Here's the latest update from NumbersUSA on a powerfully effective tool against illegal immigration, the E-Verify program:
If you think that your two phone calls (one to each Senator) can't possibly make a difference, read this:
See? When it comes to contacting your elected reps, you have to think of yourself as a grain of sand. By yourself, there really isn't a whole lot you can accomplish other than providing some irritation in the rep's shoe. But, when millions of grains of sand get thrown at them in a whirlwind of public anger, they have no choice but to listen, or they'll be blown away. That's how it works, and that's the power of our system of government - on an issue that riles up a big chunk of the public, the people still get their way.
NumbersUSA also revealed some of the floor debate on the E-Verify program. Take a look at how this thing played out:
Here's how things work in Washington, D.C. It's crazy to us normal people, but it's also reality, so we need to roll with it:
So, there's the deal. A Democrat is standing in the way of a tremendously effective tool for reducing illegal immigration, and the Republicans are standing up for the American people. Call your Senators with the suggested bullet points above. Let's make this a sandstorm that ends with quick passage of E-Verify.
There's my two cents.
Thank you for your help this summer in trying to save the E-Verify system for keeping illegal aliens out of U.S. jobs. Sen. Sessions made a valiant attempt to carry the ball over the line last Thursday night, but Sen. Menendez blocked him and made it clear that he has every intent to kill E-Verify this week. (See below for more info on this.)
I need help from each one of you TODAY -- especially to pick up the phone and call your two Senators.
202-224-3121
This is the real deal -- a political crisis that will be resolved happily or explode on us by this weekend.
Congress leaves town the end of this week and won't return until after November elections (probably not until January). If the Senate doesn't pass a bill to reauthorize E-Verify this week, the whole system will be forced to close down the first of November.
(AS A REMINDER: E-Verify is the central tool for taking away the job magnet from illegal immigration. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants to kill it so outlaw businesses will have more freedom to hire illegal workers. E-Verify is the on-line system that businesses can type into for each new hire and find out if they are an illegal alien.)
AFRAID TO CALL YOUR SENATOR?
I know that most of you have never done this. But nearly every first time phoner comes back and marvels at how easy it was. You don't have to sound like an expert. You have to sound like yourself -- a concerned citizen of your state with a quick request to make. You don't have to debate or argue. Just quickly state your point, thank the staffer for relaying your message and get off the phone. (Those of you who ARE experts, feel free to debate all you like.)
Please make these points or say something similar:
# Bring H.R. 6633 (to re-authorize the E-Verify system) to a vote immediately.
# Stand against all attempts to link E-Verify with massive increases in foreign workers.
# If the Senate doesn't re-authorize E-Verify this week, it might as well put up signs at the border that all illegal workers are welcome.
If you live in Arizona, Oklahoma, Georgia -- or any other of the places that have started mandating that businesses use E-Verify -- your efforts to combat illegal immigration will be halted.
I need help from each one of you TODAY -- especially to pick up the phone and call your two Senators.
202-224-3121
This is the real deal -- a political crisis that will be resolved happily or explode on us by this weekend.
Congress leaves town the end of this week and won't return until after November elections (probably not until January). If the Senate doesn't pass a bill to reauthorize E-Verify this week, the whole system will be forced to close down the first of November.
(AS A REMINDER: E-Verify is the central tool for taking away the job magnet from illegal immigration. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce wants to kill it so outlaw businesses will have more freedom to hire illegal workers. E-Verify is the on-line system that businesses can type into for each new hire and find out if they are an illegal alien.)
AFRAID TO CALL YOUR SENATOR?
I know that most of you have never done this. But nearly every first time phoner comes back and marvels at how easy it was. You don't have to sound like an expert. You have to sound like yourself -- a concerned citizen of your state with a quick request to make. You don't have to debate or argue. Just quickly state your point, thank the staffer for relaying your message and get off the phone. (Those of you who ARE experts, feel free to debate all you like.)
Please make these points or say something similar:
# Bring H.R. 6633 (to re-authorize the E-Verify system) to a vote immediately.
# Stand against all attempts to link E-Verify with massive increases in foreign workers.
# If the Senate doesn't re-authorize E-Verify this week, it might as well put up signs at the border that all illegal workers are welcome.
