Washington — The Senate handed President Bush a devastating defeat on his top domestic priority Thursday by blocking far-reaching immigration legislation to enable as many as 12 million undocumented immigrants to remain in the country legally.
After more than a month of off-and-on debate, the Senate balked at a crucial procedural motion to begin advancing toward a final vote by late tonight. The motion was defeated 46-53, far short of the needed 60-vote supermajority of the Democratic-controlled, 100-member Senate.
Although the bill was resurrected after the defeat of two similar motions last month, the latest Senate vote may have marked the epitaph for legislation that Bush and his allies deemed as vital to repairing the nation's chaotic immigration system and providing legal safeguards to the millions of illegal immigrants who have come into the country during the past two decades.
The defeat also underscored Bush's declining popularity and withering political capital within his own Republican Party. A highly vocal cadre of conservative Republicans - including the two senators from his home state of Texas - rebelled against the bill, assailing the legalization provision as amnesty that rewarded illegal behavior.
Opponents also included liberal and moderate Democrats who feared that a proposed temporary guest-worker program would hurt wages and jobs for American workers. Some also worried that a new point-based merit system for future immigrants would undercut family-based immigration, a cornerstone of the nation's current immigration system.
Lawmakers on both sides say it could be years before Congress is willing to tackle the issue again, particularly with the onset of the 2008 presidential campaign.
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common_cents (anonymous) says…
"The defeat also underscored Bush's declining popularity and withering political capital within his own Republican Party. "
It could also be that the approval rating for Congress is below that of the President's.
http://www.pollingreport.com/CongJob.htm
http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm
ljreader (anonymous) says…
Not to worry. The losers in Congress are still focusing their attentions on pandering to the illegals and special interest groups..
06/29/07 - Washington, D.C.
Move Underway To Salvage Pieces Of Immigration Bill
In the wake of the defeat of the immigration bill, efforts are under way to try to salvage parts of it.
Some lawmakers want the president to ask Congress for an emergency spending bill for more border enforcement activities. Farm groups are pushing for the "Ag jobs" component to legalize about one million undocumented agricultural workers.
It is considered relatively popular, as is the so-called DREAM Act.
That would create a path to legality for illegal immigrants planning to attend college or join the military. Also covered are those who came to the US with their families before turning 16.
http://www.kltv.com/Global/story.asp?...
It's time for this Congress to turn their attentions to matters other than kissing illegal alien booty. Afterall, American citizens elected and pay the salaries of these traitors- Are they going to spend their entire terms looking out for Mexico (and their criminals) and special interest groups, or are they going to address other important matters?
Stain (anonymous) says…
So sad, too bad. BushCo is not gonna get his legal permanent nonvoting worker class - just yet.
cafenitro (anonymous) says…
I like most Mexicans better than most Republicans anyway. We should just be glad we have such friendly neighbors instead of jihadists at our borders. People are people but some are meaner than others :-)