This should really brighten up your Monday
(The Hill) Immigration reform has gotten a new burst of life as a growing number of Senate Republicans have embraced the 1,000-page-plus legislation, setting up President Obama for a big victory this week. [WATCH VIDEO]
The sudden surge in Republican support has been a pleasant surprise for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), who urged the bill’s authors to focus on winning 60 votes — the minimum for passing it.
Instead, Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.), the leaders of the Gang of Eight, are marching toward 70 votes, a target intended to put maximum pressure on the House to act.
We know that, no matter what reservations any Democrats have, they will vote in lockstep for this bill (the original was 844 pages. The Corker-Hoeven amendment is 1187 pages. Think any, other than those opposed, read them?). They know that the legalization will begin immediately, that all the border control measures will be ignored (or discarded during the next Congress after the GOP loses the House and more Senate seats if this thing becomes law), that the illegals will surely get federal benefits no matter what the bill says, and that the Dems will agitate for voting rights for those with provisional legal status, if not for 2014, then 2016.
The question is “how many Republicans vote for this bill?”, a bill that would effectively kill the GOP. Will Rubio vote for his own turdburger? He’s already destroyed his brand with Conservatives, who, regardless of his vote, will not vote or support Rubio if he runs in 2016.
Sessions said Republican support for the Corker-Hoeven amendment could wane as senators learn more of its details.
He noted the legislation would not require the full deployment of 20,000 additional border patrol agents until 2021 and would let Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano dispense with the fence-building requirement if she judges it unnecessary.
“If people find out this amendment does not accomplish what the sponsors believe it does, I think the bill could be back in trouble again,†he said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.â€
It will pass, but what happens in the House afterwards? Does it even get a vote? Does it go to Committee to die? Does the House take it and seriously strengthen it? We’ll seen soon.
Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.
illegal border crossings are down 70% from 2000. The GOPis doomed if they do not pass it. I think pretty much everyone agrees on that. And if it DOES pass well the GOP is still going to have a hard time but will have a better chance of surviving. Remember tha American Jews still haven’t forgiven conservatives for what happened 70 years ago
If the House does not pass the Senate Bill then there will be no increase in border security.