A broad immigration bill to legalize millions of people in the U.S. unlawfully suffered a stunning setback in the Senate Thursday, costing President Bush perhaps his best opportunity to win a top domestic priority.
The bipartisan compromise championed by the president failed a crucial test when it could not attract even a simple majority for an effort to speed its passage.
Intense public concern over immigration across the country conspired with high political stakes to produce a roiling debate on the issue. Ultimately, those forces overwhelmed a painstakingly forged liberal-to-conservative alliance that sought to insulate their compromise from partisanship.
Supporters could muster only 45 votes to limit debate and speed the bill to final passage, 15 short of what was needed on the procedural maneuver. Fifty senators voted against cutting off debate.
Most Republicans voted to block Democrats’ efforts to advance the measure.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who had made no secret of his distaste for parts of the bill, quickly pulled it from the floor and moved on to other business, leaving its future uncertain.
He insisted that the bill was not dead, but a crowded Senate calendar complicates its prospects.
Good news.
If they can’t or refused to enforce the laws on the the previous and current immigration laws, what makes anyone think they will do the same on the current one they are pushing. Yea for all who stood up and was counted in the movement to stop this insanity.
I disagree. Nations are judged by how they treat the aliens among them. America is the richest country on earth – we can afford to be generous to outsiders. I’m disappointed, but not surprised, but this result. It’s also unfortunate how much of the debate was tainted by subtle and not-so-subtle racism.
Of course anytime anyone objects to the effects of higher crime, lowered job wages, astronomical costs in social services, the charge of racism is brought up. Look at all the wonderful things having a permanent underclass has done for Europe (especially France), of course we need that here too. NOT.
ScottK,
America has made many foolish choices, and we now have more debt than can ever be paid. And if you think Third World immigrants are coming here to pay the bills for a bunch of stupid old white people, you are in for a real surprise.
One of the problems with the current immigration bill is that it does nothing to address the situation of more people coming into the country illegally. First, we need to secure our borders and then let’s discuss how to help those who have been here for a long period of time integrate fully into our society.
YBIC,
Phil Snyder
what a sad, sad statement on the gop –
a president with no capital left to spend and an administration that is unraveled:
“An administration that practiced such effective message control in its first term now looks completely impotent,” said Georgetown University political analyst Stephen Wayne. “They are stuck in their tracks.”
Rants about “amnesty” provisions from GOP presidential candidates helped to derail immigration reform for the present, but Republicans yet need to come together to enact border security measures or our citizens will continue to face an unacceptable level of danger.
At least Sen. McCain showed some leadership here.
McCain showed nothing.
The only thing this would do would be to bankrupt Social Security even faster than it is on track for now.
There are two views in Congress on this bill:
Democrats: more voters! We will win more seats.
Republican: More cheap labor for corporations = more campaign donations = we win more seats.
No one cares about the people.
wow libraryjim, that’s a tremendously cynical pov