Betsy's Page

Monday, May 21, 2007

Debate the bill

Whatever your position on immigration and the bill, I think we can all agree that such an important bill that will affect so many people and have so many consequences, intended and otherwise, should be seriously debated. It shouldn't be rushed through just because some senators got together with the White House and came up with several hundred pages of a bill. For example, Hugh Hewitt has been reading through the bill and has been posting his observations of particular provisions. For example, as Ed Morrissey observes, did you know that the White House removed a provision for requiring the illegal immigrants to pay back taxes.
The Bush administration insisted on a little-noticed change in the bipartisan Senate immigration bill that would enable 12 million undocumented residents to avoid paying back taxes or associated fines to the Internal Revenue Service, officials said.

An independent analyst estimated the decision could cost the IRS tens of billions of dollars.

A provision requiring payment of back taxes had been in the initial version of a bill proposed by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat. But the administration called for the provision to be removed due to concern that it would be too difficult to figure out which illegal immigrants owed back taxes.
Wow, I bet a lot of citizens are wondering where they can sign up to be an illegal immigrant and be forgiven all their taxes. If the IRS can't figure it out, there should be, as Morrissey suggests, some estimate that they would have to pay for every year they've been here. The fine that they would have to pay to get their new visas is not meant to be back taxes. The FBI is supposed to be able to do background checks on supposed millions of applications and that isn't deemed too difficult when we're also asking the FBI to do all the hard work inside the country protecting us from terrorists. Yet the IRS can't figure out what to do about back taxes. Hmmmm.

Mickey Kaus is also not impressed with letting the illegal immigrants off from paying back taxes and points out how Bush has flipped on this provision. I can't see many legislators voting for that once people realize that it's in the bill.

This is a bill that did not go through the regular committee markup. The country deserves better than trying to rush something through so that the Senators can go on Memorial Day vacation. And doing this at the same time that they are trying to pass the funding for the Iraq War also before Memorial Day!

John Fund explains why the Senators want to speed this puppy through the Senate.
Supporters acknowledge that the delicately balanced legislation could collapse if a single destructive amendment is attached to it. Its sponsors admit they want to minimize the political debate. "We all know this issue can be caught up in extracurricular politics unless we move forward as quickly as possible," says Sen. John McCain , a key architect of the bill.
Well, that's not the way our system is set up. Ironically, the Senate is supposed to be the slow house, the saucer that cools the hot liquid that the House produces. And we all know that this bill will be different after it goes through the House. So why the pretense that this has to be debated and passed in the next week. Take the time and expose the bill to lots of sunlight so that people know what they're voting on and have had time to hear from their constituents.

Whether you support comprehensive immigration reform or not, no one should want a bill hurriedly shipped through our Congress. We shouldn't have the kind of system where a few people design a huge new bill in a backroom and every other representative is supposed to back off and not debate what is actually in that bill.

And for a Congress that has taken over three months to approve funding for the surge in Iraq and still hasn't done so to try to rush through this enormously complicated bill in just a few days is a travesty. As Jeff Emanuel writes,
Proceeding in such a hasty, guarded fashion reflects poorly on the intentions of those crafting it in such secrecy at the very least, as well as on the legislation itself, and such backroom dealings speak volumes about the ethical nature of this Congress. Unfortunately, prominent members of both parties have gone along with this process willingly -- as has the administration itself, which has long sought such "comprehensive" reform, as opposed to the border security- and- enforcement-first approach many concerned members of Congress and of the citizenry have favored.

Beyond these parliamentary concerns, though, is one issue of supreme importance: that of the war supplemental. Over 100 days have now gone by with no supplemental funding for America's troops who are currently in harm's way and in growing need of supplies. Approving the funding which would provide much-needed materiel to our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who are putting their lives on the line 24 hours a day, on orders from their government, is a far more important and more immediate issue than "comprehensive immigration reform," and as such it should take priority. The fact that it does not speaks volumes about how seriously the key members of the "World's Greatest Deliberative Body" actually take the war in which our military is currently engaged.
Labels: Congress

posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 6:27 AM 0 comments

Comments:

Whatever your position on immigration and the bill, I think we can all agree that such an important bill that will affect so many people and have so many consequences, intended and otherwise, should be seriously debated. It shouldn't be rushed through just because some senators got together with the White House and came up with several hundred pages of a bill. For example, Hugh Hewitt has been reading through the bill and has been posting his observations of particular provisions. For example, as Ed Morrissey observes, did you know that the White House removed a provision for requiring the illegal immigrants to pay back taxes.

