Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
"For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die." – Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA)
Some had hoped the DREAM Act might have a good chance at passing following the death of Ted Kennedy — the Liberal Lion of the Senate who had championed the DREAM Act in his later years. But in the end, not even his legacy was able to move his Senate colleagues to pass the DREAM Act. DREAM Act Dies In The Senate:
By a vote of 55 to 41, a cloture vote on the DREAM Act failed in the Senate this morning. That brings an end to the push for the legislation — which would provide a pathway to legal status for illegal immigrants who serve in the military or earn college degrees[.]
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Republican Sens. Dick Lugar (IN), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Bob Bennett (UT) voted yes on cloture.
Democratic Sens. Mark Pryor (AR), Jon Tester (MT), Ben Nelson (NE), Kay Hagan (NC), and Max Baucus (MT) all voted no. Jim Bunning (R-KY), Judd Gregg (R-NH), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) were absent.
Freshman Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) skipped today's votes altogether – to attend a family Christmas party. I kid you not. Joe Manchin Skipped DREAM And DADT Votes For A Christmas Party. Your done, Joe. Not one goddamn penny from the Democratic Party and you will be primaried. (By comparison, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) was recently diagnosed with prostrate cancer and he delayed pre-treatment tests to be available for today's votes).
Two points on this vote. First, once again, BUT FOR the undemocratic, and I believe unconstitutional Senate filibuster rules, the DREAM Act would be on its way to the president for his signature.
Secondly, the five Democrats who voted against cloture are pathetic cowards. They are free to vote their conscience on this bill on an up or down vote of approval, but these cowards would not vote for cloture to permit any up or down vote. Why? Because the votes were there to pass this bill.
So what was their motivation? To punish the innocent children of illegal immigrants who were brought to this country by their parents? Since when does this country punish children for the acts of their parents? They were not of the age of consent and are without any legal culpability under the law. The DREAM Act only applies to those children of immigrants who have been upstanding citizens and who are either attending college or serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. There is simply no good excuse for this reprehensible act of cowardice.
I agree with Markos Moulitsa at Daily Kos: "Anybody who votes to punish innocent kids is an asshole. Plain and simple."
That goes double for Arizona's twin embarrassments, Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain. I never want to see another word in print or hear another word uttered from the McMedia in this state about Mr. "I know how to do immigration reform" McCain, and his "leadership" on immigration. He has been exposed for the complete fraud that he is. Not one more goddamn word!