Why is it so hard for the Obama administration to comprehend the word “illegal”? If the Campaigner-in-Chief can handle a great big word like “redistribution,” what is it about “illegal” that he just can’t get?
As reported by the Heritage Foundation blog The Foundry, last week’s announcement by the Department of Homeland Security would essentially “halt all deportation proceedings against illegal immigrants who are attending school, have family in the military or are primarily responsible for other family members’ care, and allow them to apply for work permits.” Many Americans with some common sense — and respect for this country’s laws—were once again left scratching their heads.
“But they’re still illegal,” hit my email inbox on Friday. “They still broke the law. So why is that okay to President Obama?” wrote a self-proclaimed “moderate.”
It’s okay to our president because it suits his political needs for it to be so. President Obama sees an opportunity to pander to a 2012 voting block. And he’s not wasting any time.
In a statement released in Spanish on barackobama.com on Thursday, National Policy Director Katherine Archuleta wrote that the policy “hará que nuestro sistema de inmigración sea más justo e inteligente” (will make our immigration system more fair and intelligent). Really, Katherine? Rewarding lawbreakers doesn’t sound fair or intelligent to me, but to each her own.
Archuleta added, “Los candidatos a la presidencia republicanos son idénticos a los republicanos en el Congreso que han impedido cambios lógicos en cada oportunidad. En el debate Republicano de la semana pasada en Iowa, los candidatos únicamente hablaron de muros—como si muros más altos y estrechos mágicamente pudieran resolver este problema complejo.” (The Republican presidential candidates are identical to the Republicans in Congress that have prevented logical changes at every opportunity. In the Republican debate last week in Iowa, the candidates only spoke of walls — as if higher and narrower walls could magically solve this complex problem.)
What can you take away from this? Plenty.
First off, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in the Obama administration. It appears that Archuleta has our President’s blame game down to a science. Clearly President Obama’s lack of leadership on immigration is the fault of Republicans! (even though he operated with a Democrat Congress for two years). Clearly Republicans are simply obsessed with walls! (a.k.a. securing the border and upholding the Constitution).
Sometimes you just have to laugh.
Secondly, is this President Obama’s version of outreach to the Hispanic community? Blaming Republicans for upholding our laws? Condoning lawbreaking? Perhaps he should take some time to think about the millions of hard-working Hispanic Americans who reside in this country legally, who enrich our culture and economy, and who have as little patience for lawlessness as I do.
President Obama, real leaders don’t play the blame game; they take responsibility for what they have and haven’t done. Real leaders don’t buck the law; they uphold it.
And real leaders are fired up to challenge you in 2012.
Jedediah Bila is a conservative columnist, television commentator and author of the new book Outnumbered: Chronicles of a Manhattan Conservative. For more information on Jedediah, please visit jedediahbila.com. Follow Jedediah on Twitter.