Tuesday, May 23, 2006
Sell Outs
An amendment that would have allowed immigrants to stay in the country, work and eventually become citizens was shot down.
The Washington Post reports that a proposal by Sen. Dianne Feinstein lost in the Senate by a vote of 61-37.
Some legislators who supported the Feinstein amendment nonetheless voted against it because the current immigration legislation is too fragile and would never have survived the change, or at least that's their talking point.
"This legislation is on the edge of the ledge as it is," said Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, one of the Republicans supporting a delicate compromise that has kept the bill alive _ letting two-thirds of illegal immigrants stay but making the other third leave.The current proposal would force [t]hose in the country two to five years...[to] exit and file an application to return as a guest worker." Those in the country less than two years would have to go home, apply to enter as guest workers and wait for a visa.
"I have come to believe that the three-tiered system is unworkable, that it would create a bureaucratic nightmare and it would lead to substantial fraud," Feinstein said Tuesday.To say nothing of permanent second-class denizens that have created all that nasty business in France, Britain and Israel.
Like bloggers have noted before, so-called moderate Republicans never side with progressives during difficult votes; and can be counted to side with liberals when their vote is absolutely meaningless.
Oh and one more item. The Senate just loves the president's idea to send our National Guard to secure the border; just as soon as they return home from Iraq.
// posted by Howling Latina @ 1:22 PM 
