To pass the cloture vote, it's not just about getting the requisite number of
Republicans. There is a
significant set of Democratic senators who will need to be persuaded.
Three centrists whose razor-thin election victories in November tipped control of the Senate to the Democrats now hold potentially decisive swing votes on the immigration measure the chamber will try to revive later this week.
All three Democratic freshman senators - Jim Webb (Va.), Jon Tester (Mont.) and Claire McCaskill (Mo.) - voted against efforts by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to shut down debate over the measure earlier this month. The freshmen each have controversial amendments in the package that will be considered once the Senate moves to resume debate later this week. And no member is decided on how he or she will vote on the underlying bill.
I was particularly surprised by the stance of
Claire McCaskill, who was recently elected back in November as well, on most issues she seemed to be a standard liberal Democrat. But on
immigration, she's pretty tough.
In McCaskill's home state, activists for NumbersUSA total nearly 8,000, with 1,670 new members since last month. McCaskill is pushing an amendment that would ban repeat violators of immigration rules from receiving federal contracts for five years. Her spokeswoman said the senator is concerned about the guest-worker provisions in the bill as well as the employer sanction provisions that she is seeking to strengthen.
Last night the Corner at NRO Online reported that
McCaskill told Lou Dobbs that she would not vote for cloture, which would kill the bill for now. These
Democrats have apparently looked at the popularity of this bill with the American people and decided they don't want any part of it.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. I imagine its sometimes tough for elected officials to decide whether to vote their gut or vote their constituents wishes. But I guess thats one of the beauty's of our system.
The corresponding ugly is voting their own wallet.
Steve Bonomo at 6:43PM on Jun 22nd 2007
2. Even the political hacks in the SENATE, know that to go against the people is suicide. Any Senator from either party that votes for this amnesty bill, will pay a dear price, especially when the little details and huge consequences begin to take effect. Imagine if the number of non english speakers is twice that of native speakers...social security goes belly up because of this...or local taxes have to be doubled for social services, hospitals go bankrupt, crime runs rampant, riots for unification with Mexico happen all over the southwest, wages being bid down to the poverty level for our lower middle classes, the creation of a permanent underclass, or millions of more illegals stream in, knowing well and certain that the United Staes is an easy mark....all of these are possible...not all probable..., but any one of them would undermine the Nation perhaps to its final demise...and the voters (if there are any votes allowed) will remember the sellouts.
No one has ever answered one simple question... Why can't we just begin to enforce some of the immigration laws as they exist now and provide disincentives for illegal immigration.. WHY...because they lied to us in 86 and continue to lie to us now...
joem at 9:19PM on Jun 22nd 2007
3. Noone has ever crossed our fence at CUBA. GOOD example what mines and wire can do. We dont need expensive wall. Just mines, wire, and warning sign. CROSS our fence and get blown up. Problem solved. Pass new law, NOT RESPONCIBLE FOR YOUR LIFE AFTER CROSSING OUR BORDER.
david aaron at 10:59PM on Jun 22nd 2007