The Awakening

Jordan Richardson

 This week we learned we mattered. This week we learned that if we express our voice, and consistently pressure our elected representatives to do the right thing, that they will have to listen, and that for them to not do so will mean political disaster for their future campaigns. We, the American people, woke up to the corruption and carelessness that so predominately exists in the hearts and minds of the people who claimed to represent our states. It was retort to the Bush administration, whose push to enact this legislation perturbed even his staunchest supporters. We finally began to understand why limited government is the key to protecting America, and that those who massively expand the entitlement programs are the ones who will ultimately bring our nation to her knees.

It was a hard battle. For several weeks, the American majority put up with attacks on their character and accusations of racism. Polls suggested that 80 percent or more of Americans opposed the legislation proposed, yet still the Senators voted for cloture on Tuesday, by a margin of 64-35. What’s more, there were reports of Senators who turned of their phones and answering machines in a rebuke to the pesky people that they represented. It seemed as if the Washington politicians were quite out of tune with populace and just could not grasp the meaning of the words, "Illegal aliens". This did not impede the American spirit. We decided we would just have to push harder.

Americans made countless phone calls to their elected representatives demanding that they vote no on the amnesty provisions in the immigration bill, and voting against the cloture vote on Thursday. Many called during the weeks of debating the bill, but the remarkable event was right before the vote for cloture on Thursday. So many calls flooded the Capitol switchboard, that it was shut down. Consequently, most of the Republicans who were on the fence about the legislation were compelled to vote with the conscience of the majority of Americans. The final vote on the cloture proposal was 46-53. It was a stunning blow to forces who cried for open borders and amnesty for lawbreakers.

There were heroes in this battle and we will give credit where credit is due. The Senator from the state of Alabama, Jeff Session led the way to inform the politicians and the public about the dangers of this bill. He showed outstanding commitment to this battle and he deserves a salute for his hard work.

Voting with him against the cloture vote that killed the amnesty bill:

Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Bond (R-MO)
Brown (D-OH)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Byrd (D-WV)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Corker (R-TN) Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Grassley (R-IA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Landrieu (D-LA)
McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK) Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sanders (I-VT)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Webb (D-VA)


And, of course, we have the losers in this battle, those who voted for amnesty:


Akaka (D-HI)
Bennett (R-UT)
Biden (D-DE)
Boxer (D-CA)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Conrad (D-ND)
Craig (R-ID)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Graham (R-SC) Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Schumer (D-NY)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)


Let this serve as a reminder to all Americans: we have a voice; we are strong when we pull together. It is our voice that can influence the course of our government if we will only take the time to exercise this liberty.