SUING AMERICAN - Obama Has Nothing Better to Do?

Suing America

Posted 07/12/2010 08:07 PM ET


Illegal Immigration: Democratic governors warn of an apocalyptic November if the administration pursues its war on Arizona. They fear defeat by people who want jobs, not "comprehensive immigration reform."

The main topics at the National Governors Association's summer meeting were supposed to be jobs and the economy. Instead, the buzz was about immigration and the political consequences of Washington's mindless suing of a sovereign state for daring to enforce federal immigration law.

"Universally the governors are saying, 'We've got to talk about jobs,'" Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, said. "And all of a sudden we have immigration going on." He added, "It is such a toxic subject, such an important time for Democrats." It's no time, they feel, to be suing Arizona for protecting its border with Mexico and its citizens from drug cartels, things most Americans support.

"I might have chosen both a different tack and a different time," said Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter, another Democrat who saw the political writing on the wall and opted not to seek re-election. "This is an issue that divides us politically, and I'm hopeful their strategy doesn't do that in a way that makes it more difficult for candidates to get elected, particularly in the West."

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson defended the Justice Department's lawsuit and admitted its political motivation. "Policywise it makes sense," says the term-limited Democrat, "and Obama is popular with Hispanic voters, and this is going to ... move them nationally."

Actually, it makes no sense, politically or legally, not when the El Paso City Hall gets shot up and Arizona ranchers get killed in a flood of illegal aliens and drug cartels battling for turf. Americans want jobs and their borders secured. They don't want to get shot at in the unemployment line.

We've said the push for de facto amnesty is motivated in part by a desire for a vast new bloc of Democratic votes. The joke in some Washington circles is that the phrase "illegal aliens" has been replaced in the administration by "undocumented Democrats."

As it is, Eric Ostermeier over at Smart Politics says the orientation committee at the Republican Governors Association may be very busy soon. The University of Minnesota scholar finds that "Republicans are poised to win more gubernatorial seats in 2010 than they have in any election cycle over the past 90 years."

The mystery here is why the federal government isn't also suing the state of Rhode Island. Its immigration policy is identical to Arizona's and was not enacted through legislation like SB1070, but via an executive order by Gov. Donald Carcieri, a Republican.

In 2009, Col. Brendan Doherty, commander of the Rhode Island police, took it a step further and enrolled in the federal 287(g) program. This is the same program Arizona is enrolled in.

So when President Obama's Justice Department sues Arizona, he is really suing America and the American people. "I'd be willing to bet a lot of money that almost every state in America next January is going to see a bill similar to Arizona's," said Republican Gov. Dave Heineman of Nebraska.

And a lot more