Countdown to amnesty; Update: Bush calls bill “amnesty” (sort of); Update: Heart-ache, 64-35; Update: 15 16 Republicans switched from no to yes
posted at 10:16 am on June 26, 2007 by Allahpundit
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The cloture vote’s scheduled for 11:50. Updates will appear here throughout the day. Bush’s people are optimistic — with good reason, says the boss, who has her ear to the ground. Go have a look at NRO’s editorial about the seven senators who could kill the bill outright today: six Republicans plus Jim Webb, who campaigned on an anti-amnesty platform last year. The WashTimes did its own count and sees hope fading:
Opponents of the bill counted about 32 senators prepared to block the bill and another dozen senators they said would swing today’s vote. But The Times found four of those swing votes said they will vote to revive the bill today: Republican Sens. Christopher S. Bond of Missouri and Thad Cochran of Mississippi, and Democratic Sens. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico and Ben Nelson of Nebraska. Press reports showed others have also said they are likely to vote to revive the bill, including Sen. Richard M. Burr, North Carolina Republican.
Bond’s “yes” vote is the dumbest of all since he’s planning to vote no on the second cloture vote if his amendment — which calls for gutting the whole bill by stripping out the amnesty provision — doesn’t pass. Which it never, ever will. But to throw him and the rest of the anti-amnesty crew a bone, the three amigos have added an extra moronic, meaningless, purely symbolic if not actually self-defeating “touchback” requirement to the bill:
With a crucial test vote scheduled for today, Republican supporters of a sweeping immigration bill threw their weight yesterday behind a significant change to the legislation that would force illegal immigrants to return to their home countries to apply for legal status…
Kyl, Graham and Martinez had already put together an amendment to secure $4.4 billion for border enforcement, create a tracking system to keep tabs on guest workers and permanently bar workers who overstay their visas from returning. Those measures would augment provisions already in the bill to tighten border security and clamp down on employers of illegal immigrants.
Yesterday, the three senators added a provision that would force illegal immigrants to return to their home countries to apply for Z Visas, not just their green cards. With the architects of the bill behind it, supporters predicted that the amendment would pass easily…
Indeed, it was the Department of Homeland Security that wanted legalization not to be contingent on leaving the country, because DHS officials wanted to bring illegal immigrants out of the shadows and into the legal system, Specter said. With the “touchback” requirement, millions may stay underground.
Everyone understand what’s going on here? They’re so eager to pass this piece of shinola, they’re adding provisions that will make it less likely that the bill will actually work just to get the votes needed to pass it. They’re trading practical viability for legislative viability. And it gets worse:
Two thousand more border agents are to be “hired, trained, and reporting for duty,” bringing the number of agents to 20,000; an additional 100 miles of vehicle barriers were just added, bringing that number to 300 miles; and 105 ground-based radar and camera towers are to be built, up from 70 just two weeks ago.
However, one Republican leadership aide told FOX News that the $4.4 billion is not nearly enough money to cover these substantial increases, warning against any guarantee that the provisions will be paid for down the road. “There’s no way that’s enough. So they’ll have to appropriate more, and there’s a big difference between authorizing and appropriating.”
Not nearly enough. Just like with the virtual fence they’re playing with right now in Arizona.
Jim DeMint’s talking tough by threatening to cut off limbs, but I think he knows who’s got the saw here and it ain’t him. Stand by for updates. I make no promises, but if the rabbit is pulled out of the hat and this crap dies today, we may just see a euphoric, celebratory cameo from Humping Robot to herald the victory. In the meantime:
Update: Freudian slip or the usual Bushian malaprop?
ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: President Bush has spent a whole lot of time in recent months claiming that the immigration bill isn’t “amnesty.”
But in describing the measure Tuesday morning, an apparent slip of the tongue suggested otherwise — providing fodder for the talk-radio crowd that loathes the bill and wants it defeated in the Senate.
“You know, I’ve heard all the rhetoric — you’ve heard it, too — about how this is amnesty. Amnesty means that you’ve got to pay a price for having been here illegally, and this bill does that,” Bush said, according to the official White House transcript.
Update: A superb post at the Corner by Stanley Kurtz says what I suspect a lot of people — and by “a lot,” I mean millions — are thinking right now.
