Immigration Bill On Life Support

Lost amid the Paris Hilton news this weekend is the apparent failure in the Senate of the new immigration bill. I expected as much but I thought it would take longer. The bill was doomed from the start, in my opinion. In crafting a "comprehensive" solution, the authors put in something for everyone to like. This means there was also something for everyone not to like.

If our political heroes actually want to get something done - which is doubtful - the better idea would be to take an incremental approach. Find a few minor points everyone can agree on and pass them into law. Do what you can instead of insisting on this all-or-nothing deal.

Meanwhile President Bush seems once again unable to know when to give up. He's still pushing Senators to change their minds and is planning a rare personal visit to Capitol Hill next week to twist some arms. I predict Bush will accomplishment nothing except to make himself look even more irrelevant than he already does. Even if he succeeds in getting this bill through the Senate, the chance of it getting through the House is close to zero.