Cloture Call: Live Blog

I’ll be watching and reporting on the cloture process this morning, and the opponents of the immigration bill seem to be off to a good start. John Ensign, the chair of the NRSC, has announced that he will vote against cloture to kill the bill. That puts them at six conversions from Tuesday, either announced or heavily leaning, which should be enough to reject cloture.
9:27 CT – Lots of bloviating at the moment. Dick Durbin is talking about a “nation of immigrants” and “how many more can we take?” Well, that’s true as far as it goes, but that’s not the issue at hand today. What we’re talking about (everyone but Tom Tancredo) is illegal immigration, not legal immigration. Almost no one has a problem with legal immigration, but we want the borders secured. It’s not about diversity, it’s about security and confidence in the system’s ability to control immigration rationally.
9:31 – Well, no one bloviates like Ted Kennedy. It’s more of what Durbin said, but just louder. However, I had to laugh when Kennedy said, “Year after year, we’ve had the broken borders.” Yes! Exactly! Let’s fix that before we start worrying about normalization! “This bill is strong; it’s fair and practical.” It’s also about 20 hours old, and most of us haven’t had the opportunity to review it properly — including most of Kennedy’s colleagues.
9:38 – It looks like the cloture vote itself will come at 9:50 am CT, or about 12 minutes from now …
9:41 – Arlen Specter believes that people who call and e-mail Senators do not represent America. Not coincidentally, only 14% of American people think Congress represents America.
9:44 – “We have a foolproof method of determining whether an employee is illegal.” We do? When did that arrive, and why hasn’t it been implemented yet?
9:48 – Chutzpah alert! Specter is complaining about “cynicism” and machinations on the Baucus amendment on a bill where leadership has maneuvered to kill real debate and amendment. You have to be kidding me. For cynicism, nothing tops a clay pigeon.
9:53 – Harry Reid, victim of hatred and obloquy. He complained that he got a hate letter from his hometown over the immigration bill, and that talk radio has had a “field day” with its “simplicity”. Reid also evokes the Senate’s reputation as the world’s greatest deliberative body at the end of a process in which he blocked true deliberation.
10:04 – Cloture vote begins. Does Reid have a couple of Democrats ready to switch from Nay to Yea? He’ll need them.
10:11 – Webb votes against cloture, and I count 22 so far overall against, with 20 for.
10:15 – Landrieu votes no, another Democrat against, although that’s not a switch. Rockefeller stayed as a no, as well.
10:19 – Bernie Sanders and Tom Harkin voted against cloture, as did Nelson of Nebraska. Robert Byrd stayed a No, while Olympia Snowe stayed an Aye. Mark Pryor voted against cloture. Sam Brownback switched to No — very interesting.
10:20 – Norm Coleman voted against cloture. Wow.
10:26 – A majority, 53 Senators, have rejected cloture. It’s dead … again.
Continuing ..

48 thoughts on “Cloture Call: Live Blog”

  1. It’s never over until the fat lady, or in this case Teddy Kennedy, sings.
    Think about it people, we are in a fight for the very existance of America as we know it. This bill would not only reshape the political and cultural atmosphere of America. It would start the final downward spiral toward dissolution of the the nation ala’ Rome. Perhaps this sounds a bit fantastic, but can anyone deny that what appear to be small changes can lead to greater (and in this case much worse) change?
    The scenario if this bill passes and becomes law:
    1. Immediate increases in illegal immigration to get in during the “grace period”. This will become violent, as illegals are already shooting at border patrol agents and setting forest fires to elude capture.
    2. Via Chain immigration, the 12 to 20 million illegals who are allowed to have the Z visa becomes about 50 million.
    3. The cost of benefits to Z visa immigrants explodes, causing the almost complete collapse of many border cities, and pleas for increased Federal funding.
    4. State and Federal govts are forced to convert all signs and paperwork to Spanish/English. This too has a major cost.
    5. Democrats begin televising many of their commercials in Spanish only. They promise a more “Mexican” America if they get the Z visa vote.
    6. The Dem plan works and the Republicans are almost totally swept from the Senate, house, and white house.
    7. The Dems, now in total control, and without any sizeable opposition, begin Socialization of America: Free housing, Free Medical care, massive govt programs, and of course Massive taxation.
    8. America’s new socialism begins to wear on the economy, which stagnates, and soon unemployment is at an all time high of 9.5%.
    Business continues to move overseas, as there is little reason to expand in America. Most corporations expand into China.
    9. The aging country of the USA becomes the “new Europe” with all it’s cultural ills. Open borders, expanding cultural conflict, and increased terrorism without any ability to control the burning of automobiles are mass crime.
    10. The end comes when America is considered part of the new formation of North American powers. None are named, only thought of as separated by blurry boundaries.
    That is how Rome falls, people.

