Republican and Conservative political analysis and commentary

Sen. Sam Brownback voted today to move the illegal immigration amnesty bill one step closer to becoming law, but a press release posted on his presidential campaign website, www.brownback.com, insists his vote doesn't mean he's supporting passage of the legislation.

Senator Brownback voted in favor of cloture on the motion to proceed to the immigration bill today.  That means he voted to bring the bill back to the floor for debate and for amendments to be offered. 

This does NOT mean that Senator Brownback supports the immigration bill itself – he feels the bill needs to be improved.

Brownback opposes amnesty, and believes first and foremost in securing our borders and ending illegal immigration. Brownback voted to debate the bill in the Senate but is withholding support for the bill until the amendment process is complete.

It's nice spin, but the legislation needed 60 votes for "cloture," which brings the bill the Senate floor, but it only needs 51 votes to pass the Senate. Brownback can now vote against the final bill if he decides he doesn't like the bill - or that voting for it would harm his slim presidential chances - and claim to have "opposed amnesty" while in fact today he voted for it.

A vote for cloture made amnesty more likely. Given that most Americans oppose the immigration reform bill, Brownback's vote for cloture simultaneously made amnesty for 12 million illegals more likely while making it less likely that he'll win the GOP presidential nomination (if "less likely" is possible for someone who barely registers in most polls).

It's a long way to the 2008 Republican National Convention, but I'm willing to predict we won't be seeing the McCain-Brownback ticket.