Jack & Jill Politics

from The Hill

Senate rejects DREAM Act, closing door on immigration reform
By Alexander Bolton – 12/18/10 11:31 AM ET

Senate Republicans and a handful of Democrats voted Saturday morning to block legislation that would grant legal residency to illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. before the age of 16.

The DREAM Act, which would give legal status to illegal immigrants who came to the country at a young age, lived here for at least five years, graduated from high school and attended college or served in the military, fell five votes short of the 60 needed to overcome a GOP-led filibuster — 55 to 41.

What a bunch of gutless punks. Punks -period.

Here are the gutless Democrats in question:
Five Democrats voted no: Sens. Max Baucus (Mont.), Kay Hagan (N.C.), Ben Nelson (Neb.), Mark Pryor (Ark.), and Jon Tester (Mont.).

I’m to the right of most bloggers here on the point of immigration, but I thought the DREAM Act was worthwhile. I thought it at least deserved a vote. An up or down vote. Nobody said that you had to vote FOR it, but be enough of a Democrat, knowing how important this was to the Latino community, and it doesn’t matter if you don’t have a large Latino population in your specific state, you know that to the overall FUTURE of the Democratic Party, that the Latino vote, especially because of additional seats that will be added due to reapportionment. So, be against it personally, but DO SOMETHING FOR YOUR PARTY.

And, the classy GOP?

From ThinkProgress

As DREAM Act Fails, Graham Tells Undocumented Youth They Wasted Their Time

Today, the Senate failed to invoke cloture on the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. Fourty-one mostly Republican senators voted against a bill which would have provided young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. by their parents a path to legalization by pursuing a college education or serving in the military. 55 voted in the affirmative.

Immediately before the vote failed, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) took the Senate floor to tell the young DREAMers who have come to his office that they were “wasting their time” because the border hasn’t been secured:

To the DREAM Act, I have been involved in comprehensive immigration reform for many years. Senator Durbin and I have talked about how to make the DREAM Act part of comprehensive immigration reform. To Those who have come to my office — you’re always welcome to come, but you’re wasting your time.

We’re not going to pass the DREAM Act or any other legalization program until we secure our borders. It will never be done as a stand-alone. It has to be part of comprehensive immigration reform.

Of course, don’t believe Ms. Lindsey, cause he’s lying through his teeth. He’s just going to move the goalposts…remember, supposedly, he was a supporter of immigration reform. He can NEVER be trusted on immigration. Trust him at your peril.