  2. This is it folks! Flood those voice mails, e-mails, and FAX machines until they get so worn out they have to take the phone off the hook! Kill the bill!!

  3. Given how much Harry Reid is whining, it looks like the cloture motion is going to fail.

  4. The gall of Reid to go on and on about “immigration”. HELLO ? This is about ILLEGAL immigration. I dare say nobody in the Senate is descended from ILLEGAL immigrants.

  5. In the name of Ronald Reagan, a man who dearly loved this country, KILL THIS BILL!

  6. The gall of Reid to go on and on about “immigration”. HELLO ? This is about ILLEGAL immigration. I dare say nobody in the Senate is descended from ILLEGAL immigrants.

  7. Two “swing” Dems, Stabenow and Jim Webb, are voting “no” thus far, so it’s no looking good for this dog’s dinner of a bill.

  8. “This bill is strong; it’s fair and practical.”
    Wow. Three lies in one. (Though the odor wafting off that steaming pile might meet the first qualification).

  9. Re: deadrody at June 28, 2007 10:03 AM
    We’ve always had illegal immigration. In the 19th-Century it was called moving North, or jumping ship. But it’s probably not written in most family histories, if it did happen.

  10. We’ve always had illegal immigration. In the 19th-Century it was called moving North, or jumping ship. But it’s probably not written in most family histories, if it did happen.
    Posted by: RBMN at June 28, 2007 10:21 AM
    >>but in those days it was an empty country in The West and they were not coming to loot our welfare system and bleed our medical care dry as the Mexicans are doing now.
    >>KILL THIS BILL and throw out the bastards who thought it up….including GWB.

  11. DEAD

    Ed Morrisey watched the cloture vote and live blogged it. The immigration bill is dead. a flat majority – 53 Senators – voted against cloture. Not even close.

  12. I don’t recall them getting college education, social security and medical on my ancestors’ money.
    Nor paying money to descendents of interred Japanese Americans who are now Latin…..

  13. Is there a pool for when this issue gets taken up again, seriously? I pick: first busines day after Memorial Day 2009.

  14. The Kennedy/Bush Atrocity of 2007 – if it happens – will effectively slowly strangle our nation. The bill will guarantee enough artificiallly created, easily controlled votes to render legitimate Americans votes nearly powerless. If not stopped, over the coming decades the devastation wrought by this bill will ruin our nation. Our economy, culture, social structures, and government will forever be changed simply because a few senators and our president (whose names WILL go down in infamy) chose power and money over the will of the people.
    The senate and the president have no excuse, the will of the people is crystal clear, the issues and ramifications are plainly visible and all too predictable: The cold, stark reality is that this bill will do more to damage to the future of the American nation of people than the events of 9/11.

  15. When Arlen Specter likened his support of this sausage-making travesty of a bill to “trench warfare,” one had to ask: Who does he view as the enemy? Apparently, his sympathies do not lie with American citizens but rather with well finanacially supported (in many cases, non-citizen) illegals advocacy groups.
    The only law that Specter advocates (besides Scottish law) is that shaped by the World Court.
    Make no mistake: He and his buddy Kennedy are not supporters of the American Constitution and our country’s sovereign right to self-determination.

