It was left to a Republican, state Sen. Tim Corder, to expose the mischief GOP colleagues concocted in legislation to deny public services to anyone unable to prove lawful U.S. residence.
"This bill is going to make a lot of us feel good," said the Mountain Home lawmaker. "But it's not going to address a solution."
Like so much fiery verbiage, Idaho's contribution to the immigration dispute is more rant than reason.
Denying public assistance is a catchall approach. Presumably, aggressive police could, for example, swoop down on picnics in public parks looking for illegal aliens sitting on public grass and therefore be guilty of enjoying "valuable taxpayer dollars" that the bill's sponsor, Republican state Sen. John McGee, of Caldwell, is anguished about protecting.
"Valuable taxpayer dollars"? Immigrants—legal and illegal—pay taxes every day on goods and food. Some of those immigrants' tax dollars unquestionably help compensate tax losses voted by Sen. McGee and other lawmakers in $1.6 billion in tax exemptions for Idaho business and other interests.
But that's not the point.
Instead of joining hands with mean-spirited political extremists who have a distaste for illegal immigrants, Idaho's politicians should work to persuade Congress to join President Bush in creating realistic laws that allow millions of willing immigrant workers to benefit the economy. They should help end the pointless ambitions of xenophobic extremists, such as Colorado's U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, who believe 11 million illegals can be rounded up and sent back across the border.
Why must Idaho politicians add heat rather than light to a major issue?
