Border deal falls short -- by design
SAN DIEGO -- What if Republicans played "Let's Make a Deal" on border security, and all they walked away with was a lousy consolation prize?
Maybe a set of steak knives.
That's essentially what happened this week when congressional negotiators announced a compromise that would stave off another government shutdown while also funding increased security on the U.S.-Mexico border -- and avoiding a pointless argument over a border wall.
The deal pledges $1.375 billion for border enhancements like steel-slatted barriers and other "existing technologies" and $1.7 billion for additional security measures and humanitarian aid. The proposed new barriers would account for just 55 miles, which is a far cry from the more than 200 miles the White House sought. And the new fencing is likely to be limited to the portion of the border that cradles Texas.
The East Coast media -- which should be banned from ever discussing immigration because they know so little about it -- was quick to tell the story sunny side up and label the deal a bipartisan compromise.
That's an insult to the concepts of "compromise" and "bipartisanship."
Here is what you need to understand: This was a mugging, pure and simple. The GOP got its pockets picked by the Democrats, who proved once again that they are so much better and more skilled at the game of politics than their counterparts across the aisle.
This isn't news. In 2007, Democrats killed immigration reform and then made it look like Republicans were holding the gun. In 2010, five Senate Democrats voted against cloture and killed the Dream Act, which would have given legal status to undocumented young people and then made it look like Republicans had deep-sixed the measure.
And now, in 2019, after Democrats repeatedly said that they would support more money for border security in the form of new fencing, additional agents and enhanced technology -- as long as not one dollar went to build a wall out of concrete, plexiglass or steel -- that is what this deal from Senate and House negotiators comes down to.
And that's why this is a triple win for Democrats. They got everything they wanted (no second shutdown). They only gave up something they were willing to give up anyway (additional border funding). And, in the process, they didn't have to go along with something they oppose (a wall).
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