Senate Immigration Bill

(See here) a Washington Post piece that reports the Senate Immigration Bill is stalled and in danger of withering and dieing. Now, even if the Senate is successful in fashioning a compromise, action on this issue in the House of Representatives is going to be difficult to achieve. However, the House is not even going to take up the issue until after the Senate passes legislation. Since I strongly feel that SOMETHING needs to be done about this issue, I am rather frustrated that we can't even get anything out of the Senate. Since I noted that both of my Senators were amongst those who voted against cloture, I felt it would be worth my time to write both of them to encourage them to work towards a compromise.

Here is the identical e-mails I sent to both Senator Warner (Republican) and Senator Webb (Democrat).

Dear Senator,

I am writing to encourage you to work towards some form of compromise on the issue of illegal immigration. It is my understanding that the Senate bill being considered on the issue is in danger of dieing. It is my understanding that you voted against cloture that would have allowed the bill to come up for an up or down vote before the entire Senate.

SOMETHING needs to be done about the illegal immigrant issue. NOTHING that is going to be done is going to satisfy everyone, since this is such a charged issue. However even imperfect action on this issue is better then doing nothing at all. Inaction on this issue is unacceptable.

We have 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants in our nation. Something must be done about it. Since there are extreme positions on both sides of the issue, leadership is going to have to be provided from the center in order to fashion a compromise.

I like to think of you as being in the center. Please work towards compromise legislation so that SOMETHING is done about this issue.

I myself am rather torn on this issue. I realize that a compromise will surely have some aspects that I will not like. However I am willing to hold my nose as long as the Senate is successful in addressing this issue.

Where I am going to be unwilling to hold my nose is if I have to deal with the stench of inaction.