If you live in Arizona, Oklahoma, Georgia -- or any other of the places that have started mandating that businesses use E-Verify -- your efforts to combat illegal immigration will be halted.
If you think that your two phone calls (one to each Senator) can't possibly make a difference, read this:
After we told you that some Republican Senate staffers were working with Sen. Menendez (D-N.J.) for massive increases in foreign workers, you hammered Republican offices for not holding the line for a "clean" E-Verify bill.
Your efforts really worked. By the end of the week, Republican Senate staffs were going into negotiations with Democrats and making it clear they were united in opposition to a foreign-worker surge at this time of 5-year-high unemployment and financial industry collapse.
Your efforts really worked. By the end of the week, Republican Senate staffs were going into negotiations with Democrats and making it clear they were united in opposition to a foreign-worker surge at this time of 5-year-high unemployment and financial industry collapse.
See? When it comes to contacting your elected reps, you have to think of yourself as a grain of sand. By yourself, there really isn't a whole lot you can accomplish other than providing some irritation in the rep's shoe. But, when millions of grains of sand get thrown at them in a whirlwind of public anger, they have no choice but to listen, or they'll be blown away. That's how it works, and that's the power of our system of government - on an issue that riles up a big chunk of the public, the people still get their way.
NumbersUSA also revealed some of the floor debate on the E-Verify program. Take a look at how this thing played out:
Thursday night on the floor of the Senate, Sen. Sessions (R-Ala.) tried to "hot-wire" a Senate re-authorization of E-Verify. This is a procedure that if nobody is on the floor to object, you can get a bill through. It is supposed to be for non-controversial bills. Sessions' point was that it shouldn't be controversial to simply continue this proven E-Verify program.
But Sen. Menendez stood up to object, saying that H.R. 6633 (the House-passed re-authorization) was better than the Senate one Sessions was offering.
Sessions then said that was fine and that he was changing and offering H.R. 6633 (the bill NumbersUSA is pushing).
At that, Menendez suddenly turned on the bill he had been extolling and said he wouldn't allow a vote on E-Verify unless the Senate agrees to add another 550,000 permanent greencards to the 1.1 million already slated for next year! He offered his bill with that surge, and Sessions stood firm saying "NO WAY."
This is what we have known from the backrooms for some time, but it is the first time Menendez has exposed himself so clearly and publicly. Now, we know that the New Jersey Democrat is carrying the water for the Chamber of Commerce and its greedy goals of depressing American wages and forcing local communities to subsidize the cheaper foreign labor with huge tax outlays for services for them.
Ironically, the Republicans are now holding firm against the Chamber of Commerce(after some wavering the previous week).
But Sen. Menendez stood up to object, saying that H.R. 6633 (the House-passed re-authorization) was better than the Senate one Sessions was offering.
Sessions then said that was fine and that he was changing and offering H.R. 6633 (the bill NumbersUSA is pushing).
At that, Menendez suddenly turned on the bill he had been extolling and said he wouldn't allow a vote on E-Verify unless the Senate agrees to add another 550,000 permanent greencards to the 1.1 million already slated for next year! He offered his bill with that surge, and Sessions stood firm saying "NO WAY."
This is what we have known from the backrooms for some time, but it is the first time Menendez has exposed himself so clearly and publicly. Now, we know that the New Jersey Democrat is carrying the water for the Chamber of Commerce and its greedy goals of depressing American wages and forcing local communities to subsidize the cheaper foreign labor with huge tax outlays for services for them.
Ironically, the Republicans are now holding firm against the Chamber of Commerce(after some wavering the previous week).
Here's how things work in Washington, D.C. It's crazy to us normal people, but it's also reality, so we need to roll with it:
We feel certain that most Democratic Senators have no stomach for supporting Menendez and the Chamber of Commerce. But thus far, the Democratic Senators have not pressured their Majority Leader Reid (D-Nev.) to roll Menendez.
