MUTH’S TRUTHS

When it comes to issues in politics, intensity is a key element.

There are various levels of support for a bill or an issue. For example, if you asked people in a poll if they support campaign finance reform, you’re likely to get a high percentage of folks who will say “yes.” But if you asked them to take ten issues and rank them in order of importance, campaign finance reform will likely end up on the bottom of the list.

In other words, the people aren’t clamoring for it. They’ll take it if they can get it, but if not…who cares? They’re not calling their elected officials over it. They’re not talking to their friends and co-workers about it. They’re not donating money to groups pushing the issue. In other words, there’s no intensity of interest for the issue.

On the other hand, there’s…illegal immigration.

The intensity of emotion over this issue has been building for several years, but the issue hasn’t yet reached the boiling point where candidates lose elections over it. In Washington-speak, the illegal immigration issues hasn’t “moved voters.” It just hasn’t been a litmus-test issue like the way abortion or gun rights have been for a large number of people.

That could very well change next year, though. The pot is boiling over. The volcano has blown its top.

THE RESURRECTION

Yesterday’s vote to bring back the Bush/Kennedy/McCain immigration reform bill from the dead - a bill that, at its core, provides a path to citizenship for illegal aliens which many “regular” citizens find absolutely unacceptable - has really stirred up the proverbial hornet’s nest. And Nevada’s own Sen. John Ensign could well get stung. Multiple times.

You see, Ensign voted for cloture yesterday.

The minority in the Senate has the ability to stop a bad bill by filibustering it…which means talking a bill to death. If you keep debating a bill endlessly, the bill never comes up for an actual vote. The nature of a filibuster has changed over the years…you no longer see members of Congress reading from the phone book at four in the morning…but the concept is the same. For all intents and purposes, you announce a filibuster and the bill is dead unless 60 senators vote to stop the filibuster and bring the bill up for a vote.

Just a couple weeks ago, a vote to end debate on the bill was held. That “cloture” vote wasn’t able to get the 60 votes needed to cut off debate, so the bill was declared dead. Then the arm-twisting by the White House took over, and back-room deals were struck. Viola! Like Count Dracula, it’s back.

THE ESTEE LAUDER PIG

The “deal” was that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would allow votes on a certain number of amendments to be added to the bill. These amendments are like cosmetics; their intent is to make the bill look better and more appealing. But you know the old saying about putting lipstick on pig.

Anyway, it’s important for folks to understand that yesterday’s cloture vote was over the introduction of the amendments, not the bill itself.

Sen. Ensign and others COULD have killed the bill all over again if they’d just voted against cloture yesterday. Only five votes would have killed it.

Instead, senators such as Ensign said they voted the way they did because they wanted to (a) have a full public debate on the amendments, and (b) have an opportunity to pass the amendments and thus make the new-and-improved bill worth voting for. But as long as the path to citizenship aspect remains in the bill, the bill will remain unacceptable to a large segment of voters in this country, especially among conservative and Republican voters.

Nevertheless, the debate is on. And yes, Nevada’s Sen. Ensign voted to resurrect the bill and keep hope alive for President Bush, Ted Kennedy and some 12-20 million illegal aliens. But the fat lady isn’t singing yet, so don’t give up.

WHAT YOU CAN, AND SHOULD, DO

Depending on which amendments do or don’t make it into the bill over the next 48 hours, senators such as John Ensign may once again vote against cloture on the overall bill. There’s still time to call the senator’s office and urge him to oppose the bill, with or without the lipstick. And you’d better believe that the White House and pro-amnesty forces are twisting John Ensign’s arm. If YOU don’t call, THEY just might win the day.

If you’ve never before called your elected official’s office to weigh in on an issue, don’t be nervous. It’s really quite simple and painless. They have staffers who simply record the number of calls for and against a bill. That’s all there is to it.

So the first thing you do is call the Capitol toll-free at either (800) 862-5530 or (866) 220-0044. When the switchboard operator answers, simply ask to be connected to Sen. Ensign’s office. Once someone from the senator’s office answers the phone, give them your name, let them know that you are a constituent from Nevada and that you oppose the Senate’s immigration bill. And that’s all there is to it.

No need to get into a lengthy policy discussion or debate with the staffer. They know EXACTLY which bill you’re talking about. Just urge the senator to oppose the bill and then get on with the rest of your life. It’ll take all of a few minutes. However, don’t be surprised if the senator’s phone is busy. Pro-amnesty forces are in super-hyper overdrive lobbying in favor of this bill. You may need to call back a few times before getting through. But it’s worth the effort. At least, if this issue is important to you.

And you should. As conservative talk-radio host Laura Ingraham says, this issue “affects our culture, our health care, our schools, our economy, and our national security. How many other issues can you say that about?” So take a few minutes today and let your fingers do some walking.

Posted on June 27th, 2007 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: Nevada