Views from different senators regarding DREAM as amendment

Senators Gripe About DREAM Act, Will Likely Still Vote for Defense Bill
Some Republican senators, along with centrist Democrats, aren’t happy with Harry Reid’s decision to slip the DREAM Act into a defense authorization bill up for a vote next week — and they are arguing it could kill the bill, although none have explicitly said they plan to vote against it.

“It’s made it needlessly controversial,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said yesterday. “I can’t tell you right now how easy it will be to go forward with that bill, but it’s certainly created an element of controversy that would not have been otherwise there.”

Will opposition to the DREAM Act, which would help some illegal immigrant students become legal residents, actually stop the bill? It’s unclear, but politicians are generally averse to voting down major defense legislation. Last year, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) successfully added language that expanded protections for hate crimes to the defense authorization bill. Republicans were angry, but approved it anyway.

Still, senators argued adding the DREAM Act is a misuse of the bill. “It’s totally unrelated to the defense authorization bill,” Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) bristled yesterday.

“This is an all-time low for me being in the Senate and that’s saying something,” Lindsey Graham told Foreign Policy’s The Cable yesterday. “The one area that has been kept off limits from partisan politics has been the defense of our nation. To say that you’re going to bring up a defense bill and put the Dream Act on it … to me is very offensive.”

Some Democrats have joined in the threats. Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) said today Reid may lose his support for the defense authorization bill if the DREAM Act is added.

“It would depend on a lot of factors, but it certainly would make it that much more difficult to support something such as the defense authorization bill,” Nelson said. “Don’t do it.”
http://washingtonindependent.com/975...r-defense-bill

Things are not looking good..

its politics as usual. But what may probably happen is they will shoot down the dream as an amendment, and then vote for the defense bill by itself.

I wasnt expecting the Republicans to receive DREAM in open arms for sure... so keep calling!

I agree with starsNmoons that DA will not get the votes but the Defense bill will.

Some issues regarding DA/CIR/Defense Bill currently

1) The GOP/Tea Party CANNOT fathom the idea of "Kenya Tribesman" (this is their quote) being in the White House. They want to see Obama FAIL, and fail BADLY.

2) Many voters are not happy with the Health Care Reform. You see more Senators/Possible Senators saying "I voted against the Health Care Reform" than " I voted for it" in their campaigns.

3) Obama is losing popularity (as he has been for quite some time) very very quickly. More and more Democrats are going against Obama's views for their campaigns.

4) Harri Reid just wants to win the election. He doesn't care if DA passes or not because he "Tried".

5) There is a good chance that Obama will veto the Defense Bill even if DA is attached because of some dumb new jet engine.

6) 95% of the Politicians do not genuinely care if we get a pass to citizenship. Meaning, they don't give a shit what happens, as long as their states' voters are happy.

I say: Let's keep trying as hard as we can. But please do not get your hopes up.

Then what are our alternatives? We do not have a choice but to keep fighting.

They wont even lose 1 minute of sleep over it but come on guys lets hope for the best for them its just another bill but for us its our future!!

Like you said, we don't have an alternative. We must keep fighting. I'm just sort of depressed that I DEARLY need this to pass because my life (like most of us) is on hold without my choice but that damn senile old man Reid is just out there doing what is best for himself and I cannot blame him for that but fuck..it is very depressing that Reid has conjured up more controversy than what DA needs.

So what are we supposed to do then? Leave? Stay? wait?
*sigh* Reid was all we had.