You see, Reid has two choices:
1. Go around Menendez and bring his filibuster to the Senate floor for a vote. If he does this, there easily will be the 60 votes necessary to stop Menendez' filibuster and allow a vote to pass H.R. 6633. (Reid reportedly doesn't want to do this because he doesn't want to force some of his Democrats to have to go on record just before the election.)
2. Avoid a vote altogether by talking to Menendez privately, persuading him that what he is doing is threatening the reputation of the Democratic Party just before elections and get him to withdraw his "hold" on H.R. 6633. (This way, Reid could then bring H.R. 6633 to the floor in the "hot-wire" fashion which will pass by voice vote.)
Either way, the American worker and public wins.
It is all about Reid doing one of those two things. This is why we want you to put particular pressure on Democratic Senators to put an end to Menendez' shameful grandstanding.
When you call Republicans, thank them for standing firm and ask them to not flinch.
We cannot allow the enemies of America's workers to blackmail us. Even though E-Verify is essential in the fight against illegal immigration, we still have to be willing to let it die this week rather than allow massive increases in permanent foreign workers. The point of E-Verify is to protect American workers -- and communities -- from too many foreign workers. It makes no sense to get E-Verify passed by giving away hundreds of thousands more U.S. jobs to other foreign workers.
Senators and their staffers cannot believe that you are sophisticated and motivated enough to be involved in such a complex backroom power play. Thank you for paying attention and taking action. You are making a real difference. Let's not stop now just before we win.
Our closest allies in the Senate have told us to thank all of you for all that you have done so far and to tell you that they are depending on you to help them win this week.
THANKS,
P.S. By the way, Menendez told a whopper on the Senate floor, insisting that unless the Senate passes his bill (with 550,000 more permanent foreign workers), many spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens won't get into the country.
That is a 100% false statement. His bill has nothing to do with relatives of U.S. citizens, says our Vice President of Government Relations Rosemary Jenks.
You see, Reid has two choices:
1. Go around Menendez and bring his filibuster to the Senate floor for a vote. If he does this, there easily will be the 60 votes necessary to stop Menendez' filibuster and allow a vote to pass H.R. 6633. (Reid reportedly doesn't want to do this because he doesn't want to force some of his Democrats to have to go on record just before the election.)
2. Avoid a vote altogether by talking to Menendez privately, persuading him that what he is doing is threatening the reputation of the Democratic Party just before elections and get him to withdraw his "hold" on H.R. 6633. (This way, Reid could then bring H.R. 6633 to the floor in the "hot-wire" fashion which will pass by voice vote.)
Either way, the American worker and public wins.
It is all about Reid doing one of those two things. This is why we want you to put particular pressure on Democratic Senators to put an end to Menendez' shameful grandstanding.
When you call Republicans, thank them for standing firm and ask them to not flinch.
We cannot allow the enemies of America's workers to blackmail us. Even though E-Verify is essential in the fight against illegal immigration, we still have to be willing to let it die this week rather than allow massive increases in permanent foreign workers. The point of E-Verify is to protect American workers -- and communities -- from too many foreign workers. It makes no sense to get E-Verify passed by giving away hundreds of thousands more U.S. jobs to other foreign workers.
Senators and their staffers cannot believe that you are sophisticated and motivated enough to be involved in such a complex backroom power play. Thank you for paying attention and taking action. You are making a real difference. Let's not stop now just before we win.
Our closest allies in the Senate have told us to thank all of you for all that you have done so far and to tell you that they are depending on you to help them win this week.
THANKS,
P.S. By the way, Menendez told a whopper on the Senate floor, insisting that unless the Senate passes his bill (with 550,000 more permanent foreign workers), many spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens won't get into the country.
That is a 100% false statement. His bill has nothing to do with relatives of U.S. citizens, says our Vice President of Government Relations Rosemary Jenks.
So, there's the deal. A Democrat is standing in the way of a tremendously effective tool for reducing illegal immigration, and the Republicans are standing up for the American people. Call your Senators with the suggested bullet points above. Let's make this a sandstorm that ends with quick passage of E-Verify.
There's my two cents.
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