The Bush administration insisted on a little-noticed change in the bipartisan Senate immigration bill that would enable 12 million undocumented residents to avoid paying back taxes or associated fines to the Internal Revenue Service, officials said.

An independent analyst estimated the decision could cost the IRS tens of billions of dollars.

A provision requiring payment of back taxes had been in the initial version of a bill proposed by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat. But the administration called for the provision to be removed due to concern that it would be too difficult to figure out which illegal immigrants owed back taxes.

Wow, I bet a lot of citizens are wondering where they can sign up to be an illegal immigrant and be forgiven all their taxes. If the IRS can't figure it out, there should be, as Morrissey suggests, some estimate that they would have to pay for every year they've been here. The fine that they would have to pay to get their new visas is not meant to be back taxes. The FBI is supposed to be able to do background checks on supposed millions of applications and that isn't deemed too difficult when we're also asking the FBI to do all the hard work inside the country protecting us from terrorists. Yet the IRS can't figure out what to do about back taxes. Hmmmm.

Mickey Kaus is also not impressed with letting the illegal immigrants off from paying back taxes and points out how Bush has flipped on this provision. I can't see many legislators voting for that once people realize that it's in the bill.

This is a bill that did not go through the regular committee markup. The country deserves better than trying to rush something through so that the Senators can go on Memorial Day vacation. And doing this at the same time that they are trying to pass the funding for the Iraq War also before Memorial Day!

John Fund explains why the Senators want to speed this puppy through the Senate.

Supporters acknowledge that the delicately balanced legislation could collapse if a single destructive amendment is attached to it. Its sponsors admit they want to minimize the political debate. "We all know this issue can be caught up in extracurricular politics unless we move forward as quickly as possible," says Sen. John McCain , a key architect of the bill.

Well, that's not the way our system is set up. Ironically, the Senate is supposed to be the slow house, the saucer that cools the hot liquid that the House produces. And we all know that this bill will be different after it goes through the House. So why the pretense that this has to be debated and passed in the next week. Take the time and expose the bill to lots of sunlight so that people know what they're voting on and have had time to hear from their constituents.

Whether you support comprehensive immigration reform or not, no one should want a bill hurriedly shipped through our Congress. We shouldn't have the kind of system where a few people design a huge new bill in a backroom and every other representative is supposed to back off and not debate what is actually in that bill.

And for a Congress that has taken over three months to approve funding for the surge in Iraq and still hasn't done so to try to rush through this enormously complicated bill in just a few days is a travesty. As Jeff Emanuel writes,

Proceeding in such a hasty, guarded fashion reflects poorly on the intentions of those crafting it in such secrecy at the very least, as well as on the legislation itself, and such backroom dealings speak volumes about the ethical nature of this Congress. Unfortunately, prominent members of both parties have gone along with this process willingly -- as has the administration itself, which has long sought such "comprehensive" reform, as opposed to the border security- and- enforcement-first approach many concerned members of Congress and of the citizenry have favored.

Beyond these parliamentary concerns, though, is one issue of supreme importance: that of the war supplemental. Over 100 days have now gone by with no supplemental funding for America's troops who are currently in harm's way and in growing need of supplies. Approving the funding which would provide much-needed materiel to our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who are putting their lives on the line 24 hours a day, on orders from their government, is a far more important and more immediate issue than "comprehensive immigration reform," and as such it should take priority. The fact that it does not speaks volumes about how seriously the key members of the "World's Greatest Deliberative Body" actually take the war in which our military is currently engaged.

