Archive for the 'lugar' Category

Shamnesty to Rear Its Ugly Head Later This Year

Posted in Terrorism, wordpress, McCain, Immigration, Tancredo, Kennedy, Kyl, Specter, United States, Law, Justice, obama, Pelosi, Reid, Border Control, Legislation, Mitch McConnell, lugar, Blogs4Borders, boehner on May 30th, 2009 by Stanford Matthews

As early as June 8, 2009 a formal restart of the shamnesty movement will occur in the Obama White House. At least one report confirms what most of us already knew. Shamnesty will once again be the top issue in Washington later in 2009. But you had better get your opposition strategy activated long before then as it may only be a matter of 60 liberal votes along with any mindless RINOs that decides the issue if pressure is not applied starting now. 2010 is not far off and we all know politicians like only one thing better than getting elected. That is getting re-elected. And a vote for shamnesty is just one more reason to throw the bums out.

Immigration reform could emerge again in the fall
By Steve Stoddard and J. Taylor Rushing
Posted: 05/25/09 09:31 AM [ET]

Senate Democrats may be close to 60 votes on a measure that would represent the first step towards immigration reform under President Obama.

The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act is a concept dear to Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin’s (D-Ill.) heart, and while health care reform may get this summer’s headlines in Washington, the DREAM Act may be a sleeper.

illegal immigrationThe Dream Act has been around for a while and like the shamnesty defeat in the summer of 2007 it has been shot down once. Together with yes votes on bailouts any member of Congress voting for shamnesty risks defeat in 2010 unless they are secure in a liberal saturated district willing to open all borders and ignore the rule of law.

All the Dream Act does is give illegals one more reason to violate the law and enter this country without lawfully engaging the process. Rather than offer an unnecessary carrot to break the law, Congress should encourage and assist the executive branch or law enforcement with the stick they need to eliminate illegal immigration. This is not a call to abolish immigration but illegal immigration. There is a big difference. But liberals for open borders and unregulated immigration prefer to label those opposed to illegal immigration as xenophobic. Yes, there is no shortage of liberal labels to muddy the water on issues.

So far it is no surprise that Arlen Specter, RINO extraordinaire and now GOP defector, will support whatever the Democrats propose. Other notable RINO looking Senators are Lugar, Lott and Wicker.

It will be tougher this time than the last to defeat shamnesty. But that is not reason for concern but increased effort and attitude.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Where was Senator Lugar Before Now?

Posted in Terrorism, Iraq, war, wordpress, blogroll, blog, Afghanistan, United States, Military, lugar on July 10th, 2007 by Stanford Matthews

crossposted at:
Maggie’s Notebook | Conservative Blog

FaultlineUSA

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How long have US troops been in Iraq? When is the last time Senator Richard Lugar said anything about it in public? So when he finally does say something, what is the effect? Most call it a defection and some call it surrender. But a few who would defend Senator Lugar’s defection indicate he was not invited for talks on the Iraq war at the White House. They also indicate his communications to President Bush were not answered. So this is how one responds to being ignored? Maybe Senator, others know how you would act and that is why they ignored you.

And if your concern really is we have to do something before the military has to once again extend the deployments of US troops, being this outspoken before now in support of the troops would have been helpful. Anyone who doubts whether your actions this month and questions your intentions is right. Anyone questioning why Senators such as yourself did not take strong actions in support of the troops before now are understandably suspicious. Have you considered how much damage this does for the very troops whose course you seek to change? Had you let them follow the course to victory since the beginning of the war in Iraq they would have won already.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Lugar Senate Floor Speech Calls for Course Change in Iraq

Sen LugarSenator Lugar calling for a course change in a speech from the Senate floor.I rise today to offer observations on the continuing involvement of the United States in Iraq. In my judgment, our course in Iraq has lost contact with our vital national security interests in the Middle East and beyond. Our continuing absorption with military activities in Iraq is limiting our diplomatic assertiveness there and elsewhere in the world. The prospects that the current “surge” strategy will succeed in the way originally envisioned by the President are very limited within the short period framed by our own domestic political debate. And the strident, polarized nature of that debate increases the risk that our involvement in Iraq will end in a poorly planned withdrawal that undercuts our vital interests in the Middle East. Unless we recalibrate our strategy in Iraq to fit our domestic political conditions and the broader needs of U.S. national security, we risk foreign policy failures that could greatly diminish our influence in the region and the world.

