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Liberal Dream of Fairness Doctrine Crushed

Posted by Ben Amis on Friday, June 29, 2007 1:05:17 AM
Several liberal Democrats have been dreaming of bringing back the Fairness Doctrine, and using it to hurt talk radio. Well, the dreams of these Democrats, including Sens. Dick Durbin, Dianne Feinstein, John Kerry, and Hilary Clinton, as well as Congressman Dennis Kucinich, were crushed in the House today thanks to an amendment by a heroic conservative.

Congressman Mike Pence, R-Indiana, offered an amendment today to the current spending bill before the House that would ban the FCC from spending any funds on a program similar to a fairness doctrine. The amendment received much support, over 300 votes.

Of note, during this debate, a few slurs from Congressman Dave Obey, D-Wiscon., the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, towards talk radio leaders caught some national attention. The Congressman reasoned that if conservatives thought they were being treated unfairly in the media, that they'd be screaming for a Fairness Doctrine and since we're not, it's evidence that we aren't. He continued on to say that people like "Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity" have as much impact on issues as "Paris Hilton".

Silly liberal.
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Cloture Fails

Posted by Ben Amis on Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:40:30 AM
The Senate has just voted 46-53 on the motion to bring the Immigration Reform Act debate to a close and final vote. We've won!

Despite the fiery passion of Senator Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and the heartfelt tale of Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, we've managed to vote down this legislation. Afterwards, Leader Reid moved the Senate into a period of Morning Business, effectively pulling the bill from consideration.

This nation was so concerned, and moved forward against this bill so actively, that we actually crashed the telephone system of the Senate! I'd like to congratulate the conservative blogosphere and talk radio that has been so forceful in displaying our opinion to the Senate. Democracy was served today.

I hope that Congress will now draft and pass legislation that does not provide amnesty for those who have broken our laws. I have no problem with immigration, but I do have a problem for with being unjust and rewarding illegal aliens with citizenship would be just that.

Keep writing and calling Congress, urging them to do this, and we can fix this very serious problem we have in our nation.
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One More Push

Posted by Ben Amis on Thursday, June 28, 2007 1:16:37 AM
With a cloture vote coming as early as 10:30 Thursday morning, we have to keep pushing on the Senate to defeat the Kennedy-McCain-Bush Amnesty Bill! We're wearing down our Senators, and if we keep it up, I know we can beat this!

Keep calling your Senators and telling them that we can't stand for this "solution". Tell them that we won't open our borders (and wallets!) to welcome these 12-20 million people who have come here illegally. We refuse to reward them for breaking our laws!

According to NewsMax, we're only five senators short of being beyond any doubt of defeating this bill! We have to just keep up exactly what we've been doing - getting on that phone. Call talk radio, call your senators' office, even if your senator is against this bill, call him or her and reaffirm your opinion to get rid of this legislation!

I know I'll be calling both of my senators' offices again in the morning before the vote, join me, and we can defeat this bill!
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Senate Bill Revived

Posted by Ben Amis on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 1:12:36 AM
Today, the Senate voted 64-35 to resume debate on the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act. It's the plan of the bills supporters to pass it out of the chamber before they go on their week-long July 4th holiday.

Supporters of the bill are expected to move for cloture tomorrow, which would limit debate and bring it for a final passage vote on Thursday. This bill would grant citizenship to 15-20 million illegal aliens and set up a guest worker program. In order to make the bill more appealing to conservative Republicans, supporters have added a provision in the bill that would appropriate $4.4 billion to border security.

We cannot let this bill pass. Supports are trying to buy us off with $4.4 billion dollars, however, we can't forget that legalizing these illegals would cost Americans $1.8 trillion. I urge you all to continue calling your Senators and tell them you are against this legislation. We're pushing in Congress hard and they're feeling the pressure, let's keep it up.
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Senate To Attempt Amnesty Again

Posted by Ben Amis on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 12:19:42 AM
This is why I've not posted in awhile - busy trying to sway my own senator to oppose this bill!