Somehow this immigration battle feels different. The bill is wildly unpopular, yet it’s close to passing. The contrast with the high-school textbook version of democracy is not only glaring and maddening, it’s downright embarrassing. Usually, even when we’re at each others’ throats, there’s still an underlying pride in the democratic process. This immigration battle strips us of even that pride.
I’m still stuck on the way this bill was going to be pushed through without a public airing of crucial provisions, in the two or three days before Memorial Day recess. But I should be stuck even further back–on the way this bill was cooked up in a backroom deal that bypassed the ordinary process of public hearings. We take them for granted, but those civics textbook fundamentals are there for a reason. We’re going to pay a steep price for setting the fundamentals aside…
Supporters of this bill sell it as a compromise that will heal America’s divisions. I fear it’s quite the reverse. This bill is infuriating the public and undermining faith in government itself. You can see it in the polling on confidence in Congress and the President. If this bill passes, it’s going to aggravate and embitter politics for years to come. Passing a measure over such overwhelming opposition is like slapping the public in the face.
Update: Norm Coleman, facing the onslaught of Frankenmania in next year’s senate election, will vote yes on cloture.
Update: The vote’s coming now. I’m going to liveblog it.
They’re calling the roll now, which, I presume, is just to see if everyone’s present. They’re not announcing how each one voted after reading his/her name so I guess the vote is right after this.
Wait, no — it looks like this is the actual vote. They’re not even announcing the votes as they come in. We’re going to have to wait until all the votes are in.
I count only 29 no’s thus far and most everyone’s voted. Jim Webb just voted yes. We’re going to lose.
Ensign just voted yes.
Update: It wasn’t even close. 64-35. There shall be no Humping Robot today, my friends — nor, perhaps, ever again.
Stand by for the roll.
Update: Like Lowry says, this gives shamnesty a cushion for the do-or-die second cloture vote on Thursday. Even if Sessions and DeMint can peel off a few supporters, the McCainiacs still have 60 to put it through.
Update: Here’s the roll of shame. The cloture vote on June 7th went 45-50; Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat from Michigan, actually switched from yes on that vote to no today. Which means the amnesty wing picked up a cool 20 yeses in the interim: Bennett, Bingaman, Bond, Boxer, Brownback, Burr, Coleman, Collins, Domenici, Ensign, Gregg, Kyl, Lott, McConnell, Murkowski, Pryor, Snowe, Stevens, Warner, Webb.
The boldface indicates Republicans, my friends. Sixteen of them — 15 no/yes switches plus Brownback, who didn’t vote on June 7th. Update: My mistake — I missed that Evan Bayh, like Stabenow, also switched from yes to no. And that Larry Craig switched from no to yes. That makes 17 Republicans who switched.
Update: As mentioned above, the House GOP is planning a resolution this afternoon expressing its displeasure with the bill. According to Boehner, the White House isn’t happy about it.
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not enough……..
it passes
apostle26 on June 26, 2007 at 12:26 PM
Joementum just voted aye…
Babs on June 26, 2007 at 12:26 PM
arggg…I have a NO ADVERTISING sign on my front porch. The young man who dropped a business card on my property just now does not read or speak english.
*banging my head*
Tru2my2 on June 26, 2007 at 12:27 PM
29 nays including mccaskill
sunny on June 26, 2007 at 12:27 PM
ok, I lost track
csdeven on June 26, 2007 at 12:27 PM
30 nays with dole
sunny on June 26, 2007 at 12:27 PM
Dole, NO…Burr, YES Oh, Mr. Burr…you are such a fool!
SouthernGent on June 26, 2007 at 12:28 PM
32 nays so far
Limerick on June 26, 2007 at 12:28 PM
Cong. Brownback (Kan) you weasel; beholden to the meat packing industry in your state. Anybody driven through Dodge City KS lately??? You could rename it Chihuahua
& not 1 illegal (read 90%) would mind. We’re losing our great culture…John Wayne is spinning in his grave!!! God save us…I wanna puke as well!!!
CCTradiogrunt on June 26, 2007 at 12:28 PM
Burr yes? Huh, what did i hear earlier?
Editor on June 26, 2007 at 12:28 PM
webb went over
Limerick on June 26, 2007 at 12:28 PM
webb and levin both aye
apostle26 on June 26, 2007 at 12:29 PM
All of the fence sitters are voting YES…it’s over!