Labels: Congress

posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 6:27 AM 0 comments

Comments: Post a Comment

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Monday, May 21, 2007

Debate the bill

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HOME Betsy neither necessarily uses, nor endorses, the products advertised on this site. The truth about Avesil Cheap Hosting Atlanta Bankruptcy Attorney Dallas Bankruptcy Attorney Wikio Get exclusive travel deals and book discount cheap flights Online Bachelors Degree Comments from an AP history and government teacher in Raleigh, NC. e-mail betsynewmark AT gmail.com Commissions earned from selling items through Amazon will go towards buying materials for my classes. Thank you. Site Feed		Monday, May 21, 2007 Debate the bill Whatever your position on immigration and the bill, I think we can all agree that such an important bill that will affect so many people and have so many consequences, intended and otherwise, should be seriously debated. It shouldn't be rushed through just because some senators got together with the White House and came up with several hundred pages of a bill. For example, Hugh Hewitt has been reading through the bill and has been posting his observations of particular provisions. For example, as Ed Morrissey observes, did you know that the White House removed a provision for requiring the illegal immigrants to pay back taxes. The Bush administration insisted on a little-noticed change in the bipartisan Senate immigration bill that would enable 12 million undocumented residents to avoid paying back taxes or associated fines to the Internal Revenue Service, officials said. An independent analyst estimated the decision could cost the IRS tens of billions of dollars. A provision requiring payment of back taxes had been in the initial version of a bill proposed by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat. But the administration called for the provision to be removed due to concern that it would be too difficult to figure out which illegal immigrants owed back taxes. Wow, I bet a lot of citizens are wondering where they can sign up to be an illegal immigrant and be forgiven all their taxes. If the IRS can't figure it out, there should be, as Morrissey suggests, some estimate that they would have to pay for every year they've been here. The fine that they would have to pay to get their new visas is not meant to be back taxes. The FBI is supposed to be able to do background checks on supposed millions of applications and that isn't deemed too difficult when we're also asking the FBI to do all the hard work inside the country protecting us from terrorists. Yet the IRS can't figure out what to do about back taxes. Hmmmm. Mickey Kaus is also not impressed with letting the illegal immigrants off from paying back taxes and points out how Bush has flipped on this provision. I can't see many legislators voting for that once people realize that it's in the bill. This is a bill that did not go through the regular committee markup. The country deserves better than trying to rush something through so that the Senators can go on Memorial Day vacation. And doing this at the same time that they are trying to pass the funding for the Iraq War also before Memorial Day! John Fund explains why the Senators want to speed this puppy through the Senate. Supporters acknowledge that the delicately balanced legislation could collapse if a single destructive amendment is attached to it. Its sponsors admit they want to minimize the political debate. "We all know this issue can be caught up in extracurricular politics unless we move forward as quickly as possible," says Sen. John McCain , a key architect of the bill. Well, that's not the way our system is set up. Ironically, the Senate is supposed to be the slow house, the saucer that cools the hot liquid that the House produces. And we all know that this bill will be different after it goes through the House. So why the pretense that this has to be debated and passed in the next week. Take the time and expose the bill to lots of sunlight so that people know what they're voting on and have had time to hear from their constituents. Whether you support comprehensive immigration reform or not, no one should want a bill hurriedly shipped through our Congress. We shouldn't have the kind of system where a few people design a huge new bill in a backroom and every other representative is supposed to back off and not debate what is actually in that bill. And for a Congress that has taken over three months to approve funding for the surge in Iraq and still hasn't done so to try to rush through this enormously complicated bill in just a few days is a travesty. As Jeff Emanuel writes, Proceeding in such a hasty, guarded fashion reflects poorly on the intentions of those crafting it in such secrecy at the very least, as well as on the legislation itself, and such backroom dealings speak volumes about the ethical nature of this Congress. Unfortunately, prominent members of both parties have gone along with this process willingly -- as has the administration itself, which has long sought such "comprehensive" reform, as opposed to the border security- and- enforcement-first approach many concerned members of Congress and of the citizenry have favored. Beyond these parliamentary concerns, though, is one issue of supreme importance: that of the war supplemental. Over 100 days have now gone by with no supplemental funding for America's troops who are currently in harm's way and in growing need of supplies. Approving the funding which would provide much-needed materiel to our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who are putting their lives on the line 24 hours a day, on orders from their government, is a far more