The Senate is trying yet again to bring the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act to the floor and pull a successful vote for cloture - to limit debate and bring the bill to a final vote.  This is going to happen TOMORROW. The Senate convenes tomorrow morning at 10 A.M., when they will be resuming en bloc motions to consider H.R. 800 (the Employee Free Choice Act) and S. 11639, Conprehensive Immigration Reform.

We are really gearing up to try to take this bill down. You need to know if your senator is preparing to support this bill. Republican senators that are probably going to vote "aye" for cloture are:

Bond (R-Mo.)
Burr (R-N.C.)

Cochran (R-Miss.)
Ensign (R-Nev.)

Gregg (R-N.H.)
Hatch (R-Utah)

Bennett (R-Utah)
Coleman (R-Minn.)

These senators lean on voting "no" for final passage, but in the Senate, cloture is what really counts. Republicans that are planning to vote no are:

Alexander (R-Tenn.)
Allard (R-Colo.)
Bunning (R-Ky.)

Chambliss (R-Ga.)
Coburn (R-Okla.)
Corker (R-Tenn.)

Cornyn (R-Texas)
Crapo (R-Idaho)
DeMint (R-S.C.)

Dole (R-N.C.)
Enzi (R-Wyo.)
Grassley (R-Iowa)

Hutchison (R-Texas)
Inhofe (R-Okla.)
Isakson (R-Ga.)

Roberts (R-Kan.)
Sessions (R-Ala.)
Shelby (R-Ala.)

Smith (R-Ore.)
Sununu (R-N.H.)
Thune (R-S.D.)
Vitter (R-La.)

Democrats that are against the bill, but won't commit to a "no" vote on cloture include:

Bingaman (D-N.M.) -- voted NO on cloture two weeks ago
Boxer (D-Calif.) -- voted NO on cloture two weeks ago

Conrad (D-N.M.) -- voted YES on cloture but concerned about violations of the Senate budget process

Levin (D-Mich.) -- voted YES on cloture two weeks ago, but up for re-election next year and perhaps influenced by the state's junior Sen. Stabenow who has pledged a NO on cloture.

Nelson (D-Neb.) -- voted YES on cloture two weeks ago but NO on the amnesty last year. He campaigned for re-election last year as an anti-amnesty candidate. Problem is that he generally votes for cloture as a matter of principle to allow issues and candidates to get their debate. He needs to be helped to feel secure in a NO vote because the way S. 1639 is being brought up violates normal procedure and that the debate already occurred in May.

Webb (D-Va.) -- voted NO on cloture two weeks ago -- says he will likely vote NO on final bill but may vote YES on cloture to see if his amendment passes -- his amendment would reduce the number of illegal aliens getting amnesty by perhaps a third -- most people who know him well feel he has a great distaste for this whole matter of rewarding illegal behavior, as do most Virginians.

Democrats promising a "no" vote are:

Baucus (D-Mont.)
Byrd (D-W.Va.)
Dorgan (D-N.D.)
Landrieu (D-La.)
McCaskill (D-Mo.)
Pryor (D-Ark.)
Rockefeller (D-W.Va.)
Sanders (I-Vt.)
Stabenow (D-Mich.)
Tester (D-Mont.)

If your senator isn't listed here, they ARE PLANNING ON VOTING FOR this bill. If this bill passed it would be the:

  • largest amnesty for illegal aliens in history
  • largest increase in foreign labor in history
  • largest expansion of social welfare programs in history (to handle the 35-40 million -- mostly low-educated, low-skilled -- foreigners who would get Green Cards over the next 20 years alone

    • We can't let this bill pass. Call your senators. The Senate switchboard number is 202-224-3121, please call and ask for your senator's office. Tell their office that you OPPOSE this bill. Call them before the Senate convenes at 10 A.M. tomorrow. Flood their office phones and tell them we don't support this bill.