SouthernGent on June 26, 2007 at 12:29 PM
I never thought I would say this…I blame Bush (wow, I’m feeling like a liberal today). We are witnessing the total breakdown of our republic, my frineds.
LarryinVA on June 26, 2007 at 12:29 PM
Magic # is 41 correct?
DCA on June 26, 2007 at 12:29 PM
Maybe pilgrim, I’m not sure though.
I agree Pilgrim, our side is more work and family oriented, but that could get undermined because of the lefties motivation.
The Nutroots are much bigger than our side. That adds up, because those people influence others, and they have more up to date info because of their large online base and are way better off in terms of organization and influence. We need to be able to force our vermin in DC to grovel and do as we say like the Nutroots do theirs.
Bad Candy on June 26, 2007 at 12:29 PM
Stabenow, NO….wow! Good for her.
SouthernGent on June 26, 2007 at 12:29 PM
41 is the magic number.
csdeven on June 26, 2007 at 12:30 PM
This is SICK! So much for a “Representative Democracy.” Its more like put me and office and I will vote whatever way I want.
tshell on June 26, 2007 at 12:30 PM
All of the anti-amnesty platform running Senators just elected or re-elected lied. RIP democracy.
PRCalDude on June 26, 2007 at 12:30 PM
I missed Craig and Crapo. Anyone remember their votes?
csdeven on June 26, 2007 at 12:31 PM
Jamie Dupree was just on Neal Boortz and said he heard “several” who are voting YES today will be changing their votes at the end of the week. They just wanted to be able to say they gave it a fair hearing..from his mouth to …well you know where!
labwrs on June 26, 2007 at 12:31 PM
40 does it. They need 60, and the non-votes are basically no votes. Tim Johnson won’t be voting.
Pablo on June 26, 2007 at 12:31 PM
Yeah, looks like they got it. Bastards…
Bad Candy on June 26, 2007 at 12:31 PM
Brownback voted YEA.
amerpundit on June 26, 2007 at 12:31 PM
AYE that should be.
amerpundit on June 26, 2007 at 12:32 PM
According to Michelle at MM, Brownback voted Yea! Should we bury his presidential aspirations right now?
SSG Fuzzy on June 26, 2007 at 12:32 PM
We just need them to represent the people.
Looks like we gonna lose this round. Sigh, the monster lives.
Spirit of 1776 on June 26, 2007 at 12:32 PM
Thank God for the House.
Pablo on June 26, 2007 at 12:32 PM
Can y’all hear the cheering in Mexico City?
SouthernGent on June 26, 2007 at 12:32 PM
We still need seven by my count
Limerick on June 26, 2007 at 12:33 PM
Time to get to work on the House, Amnesty has to pass through them, and they are all up for re-election in ‘08.
billy on June 26, 2007 at 12:33 PM
Wow, it only took Forehead Webb six months to break his campaign promise.
This is what you threw Allen out of office for, Virginians.
thirteen28 on June 26, 2007 at 12:33 PM
Anyone know how Boxer voted?
Tru2my2 on June 26, 2007 at 12:33 PM
That is poilitical cowardice and serves no purpose. A YES today is defacto passing the bill.
SouthernGent on June 26, 2007 at 12:34 PM
I guess the question is how many Senators announced they would vote no just to get us off their backs and are now voting the choice they had already made before lying to us…again?
Speakup on June 26, 2007 at 12:34 PM
they’ll probably vote No on the actual bill, gives them an out.
We are now on the reverse side of what the Dems were doing with the judges, I bet you can go thru dkos archives and find “a vote for cloture is a vote for Roberts/Alito”
jp on June 26, 2007 at 12:34 PM
WAIT..we are NOT finished!
There IS another VOTE the end of this week! KEEP UP THE PRESSURE for ONE reason..so they hear it LOUD AND CLEAR in the HOUSE!
labwrs on June 26, 2007 at 12:34 PM
Any Presidential candidate who supported this fiasco is toast.
Bye bye, Brownback.
HYTEAndy on June 26, 2007 at 12:34 PM
Brownback is now dead to me. He will never receive my vote again. *spits*
KSgop on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Some of these senators are up for re-election next year, like my senator Saxby Chambliss. Message to Chambliss, start packing.
moonsbreath on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Guess they didn’t hear us…yet.
