IMMIGRATION BILL CLEARS A PROCEDURAL HURDLE THROWN UP BY REPUBLICAN FAR RIGHT EXTREMISTS

Bush's Immigration legislation is horribly flawed and needs drastic work. But it's good that it hasn't been destroyed by the racist and xenophobic wing of the GOP. They've been trying-- and threatening revenge against any Republicans who support Bush on this. Just minutes ago the bill survived a do-or-die test the extreme right had put up.

The senators voted, 64 to 35, to invoke cloture, or move to consideration of the bill itself. Since 60 votes are required for cloture, and only 45 voted for cloture two weeks ago, the measure’s supporters were heartened by today’s vote. Had the cloture vote failed today, the bill would have been dead for the foreseeable future.

The Senate’s next step is to consider a batch of amendments, some designed to be easier on illegal immigrants, some meant to be tougher. The amendments’ differing intentions underline the fragility of the coalition behind the bill. Another make-or-break cloture vote could come before this weekend, and it is by no means certain that those who vote for cloture will vote for the bill itself.

The only Democrats voting to join the Republican extremists in an attempt to filibuster the bill to death were:
Max Baucus (MT)
Evan Bayh (IN)
Robert Byrd (WV)
Byron Dorgan (ND)
Mary Landrieu (LA)
Claire McCaskill (MO)
Jay Rockefeller (WV)
Debbie Stabenow (MI)
Jon Tester (MT)

The Republicans standing with Bush on this and abandoning the hysterical ranting and raving from the extreme right of their party (for a change-- in fact, in many cases, for the very first time) were:
Robert Bennett (UT)
Kit Bond (MO)
Sam Brownback (KS)
Richard Burr (NC)
Norm Coleman (MN)
Susan Collins (ME)
Larry Craig (ID)
Pete "Sneaky Pete" Domenici (NM)
John Ensign (NV)
Lindsey Graham (SC)
Judd Gregg (NH)
Chuck Hagel (NE)
Jon Kyl (AZ)
Trent Lott (MS)
Richard Lugar (IN)
Mel Martinez (FL)
McCain (AZ)
Miss McConnell (KY)
Lisa Murkowski (AK)
Olympia Snowe (ME)
Arlen Specter (PA)
Ted Stevens (AK)
George Voinovich (OH)
John Warner (VA)

The worst of the Republican kooks and nuts are already screaming for the heads of Republicans who voted for this. They seem to be focussing on MCain and McCain's Mini-Me, Lindsey Graham and on Norm Coleman. I can't believe they're giving corporate whore Miss McConnell a pass-- not to mention Susan Collins.

Today's "Quote of the Day": comes from South Carolina's extreme right wing xenophobe, Jim DeMint, talking about immigration to his pals at the Wall Street Journal: "The White House has climbed way out on a limb, and we're going to cut it off."