Let’s not feel sad, this bill was a disaster and in the end the people’s will reined:

“The comprehensive immigration reform bill that has dodged attacks from the left and right for weeks, survived ‚Äúpoison pill‚Äù amendments, and was once pulled from the Senate schedule failed its most important test Thursday. Passage of the legislation now appears unlikely.

The bipartisan coalition that had shepherded the measure through so many obstacles failed to get the 60 votes necessary to end debate. The final vote was 46-53.

Until Thursday morning, it was unclear whether the bill would survive the cloture vote. But in the end, opponents of the measure from both sides of the political spectrum gained enough support to derail the legislation. Liberals felt it did not go far enough in protecting illegal immigrants, while conservatives rejected the bill because they felt it would grant amnesty to the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the country.

Republican foes of the measure argued that the American public was broadly united in opposition to the bill and had made its views known by flooding Congress with phone calls and e-mails.

“What part of ‘no’ don’t we understand?,” asked Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), who said the immigration fight had “reengaged the American people.”

But Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of the key members of the coalition that crafted the bill, warned his Republican colleagues ahead of the vote.

“Remember this day if you vote ‘no,’” Graham said, adding that this bill would not come back in its current form and it is “as good as it gets.”

Graham’s attitude is part of the problem. A better bill CAN be written once it’s taken out of the back rooms and out into the sunshine. Perhaps now the following nominal measures can take place:

Perhaps now it will…

- Get referred to the appropriate Senate committee which is regular order.

- Recieve hearings in committee and receive the benefit of experts in the field of immigration testifying as to their knowledge of our present immigration system how they believe the system could be fixed.

- Write a bill based on the above and and then continue to consult experts and modify the bill as needed.

Let’s remember that EVERBODY believes that the the current immigration system is broke, were we differ is in the fixing of the current system. Today the American people – not talk radio, or conservative blogs (remember that there were leftist blogs just as passionate about this bill dying), or anything other than the fact that the people got through their elected Senators and let them that they didn’t want this bill passed.