No immigration bill this year...

As must have been apparent when the House came out with its road show hearings, the New York Times reports that passage of an immigration bill is now highly unlikely.

The fact is, the blame for a lack of an immigration bill lies entirely with the House Republicans, who decided that rather than come up with compromise that would have included additional security while also addressing other issues that pertained to immigration, they would take their ball and go home - then pander to hard-liners on the issue about how they stopped an "amnesty". This was an amnesty that never existed - just as the alleged spending cuts to Medicare that Clinton claimed Republicans wanted in 1995 never existed. They were both lies, and both actions were unsuccessful. Sadly, both seem to have at least temporarily succeeded.

Charlie Norwood let the game slip about those hearings when he threatened a Congressional Research Staffer because she game him information that belied the kind of pandering to the hard-liners on the issue, some of whom are nativists (or worse). His mind on the issue was made up, and he did not wish to be confused by facts.

Americans want officials to provide leadership and to act like adults. This requires maturity. The Republican leadership of the House did not lead. Instead, they abdicated, and rather than force hard-liners like Tom Tancredo to compromise - or at least actually try to force them to defend their obstinacy in public - Hastert instead let Tancredo dictate the House position.

The House Democrats certainly do not deserve power. But the House Republicans don't look much better at this point. Increasingly, I find myself admitting that if asked for a reason to vote for House Republicans, I can only say, "Because the Democrats are worse."