This is a salute to a great American: Harry Joe Hooper.  I found out about Harry in a rather oblique fasion… my Tivo found him.  A random Tivo suggestion grabbed a Trick My Truck episode about a Vietnam Memorial Replica.  I’d never seen the show, but as a fan of the extraordinary, I couldn’t help but watch.

Mr. Hooper served his country in the Korean War as a young man.  After the war, he tended the graves of soldiers as an undertaker in his county.  Now retired, Harry spends his time driving a replica of the vietnam memoral around to different towns to help honor those that served and help his fellow vets find some closure.  I think Harry put it best:

“Well those fellows didn’t get any respect when they came home, it’s the least we can do is show some now.”

This country sure could use a few more men like Harry Hooper.

Mark Steyn of the Chicago Sun Times has an excellent piece on the Z-visas headed our way unless congress stops the mad train its on. It’s a longer article but the humor and sarcasim make it an enjoyable read. The first four paragraphs are below, check the link for the full scoop.

Are you a fine upstanding member of the Undocumented-American community? That’s to say, are you (if you’ll forgive the expression) an illegal immigrant?

Great news! Being illegal is now perfectly legal! Just for being one of the circa 12 million people who shouldn’t be here, you can now be here indefinitely! If you were living and working in America illegally before Jan. 1, 2007, you’re now entitled to one of the new Z-1 “probationary” visas. And your parents and spouses are entitled to one of the new Z-2 visas, and your children to the new Z-3 visas.

Don’t worry: It’s not an “amnesty.” Every politician in America is opposed to amnesty — if not the concept, then at least the word. That’s why the visa starts with the letter that’s furthest away from the one “amnesty” begins with. “Z” stands for zellout . . . no, hang on, zurrender or Zapatista, or some other word way up the other end of the alphabet from “amnesty.” But the point is, at a stroke there will be no more illegal immigrants. Because being illegal means you’re now legal.

Unless, of course, you came to America after Jan. 1, 2007, and thus aren’t covered by the zamnesty. But in that case why not apply for the Z-1 anyway? After all, you’re here illegally so how would U.S. Immigration know when you arrived? Especially with 12-15-20 million urgent applications tossed in on top of what’s already a multi-year backlog. They’re not exactly going to be doing a lot of in-depth background checks, especially not for a visa category whose only entry requirement under U.S. law is that you’ve broken U.S. law when you entered.

• Capitulation, from A—— to Z

Yesterday, the Senate voted for cloture on a motion to bring S. 1348 to the floor for debate without going through a committee process. Approving the motion by a 69-23 margin. The Senate will debate an Amend the bill this week and next. There will then be another cloture vote to end debate and vote on the bill. If 10 “Yea” votes are changed by the next cloture vote this bill will effectively be dead for this session of congress. If not prepare to welcome 20 million new illegals -er- legals to the country.

Here are the Senators that stood with the vast majority of the American people on the cloture vote:

Nay Votes

Allard (R-CO)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bunning (R-KY)
Byrd (D-WV)
Coburn (R-OK)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Enzi (R-WY)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sanders (I-VT)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Sununu (R-NH)
Tester (D-MT)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)

18 Republicans 4 Democrats & 1 Independant. More proof that this is not a party line issue. If anything it seems to be the politicians verses the people. One other interesting bit on the voting was some proof someone up there is looking at the polling data. Check out the number of Presidential hopefuls that neglected to vote:

Not Voting

Biden (D-DE)
Clinton (D-NY)
Dodd (D-CT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kerry (D-MA)
McCain (R-AZ)
Nelson (D-FL)
Obama (D-IL)

• U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes

Monday the 21st could be a historic day in America. It could be the day that the most sweeping immigration bill ever passes. Leading the way for 12-20 MILLION illegals to start the road to becoming US citizens while INCREASING the number of immigrants in this country by as much as 50 million over the next 5 years.

“Comprehensive” immigration reform indeed!

What makes today a day to watch is weither Republicans allow this bill to get through the Sentor’s procedural vote process. This is the area where the Republicans still have great deal of control. As many American’s probably remember from Supreme Court nominations, 60 Senators are required pass procedural hurdles. With Democrats in control of 51 seats (including the two indies that caucus with them), that means 9 Republicans have to agree to bring the bill to the floor for a vote. Since McCain’s name is on the bill we’re really only talking about 8 out 48 Republicans caving.

The sad part is that the underlying motivation seems to be adding the illegals to the voting public along party lines. And both parties seem convinced the citizens will vote with their party. The tragedy is that polls have over 80% of the American people AGAINST this bill. Senators that publicly supported this bill have been “Booed” South Carolina and Georgia. But apparently a crack at 12 million+ new voters is more important than angering the current voters.

Rush Limbaugh said last week that if this bill passes it will destroy the Republicans in the 08 elections. Perhaps job loss fear will steady the Republicans hands if their constituents’ calls and letters won’t.

Don’t worry though, the ARO doesn’t play favorites. We’re watching both the Dems and the Repubs up on the hill and will remind our readers who voted how come ballot time…

• Sen Schumer & Graham on Immigration on FOX News Sunday

* TN Senators Alexander & Corker were not available for comment at the time of this writing

UPDATE: Senator Corker’s office got back to us and promised that the Senator planned to try and block the bill procedurally with a “Nay” cloture vote. And he lived up to that promise.