Minnesota's Senator Norm Coleman offered a very good amendment to the immigration bill --one which ought to have enjoyed unanimous and instant support given the bill's proclaimed status as a comprehensive overhaul of the immigration law: The amendment would have ended the "sanctuary city" movement which purports to put local governments in opposition to federal mandates on immigration.  If the new law is the solution, that solution should surely include insistence that the federal government's policies would be enforced and obeyed by the state and local authorities.  This is not a federalism issue as the Constitution clearly commits this area of the law to the national government.

Coleman's amendment failed by one vote.  Seven Republicans voted against it.  Really, how the proponents of this bill expect to survive when it cannot even deliver the obvious coherence it promises is a mystery, as are the votes of these seven.  Powerline's John Hinderaker has the names.  You won't be surprised.

Congrats to Coleman for a sound proposal.  Perhaps it will be resurrected further along in the debate as a sign of seriousness on the part of the law's sponsors.