Immigration Bill

One of the big news stories yesterday was the "compromise" on the immigration bill. It didn't look like too much of a compromise to me.

As Republican nutbar Tom Tancredo said (paraphrasing), you can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig, and this compromise is amnesty no matter what else you call it.

For one of the rare occasion, I agree with him.

Bush has cooperated with the Dems to rename and repackage an illegal immigrant amnesty bill. And the Republican right is squealing like pigs (which proves it must be a good thing, eh?). Dems are saying things like "oh well, it's the best we could get" and such statements as that ... lukewarm displeasure. But the Republican right is screaming bloody murder. This looks like a clear victory for Dems to me.

You can read details of the compromise here. I see little to be displeased with. Illegals can get legal by jumping through a few hoops and paying a fine over a reasonable amount of time. And the security measures like building a longer bigger wall, will fail like they always do. The new border security measures will please the minute men for a few minutes but will not be effective due to the miles of economic disparities between the few miles separating Tijuana and San Diego. And in ten years, it'll be time for another amnesty bill!

I'm not positive the bill will easily pass the House. We shall see. Bush is doing what he can to try and have a "signature legacy" other than Iraq. Few people will remember or care about this portion of Bush's legacy in the long run as Iraq will dominate any ink spilled over the boy king (along side of loss of civil liberties). So, good job Dems. You've played this one well and the country will benefit.