  16. Well what do you know. If you yell loud enough even deaf people can hear! This should put a number of politicos on notice. You would hope anyway.

  17. Thank God, WE DID IT PEOPLE!! I want to thank everyone who worked so hard to beat this thing. I also want to thank my Senator, Norn Coleman, for changing his vote to go against cloture. I am deeply thankful for that, Senator.
    Today we saved America via our own voices and will, and that is a very good thing indeed.

  18. I don’t know about all of you here, but I feel that for the very first time in my lifetime (over 60) I have had a personal hand in the governance of my country. As a legal immigrant of over 60 years, and as a citizen for over 45 years, I am so proud of everyone who got personally involved. Let’s take the time to let those who voted no we appreciate their efforts. And those that voted yes that we will not forget. In particular, Trent Lott and Lindsey Graham. They were foolish to think they could continue with their business as usual. We, the American people, have tools at our disposal we have never had. The ease of reaching each and every politician is great. We should also work towards getting them to create email and phone lines without having to give them a resume of who you are, just to let each and everyone of them what we think!!

  19. Racist Bigots:
    The bill is not dead. Debate continues. You cannot win.
    We now know for certain that talk radio and the internet must be regulated and forced to adhere to elementary concepts of fairness and human rights.

  20. “The government today, disappointed at its People, decided today to replace that People with another People”
    The whole attitude of the Senate and The White House towards the American populace and voter.
    It is dead and keep it dead.

  21. Norm Coleman has to explain his thinking in expecting cooperation from Harry Reid or any democrat, and giving away his vote last Tuesday.
    Anyway, I bet the climate is ripe to jam through the Fairness Doctrine. No doubt the bastards are emboldened by Chavez’s success with it in his country. Put up with a few protests, bring on a little water cannon, and bingo, you’ve got government media.

  22. I’d be perfectly happy if they brought it up again right away….assuming they made major changes:
    1) First, seal the border.
    2) Drop the “path to citizenship”. I’m fine with a path to “legal status”, but NOT citizenship. Everyone should get in line behind those who’ve remained in their country and respected the process.
    3) Design a tamper-proof I.D. system BEFORE the vote. Issue the tamper proof I.D. to all LEGAL citizens and residents…liegals will soon be isolated by default.
    4) Give employers all the tools they need to verify the new I.D.’s. If they hire illegals anyway, stiff fines and prison to follow.
    I know many of you will jump down my throat on the national I.D. question And I know many are heavily invested in the “big business is the devil” scenario. But\ there’s nothing for an honest business person to do in the current system where fraudulent papers are so easily obtained. We only have two choices: try to identify the illegals (very expensive and totally unworkable) OR have legal residentsself-identify and apply for tamper proof I.D.s. There is no middle ground, no matter how much some wish there were.

  23. Racist Bigots:
    The bill is not dead. Debate continues. You cannot win.
    We now know for certain that talk radio and the internet must be regulated and forced to adhere to elementary concepts of fairness and human rights.

  24. Many, many thanks to the senators who actually researched this fatally flawed bill, held it up to public scrutiny, articulated its shortcomings with honest and powerful language, and voted on behalf of the American people. Their courageous convictions demonstrate that the Senate has a remarkable number of patriots who know that the interests of their constituents are their primary charge in their legislative efforts.
    I suggest that the victorious senators take an early Independence Day recess to celebrate with their fellow Americans. Meanwhile, the clowns who voted to continue with this circus need to get in touch with the people they claim to represent. Their loyalties are highly suspect.

  25. It is a new day. And I don’t just mean our ability to help defeat this terrible bill. With blog use rising and liberal-progressives screaming about talk radio you can smell the democratic fear in the air.
    We.have.had.enough.of.you!
    We will not be going anywhere.
    Enforce the borders NOW.
    Kill the already dead Fairness Doctrine.
    If you what to know what losers think just click over to Kos or DU or any other of a 100 names on their blog rolls. Nobody’s stopping you!!!