We’ll have to get LOUDER!!!
Even though one of my Senators is “Benedict Arlen” Specter, he’ll be hearing from me…again and again.
Paul the American on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Neither will Craig Thomas.
amerpundit on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Boxer was aye
apostle26 on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Boxer voted AYE. As did Feinstein.
DCA on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Damnesty.
Nosferightu on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
64-35…bastards!
SouthernGent on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
unbelievable…
Tru2my2 on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Yeesh.
Pablo on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Cloture passes.
amerpundit on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
fuck ‘em
Editor on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
65-35. Argh
Spirit of 1776 on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Black armband it is then.
Limerick on June 26, 2007 at 12:35 PM
Could be. Also could be legitimate. I understand the vote NO to kill it outright BUT …any port in a storm!
labwrs on June 26, 2007 at 12:36 PM
Motion is agreed 64-35
apostle26 on June 26, 2007 at 12:36 PM
The Senators Who Sold America
The Senators Who Sold America
The Senators Who Sold America
geoff on June 26, 2007 at 12:36 PM
64-35, excuse me…typo
Spirit of 1776 on June 26, 2007 at 12:36 PM
It goes beyond that. There was tons of political calculus in the ‘no’ cloture votes vs. ‘yes.’ Those that voted ‘no’ probably dealt to be allowed to vote that way, while secretly hoping that cloture passes.
PRCalDude on June 26, 2007 at 12:36 PM
If this crapola of a bill makes it through the House… I quit. I say give the morons what they want and watch the country tank. Then we can clean up the mess and get back to the right way to do things.
tshell on June 26, 2007 at 12:36 PM
There’s only one way to punish these people and that’s for the voters to have another “temper tantrum” a la 1994.
Fred on June 26, 2007 at 12:36 PM
Yeah, and its obvious that they aren’t going to do that, so we need a powerful enforcement wing.
Bad Candy on June 26, 2007 at 12:36 PM
Lott is now a traitor in my book
Dersu on June 26, 2007 at 12:37 PM
I’m afraid America is lost.
Maxx on June 26, 2007 at 12:37 PM
You’ll all be glad to know that the Senators are going to lunch on your tax dollars.
amerpundit on June 26, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Temper tantrum? Count me in.
marc@hubsandspokes on June 26, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Dude. Fudging. Weak.
askheaves on June 26, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Let the gloating begin.
Those who were arrogant before will only be worse now.
Speakup on June 26, 2007 at 12:37 PM
Republican Senate Committee will never get a single dollar from me!
Actually, come to think of it, I think I swore never to support them again once they supported Chaffee over his primary opponent!
SSG Fuzzy on June 26, 2007 at 12:37 PM
If this gets through the House, I’ll start looking into LEGALLY immigrating to Canada.
Paul the American on June 26, 2007 at 12:38 PM
He’s been replaced, no? 99 votes.
Pablo on June 26, 2007 at 12:38 PM
Any time I need to learn about a new esoteric parliamentary procedure, somebody isn’t doing something right.
askheaves on June 26, 2007 at 12:38 PM
Washington, DC is lost…America is not (yet)
SouthernGent on June 26, 2007 at 12:38 PM
Is there another cloture vote, or just one for simple majority?
The latter will pass, the former might not.
Please save us, House of Representatives.
Darksean on June 26, 2007 at 12:38 PM
Is there another cloture vote, or just one for simple majority?
The latter will pass, the former might not.
Please save us, House of Representatives.
Darksean on June 26, 2007 at 12:38 PM
Sons of bitches.
profitsbeard on June 26, 2007 at 12:39 PM
so much for the will of the people..evidently if you are a law breaker your “vote” counts more.. sad, sad, sad
Twoconservative on June 26, 2007 at 12:39 PM
I hope some house member lays the BLUE CARD on this BILL
when it passes the senate.
Dersu on June 26, 2007 at 12:40 PM
How about this for a silver lining….
Could this potentially be the force that unites the left and right under a common hatred for Bush and everyone else who supported this atrocity? We need to take to the streets on this and by “we” I don’t mean the left or the right, I mean the AMERICAN PEOPLE as a whole. EVERYONE hates this bill and we need to protest its passage.
This isn’t a left/right issue - this is the loss of democracy.
