Tax Deal Could Kill Amnesty Bill

The House Republicans have announced the possible use of a constitutional provision to kill off the Senate amnesty bill. The founding document of our government states clearly that all spending bills must originate from the House. The fact that this was not readily apparent to the Senate when they wrote the bill is evidence of their disdain for the constitution. Sen. Frist sees a way out by just attaching the bill to some other spending bill that has already passed the House. Unfazed by such concerns as the constitutionality of what they do in the Senate, Harry Reid's spokesman just waves off any problem as inconsequential

But Minority Leader Harry Reid won't go along with that fix. His office said yesterday that the concerns raised by Mr. Frist and House Republicans are "technical in nature" and can be ignored.

"If Republicans are serious about enacting comprehensive immigration reform, I've got a deal for them," spokesman Jim Manley said. "All they have to do is nothing. Just let the House and Senate bills go to conference and let the conferees work their will."

Now I don't remember Sen. Reid being so relaxed about the Constitution after the raid on William Jefferson's office but that would require a consistency of purpose and respect for constitutional law. Small chance for that from anyone up there. Seems the longer they reside on Capitol Hill the less attention they pay to the principles this country was founded on. Sen. Reid and the rest of the tin pots up there need to get serious about the law rather than just getting something passed..

Basil's


immigration politics