All the pieces were in place for Congress to pass a bill that would put the vexing issues of immigration behind the country at last. No, not everybody got what he wanted, but here was a solution all could live with, even thrive on.
For a glorious moment there, it looked as if all it would take was one more good push and the country would make it across the finish line. Perhaps best of all, the Dreamers' dream of following a path to full citizenship would be realized. But then politics, which ought to be the art of the possible, proved the pursuit of the impossible after all.
The essence of this long-elusive deal turned out to be simplicity itself: Millions of once illegal immigrants would get their big chance to come out from the shadows and the president of these not so United States was to get his wall across the country's southern border. The devils--along with the angels--still lurked in the details, but all those loose ends might have been tied up, given enough leaders who had faith in both the legislative process and themselves.
Sen. Charles Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and the very soul of prudence, pointed out that this deal would accomplish his vision of what a system of immigration should be: practical, fair and idealistic. But unsteady as she goes, this dream went. And the good ship Union now has foundered on the political shoals.
A great German statesman named Bismarck once expressed the hope and belief that God looks after fools, drunkards and the United States of America--but he may not have taken the sheer contrariness of American politicians into account. For that was then and now all is in shambles.
Susan Collins, a U.S. senator from the great state of Maine, turns out to have been as misguided as any other prophet in her own country when she said: "I know that the president wants a result, and my experience in the Senate is that you're more likely to be able to get a result when you have a bipartisan plan--and that's what we're seeking." And had almost found as the lions of the U.S. Senate seemed to be lying down with the lambs in pursuit of a unifying goal. Who could have raised any objections to this grand design?
Never fear, for the instinctive aginners we will always have with us, and they've since been heard from all too loud and clear.
To quote the typically constructive remarks of Chairman Grassley: "We shouldn't miss this opportunity. We've got something that ought to get bipartisan support in the Senate. It's got the best chance of getting through the House of Representatives, and it's the only one that you hear talked about that the president will sign." Case closed, or should have been. But once again, reason seems to have fled to brutish beasts and has taken cover in mutual recriminations. For a happy moment, it seemed the time to celebrate had finally come. But now it's come and gone.
Poor Charles Grassley seemed dumbfounded by all the mutual acrimony, to which both of Arkansas' senators contributed. This state's Tom Cotton climbed into the chorus of discontent by attacking those Democrats who had attacked this more than fair compromise: "There's broad agreement about how to solve this problem, but we won't succeed unless the Democrats stop this incessant virtue-signaling and start negotiating in good faith." To quote John Boozman, who'd done more than his part to cause this train wreck: "We all want to resolve the status of DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals] beneficiaries with a long-term fix that ensures we are not right back in this situation again." But, and there's always a but, "That solution must address chain migration and the diversity visa lottery program, while providing our nation with desperately needed common-sense border security." So much for family values.
Also defeated was a bipartisan proposal from Arizona's John McCain and Delaware's Chris Coons that would have given Dreamers secure legal standing and appropriated billions to enhance the country's southern border. Even a plan presented by Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey to blow the whistle on so-called sanctuary cities that refuse to enforce the immigration laws went down in flames. Alas, all these senators have just begun to bicker, and the mutual accusations could continue indefinitely. What a mess, and those who caused it shouldn't be allowed to escape their mutual responsibility for it.
To quote Sen. Lindsey Graham: "There are some crazy people around here." His advice to the president: "Just shut them out. This is the best shot you'll ever get," Graham said. "America is with us, Mr. President. You be with us; we can make this bill better." But that ship may have already sailed, and with it American's last best chance to make government work for all of us. But keep the faith, Gentle Reader, for this, too, shall pass.
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Paul Greenberg is the Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial writer and columnist for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Editorial on 02/21/2018