Failure of the immigration bill in the U.S. Senate
Re: “Immigration has a long row to hoe,” July 2 editorial.
Yes, immigration does indeed have “a long row to hoe,” abetted by the meddling “sanctuaryists” of The Post. The Senate did not fail to act on immigration. Instead, it acted purposefully and defeated a bill to sell out our country, spurred by plenty of negative furor from legal Americans.
Staff reductions by The Post reflect sagging readership and lower advertising revenues. Immigration is one reason. Daily news coverage pandering to the illegals is another.
Post management has not a whiff of what the readers want. Reporting that crops are rotting in the fields, another form of obsequious pandering and sleight of hand, is weak, obfuscatory and merely a secondary issue. Your editorial position is designed to divert and is nothing less than transparent.
To say the Senate did not act is subterfuge. To everyone’s surprise, it did act to represent the people, for a change.
Peter K. Link, Evergreen
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Regarding the failed illegal immigration legislation, either of the two outcomes would have had the same results: if it failed, nothing would happen. If it passed, nothing would happen. Americans are still awaiting enforcement of the 1986 legislation that was to solve the illegal immigration problem. Why would passage of the 2007 legislation be any different?
But let’s give credit to Congress for providing us with melodramatic entertainment as it debated the issue. It’s no wonder that Fred Thompson would like to rejoin the political arena where he can compete with the greatest actors in our nation. Perhaps the Academy Awards will offer a new category: “Best performance by a congressman pretending to represent the American people.”
Virginia L. Wielgot, Aurora
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The political world tilted on its axis on Thursday and the Denver Post made absolutely no mention of it. Despite The Post’s editorials, the support of big religion, big business, big unions and big ethnic-advocacy groups, the people finally made their voice heard in the Senate. On Thursday, the Senate got the message and enough of them voted down the immigration bill to kill it for the second and final time. As you know, this bill was kept alive by President Bush, the Democratic leadership and a few select senators, including Sen. Ken Salazar, in a backroom deal. The defeat represents a momentous shift in how politics works inside the Beltway.
Thanks to the Internet and C-SPAN, we have instantaneous information about votes, new amendments, backroom deals, and politicians’ remarks. Thanks to the Internet, we saw Sen. Sam Brownback switch his vote from support to rejection at the last minute when it was clear that the bill was going down in flames. Thanks to the Internet, we knew that Sen. Harry Reid was using a little-known tactic called the clay pigeon to stop any proposed amendments from derailing their “grand bargain.” Thanks to the Internet, we can mobilize around an issue and make our collective voice heard. The old regime and the old way of doing business in Congress is dead, and they need to realize that.
Rhonda Roseto, Westminster
Libby’s jail sentence
Re: “Bush spares Libby, but mocks justice,” July 3 editorial.
President Bush, who has rarely involved himself in issues of fairness and justice, commuted the prison sentence of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby because it was “excessive.”
Mr. Libby was tried in open court, convicted by a jury of his peers, and sentenced by a judge who was duly appointed and confirmed.
President Bush’s government holds uncharged, untried and unconvicted prisoners at Guantanamo Bay and other places. These prisoners have little hope of experiencing the due process that was accorded Mr. Libby.
Perhaps the president should consider applying his newfound interest in justice to them as well.
Robert N. Stocker, Denver
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I was not surprised at the president’s interference in the case of Scooter Libby. It clearly and conclusively demonstrates (as if such were needed) that, in the president’s mind, there are two systems of justice here: one for the wealthy, his political cronies and Dick Cheney, while the rest of us poor saps (who pay the taxes that enforce this dual system) are subject to an entirely different one.
Eric A. Arnold, Denver
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