on the numbers of amnesty recipients in the draft language.”
This is why I am beginning to get a really good feeling that this bill has about as much chance of passing as Harriet Miers did of sitting on The Supreme Court for the rest of her life.
Senator Jim DeMint has issued the following slap-down.
“The Senate is scheduled to begin debate on the immigration plan this Monday, and yet we still haven’t seen the bill. In fact, we’re hearing the bill has not even been completed. This issue is far too important to jam into a couple days. It would be irresponsible for Congress to pass a long, complicated immigration bill that it knows very little about. Americans expect us to take our time and get this right.
As we understand it, this plan will grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants by allowing them to permanently stay here without ever having to return to their home countries. This can be fixed, but it will take time and there is no way the Senate can responsibly complete this debate in one week.”
This bill also puts some of the “New Democrats” on the hot-seat. For Senator Webb, this one could truly be a Blue Dog or Pink Dog moment. While campaigning for office, Webb had the following set of positions.
“Webb went on to criticize the H1B visa process and went as far as to say that there should be no guest workers at all in the United States. Webb equated those coming to the US from Mexico to pick vegetables to those coming from India to work at AOL in Alexandria. Webb’s view of outsourcing clearly puts him at odds with technology related businesses in Virginia. Webb brought his views on immigration into this answer as well. They included a much more secure border along with vastly increased enforcement of businesses that hire illegal immigrants. No guest workers, a strong border and increased enforcement is not the Democratic idea for immigration reform.”
This bill would enact the exact 180 degree opposite of what Webb’s stated position was on the issue. Let’s see if he knuckles under or actually believed anything he put out there while running for office last year. That’s true of a lot of other Democrats who were smart enough to get Right of GWB last year on immigration. They now have to put up or play along and prove they were liars and hypocrites.
This bill will draw plenty of opposition. It will be opposed by any Senate Republican in a tight re-election battle in 2008. It will be opposed by any Democrat in a bright red state. It will ultimately start drawing fire from union workers who are probably among the first in line to be replaced by unorganized immigrant labor as rapidly as possible.
At the end of the day, this bill will die. Drive a stake through its heart, immerse it in running water, then chop off its head and bury it deeply.
UPDATE: Haystack asks, redruM provides. The text of the bill as of 10 May 2007.
UPDATE: Bob Corker to vote "NAY" on Cloture!
Illegals get "Z" benefits and current citizens pay "Z" money to fund this atrocity.
Time to get rid of "Z" congressmen and women who support this.
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"Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm." -- James Madison
Can you say - RECALL - IMPEACH - CENSURE? We need these people out of office where they have proven they can neither legislate nor lead!
Edmund Burke: "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"
Leave it to a Kennedy, and you’ll always wind up getting driven off the bridge.
I am impatiently awaiting the text of the bill before I scream and yell and stamp my feet, so I can't say if your concerns are based on facts or presumptions. That said, this bill has done something for us all that needed doing...
For the first time in a long time people are fired up and are not going to take Congressional tomfoolery without making some noise...THAT is long overdue.
haystack's 12th:
Conservatives (and Presidential Candidates especially) shall offer no aid and comfort to the opposition in times of legislative conflict (and ensuing political campaigns).
from many in the restrictionist camp was that these immigrants would become American citizens and they would vote for Democrats?
If illegals want to become citizens they have to get a Z visa, stay here, remain employed and return to their country of origin before they can get in tbe citizenship line.
Or, they can do as DeMint says and stay here in Z-status but never become citizens -- ergo, never be allowed to vote.
Are the restrictionists now changing our tune saying we want them to become citizens? We want them to vote?
Frankly, I'd rather they stay in permanent z-status and don't vote.
and we get an enforcement first bill at any later time.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
verification system is in place.
You might be waiting decades for your enforcement first bill. Good luck as the next 12 million, and another 12 million and another, and another come streaming into the US all the while you wait on enforcement.
this abortion, I've got a good deal on a bridge for you.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
election the odds are not in our favor of winning due to the unpopular war in Iraq.
help us -- President Hillary -- would pass a tougher immigration bill than this? Not a chance.
So we're looking at another five years -- at least -- with broken borders and an enforcement system that does not work. How many more illegals do you want in the United States? The next time we take this up we won't be talking about 12 million illegals, we'll be talking about 20-25 million.
is not a good rationale for abandoning what's right.
And if you think this bill will keep us from talking about another 20 million in 10 years, you're a complete fool.
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CongressCritter™: Never have so few felt like they were owed so much by so many for so little.
a real tragedy occurs with an illegal immigrant committing a horrendous crime or terrorist operation. The resulting public ground swell will force radical action - regardless of who's in office. Hillary and the Dems may be liberals, but they have well honed self preservation instincts. The size of the current illegal population increases the probability of such an event occurring.
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"Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm." -- James Madison
Unfortunately, like the shape shifting, undead bills of gun control and hate crimes legislation, it will keep coming back to life in a slightly different form until it either slips by unnoticed or the weary fighters let down their guard.
In fact, so egregious is this slap in the face, I believe this was a deliberate negotitating technique.
Throw something on the table that is so bold, so unacceptable to all affected parties, such that when the outcry dies down, slipping in a more reasonable amnesty program will likely pass with a sigh of relief as to how much worse it could have been, - never mind that the bill that ultimately passes would never have passed if it were the first attempt. I think this is why there was such jubilation among the negotiators, they think they've outsmarted the people - again.
Kind of like a guy going for an upskirt move on a first date and once rebuffed (after stretching the envelope) , getting away with lesser violations above the wasteline.
Unfortunately, the American people do not have the ability to end the date right now as the conduct deserves.