    This legislation not only gives amnesty to 15 –20 million illegal aliens, it does nothing to secure our border and nothing about illegal immigration. The government itself estimates that under this bill illegal immigration will only drop 13 % in 20 years. But it doubles legal immigration and costs us 2.8 trillion dollars.

    Email your senators, even better, CALL them. Let them know that America will NOT stand for this "deal".
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    Cloture Fails in U.S. Senate over Amnesty Bill

    Posted by Ben Amis on Saturday, June 09, 2007 4:51:17 PM
    The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act was beaten down on the Senate floor when the motion to invoke cloture (to limit debate and bring the bill to a vote) failed. The final vote turned out to be 34-61, falling short of the 60 votes needed.

    The Kennedy Amendment to the bill was then put to a vote in an attempt to pass the legislation, and it also failed, 45-50. Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Navada, then pulled the bill from the floor, vowing to bring it back and eventually pass immigration reform legislation.

    Groups on both sides of the aisle cheered the defeat, those on the left wanting open borders, and those on the right wanting a tougher crack-down on illegals. To look at the final roll call vote to see how your senators voted, you can see the results here.

    Submitted by Benjamin Amis
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    New Surgeon General Comes Under Fire

    Posted by Ben Amis on Thursday, June 07, 2007 11:59:14 AM
    Dr. James Holsinger is President Bush's nominee to fill the position of Surgeon General, and some activists groups aren't too happy about it at all.

    Dr. Holsinger, M.D., is currently the Wethington Chair in the Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky, and has previously served as the Secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services under current Governor Ernie Fletcher (R). However, this isn't what upsets some groups, what upsets them is that is a conservative Christian.

    Gay rights activists are protesting the nomination of Dr. Holsinger because of his values. He is a practicing Methodist, affliated with the denomination's Judicial Council. There, he voted against ordaining a practicing lesbian as a minister, and has written papers over the adverse medical affects of homosexuality. This is something very dangerous to the homosexual community since he would be, as the head medical advisor of  the United States government, condemning their lifestyle as a health risk.

    I couldn't find much about the good doctor on the Senate's website, as it seems he has yet to make it to the hearing process, being nominated so recently (the end of last month). However, a few press releases were found from the websites of Kentucky Senators Mitch McConnell (R) and Jim Bunning (R), and one hearing transcript from Senator Jeff Session's (R-AL) website from an old committee meeting concerning precription medication, to which Dr. Holsinger was a witness. I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for any further developments, including from the Kentucky Family Foundation, who has been on top of the story.

    Submitted by Benjamin Amis
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    Restrictions?

    Posted by Ben Amis on Sunday, June 03, 2007 8:42:22 PM
    After talks between Congress and the White House, the dems appear to be ready to work with the White House. Remember the requested troop supplemental? Well, it looks like we're going at it again, but this time, there won't be any benchmarks, or pork, in the next version.

    What frustrated me so much the last time wasn't Congress wanting to hold the Iraqis accountable, but it was how. Consider the fact, for just a moment, that the bill only received 218 votes in the House, the minimum needed to pass a bill. Ten democrats still voted with the Republicans, including presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich, despite his party's attempt to silence him.

    Why did the vote even pass? Simple, Speaker Pelosi loaded the bill with pork barrel legislation for membes of Congress as incentive to vote for it and take millions of dollars back to their districts to appease constituents. Sorry, Madam Speaker, but that's not a good way to garner support in front of the American people.

    Perhaps this time around it'll work out, and we can stop messing around with all of the pork and get the job done that the President asked for - fund our troops and keep them safe, without playing with their lives via pork.

    I'm all for holding the Iraqi government accountable, and support Tommy Thompson's idea to referendum the government and ask if they want us there. If not, we can leave without any qualms, but if they do want us there, we have immediate reason for staying.

    There's no problem with asking them to meet certain standards, but we cannot do that without exceptions - we can't be that stiff. We're having to fight an unconventional war, which means we can't be using conventional means to solve the problem.
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