Read the entire speech

Listen to the speech (5 MB .mp3)

Senate No Amnesty Scorecard: Dishonorable Mention

Posted in Terrorism, wordpress, Immigration, Tancredo, Kyl, Specter, Law, Justice, Reid, Congress, Border Control, Hagel, Legislation, lugar, Sen Barbara Boxer on July 1st, 2007 by Stanford Matthews

Sinister Harry ReidIn the Senate No Amnesty Scorecard post series this is the fourth of six planned posts. The first post describes the best the Senate has to offer. Twenty-three senators including four Dems and an Independent voted consistently against amnesty. The first runners up list features seven Republicans and four Democrats who voted essentially to debate each bill but likely realized debate controlled by Sinister Harry Reid is no debate at all. Their no votes on the subsequent cloture for each bill defeated amnesty on both measures. The 2nd runners up have votes that assisted the defeat of both amnesty measures yet their intentions are still unclear. Now a quick review of the bills and on to the first list of dishonorable mention. While not the worst list, it is the first of three bad lists of Senators no one needs.

There were two bills for amnesty in the Senate this month. The first was S.1348, the famous back room deal between the Bush White House and primarily Senators Kyl, Kennedy, McCain and Reid. President Bush and these Senators as well as many others are in favor of amnesty for millions of illegal aliens. The bill they offered reflected that desire. The desire to abandon the rule of law and increase the risk to the United States with reckless legislation for political gain.

Dems and RINOsThe first list of dishonorable mention features Sinister Harry Reid. You might expect him to be on the worst list but his votes earn him only the first dishonorable mention. He is accompanied by other senators prominent in the amnesty fight and they always end up on the wrong side of the argument. They are in no particular order, Senators Graham, Kyl and Specter. Specter was intent on amnesty last year while a GOP majority was in place. Kyl is credited with getting the first back room deal of this year going. And Senator Graham believes the American people are really stupid the way he continues to claim amnesty is good for us. Bayh and Lugar have been sited in articles and reports as the two Senators from Indiana who are ‘out of touch’. No kidding. With eight Dems out of 19 senators on this list and the actions of the GOP counterparts, it is obvious we’re talking RINOs here. So here’s the list.

(D-IN) Bayh
(R-UT) Bennett
(D-NM) Bingaman
(D-CA) Boxer
(D-OH) Brown
(D-ND) Conrad
(R-ID) Craig
(R-SC) Graham
(R-NH) Gregg
(R-NE) Hagel
(D-IA) Harkin
(R-AZ) Kyl
(R-MS) Lott
(R-IN) Lugar
(R-FL) Martinez
(D-NE) Nelson
(D-NV) Reid
(R-ME) Snowe
(R-PA) Specter

Think about itThere votes were either in favor of one amnesty bill or the other. They cannot claim they didn’t know this was amnesty. By choosing one amnesty bill or the other they only indicate a preference for one of two bad bills. Maybe they had ‘pet’ amendments connected to one or the other. They likewise cannot claim one bill was not amnesty while the other was for, of course, both bills featured amnesty. About all they can claim is in their dark pursuit for amnesty they were fussy about other details of the flawed bills and were greedy for more perks with amnesty. They should also be ashamed of their amnesty efforts beyond the floor activity on these two bills.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

S.1639 Cloture Roll Call Vote Details

Posted in Announcement, Terrorism, wordpress, Lieberman, Immigration, Tancredo, Kennedy, Kyl, lobbyist, ethics, United States, Law, Justice, obama, kerry, Reid, Border Control, Hagel, Legislation, lugar, Dodd on June 28th, 2007 by Stanford Matthews

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 110th Congress - 1st Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

Vote Summary

Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on S.1639 )
Vote Number: 235 Vote Date: June 28, 2007, 11:04 AM
Required For Majority: 3/5 Vote Result: Cloture Motion Rejected
Measure Number: S. 1639
Measure Title: A bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes.
Vote Counts: YEAs 46
NAYs 53
Not Voting 1
Vote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State

