The U.S. Senate, Forever Worthless, Leaves DREAMers in Limbo

By Dustin Rowles | Politics | February 15, 2018 |

By Dustin Rowles | Politics | February 15, 2018 |

The U.S. Senate took up four bills today, each designed to offer protection to 1.8 million undocumented immigrants, and the Senate failed, four times, to achieve the necessary 60 votes to move ahead. Of the four bills, the one proposed by the White House received the fewest votes, 39. The bipartisan effort actually received 54 votes, but Trump had already announced his intention to veto it, and leaders from both parties ultimately rejected it. That bill would have provided legal status to the 1.8 million undocumented immigrants and it would have given the President $25 billion to put toward The Wall (which was supposed to be paid for by Mexico). However, the money would have been distributed over a decade. The President rejected it, insisting upon immediate disbursement of the $25 billion (knowing, probably, that future Presidents would have put the kibosh on further payments).

With DACA expiring on March 5th, the Senate now goes into recess for a week, which leaves them about a week to figure out things once they return. Fortunately for DREAMers, the decision to end DACA is currently held up in courts and most likely will not be resolved until the summer.

I should reiterate, too, that the worthless Senate is only going to get more worthless. As the country as a whole moves to the left, the future will see us in a position where 70 percent of the country (cities, big states) will be represented by 30 percent of the Senate, while 70 percent of the Senate will be made up of Senators representing 30 percent of the country (small and rural states). So, even if Yara Shahidi is our President in 30 years, bumpkin Senators from Alabama and Arkansas will still be able to prevent her from passing progressive legislation.