[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Big Idea, No Follow Through

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Big Idea, No Follow Through
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1200858254.shtml


   Remember the Minneapolis Star Tribune's Christmas present to Prime
   Minister Pawlenty, the "analysis" that [1]characterized him as a "man
   of big ideas but little followup"? They listed this (2005/2006):

     Big idea: Proposes broad action to deny services to illegal
     immigrants.
     Result: No significant change in state policy.

   There's more to this story.
   Give him a break, you say? He just [2]signed an executive order on
   this, didn't he? Yes he did, but it was long overdue.
   I'm reorganizing my hard drive, and came across my archive of
   Taxpayer's League Live on KTLK-FM. Someday maybe I'll put together a
   CD or two of "The Best of David Strom: The FM Year" but for now, I
   thought I'd listen to their first show while dragging files into their
   new folders. Less than ten minutes into the show, I heard this:

     David Strom: Let's talk about what is probably the opening shot of
     the Governor's race. In fact, both Mike Hatch and Tim Pawlenty have
     come out with their opening shots this week for their campaign
     themes in the Governor's race. Tim Pawlenty really brought up a
     very interesting topic. He's brought out the illegal immigration
     issue and he's really pushing this very hard and I think he's done
     a brilliant job doing this because he's put his opponents in a box.
     He's talking a really hard core game about going after illegal
     immigration and doing something about it, but there's not one
     proposal that he has in there that isn't absolutely 100 percent
     totally common sensical.
     Margaret Martin: He's really taken on the mayors of both
     Minneapolis and St. Paul, with the attempt to get rid of their
     sanctuary policy about not allowing illegal immigrants to be
     raided, basically allowing them to live there without having to
     worry about being arrested by at least local officials. They can't
     do anything about the INS, obviously.
     David: I just think this is brilliant, though. This is absolutely
     brilliant. There are just not that many people who live in the
     United States of America who think it ought to be the policy of
     local lawmakers to say "you can break this set of laws in our
     territory and do without any fear of repercussions." That's
     essentially what these sancutary laws say. Pawlenty isn't saying
     that he's going to turn the cops in Minneapolis and St. Paul into
     immigration officials. He isn't saying that they're going to be
     required to go out and seek illegal immigrants and try to kick them
     out. All he said is that he does not want any municipalities in the
     State of Minnesota to prevent any law enforcement officials from
     asking about your immigration status.
     Margaret: He also wants law enforcement officials to document
     someone's immigration status at the time of arrest, making that
     part of this process.
     David: Let's say Moussaoui who was here in Eagan, at a flight
     school, [...] gets pulled over for a traffic violation. His visa is
     expired. Why is it a policeman should not even be able to ask about
     that, which is a policy in the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul?
     (Edited for clarity.)

   I had to recheck everything. Maybe it was 2008, not 2006 I was
   listening to. Not, the timestamps check and it's in stereo and the
   Governor's race is on against Mike Hatch. This was broadcast January
   7, 2006.
   At least he signed the Executive Order this time, possibly because of
   the GOP convention coming here this fall.

References

   1. http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1197439118.shtml
   2. http://www.eckernet.com/2008/01/pawlenty_decides_well_enforce_the_law.html#more-1947