Reid: Climate bill could come before immigration
 

Well if the Climate bill is going to be unveiled this Monday.....I guess Climate wins.

Re: Reid: Climate bill could come before immigration
 

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com...id=ex_MtrxEMR9

How much do you want to bet that McCain is behind Graham's decision to not pursue a CIR this year.

Re: Reid: Climate bill could come before immigration
 

I give up. fuck them all

Re: Reid: Climate bill could come before immigration
 

& Tomorrow they will change their minds again----UTTERLY RIDICULOUS.

Re: Reid: Climate bill could come before immigration
 

Dear XXX,

I want to bring to your attention what appears to be a decision by the Obama Administration and Senate Democratic leadership to move immigration instead of energy. Unless their plan substantially changes this weekend, I will be unable to move forward on energy independence legislation at this time. I will not allow our hard work to be rolled out in a manner that has no chance of success.

Recent press reports indicating that immigration -- not energy -- is their priority have not been repudiated. This has destroyed my confidence that there will be a serious commitment and focus to move energy legislation this year. All of the key players, particularly the Senate leadership, have to want this debate as much as we do. This is clearly not the case.

I am very disappointed with this turn of events and believe their decision flies in the face of commitments made weeks ago to Senators Kerry, Lieberman and me. I deeply regret that election year politics will impede, if not derail, our efforts to make our nation energy independent.

I truly appreciate Senators Kerry, Lieberman, and their staff for the long hours of work. They have been tremendous partners who have negotiated in good faith and stood ready to make the tough choices necessary to bring forward a comprehensive energy bill.

I continue to believe our nation's reliance on ever-increasing amounts of foreign oil poses a direct threat to our national security and economic well-being. I know we can create thousands of jobs by pushing for a renaissance in nuclear power, expanded offshore drilling, and unleashing America's innovative spirit. One only needs to look to China and Europe, where 21st Century clean energy jobs are currently being created while we fail to act.

Like you, I share the belief that becoming energy independent and better stewards of our environment are complementary -- not competing -- standards. I was greatly looking forward to the opportunity to address these issues on the floor of the U.S. Senate as we pushed energy independence legislation forward into law. But it appears President Obama and the Senate Democratic leadership have other more partisan, political objectives in mind.

Moving forward on immigration -- in this hurried, panicked manner -- is nothing more than a cynical political ploy. I know from my own personal experience the tremendous amounts of time, energy, and effort that must be devoted to this issue to make even limited progress.

In 2007, we spent hundreds of hours over many months with President Bush's Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff, Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, and nearly every member of the U.S. Senate searching for a way to address our nation's immigration problems. Unlike this current "effort," it was a good-faith attempt to address a very difficult national issue.
Some of the major provisions we embraced in 2007 -- such as creation of a Virtual Fence using cameras, motion detectors and other technological devices to protect our borders -- have been scrapped for the time. Other issues we found agreement on at the time, such as a temporary guest worker program, have unraveled over the past three years.

Expecting these major issues to be addressed in three weeks -- which appears to be their current plan based upon media reports -- is ridiculous. It also demonstrates the raw political calculations at work here.

Let's be clear, a phony, political effort on immigration today accomplishes nothing but making it exponentially more difficult to address in a serious, comprehensive manner in the future.
Again, I truly appreciate the tremendous amount of time you have committed to the effort to make our nation more energy independent. I look forward to continuing to work with you so that when the U.S. Senate finally decides to address this issue we will be prepared for battle and confident of a successful outcome in the effort to make our nation energy independent once and for all.

Lindsey O. Graham
United States Senator

Re: Reid: Climate bill could come before immigration
 

politics at its best.

Re: Reid: Climate bill could come before immigration
 

Hahaha (bitterly laughing), Graham is simply stating that we cannot enact an immigration bill that "you (Dems) have NOT WRITTEN". I love this. This is blowing up in their faces. They've been telling us that they were ready to go at a moment's notice if only Republicans let them. The moment has arrived and you have no bill!!!!!!!!!!!!

“As I have said, I am committed to trying to enact comprehensive clean energy legislation this session of Congress," Reid said in a statement . This implies now.

"Doing so will require strong bipartisan support and energy could be next if it's ready. I have also said we will try to pass comprehensive immigration reform. This too will require bipartisan support and significant committee work that has not yet begun." From his lips to the voters' feet. He's just publicly admitted that his 'immigration reform' leader, Schumer, has been lying thru the roof for the past year. The shit is about to hit the fan and I hope they get a really good coating. Off now to enjoy what I can of the weekend, the weather is actually beautiful...

Re: Reid: Climate bill could come before immigration
 

If dems end up intro'ing CIR bill, I think, Graham would have no choice but to go with it.

Re: Reid: Climate bill could come before immigration
 

Graham dosnt owe anyone, not the least the latino community that dosnt exist in his state. You cannot armtwist Graham into voting for you.

Graham has everything to lose with CIR. A non-existent latino community in SC, right wingers who denounce him for collaborating with the democrats etc etc.

If Graham was working on immigration it was because hes a man of principles. If you do some search on him hes repeatedly said in the past that one should always look out to seek bargains in a bill instead of being sulky and getting nothing in return. He was a champion for businesses to get the guest-worker program so fierecely opposed by unions which support democrats.

If hes not willing to co-operate, its good for him. He has absolutely nothing to lose.

Re: Reid: Climate bill could come before immigration
 

ahhhhh f the climate bill