As someone who never took a position on the immigration bill, and whose blog is completely neutral on the issue, I am amazed at how many people are blaming each other for the failure of the bill. More importantly, I am even more amazed at how many people see the failure of this bill as a failure of the political system.
The founding fathers created a system for virtually nothing to get done. Over 230 years later, that system is still working. I have no idea what was in this particular bill, but if it was good enough to pass, it would have done so. An old story about George Washington drinking tea comes to mind. When asked why it was necessary to have a Senate and a House of Representatives, George Washington replied that it was the same reason he put cream in his tea…to cool it. The House starts out hot, and the Senate’s job is to let cooler heads prevail. Sometimes bills collapse and die among partisan accusations and counterattacks, but this gridlock is exactly what the Founding Fathers wanted.
Some people want to amend the US Constitution willy nilly, whether it be amendments to ban flag burning, budget deficits, or letting Uglo-Americans outdoors during the day. It may sound good on paper, but the demon is in the details. Sure it is easy for people everywhere to want to ban Uglo-Americans from being seen anywhere, but then what happens when people try to define Uglo-Americans? Some people find RuPaul to be downright gorgeous (ever since gadlfy Ron Paul decided to waste our time and air space, there has been a Rupaul resurgence. This column has not taken a position on whether that is good or bad), others less so. Are we only talking about people who are ugly on the outside, or ugly on the inside? Hollywood billionaires will not try to take sides on the legislation until they know whether it helps or hurts them. The Constitution has not been amended in a long time, because not every issue is significant enough to warrant such steps. Letting black people be more than 3/5ths of a human being merits altering the Constitution. Apparently, arguments over who is pretty and who is grotesque does not.
Anyone can stand up and say that we in America must have a crime bill, a health care bill, a welfare bill, an immigration bill, a duck-billed platypus bill, etc…The question that is important for legislators to ask is if doing nothing and having no bill at all is better than the bill in front of them. Now some people like to blame Americans for getting angry, screaming, and threatening legislators. Sorry to disappoint the elitists, but that is called democracy. The politicians work for us, and a bunch of people in 2006 got fired for forgetting that.
Hillary Clinton’s 1994 health care reform debacle did not even get to the bill stage. People wanted health care reform, but she demanded that it be her way or no way. No way won the day.
When enough citizens have concerns, those concerns must be addressed. Passing a bill to look like something is getting done is not actually doing productive things. Sometimes arguments into the night make for stronger and better laws, or less laws. My parents used to write letters for various organizations. Sometimes they would spend 10 minutes debating the meaning of one phrase, or even one word (No, they did not argue what “is” is). The result of this was that the letters they sent out were stronger, and written better.
In business, many people come up with ideas. They then go to coworkers who throw cold water on the party and discourage these ideas from ever seeing the light of day. This is often beneficial to everyone, including the employee who often later regrets thinking up idiotic ideas that could make him a laughingstock of the comapny if an elaborate boardroom Powerpoint presentation would be met with ridicule.
Consensus does not always equal brilliance. Confusion and acrimony does not always equal disaster.
Several things could happen as a result of this immigration bill collapsing. Possibly, the issue will die altogether and not resurface for awhile. Possibly, public relations efforts will be made by the current supporters of the bill to their constituents to explain to them why the bill is better than it is seen. Perhaps congress will start from scratch with a totally new bill. Perhaps they will take the current bill and tweak it around the margins.
No matter what happens, the USA will survive faster than you can say Gloria Gaynor. Yes, problems need to be dealt with, but speed often comes at the expense of accuracy. It is harder to undo a bad law than it is to kill a bill before it reaches that stage. American grumble about how long it takes the death penalty to lead to an execution, but rational minds do not advocate hanging someone from the nearest tree before guilt is certain. Signing off on documents affects human lives. Before people sign things, they have to know every detail, Lucifer be d@mned.
I again do not know completely what was in this immigration bill. I do know that if it was meant to pass, it would have. Rather than blame talk radio, the blogosphere, or private citizens, the correct thing to understand is that no group will get everything they want on every bill. Sometimes, not having a bill at all is the best option (lord knows I said that when Clinton was president).
Today we call what happened in congress gridlock. The Founding Fathers called it the system working, and as usual, they were right.
So before everyone goes apoplectic again, I offer this advice…it takes more effort to make things worse than to not make things better. So to those who want to, as Larry the Cable Guy says “Get r done,” I offer say this…Don’t just do something…Stand there!
In conclusion…he who hesitates…ummm…well…(shrug).
eric
Indeed. The political system WORKED! We The People spoke up and spoke up LOUDLY and the CONgress Critters are angered by it.
They have “forgotten” that THEY are to do OUR bidding and NOT the other way around.
I think your comment that the bill will simply go away is, unfortunately, wishful thinking.
I am glad it will remain a campaign issue, as well it should. This goes to the very heart of our future as a country and a culture, even setting the issue of legalities aside.
Reid tried to ramrod this through without meaningful debate and failed. Look for them to try it again in the dead of night.
This failure has proven the value of the internet and talk radio, technology we didn’t have back in 1986 when Simpson-Mazzoli was jammed down out throats, and public debate was controlled by three networks and a handful of liberal newspapers.
Now you know why we have McVain-Feingold, and why the political hacks are trying to tax the web out of meaningful existence and pass the (un)Fairness Doctrine.
For the career political hacks, Democracy is a great thing, as long as those pesky PEOPLE stay out of the way.
I like your style, reminds me of me.
I agree with snooper and BrianR, the conservatives won this round. But I am hearing rumors that it will surface as an amendment to another bill or added in a conference report to something near and dear to Republicans. I wrote about that emerging technique now being crafted by the Democratic House Committee on Ways & Means chaired By David Obey (D-Wis) to add pork spending after approval in conference where such changes can’t be challenged or amended, just voted on up or down where the Democrats have control.
Reference: The Most Honest, Ethical and Open Congress (ever):
http://stevereenie.wordpress.com/2007/06/08/the-most-honest-ethical-and-open-congress-ever/
Why do I not believe that this is over. Teddy Kennedy told us so yesterday. …… Next Stop Lauderdale