  26. Jose wrote…

    Racist Bigots:
    The bill is not dead. Debate continues. You cannot win.
    We now know for certain that talk radio and the internet must be regulated and forced to adhere to elementary concepts of fairness and human rights.

    No way Jose,
    It is not bigotry to demand that EVERYONE obey the law. That tired and stupid argument will never stand up, and today it was rejected by the American people. And go ahead and bring on that fairness doctrine regulation, we’ll defeat that too you arrogant idiot.

  27. Well what do you know. If you yell loud enough even deaf people can hear! This should put a number of politicos on notice. You would hope anyway.

  28. Ed, thanks for keeping us up to date and for qualifying your prediction about death this time after multiple incorrect predictions. “It ain’t over until the Democrats (and RINOs) win.”
    Crapburner, I doubt whether Native Americans thought the country was empty when Columbus visited their islands which resulted in genocide of at least one tribe. Centuries later when “it was an empty country in The West”, tribes had been fighting with each other over land before Lewis and Clark and trappers went west, probably for millennia. I am descended from Europeans not Native Americans.

  29. Jose wrote…

    Racist Bigots:
    The bill is not dead. Debate continues. You cannot win.
    We now know for certain that talk radio and the internet must be regulated and forced to adhere to elementary concepts of fairness and human rights.

    No way Jose,
    It is not bigotry to demand that EVERYONE obey the law. That tired and stupid argument will never stand up, and today it was rejected by the American people. And go ahead and bring on that fairness doctrine regulation, we’ll defeat that too you arrogant idiot.

  30. Well done, people. Very well done.
    Now remember this in ’08 and vote accordingly. Also, be attuned and prepared for some legislation to check citizen opposition via radio and internet. Don’t think the elites are not learning what they want to learn about controlling avenues of opposition in the media. Can you say “Fairness Doctrine” or some grander plan to ensure “reasonable” debate?
    In the interim get your representatives to put the screws to the Bush administration to do its job: Spend the appropriated money to build the fence, hire the already legislatively-approved staff and support their mission as opposed to oppressing it, and enforce the law …now.

  31. Jose, can you see?
    Apparently not. You cannot see that America is the Land of Freedom, where the government cannot censor your opinion just because it doesn’t like it. You are advocating censorship of viewpoints that you disagree with.
    You failed American Civics 101, amigo. Get back to class!

  32. Finally, can’t we all just say “lame duck” when we mention GWB.
    Nothing will change, however, we yell and scream as American’s out of one end of our mouth about immigration and illegals and shut our eyes when we pay less for produce and contract labor.
    We are all pathetic.

  33. Steerike Two

    The vote onthe motion for cloture on the immigration bill has failed to get enough votes.Breaking News from ABCNEWS.com: IN A VOTE OF 53 – 46, U.S. SENATE REJECTS IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL THAT WOULD HAVE LEGALIZED MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS…

  34. Great result! Jeff Sessions should be the Minority Leader. If not now, someday soon. This man showed true leadership ability of the sort that has been so sorely lacking these past 6-7 years.
    Thanks a Million! Senator Sessions, and also Senators DeMint and Vitter (future GOP Whips)

  35. 15 Democrats, 38 Republicans voted no. Looks like Bipartisan support for killing the bill to me.

  36. 15 Democrats, 37 Republicans, 1 Indep. voted no. Looks like Bipartisan support for killing the bill to me.

  37. Jose –
    America cannot take everyone who wants to come here. That is a sad, but simple fact.
    Since we cannot take everyone, what is wrong with wanting to keep out the criminals and the diseased?
    Right now we have no control of our borders. Anyone, from any country can sneak in through Mexico.
    Many criminals come via that route and escape via that route and then return here.
    Why shouldn’t we have control of our borders, and why shouldn’t we be able to exclude criminals and people who will not contribute but will become burdens on our schools and hospitals?
    Note that I am not saying that all who come are thieves, rapists, or murders. They are, however, criminals, in that they have broken laws intended to protect this country.
    Finally – On the subject of Talk Radio and the Internet –
    If you don’t like free speech, you’re going to have to move to another country. I recommend that you do so legally.

