Legislative Sanity

Today, I found out that the pride and joy of one of my two Jewish California Senator Democrats, Feinstein, was just rejected in the Senate. I say good for them and bad for them. Good for them because Feinstein's "Orange Card" plan would have granted citizenships to most of the current Hispanic illegal aliens in the U.S. Bad for them because they did this so that their original, more complicated and still amnesty-ish plan could pass. It was one or the other, and the Senate chose the lesser of two evils - but it's still evil.

The article begins:

By Suzanne Gamboa
ASSOCIATED PRESS
8:36 a.m. May 23, 2006
WASHINGTON – The Senate rejected a California Democrat's plan to allow the
estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country to remain, work and
eventually become Americans, preserving a fragile bipartisan coalition needed to
pass the bill.
Several lawmakers who voted against the proposal offered by
Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Tuesday said they did so reluctantly, but out of
necessity to ensure survival of the broader immigration bill. The legislation is
expected to win Senate passage Wednesday or Thursday.

And on her Orange Card legislation, Feinstein said: "“This is not amnesty. It is a clear path to an earned legalization.” Yeah, but, like... what? She might as well have said that not all combinations of black and white make grey or that canines and dogs are two separate animals. Just a total nutcase. And, just to finish off the article:

This legislation is on the edge of the ledge as it is,” said Sen. Arlen Specter
of Pennsylvania, one of the Republicans supporting a delicate compromise that
has kept the bill alive – letting two-thirds of illegal immigrants stay but
making the other third leave.
Feinstein's amendment, defeated 61 to 37,
would have supplanted the compromise that allows illegal immigrants here five
years or more to stay and work six years and seek legal residency after paying
back taxes and fines and showing they were learning English.
Those in the
country two to five years under the compromise would have to go to a point of
entry, exit and file an application to return as a guest worker. Those here less
than two years must leave the country, but could apply from their native country
to return as a guest worker and wait in line to get a visa.
“I have come to
believe that the three-tiered system is unworkable, that it would create a
bureaucratic nightmare and it would lead to substantial fraud,” Feinstein said
Tuesday.
Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, said the compromise bill could mean losing
Latinos in his state who have helped revive some of its small towns by buying
homes and starting small businesses.
Feinstein offered the plan just before
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist set the stage for a preliminary vote Wednesday
that could quickly bring the bill to a final vote. The bill appears headed for
passage.
A bigger fight on the bill is still to come – when the House and
Senate meet to negotiate a compromise bill. The House passed an enforcement-only
bill that makes illegal immigrants felons, cracks down on hiring of illegal
immigrants and steps up border security. It offers no path to citizenship or a
guest worker program, which critics say is amnesty.
“If we are lucky, the
House of Representatives will say it's got to be better,” Sen. Jeff Sessions,
R-Ala., said of the Senate bill after predicting Monday it would pass.
Feinstein's proposal faced an uphill climb. Republican Sen. John Cornyn of
Texas said it suffered the same “infirmities” as the bipartisan bill approved by
the Senate Judiciary Committee, which offered citizenship for all illegal
immigrants.
Feinstein's proposal required all illegal immigrants to register
with the Department of Homeland Security, get fingerprinted and go through
criminal and national security background checks.
They would get an “orange
card” encrypted with identifying information and signifying they are legal
workers after passing the background checks, demonstrating an understanding of
English, U.S. history and government and paying back taxes and a $2,000 fine to
apply.
They would go to the back of the line and could apply for legal
permanent residency when a number they are given is reached.
Also Monday,
the Senate showed support for President Bush's plan to deploy National Guard
troops to the border by endorsing an amendment authorizing governors to order
their state's Guard units to perform duties in border states.

Everyone is starting to say the same thing about immigration: if the laws already on the books were enforced and if hirers of illegal aliens were arrested and/or brought to justice, the illegals would take a hint and stop coming over the border in droves. But the nutjobs in Washington do not seem to be taking any hints. And in a moment I'll post another political woe...