important and more immediate issue than "comprehensive immigration reform," and as such it should take priority. The fact that it does not speaks volumes about how seriously the key members of the "World's Greatest Deliberative Body" actually take the war in which our military is currently engaged. Labels: Congress posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 6:27 AM 0 comments Comments: Whatever your position on immigration and the bill, I think we can all agree that such an important bill that will affect so many people and have so many consequences, intended and otherwise, should be seriously debated. It shouldn't be rushed through just because some senators got together with the White House and came up with several hundred pages of a bill. For example, Hugh Hewitt has been reading through the bill and has been posting his observations of particular provisions. For example, as Ed Morrissey observes, did you know that the White House removed a provision for requiring the illegal immigrants to pay back taxes. The Bush administration insisted on a little-noticed change in the bipartisan Senate immigration bill that would enable 12 million undocumented residents to avoid paying back taxes or associated fines to the Internal Revenue Service, officials said. An independent analyst estimated the decision could cost the IRS tens of billions of dollars. A provision requiring payment of back taxes had been in the initial version of a bill proposed by Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat. But the administration called for the provision to be removed due to concern that it would be too difficult to figure out which illegal immigrants owed back taxes. Wow, I bet a lot of citizens are wondering where they can sign up to be an illegal immigrant and be forgiven all their taxes. If the IRS can't figure it out, there should be, as Morrissey suggests, some estimate that they would have to pay for every year they've been here. The fine that they would have to pay to get their new visas is not meant to be back taxes. The FBI is supposed to be able to do background checks on supposed millions of applications and that isn't deemed too difficult when we're also asking the FBI to do all the hard work inside the country protecting us from terrorists. Yet the IRS can't figure out what to do about back taxes. Hmmmm. Mickey Kaus is also not impressed with letting the illegal immigrants off from paying back taxes and points out how Bush has flipped on this provision. I can't see many legislators voting for that once people realize that it's in the bill. This is a bill that did not go through the regular committee markup. The country deserves better than trying to rush something through so that the Senators can go on Memorial Day vacation. And doing this at the same time that they are trying to pass the funding for the Iraq War also before Memorial Day! John Fund explains why the Senators want to speed this puppy through the Senate. Supporters acknowledge that the delicately balanced legislation could collapse if a single destructive amendment is attached to it. Its sponsors admit they want to minimize the political debate. "We all know this issue can be caught up in extracurricular politics unless we move forward as quickly as possible," says Sen. John McCain , a key architect of the bill. Well, that's not the way our system is set up. Ironically, the Senate is supposed to be the slow house, the saucer that cools the hot liquid that the House produces. And we all know that this bill will be different after it goes through the House. So why the pretense that this has to be debated and passed in the next week. Take the time and expose the bill to lots of sunlight so that people know what they're voting on and have had time to hear from their constituents. Whether you support comprehensive immigration reform or not, no one should want a bill hurriedly shipped through our Congress. We shouldn't have the kind of system where a few people design a huge new bill in a backroom and every other representative is supposed to back off and not debate what is actually in that bill. And for a Congress that has taken over three months to approve funding for the surge in Iraq and still hasn't done so to try to rush through this enormously complicated bill in just a few days is a travesty. As Jeff Emanuel writes, Proceeding in such a hasty, guarded fashion reflects poorly on the intentions of those crafting it in such secrecy at the very least, as well as on the legislation itself, and such backroom dealings speak volumes about the ethical nature of this Congress. Unfortunately, prominent members of both parties have gone along with this process willingly -- as has the administration itself, which has long sought such "comprehensive" reform, as opposed to the border security- and- enforcement-first approach many concerned members of Congress and of the citizenry have favored. Beyond these parliamentary concerns, though, is one issue of supreme importance: that of the war supplemental. Over 100 days have now gone by with no supplemental funding for America's troops who are currently in harm's way and in growing need of supplies. Approving the funding which would provide much-needed materiel to our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who are putting their lives on the line 24 hours a day, on orders from their government, is a far more important and more immediate issue than "comprehensive immigration reform," and as such it should take priority. The fact that it does not speaks volumes about how seriously the key members of the "World's Greatest Deliberative Body" actually take the war in which our military is currently engaged. Labels: Congress posted by Betsy Newmark permalink 6:27 AM 0 comments Comments: Post a Comment