Senator Hagan, I'm disappointed in your vote

I’m disappointed in our U.S. Senator from North Carolina — Kay Hagan.

Senator Kay Hagan
Senator Kay Hagan

She voted with Republicans to keep the DREAM Act from getting a vote in the Senate, which kills the bill for now.

Even though 55 Senators wanted a vote and would have passed it, a majority is not enough these days.  The filibuster is the norm rather than the exception.

Senator Orin Hatch
Senator Orin Hatch

Even Utah Senator Orin Hatch, who introduced the bill, voted against letting it come to the floor for a vote.

Of course, we all know that expecting integrity from a U.S. Senator, these days, is like looking for a healthy vegetable in a fast food burger.

I don’t have a lot of integrity on this issue myself.  I never emailed my Senator before the vote — and I had every opportunity to do so.  And here I am, blogging about it afterward, when it’s really too late.

It might be a few years until it gets another chance.  The argument against it is that it should be part of comprehensive immigration reform.

Between now and the day it passes, sometime in the future, many good students will be denied the scholarships and fellowships they need to become educated, productive members of society.  They will be denied the opportunity to serve in the military.  And they will be denied the chance to work toward citizenship.

They probably won’t start many businesses, hire people, and buy houses.  That’s the flip side.  The downside.

Since 9/11, the country has become suspicious of immigrants.

The global economy — with much of our manufacturing base gone to overseas lands — has also created resentment of those not born in the U.S.A.

This suspicion and resentment has not done our economy any favors.

Who are the hardest workers?  Immigrants.

Who most wants to live the American Dream, start a business, hire people? An immigrant.

What causes the housing market to grow?  Population growth.

What does our country need now?  New business, hiring, a rebound in the housing sector.

This is not a well-informed blog.  I never took a course in economics — and I don’t pretend to know the facts and figures to back up my argument.

But I’m pretty sure that immigration is part of the solution to our countries economic problems, not the cause.

Senator Hagan, I think I understand you’re vote.  You’re afraid that the anti-immigrant sentiment will hurt you in the next election.  I can’t think of any other reason why you would block the DREAM Act.

And, Senator, I’m disappointed in you.

Dear Senator Bayh,

Dear Senator Bayh,

You say that the Congress is full of good people, but that the ‘system is dysfunctional.

Might I suggest the opposite is true? The system is good and some of the people are dysfunctional.

If your wife works for the health insurance lobby and you stand with her rather than with people in need — then who or what is not functioning?

Senator Evan Bayh
Senator Evan Bayh

If you begin — right after Obama’s election — to throw the Democrats under the bus every chance you get by joining Republicans in speaking trash about programs that are desperately needed by the American people, then who is not functioning?

Were you hoping he would pick you for Vice-President?  Disappointed?  Just asking.

If you raise $13 million for a Senate re-election campaign and then wait until the last second to announce you will not run again, thereby preventing anyone else in your party from preparing for such a campaign, who is not functioning?

The Republicans in Congress appear to be the ones who are not functioning, and you’ve helped them not function. One minute they say what the party tells them to say. Another minute they say what lobbyists tell them to say. One minute they sponsor a bill. The next minute they are against the same bill. One minute they vote against spending and rail against it. The next minute they rejoice in the money it provides. The next minute they rail against it again. One minute they want to help people in their district in hard times. The next minute they vote against health care for all Americans.

The system may need some tweaking, but it’s been around a lot longer than you.  But it’s the current Republican leaders in Congress who have been dysfunctional — INTENTIONALLY!  It is their strategy not to function.  And, like you, they are paid by big business to be dysfunctional.  And you’ve given them a helping hand.

Sam

P.S. I really liked your father.