"This bill is like Monty Python's parrot -- it's dead, dead, dead."

So said John Fund of the Wall Street Journal this morning on Laura Ingraham's radio show, thus eliciting a smile from Python fans everywhere as he discussed the Senate immigration bill. Mr. Fund said the way the bill's sponsors tried to "ram it through" without extensive hearings was an "insult," and noted that members of Congress are sure to get an earful of complaints from their constituents during the Memorial Day recess.

Mr. Fund distanced himself from today's Wall Street Journal editorial attacking the Heritage Foundation's Robert Rector, whose economic analysis of the costs of low-skill immigration has helped rally opposition to the Senate bill.

Mr. Rector was also a guest on the Ingraham show. Mr. Rector rebutted the Journal's arguments, which he said don't take account of all the facts -- including the fact that granting legal residency to illegals would make them eligible for Social Security and Medicare, two programs that are already fiscal disasters. He said the United States is engaged in "international welfare outreach," as if a shortage of domestic welfare recipients required the importation of poor foreigners.

As Ralph Hallow reports today, the bill has drawn a harsh reaction from grassroots Republicans -- including those in the home state of supporters Sen. John McCain and Jon Kyl:

Arizona Republican Party officials have received "hundreds and hundreds of calls, e-mails and letters from Republicans angry about the bill," state party Chairman Randy Pullen told The Washington Times.
"They were saying, 'I am going to register independent and not give you any more money' -- and that's the base of our party saying that," Mr. Pullen said.