- After overwhelming passage of the federal anti-hate bill
in the House on May 3, 2007, it seemed the Senate version, S. 1105, would
as quickly move forward to a vote. Yet S. 1105 has been held back in the
Senate Judiciary Committee by other legislative priorities, including difficult
issues of immigration, war in Iraq, etc. Very probably, the delay is also
due to the need of organized national Jewry to mobilize pressure on President
Bush not to veto it. (See, <http://www.truthtellers.org/alerts/jewspressurebush.html>Jews
Pressure Bush to Sign Hate Bill)
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- What's next? Yesterday I put that question
to staffers of Senators Kennedy and Smith, the bill's sponsors.
-
- Kennedy's office told me they intend to move
the hate bill out of Judiciary and onto the floor of the Senate as soon
as possible. Their spokesperson claimed they have the necessary 60 votes
for passage. Smith's office agreed that, although the bill is under the
cloud of a threatened Presidential veto, it is straightforward legislation
that is not being held back by that threat but will move forward rapidly
as soon as space in the docket allows.
-
- Smith's spokesperson indicated that criticism
of the bill as a threat to free speech has been severe but that such objections
have been neutralized by an amendment to it which stipulates that nothing
in the hate bill could ever threaten guarantees of free speech. This source
indicated that a filibuster from the Republicans is expected but voiced
the hope that the pro-hate bill majority could invoke cloture. This would
limit further debate and pass the bill with only the 51 votes necessary
under the cloture rule.
-
- I was also informed that hate bill leaders
do not want Judiciary hearings, claiming that hearings in previous sessions
of Congress adequately explored and dismissed possible dangers of the hate
bill. Clearly, the pro-hate bill forces are afraid of a repeat of the drama
and polarization which happened in the House Judiciary Committee earlier.
-
- What if the hate bill passes in the Senate,
yet is vetoed by President Bush? These spokesmen told me emphatically that
the hate bill would be immediately referred back to the House and Senate
and a concerted effort made to pass it by a two-thirds majority, overcoming
the Presidential veto. If that fails, I was told, overtures by Smith,
Kennedy, and others to the President will be proposed in an effort to craft
a compromised hate bill. Senator Smith's staffer was very familiar with
Pres. Bush's first-term promise to pass a "modified" hate bill.
In case of veto, this is a light at the end of the tunnel for the pro-hate
bill forces.
-
- My conversations with these staffers indicate
that the federal hate bill could spring to life at any time and move forward
very rapidly, perhaps as a rider to larger "must pass" legislation.
Be assured that when it comes out of Judiciary, headed for a vote in the
Senate, it will only be because its backers are confident they have the
votes to pass it. When that happens, lovers of truth and free speech must
be just as instant to bombard members of the Senate with protests more
intense than ever. The National Prayer Network will remain on guard and
alert you as soon as this need arises.
-
- Until that time, it is an excellent use of
your time to keep calling, first the members of the Senate from your district
and state but also all Senators who might possibly be dissuaded from support
of the hate bill. These are listed at <http://www.truthtellers.org/actionplan.html>here
at truthtellers.org.
-
- The issue of immigration amnesty has inspired
an avalanche of protest from heartland America, protest which seems to
have resulted in another victory for America. Yet, we must not forget the
hate bill threat. Let your senators know that you are deeply concerned
and that if they vote for it you and your friends will never vote for them
again and will do everything in your power to make sure they never return
to Congress.
-
- When the people get angry enough, politicians
will learn there's a new kind of survivor on Capitol Hill, not one who
cuts backroom deals with pressure groups like ADL but one who listens to
the will of the constituents and does what they say.
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