Not the Key Vote

As everyone knows by now, senators have voted to bring the immigration bill back to the floor. There's a good deal of anger at those who supported such a move -- but it's worth noting that, when it comes to Republicans at least, that anger may be premature.

Take Missouri's senators, for example. Democrat Claire McCaskill voted not to bring back the bill, Republican Kit Bond voted to bring it back for another round of discussion. Why? Because it's worth getting Democrats on the record -- something McCaskill could be forgiven for wanting to avoid. After all, how does it help any Dem to be on record opposing sensible amendments like that offered previously by John Cornyn, which would have barred illegal immigrant felons including child molestors and drunk drivers from obtaining any of the benefits of citizenship?

As noted below, Kit Bond is going to offer an amendment striking the "path to citizenship." If it -- and others -- don't pass, he won't vote for cloture.

The vote to watch isn't the one from this morning -- it's the cloture vote tentatively scheduled for the end of the week. Any Republican who votes for cloture, absent enormous changes and revisions to the bill, should be in trouble. But this morning's vote, to allow the consideration of various amendments, may end up helping Republicans to the extent it highlights how feckless the Democrat party is when it comes to immigration.