  38. Now that this Kennedy -McCain bill is DEAD once again, i can offer a little perspective.
    This bill would have allowed one third of the Mexican population to be legal American residents. The population of Mexico is about a 100 million and this bill lwould have made legalized aliens 12-40 million of them, overnight.
    In effect the US A would have adopted, and married those who become citizens. Don’t we even get a dowry or a wedding present?
    Like the Pemex Oil Fields or half of Mexico inlcuding all the factories that we have established just across the border? In effect returning ther maqiadora manufacturing to the USA?
    In return for that adoption, America gets nothing but bills to pay for their problems,. health care and educations.
    I would have had less heartburn, if it would have at least provided some incentive for the newcomers to become citizens but it actually dscouraged that. the lefties wan tot have a disaffected minority to exploit, i guess.
    Regarding the assimilation, of lack of it: If you pay nothing, you get a Z visa day one;
    If you go farther to get a green card, you pay a fine of $5,000 for sneeking in. Why bother ?And some wouldn’t bother.
    If you go even farther to become a citizen, you must pay taxes, show the 1040s, prove you are self suppporting, not a criminal, nor diseased, and learn Englsih and Civics.
    Why Bother? And predictably, many, many, would not or could not ..
    To encourage assimilation, I would have changed two things. The fine must be paid immediately ot qualify for a z visa. Callit a fee instead if you want. To prove that you had been here for a certain amount of time, the ONLY valid proof, wouldh have been some 1040s showing you paid taxes, while here or fioled them now to get legal.
    Zero tax returns disqualify you. .
    And i would have supported Arnold and require the Spanishh media to broacast 90% of its children’s programming in Englsih (allowing Spanish subtitles)eventually 100%..
    Spanish language media for all others, in the US would over time have to offer subtitling in English for all programming; and over time, at least two thirds in English, (with Spanish subtitling allowed).
    Just aiding the “Melting Pot”

  39. Congratulations to all of us who made the calls and faxes and the vast right wing conspiracy of blogs who kept this issue burning and who accurately reflected the public’s anger over this misbegotton piece of crap legislation. Pres Bush decapitated repubs last year with this immigration bill, that was thankfully spiked then, but like the dawn of the dead, he tried to bring it back for no good reason. Until Congress & Pres Bush establish TRUST, that they will enforce the current laws and border strictly, the public will not buy any attempted AMNESTY because the public does not have AMNESIA.
    Good work all, but be vigilant. Strange things can happen in legislatures that seek to thwart the will of the people.

  40. Today’s vote was on CLOTURE, not on the substance of the Bill. Cloture is the shutting off of debate by “The World’s greatest deliberative body”!
    I am utterly confident that McCain(he admitted it) and EVERY OTHER Senator have not read the Bil and are fundamentally ignorant as to its contents That’s who are running the show- uninformed elitists that deem it their right and priviledge to turn us into another Europe. The cloture-Si crowd was afraid to see more of the Bill be known to the sheeple, aka voters.

  41. Bloggers React To Amnesty Bill Defeat

    As promised, a round-up of reactions:
    John Hawkins is doing the "Snoopy dance" right now. =)

  42. “Racist Bigots:
    The bill is not dead. Debate continues. You cannot win.
    We now know for certain that talk radio and the internet must be regulated and forced to adhere to elementary concepts of fairness and human rights.
    Posted by: Jose at June 28, 2007 10:48 AM”
    No way, Jose!!! YOU cannot win, because you are lawbreakers, and this IS a nation of laws. We will get the fence built, and we will have illegals deported.
    Jose, I would not expect to be able to break into your house (your country, whatever it is) and be welcomed and embraced, given gifts to stay. I don’t think so.
    We have been more than fair to you. And, oh, where are the leftists when illegal border-crossers are dying in the desert? Nowhere to be found. Instead, the illegals are aided by our Border Patrol AND Minutemen, with life-saving water and medical measures.

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