Senate proves it's not on your side
FRANK MIELE
If you ever had any doubt at all that the United States Senate does not represent you, you should have put that doubt aside forever on Wednesday.
That was when the Senate voted explicitly to extend blanket amnesty to convicted felons and criminals who have entered our country illegally.
This is not amnesty that clears the felony off their record; it is amnesty which says the United States of America does not care about your felony - we welcome you and your felony to our shores, no questions asked.
We don't just welcome your tired and your poor, your huddled masses - we welcome the thugs who stole their money, beat them up and treated them like animals in the first place.
If you ever made the mistake of thinking that there is no harm in leaving your front door open and then inviting whoever walked through the door to dinner, you will now have the chance to pay for that mistake - if the Senate gets its way.
Just incredible.
The Senate clearly does not represent the interests of the American people. Or if they do, how do they explain what good it will do for Americans to give a "path to citizenship" to gang members, drunk drivers, and fugitives from justice? Yes, the Senate ultimately passed an amendment that restricted some criminals from obtaining amnesty, but why is this even an issue? Why do the senators want any criminals to get legal status in our country?
As Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., astutely noted: "Nobody has a constitutional legal right to demand entry into the United States. It amazes me the lack of understanding and comprehension of what it's all about."
It would amaze me, too, except nothing does anymore. This is the logical outcome of a society based on trying to please everyone while doing no harm to anyone. (Hint: If you are saying, "What's wrong with that?" you are part of the problem.)
A small bit of good news for Montana, by the way. Our two senators broke from the lockstep to national suicide and voted for the amendment by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, to bar criminals from gaining legal status. But the amendment lost 51 to 46. Baucus and Tester say they will oppose the immigration bill as long as it contains amnesty, so their votes should remain safe for a sane world.
Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain has taken leave of his senses as he dances once again with his new best friend in the Senate, Edward Kennedy of Massachussetts. McCain-Kennedy or Kennedy-McCain is rapidly becoming the new age mantra for politically correct bunk.
Cornyn did manage to get another amendment passed on a 57 to 39 vote. This one would change a provision in the original bill that barred law enforcement agencies from seeing applications for legalization from applicants who were rejected. Cornyn said authorities should know if applicants have criminal records that would warrant their deportation.
The weepy whiny pro-amnesty crowd said people might be afraid to file applications for legalization if they knew they night be deported when the truth about them was known. Imagine that. Afraid of the truth. Afraid they might have to leave our country because they were here illegally!
But don't worry. The truth will probably never see the light of day. The senior senator from Mexifornia, Dianne Feinstein, said that Cornyn's amendment was "not a deal killer" but that it would have to be changed in House-Senate negotiations to tidy things up.
As long as the illegal immigrants are taken care of, all is well in the world.