A Win for Obama!

We have some good news on the immigration front.  The Republicans may not implement their racist profiling law in Arizona.

A U.S. judge on Wednesday blocked key parts of Arizona’s tough new immigration law hours before it was to take effect, handing a victory to the Obama administration as it tries to take control of the issue.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer said she would file an appeal to reinstate the provisions, which had popular support but were opposed by President Barack Obama and immigration and human rights groups.

"This fight is far from over," Brewer said, adding that "at the end of what is certain to be a long legal struggle, Arizona will prevail in its right to protect our citizens."

The Republican-controlled state legislature passed the law three months ago to try to drive nearly half a million illegal immigrants out of Arizona and stem the flow of human and drug smugglers over the border from Mexico.

The provisions blocked by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton included one that required a police officer to determine the immigration status of a person detained or arrested if the officer believed the person was not in the country legally.

Bolton also halted provisions requiring immigrants to carry their papers at all times and making it illegal for people without proper documents to tout for work in public places.

Immigration as an issue has festered in U.S. politics for years and attempts to overhaul the system have failed, most recently in 2007 when Republicans torpedoed reforms pushed by George W. Bush, then the Republican president.

The ruling is a significant victory for Obama, who wants to break the deadlock with Republicans to pass a comprehensive immigration law tightening border security and giving millions of illegal immigrants a shot at legal status — an already difficult task before November’s congressional elections… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Reuters>

I’m quite surprised to hear some in the MSM saying that this decision will be bad for Democrats, because it will energize the Tea Party over Big Government interfering in state issues.  This is not a state issue.  The Constitution, in Article I, Section 8, Clause 4, gives Congress the sole authority to establish immigration and naturalization policy for the entire nation.  It is the Republicans who are interfering with federal issues.  Should we be surprised that Republicans are waving the Constitution, but ignoring what it says?  Considering that Republicans routinely wave the flag and ignore the individual liberty for which it stands, and considering that Republicans regularly wave the Bible and ignore Jesus’ emphasis on care of the poor and outcast, we should not be surprised at all.

Republicans are also screaming about “those activist Democrat judges”, because Susan Bolton was a Clinton appointee.  They are ignominiously failing to disclose that Clinton appointed her at the specific request of Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ).  I so wish I could have seen the look on his face when he learned of her decision.