Republicans still trying to figure out what to do on immigration reform

All sorts of stories today about the Republican divisions that are preventing the nation from moving ahead on immigration reform.  We wrote about our disapointment with the President last Friday, and are glad to see him putting his head down and trying to bring his Party along.  But the quotes in this Post story from the GOP resisters - DeMint, Sessions and co - are not encouraging.....

And in the Times today, Sec. Chertoff seems to warm to the idea of adding a "touchback" provision for the undocumented immigrants to apply for their "Z" visa.  Talk like this needs to end.  Despite winning the elections and winning this debate with the American people, Democrats have bent over backwards to accomodate a rash of new and sometimes crazy demands from the GOP (the two year guest worker model, and the point system among them).  Senators Kennedy and his team have demonstrated a tremendous willingness to deal, to bring a reluctant GOP along even when the country and common sense doesn't support it.  Harry Reid was correct last week to declare "enough."  The slew of GOP amendments being offered on the floor - when they were in fact offered - were making the bill worse, and in some cases, just plain stupid.  The process was out of control and needed to be stopped. 

Democrats have given as much ground as they can and should give.  Senator Kennedy needs to shut down talk of things like making 12 million go back to home their countries to apply for their visas.   It is impractical, we do not have the infrastructure to pull it off, and it will lead to most of the undocumented immigrants just staying put, defeating the main reason for this reform.  If the bill comes back up next week, as we hope it will, it cannot contain any new concessions by Senator Kennedy, and the GOP needs to be told clearly what kind of amendments are permissible.  A bright line needs to be drawn, and if crossed, Senator Reid needs to once again pull the bill. 

The behavior of the Republican Party these last two years on this issue has been shameful.  I applaud the President for stepping in, but as Yoda said: "Do or not do. There is no try."  It is about getting this thing done now, Mr. President.  It is not about looking good trying.