Yes, I'm sick again, anew this morning after feeling pretty good yesterday, which is why I missed all the action. No idea what the heck is wrong with me.
But, none of that matters much because the American people banded together, made their voices heard, and shut down the Senate phones in the process, thereby preventing this idiot Congress from passing a bill that about four people in the country outside of the Senate liked.
Jim DeMint, one of the true fighters:
“When the U.S. Senate brought the Amnesty bill back up this week, they declared war on the American people. This act created a crisis of confidence in their government. Thankfully, the American people won today,” said Senator DeMint. “This is remarkable because it shows that Americans are engaged and they care deeply about their country. They care enough for their country to get mad and to fight for it, and that’s the most important thing of all. Americans made phone calls and sent letters, and convinced the Senate to stop this bill.”
“The Senate rejected this bill and the heavy-handed tactics used to ram it through. Americans do not want more of the same – amnesty and broken promises on the border. Americans want legislation to be written in public – not in secret – and they want Congress to engage in an open and fair debate.”
“There is a better way forward without this bill. The President has said that the border security measures can be implemented over the next 18 months, and they can be done under current law. Now the Administration needs to prove it and stop holding border security hostage for amnesty.”
“Once we have secured the border and restored trust with the American people, we can begin to take additional steps.”
Michelle thanks all the proper parties:
Thanks to the stalwart, true leaders in the Senate — especially Sens. Sessions, DeMint, Vitter, Inhofe, Cornyn, and their staffs.Thanks to the House GOP members who made their opposition known. Thanks to the Loud Folks on the right side of the dial. Thanks to the Loud Folks at The Corner, RedState, Human Events, Townhall, Kaus, N.Z. Bear,and all the enforcement-first bloggers out there who weighed in. Thanks to the analysts at the Heritage Foundation, the enforcement/assimilation proponents at The Manhattan Institute, George Borjas, Kris Kobach, Eagle Forum, 9/11 Families, FAIR and Numbers USA.Thanks to the immigration enforcement activists who’ve been at this for years and decades before this one battle began. Most importantly,thanks to all the ordinary “Loud Folks” who called, phoned, e-mailed,and blogged their opposition.
The bill is dead. The work of immigration enforcement and border security continues.
Recommended
Sigh, this whole process led to some serious concerns for many about the future of our republic and the way our democratic system works. The GOP can only hope that the final result has restored some of the lost faith.
Go here for the sweetest roll you ever did see.
Lindsey Graham is already paying the price, with a 31 percent approval rating in his home state.
I particularly like this part of the scene on the floor today:
In case you didn’t catch this, the opponents of shamnesty are rushing through their statements because the Grand Schemers have only given them 10 minutes to speak. The shamnesty senators will get the rest of the hour to talk. “Typical,” says Session, of the way this debate has gone. And so starkly absurd. You’ve got the pro-amnesty senators on the floor now all bleating about how debate shouldn’t be ended…having just limited their opponents’ time to a measly 10 minutes.
Classy.
Bush, making a last-ditch bid to salvagethe bill, called senators early Thursday morning to urge their support.Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce SecretaryCarlos Gutierrez approached senators as they entered and left thechamber shortly before the vote.
"We have been in contact withmembers of Congress over the past couple of days and the president hasmade it clear that this is important to him," White House spokesmanTony Snow said before the vote.
Update: Romney chimes in:
"The immigration bill failed because the politicians in Washington are out of touch with the American people. The voice of the people is loud and clear – secure the border, enforce the law and no special deal for permanent residency or citizenship for illegals. America will always welcome legal immigration, but as a nation we also insist on the rule of law."
Update: Ace celebrates as only Ace can.
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