It is all politics all the time and principles be damned

Oh, please, don’t even pretend this is about principles. It is politics, pure and simple.

Nevada’s Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford has joined the Democratic AGs in 15 other states to sue the Trump administration over his decision to declare an emergency to fund the building of more than 200 miles of border barrier after Congress refused to do so.

“President Trump cannot sidestep our Constitution for a political ploy,” Ford was quoted as saying by the Las Vegas newspaper. “The Trump Administration’s proposed diversion of funds would waste billions of dollars that is dedicated to supporting our military and law enforcement agencies. I am proud to join this lawsuit to defend our Constitution, our state’s military bases, and Nevada’s law enforcement agencies.”

Does anyone think any of these politicians would have sued after Obama issued an executive order creating the DACA program for illegal immigrants brought into the country as children after Congress repeatedly refused to authorize it?

Of course, Republican Attorney General Adam Laxalt did join other states in suing the Obama administration over DACA. He said in a press release at the time, “Our immigration system is broken and clearly needs to be fixed. But just as clearly, the solution is not for the president to act unilaterally disregarding the U.S. Constitution and laws. The solution must be a permanent, legal result that includes, not ignores, the other branches of government and their constitutional roles. Anything less is a false hope undermining the rule of law that injures millions of people in America, including many in Nevada.”

At least Trump has the National Emergencies Act of 1976 to hang his constitutional hat on. That act by Congress — probably unconstitutionally allows Congress to shirk its duties to hold the nation’s purse strings — grants the president the power to declare emergencies to cover the expense.

There are no principles any more. It is all about politics.

A woman walks near the border fence on the ocean between Tijuana and San Diego. (AP pix)

 

Trump spokesman says wall will be built

The border wall. (Getty Images)

Though President Trump is waffling on what to do about Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive order (DACA or Dreamers), he appears to be moving forward with executive orders to build the wall that Mexico will pay for and end Obama’s catch and release practice for illegal immigrants caught at the border. According to spokesman Sean Spicer in a press conference this morning.

Trump is expected to use the Secure Fence Act of 2006 as the congressional basis for funding the wall.

Spicer said the administration would look into ways to strip sanctuary cities of federal funding. He also said immigration laws will be enforced.

Trump is heading to the Department of Homeland Security.

Spicer said this morning again that the priority is to deport criminal aliens and the administration would try to be compassionate with the Dreamers.