George Will on Immigration.

This is the first really sensible critique I've read of the current Immigration Bill. True, the crux of the matter was summed up by Ace over a week ago,* but I was skeptical because of what I perceived to be his passion on the subject. (Not that I don't dig Ace, right down to his toes and all that—but I was "filtering" out—semi-consciously—what I felt was a bias on his part.)

If our primary objection to this bill is that spending money on enforcement does not equal success in enforcement, then our focus should not be on bitching and moaning, but rather on asking for increased accountability here, just as many of us do with respect to education.

In other words, we might try analysis rather than drama, and take up the mantra of "enforcement benchmarks" (or, "objective measurements") before this bill gets out of committee.

Or, you know: you can all have it your way, and set yourselves on fire in front of an INS office. I'll be home, drinking a dirty martini and smoking a cigar.

Oh, hey. I didn't mean to be callous. But look, boys and girls: do we want some resources allocated to enforcement? If we do, then keep going. Do not simply have a tantrum and pretend that this bill is a reprise of 1986. Whatever it is, it isn't that, and perfectionism doesn't help in this situation.

"Pessimism of the mind. Optimism of the will."
—Gramsci

(I don't care that he was a commie; I care that he was correct on that little-understood issue.)

Via Mickey Kaus, via Glenn Reynolds.

* I spent a bunch of time looking for Ace's post, but his search function isn't working, and I have a character study to finish before I sleep. So if someone else can find the "enforcement doesn't mean enforcement" post, please throw me the URL via comments or email.