Alphabetical by Senator Name
Akaka (D-HI), Yea
Alexander (R-TN), Nay
Allard (R-CO), Nay
Barrasso (R-WY), Nay
Baucus (D-MT), Nay
Bayh (D-IN), Nay
Bennett (R-UT), Yea
Biden (D-DE), Yea
Bingaman (D-NM), Nay
Bond (R-MO), Nay
Boxer (D-CA), Yea
Brown (D-OH), Nay
Brownback (R-KS), Nay
Bunning (R-KY), Nay
Burr (R-NC), Nay
Byrd (D-WV), Nay
Cantwell (D-WA), Yea
Cardin (D-MD), Yea
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Casey (D-PA), Yea
Chambliss (R-GA), Nay
Clinton (D-NY), Yea
Coburn (R-OK), Nay
Cochran (R-MS), Nay
Coleman (R-MN), Nay
Collins (R-ME), Nay
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Corker (R-TN), Nay
Cornyn (R-TX), Nay
Craig (R-ID), Yea
Crapo (R-ID), Nay
DeMint (R-SC), Nay
Dodd (D-CT), Yea
Dole (R-NC), Nay
Domenici (R-NM), Nay
Dorgan (D-ND), Nay
Durbin (D-IL), Yea
Ensign (R-NV), Nay
Enzi (R-WY), Nay
Feingold (D-WI), Yea
Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Graham (R-SC), Yea
Grassley (R-IA), Nay
Gregg (R-NH), Yea
Hagel (R-NE), Yea
Harkin (D-IA), Nay
Hatch (R-UT), Nay
Hutchison (R-TX), Nay
Inhofe (R-OK), Nay
Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Isakson (R-GA), Nay
Johnson (D-SD), Not Voting
Kennedy (D-MA), Yea
Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Kyl (R-AZ), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Nay
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea
Leahy (D-VT), Yea
Levin (D-MI), Yea
Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
Lott (R-MS), Yea
Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Martinez (R-FL), Yea
McCain (R-AZ), Yea
McCaskill (D-MO), Nay
McConnell (R-KY), Nay
Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Murkowski (R-AK), Nay
Murray (D-WA), Yea
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Nay
Obama (D-IL), Yea
Pryor (D-AR), Nay
Reed (D-RI), Yea
Reid (D-NV), Yea
Roberts (R-KS), Nay
Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay
Salazar (D-CO), Yea
Sanders (I-VT), Nay
Schumer (D-NY), Yea
Sessions (R-AL), Nay
Shelby (R-AL), Nay
Smith (R-OR), Nay
Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Specter (R-PA), Yea
Stabenow (D-MI), Nay
Stevens (R-AK), Nay
Sununu (R-NH), Nay
Tester (D-MT), Nay
Thune (R-SD), Nay
Vitter (R-LA), Nay
Voinovich (R-OH), Nay
Warner (R-VA), Nay
Webb (D-VA), Nay
Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea
Wyden (D-OR), Yea
Vote Summary By Senator Name By Vote Position By Home State

Grouped By Vote Position
YEAs —46
Akaka (D-HI)
Bennett (R-UT)
Biden (D-DE)
Boxer (D-CA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Conrad (D-ND)
Craig (R-ID)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Schumer (D-NY)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)
NAYs —53
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Bond (R-MO)
Brown (D-OH)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Byrd (D-WV)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Grassley (R-IA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Landrieu (D-LA)
McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Not Voting - 1
Johnson (D-SD)

Amnesty YEAs and NAYs

Posted in Bush, wordpress, Lieberman, Biden, McCain, Immigration, Kennedy, Kyl, Clinton, Specter, obama, hillary, kerry, Reid, Feingold, Byrd, Grassley, Congress, Border Control, Hagel, Senator Enzi, Carl Levin, Brownback, lugar, Sen Orrin Hatch, Sen Dianne Feinstein, Sen Barbara Boxer, Sen Chuck Schumer, Sen Robert Menendez, Dodd on June 9th, 2007 by Stanford Matthews

Justice and the rule of lawWe all know that political matters can rarely be taken at face value. The saga developing over S. 1348, a so-called bipartisan compromise bill claimed to be immigration reform, is proving to be the evidence that the White House and Congress are incapable of abandoning special interest or ignoring election politics. This senate bill is more accurately characterized the amnesty bill as those referred to as the ‘architects’ (Kyl, Graham, Kennedy and McCain) all seem to favor amnesty.

This is the first of what may be a series of reviews on this week’s amnesty battle. On Tuesday June 5, there was a vote on an amendment proposed by GOP Senator Wayne Allard of Colorado. If one takes the amendment at face value, it appears to be a fair request to not give preferential treatment to those who enter the US illegally. For the moment, this post will skip over the visa dilemma for now. Except to say there are plenty of flaws with how that item is treated also.

Senator Kyl tried to appear opposed to amnesty when the Senate took up this matter after the 2005 House vote which passed HR 4437. During the debate in the Senate then, Cornyn and Kyl were sending mixed signals. This time Kyl is given credit for spearheading this effort to provide amnesty. And he voted against this amendment. This would be an example of why things cannot be taken at face value. The big question mark on Kyl should be changed to calling him in favor of amnesty. And that would not be a good thing.

Below is the Allard amendment description. After that is the roll call results which tell much of the story.

Allard Amdt. No. 1189; To eliminate the preference given to people who entered the United States illegally over people seeking to enter the country legally in the merit-based evaluation system for visas.

Not Voting - 6

Brownback (R-KS)
Dodd (D-CT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
McCain (R-AZ)
Obama (D-IL)

Four Presidential candidates for 2008 again declined to vote on the issue of illegal immigration. Apparently for them, political considerations are more important than doing their jobs and going on the record. As much as one can find fault with Hillary Rodham Clinton and her support of amnesty, to be fair, at least she voted this time. The no vote list is next.

