Needs Action Today: DREAM, House Appropriations

These two items really need some action as soon as possible today.

DREAM Act, part...uh...whatever

No matter how many times amnesty fails to be popular with the American people, Congress keeps trying to shove it down our throats.  But, as is depressingly usual with these people, it gets worse than simply granting amnesty in order to buy votes in future elections.  Roy Beck at NumbersUSA:

When the House and Senate (presumably) vote this afternoon, I think it is important to frame the issue in terms of giving out millions of additional 10-year work permits.

You see, even people who don't qualify in the first place or who do qualify for the provisional amnesty but never meet the educational criteria later — all of them can get a 10-year work permit from the start.

Here's the way it would work under the latest DREAM amnesty bill introduced in the Senate (and coming up for a vote today):

THE 10-YEAR WORK PERMITS FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT QUALIFY

1. Application: The DREAM amnesty begins with illegal aliens filling out applications. They merely have to claim — not provide evidence — that they meet criteria of having been brought to the U.S. before age 16 and being under the age of 30 at time of enactment and being present in the U.S. at least 5 years before enactment of the amnesty, among other criteria.

2. Work Permits Given: Upon filing the application, the illegal aliens are given a 10-year work permit to compete directly with the 22 million Americans who want a full-time job but can't find one.

Estimates suggest that up to 2 million illegal aliens could legitimately qualify for the opening application, and perhaps a couple million more might be or look young enough to fraudulantly apply.

Those millions would immediately be able to legally compete for any U.S. job…

Show of hands from everyone who thinks this is a good idea right now, during the current economic situation (i.e. 10% unemployment)?

[crickets chirping]

That's what I thought.

Michelle Malkin suggests phone calls to the following fence-sitters:

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN 202-224-2235; 480-897-6289

SEN. OLYMPIA SNOWE 202-224-5344; 207-874-0883

SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI 202-224-6665; 907-271-3735

SEN. SUSAN COLLINS 202-224-2523; 207-945-0417

SEN. SAM BROWNBACK 202-224-6521; 785-233-2503

Yes, that would be Sam Brownback of Kansas.  Pick up the phone.  The vote is expected to take place this afternoon, so the clock is ticking.

Did we vote for change in Congress, or what?

RedState sounds the warning on hypocrisy in the new Republican House leadership:

Did you show up at the polls on November 2nd for nothing? It seems that way. The House Republican Leadership has decided to put Jeff Flake (R-AZ) on the Appropriations Committee and that's pretty much it. They are sending a signal to the tea party movement that this is all they'll get.

John Boehner and Eric Cantor want Hal Rogers of Kentucky to serve as Appropriations Chairman. Hal Rogers is a big spending porker who has been a champion of earmarks. So brazen in his lust for your money, Rogers wants to put a Lockheed Martin lobbyist in as staff director for the Appropriations Committee — a lobbyist in charge of doling out the dollars.

But the fight is not over. Today the House GOP must ratify the leadership's decisions and we can still get Jack Kingston into the Chairman's chair. Go to our action center and fight to stop this. Call your Republican Congressman this morning. Tell him to support Jack Kingston as Appropriations Chairman.

Stand up to John Boehner and Eric Cantor. Fight for your principles.

CALL YOUR REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN THIS MORNING.

THE VOTE WILL BE TODAY.

If you believe the GOP must change their ways, you must then fight against Hal Rogers's appointment and support Jack Kingston instead. This fight is too important. We must rebuke House Republican Leaders and compel them to do the right thing.

This is why I'm always -- ALWAYS -- skeptical of Republicans who have a history of RINOism but say they have suddenly seen the light.  They are a rabid bunch of hypocrites who seek primarily to enhance and preserve their own wealth and power rather than to represent their constituents, and need to be thrown out right alongside the socialist Democrats who have been systematically undermining this nation.  Stupidity like this is what really infuriates me about Washington and makes me wonder if there is any hope at all for the future of this nation.  If one party is a bunch of Euro-socialists and the other party is a bunch of spineless hypocrites, what have we got left?  God help us!  Anyway, this is why I say that the safe vote is almost always to get rid of the incumbent.

Dial the phone.