Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Tell It To The Judge

The Obama administration is now suing to stop [PDF] Arizona's immigration enforcement law, aka SB1070. We knew it would, and unlike a lot of people, I'm fine with that. Here's why:

I remember Doug Llewelyn saying on the first edition of The People's Court: "Don't take the law into your own hands: you take 'em to court." That's where this dispute belongs, in front of a judge, after all the grumbling and boycotts -- real or threatened -- and cable talking heads spouting about a law that hasn't taken effect. Get it into a court, and let's see if it holds Constitutional water. It's a good bet we will see this go all the way to the Supremes. Fine.

If the federal government wants an injunction on SB1070, we also ought to have an injunction on the economic sanctions. Stop hurting the people who have nothing to do with this law. You hate it? Then start funneling money to Arizona Democrats and turn the state blue. Pick the right targets.

Even the Obama administration isn't going along with the boycott. As it sues, it's also giving a $1.45 billion grant to a company which will build a gigantic solar farm in the Arizona desert. We also have the theory that the only bad publicity is no publicity. Some people want to dodge the state. Others are thinking, "Hey, maybe we can get a cheap resort package."

In the meantime, we'll let the courts sort this all out. Then the left or the right can grumble about the results. I'm not making any guesses. I'm not a lawyer, and please don't ask me to play one on TV. All right, maybe a judge, but only on the condition I get to wear the white wig and red robe.

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