NAYs —62

Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bennett (R-UT)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
Domenici (R-NM)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Graham (R-SC)
Hagel (R-NE)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Inouye (D-HI)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Stevens (R-AK)
Tester (D-MT)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

The usual suspects voted against the amendment that claims to remove preferential treatment for illegals. The most notorious or significant among the no votes are:
Bayh, Biden, Boxer, Chambliss, Clinton, Cochran, Coleman, Collins, Craig, Domenici, Feinstein, Graham, Hagel, Kennedy, Kerry, Kyl, Leahy, ….. all hell, they are all significant and notorious. These people do not have the best interest of American citizens in their agenda. Not like that is a big surprise but it should be pointed out again.

Now for the yes votes and what it may mean.

YEAs —31

Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Bond (R-MO)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Byrd (D-WV)
Coburn (R-OK)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Landrieu (D-LA)
McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Sununu (R-NH)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)

One item worth mentioning here is the Missouri Senators, Bond and McCaskill, are on the record as opposing amnesty and being strongly in favor of strong border security and control over illegal immigration. Yes, they are in the ‘yes’ column for this amendment. Cornyn is on this list whereas Kyl is on the ‘no’ vote side. What does that tell you? This list is something to consider when trying to separate the good guys from the bad guys. Stay tuned and keep contacting your elected reps on this issue.

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Congressional Answer on Halliburton

Posted in Iraq, wordpress, Biden, GOP, Democrats, Afghanistan, Congress, lugar, Halliburton on March 1st, 2007 by Stanford Matthews

Party AnimalsRep Sam Farr, Rep Jim Saxton, Senator Richard Lugar and Senator Joseph Biden have come up with an idea giving bipartisan effort a bad name. So maybe bipartisan does not fit the scenario. Three Democrats and a Republican might not meet the strict definition of bipartisan. Without even arguing the lack of merit of the two ‘companion’ bills, after introduction and being sent off to committee the glaring detail in both bills is the money. The House version authorizes $80 million for fiscal 2008 and the Senate version says $80 million PER fiscal year.

Halliburton Should PayFor purposes of this post, a reminder that one Billion Dollars is 1000 times larger than one Million Dollars. You say you know that? Then why was Halliburton given a no bid contract for Billions of dollars for reconstruction and Congress will now consider spending only millions of dollars of taxpayer money for what Halliburton was supposed to do? How about we get the money from Halliburton for someone else to do what they did not complete. And maybe you could consider giving all those Iraqis who are hurting a job reconstructing their country with Halliburton’s ill-gotten gains? But this point is entirely moot until the war in Iraq is successfully completed.

One other item in these bills deals with training. If the claim is that abundant resources of a skilled labor pool is available, then why do you need money for training? Is it to train those on the other end for your assumed later departure or to train the highly skilled labor you claim exists for this task?

Too many civilians have died working in a combat zone. The operations in Afghanistan are not complete and get little attention compared to Iraq. Just about everything would be better if new agendas were postponed until the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq were completed to the point that enough stability exists to proceed with reconstruction. Let’s stop the insanity, complete the missions and then tie up all the loose ends. Ok, you could start Questionsinvestigations and hearings on Halliburton et al, while the missions are being completed. Then there is the ‘wuz up’ with all that Iraqi oil that was to fund rebuilding and affording Iraqis some resources? Not to mention the millions or billions in cash missing. How about you address all that before you reinvent a civilian corps that is currently unnecessary?

Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com

Trackposted to Perri Nelson’s Website, Leaning Straight Up, and Pursuing Holiness, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Civilian Response Corps Will Help Bring Stability
February 20th, 2007 It’s painfully clear by now that though our military is the best in the world, our ability to rebuild and stabilize countries is not. Helping nations recover from conflict or collapse takes a complex combination of political, diplomatic, development and military efforts, all in the immediate aftermath of crisis.

H.R.1084
Title: To amend the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, and the Foreign Service Act of 1980 to build operational readiness in civilian agencies, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] (introduced 2/15/2007) Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 2/15/2007 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2008 for personnel, education and training, equipment, and travel costs for purposes of carrying out this Act and the amendments made by this Act.

S.613
Title: A bill to enhance the overseas stabilization and reconstruction capabilities of the United States Government, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Lugar, Richard G. [IN] (introduced 2/15/2007) Cosponsors (1)
Latest Major Action: 2/15/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year, $80,000,000 for personnel, education and training, equipment, and travel costs for purposes of carrying out this Act and the amendments made by this Act (other than the amendment made by section 5).