Easy Come, Easy Go

It was a comforting impression – while it lasted.

After his actions in declaring a state of emergency in four border counties last week, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson had managed to position himself as a credible voice on the issue of illegal immigration as it relates to national security. Given his presidential aspirations, it appeared that he had scored a major victory in getting out in front of an issue that will surely play a prominent role in the 2008 campaign.

What was especially notable about all this was the fact that this is a Democrat Governor who seemed prepared to take decisive action to deal with a national security issue that most Americans agree has not been dealt with decisively enough. Given that the issue of national security has been one of the Democrats’ greatest weaknesses in the past few election cycles, for a member of the minority party to signal that he was willing to take the lead on this issue could have signaled a seismic change in the political landscape in coming years.

However, the governor gave solid evidence that, like most other members of his party, he is willing to let political correctness play an inordinately large role in his assessment of how to deal with such a serious problem. Speaking this past Sunday on ABC, Mr. Richardson voiced his opposition to the idea, that some are promoting, that a border fence be constructed along America’s southern boundary.

“A fence at the border is not going to work because, first of all, they’re easily porous, and that sends a message that America is a nation that is not valuing immigrants,” the Democrat told George Stephanopolous.

Leaving aside the bizarre notion that a fence is the wrong idea because it is “easily porous” – More porous than the border is at present? – Mr. Richardson’s comment on the message it sends regarding America’s attitude toward immigrants is so logically flawed that it is almost unreasonable to attribute it to anything other than political correctness, and the desire to stay on the “good side” of certain interest groups.

To say that constructing a fence to keep out illegal immigrants sends a signal that America is anti-immigrant is like saying that putting an alarm system in a store for when it is closed is a signal that the store is anti-customers. And it begs the question of whether the governor’s own idea – to add 10,000 border agents with the latest technologies to keep illegals out, an idea that is not without merit – is anti-immigrant as well. After all, isn’t the purpose behind both proposals the same?

Even the boldest-sounding assertion of principle will do little to enhance the electoral aspirations of an individual if the assertion is perceived by the public to be mere window-dressing. And Governor Richardson’s strange response to the “border fence proposal” certainly gives the impression that his earlier statements were just that. It’s actually quite remarkable to see how quickly he went from looking presidential, and above the pratfalls of petty politics, to looking like just another liberal who wants to create the proper impression of being more credible on national security than he really is. And such is the impression of anyone whose statements reveal an obvious greater level of concern over how their policies will be received by the “right groups” than with whether the policies will actually work. One may have valid reasons for opposing a particular solution to a given problem. Unfortunately for Bill Richardson, the reason he gave doesn’t fit into that category.

And yet, Republicans need to take note that those in their own party with the power to do so haven’t even tried particularly hard to create the impression that Governor Richardson tried to create. The failure of the opposition party to come up with a solution, and the intestinal fortitude to actually press forward with it, doesn’t absolve the majority of their responsibility as the party in power to do more. Granted, creating an impression with no substance behind it is of little use, but it is of no less use than not even trying to create the impression. And maybe that’s something all Americans, of every political stripe, can think about the next time they see an 80-year-old grandmother patted down at the airport.