World B. Free on June 26, 2007 at 12:40 PM
‘Let them eat cake’……who said history doesn’t repeat itself?
Limerick on June 26, 2007 at 12:40 PM
S.O.B.’s.
profitsbeard on June 26, 2007 at 12:40 PM
This was just the vote to ALLOW debate on the bill..to bring it BACK to the floor. They will debate, vote on the Amendments and then VOTE on the bill next week.
labwrs on June 26, 2007 at 12:40 PM
We’ve had it here. Get ready for a huge flood of illegals into our country. You think you have had a hard time getting your kid educated, getting health care, getting public services before? Look out because you ain’t seen nothing yet. I feel very sorry for our country right about now.
Babs on June 26, 2007 at 12:41 PM
Allah…suggestion: you should post the final scene of Planet of the Apes. “You maniacs!! Damn you!!!”
Jim-Rose on June 26, 2007 at 12:42 PM
There’s another vote on cloture to end debate on amendments right?
apostle26 on June 26, 2007 at 12:42 PM
Looks like Bush was able to buy enough votes after all. See? He can accomplish something in office! Now, if he could just accomplish something POSITIVE…
revolutionismyname on June 26, 2007 at 12:42 PM
America isn’t lost. Start emailing, faxing and calling your House Representative. I’ve already emailed mine a few weeks ago and actually received a phone call back!
People still have the power of the vote. Remember those we are working for the Mexican government and vote them out.
moonsbreath on June 26, 2007 at 12:42 PM
Now would be the ideal time to flood the lines.
amerpundit on June 26, 2007 at 12:42 PM
We need to remember to damn the traitors but also to praise the Patriots that fought against this rigged and railroaded travesty.
Speakup on June 26, 2007 at 12:42 PM
What about the next 12 million?
saiga on June 26, 2007 at 12:43 PM
I’m done with you Bush. Forget your shitty war. Forget your pathetic immigration legislation. Forget your faith based initiative.
The left was right. You’re a disgrace. I’m done done done with you. You aren’t protecting us at the borders. You aren’t protecting our citizenship. You aren’t protecting our food. You’ve done nothing. NOTHING.
I’ve stood by through thick and thin. Now I am content to say:
GEORGE BUSH. WORST EVER.
Vincenzo on June 26, 2007 at 12:43 PM
Or as LG would put it - Shove some cake in your pie hole, bigots.
Spirit of 1776 on June 26, 2007 at 12:44 PM
OK FOLKS..
Here is what I hope happens the rest of this week. I hope THOUSANDS of illegals RUSH the border and we get HORROR stories about it for DAYS before the “Vote”..at that point even the DEMs would HAVE to vote to kill the amnesty bill!
Cross your fingers!
labwrs on June 26, 2007 at 12:44 PM
D.C. is worthless! It is time for states to begin asserting their autonomy. We need to push that idea locally. Cut D.C. off at the knees. “Katie-bar-the-door” time. And no, I’m not overstating this.
Weight of Glory on June 26, 2007 at 12:44 PM
What a legacy Bush has created.
Blake on June 26, 2007 at 12:45 PM
Amen to that
apostle26 on June 26, 2007 at 12:45 PM
‘Let them eat cake’……who said history doesn’t repeat itself?
Limerick on June 26, 2007 at 12:40 PM
Hell we didn’t even get a pack of twinkies out of this deal so far.
sonnyspats1 on June 26, 2007 at 12:46 PM
You know, as mad as I am at President Bush now, I am even more pissed off at ANY Senator who voted yes for cloture but will vote NO for the Bill.
NEVER FORGET! Vote every one of these sham politicians out of office. They turned their back on America.
Vincenzo on June 26, 2007 at 12:46 PM
Bad Candy, I agree with you. “Our side” works long hours because we are the ones paying taxes. “Our side” cannot march to Washington to defend the Constitution because we are working 2 jobs.
Note to the Graham-Hagel-Kyl-McCain group: there is no “free lunch” concerning economics.
ColtsFan on June 26, 2007 at 12:46 PM
As of today I’m looking for an impeach Bush Sticker.
JackS on June 26, 2007 at 12:46 PM
Dude, don’t do anything rash. There’s still the House.
JackStraw on June 26, 2007 at 12:46 PM
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