Michael Ramirez on President Bush and Illegal Immigration

Grass Roots Roared and Immigration Plan Collapsed

Organizers described a new Internet-linked national constituency that emerged among Republicans, much like the one that Democrats pioneered during the presidential candidacy in 2004 of Howard Dean. But many of these Republicans are enraged at their party leaders, including Mr. Kyl and Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, who supported the bill, and they feel betrayed by Mr. Bush.

Opposition to the Senate bill brought together many Americans in states where immigration was not traditionally a fervor-inspiring issue, but where illegal immigration has become more visible in recent years.

“Every state is now a border state,” said Susan Tully, the national field director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which has long supported a crackdown on illegal immigration. The bill’s opponents also objected to how it was handled, with the huge measure negotiated behind closed doors between White House and Senate lawmakers, without any hearings or other public input.

“Ordinary people like me rose up and put a stop to it,” said William Murphy, a retired policeman from Evansville, Wis., one of the Grassfire.org volunteers who delivered petitions to his senators. On Thursday before the vote, he said, he put in new calls to 15 senators.

Flap’s best bet is that this bill is ABSOLUTELY DEAD. NO GOP Senator except John McCain will dare raise it again.

And for President Bush?

If W persists in pressing for passage, he may not even be given a courtesy documentary film at the 2008 GOP Presidential nominating committee convention. The Presidential candidates would rather run against him and is administration’s policies.

Yes, the GOP base is THAT UPSET with him.

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