Immigration bill fails crucial test vote

[onehandle]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - A broad immigration bill to legalize millions of people in the U.S. unlawfully failed a crucial test vote in the Senate Thursday, a stunning setback that could spell its defeat for the year.

The vote was 45-50 against limiting debate on the bill, 15 short of the 60 that the bill's supporters needed to prevail. Most Republicans voted to block Democrats' efforts to bring the bill to a final vote.

The legislation, which had been endorsed by President Bush, would tighten borders, institute a new system to prevent employers from hiring undocumented workers in addition to giving up to 12 million illegal immigrants a pathway to legal status.

Conceived by an improbable coalition that nicknamed the deal a "grand bargain," the measure exposed deep rifts within both parties and is loathed by most GOP conservatives.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070608/ap_on_go_co/immigration_congress

[rocktivity]

1. Hands up who DIDN'T see this comng

as I did more than a year ago:

...This "crisis" is playing out exactly the way the rethugs want it to. The issue is being framed around the immigrants instead of the fact that American businesses ENJOY underpaying and exploiting them...And if the vote fails, the status quo remains.

:hi:
rocknation

[Rydz777]

8. It's part of a three part plan by the business elite:

(1) ship factories overseas to get cheap labor; (2) outsource white collar jobs overseas to get cheap labor; (3) import exploitable workers to get cheap labor.

[laureloak]

9. I'm with you. It's time to Stop employing illegal immigrants.

[pampango]

2. "Most Republicans voted to block Democrats' efforts to bring the bill to a final vote."

Yet most at DU seem to side with the Republicans on this one. ;(

The "measure exposed deep rifts within both parties and is loathed by most GOP conservatives" and the DU wing of the Democratic party, I might add. ;( ;(

[lumberjack_jeff]

3. Or a minority at DU support the president on this one.

Taking this issue as a pet cause was the most moronic thing that the democrats could have done.

[Double T]

4. I guess we now know who and what is representing 'US'

[johnnyrocket]

5. Hey, this bill was a disaster. Why not pass laws that matter!?

Like border control first. NO CHEAP SLAVE LABOR FOR BIG BUSINESS!

[Double T]

7. Secure the borders? bush might as well have the Welcome Wagon representatives..........

standing on the border with their new comer greeting baskets full of coupon deals and road maps into the USA. Pathetic.

[spartan61]

11. What about enforcing the immigration bill we already have?

During the 80s when that immigration bill was passed and it was suppose to stop illegal immigration, the laws were never enforced. Why should we think this bill would have been any different?

I agree with you that border control should be the first step and fine employers (a huge fine) who hire illegals. That would stop the illegal crossings. There would be no jobs for them. I was very disappointed in the Democrats for supporting this bill.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

12. Not border control,

they'll need to be able to get back across the border on their own after we start actually punishing the employers that hire them.

[partylessinOhio]

6. The majority of the voters were against this bill. So why should it have gone

forward?

Move on to stopping the Bush/War!

[ChazII]

10. Does anyone have a link

to how the senators voted?

[Purveyor]

13. Good. Now bring home our troops from Iraq and deploy them to the USA borders... eom