For an interesting article about the "busy schedules" of Congress vis-a-vis Immigration Reform see the following article:

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2009/06/25/20090625congress0625.html.

Last I checked, there were 435 Representatives and 100 Senators.   Between them, they probably have thousands of legislative aides.  They have, allegedly, three legislative priorities: 1.  Health Care Reform, 2. Climate Change, and Immigration Reform (with Sotomayor's confirmation thrown in the mix (of course, this last item is only for the Senate)).  That's a lot to do, but there appears to be a lot of people to spread that work around, and, besides, that's why they're paid the big bucks, right?

While, admittedly, that appears to be a full plate, well, I guess no sympathy comes from me.  We didn't just elect these people to lounge around in golf clubs schmoozing with lobbyists and campaign donors.  We elected them to do the supremely difficult job of governing our vast and complicated country.  It's a hard job.  Guess what?  They knew, or should have known, that coming in.  If they have to work long days and nights until their Christmas break (what non-teacher adult gets Christmas break anyway?), then so be it.  By the way, the House apparently adjourns for their "Christmas Break" on October 30. Yeah, I know.  What?

In the meantime, our border is insecure.  Millions of immigrants are in the U.S. unlawfully.  Families are being torn apart.  Children are being raised in far less than optimal circumstances (either here in the U.S. or elsewhere).  The steady stream of deportees are being replaced in this country with some of those same deportees, as well as new undocumented immigrants.  Detention facilities are filling up, at an alarming rate, with both criminal and non-criminal detainees.  Here's a news flash:  it's not getting better.  This country's immigration system is hurting this country.

I appreciate Obama including immigration as a top three priority, but where is it said that three action items for one year is too much?  Has the law of diminished expectations really brought us down this low?  Today, June 25, 2009, Obama will meet Congressmen and women at the White House to discuss Immigration Reform.  Sen. Schumer of New York already has a basic outline of a plan in mind.  The Senate Majority Leader, Reid, believes he has the votes in the Senate to pass Immigration Reform right now.

Come on Government.  Surprise us for once and show us that the Government can take on a controversial topic and do the right thing for America instead of constantly kowtowing to a poll (which, incidentally, appear to suggest that the majority of Americans favor an immigration reform package which includes a legalization pathway).  

Stop hiding behind the excuse of "Oh, we're so busy" and get to work! 

Dan Ballecer (@dballecer on Twitter).