“I was at the Republican convention in Tampa, moving down radio row, being interviewed by radio and talk-show hosts from all over the country. And I found myself groping for analogies to explain my feelings about the predicament the country is in and how we might work our way out of it.” ~ Pat Boone
On immigration, a very complex, sensitive issue, I’ve shared this parable before, but a short version bears repeating in my effort to make the choices clear.
Mr. and Mrs. Middle America wake up one morning to find 16 strangers sitting in the kitchen, waiting for breakfast. They came in through a basement window, and one of them who can speak in broken English explains they came from very poor circumstances and just want to share in the obviously better life of the America family. They offer to do odd jobs in the yard, wash the car, even do some housework – and all they ask is permanent residence, schooling for the nine kids, three square meals a day, medical care when needed, driver’s licenses, credit cards and citizenship IDs.
The stunned America family, compassionate toward the interlopers but knowing they simply cannot afford to do what they ask, call the police – as any of us would. To their further chagrin, they’re told the police have been ordered to just look the other way and not enforce the laws about breaking and entering, home invasion, burglary or private property. When Mr. America demands to know who gave such orders to the police, he finds it’s our own U.S. Justice Department, on even higher orders from the president!
When the outraged homeowner demands an explanation from the president, asking, “Whatever happened to the law and your constitutional duty to preserve and defend our laws?” he gets this response: “Look, I’m the president and you’re not. I can use my executive privilege pretty much how I choose, and I’m doing it. I’m facing a tight re-election, and I’ve got to placate my base voting blocs, like homosexual and abortion activists, all the unions and minorities and peace and pot and green folks. I’m going for every vote I can get, and I’m keeping my security forces close to protect my administration in case the citizens decide to barricade the White House!
“Leave me alone. I’ve got to look out for myself. What if I were to lose this election?”
[…]
