David Broder, Democracy, Punditry, Illegal Immigration and "Modern Communications."

There is something about the mindset of people who give advice that when their advice is rejected they pout. That is the nature of newspaper reporters, editors and columnists. The Virginian Pilot is aswim with these specimens. So it must have been like manna from heaven that the “dean” of Washington punditry, David Broder, should weigh in on the immigration bill and its recent demise.

He penned his opposition to the public will with a column entitled “Washington becomes too responsive.” (no link) The thrust of the column was peevishness that Congress listened to the American people and let the bill die.

Ignoring the “sage” advice of their betters in editorial offices, the American people sent a howl of outrage at this monstrosity and despite efforts at artificial resuscitation, and despite an almost miraculous rising from the dead, this Frankenstein monster was defeated - for this time.

But Broder was for it, as was a majority of the Washington establishment which explains the bill’s Perils of Pauline resilience despite virtually unanimous public opposition.

To paraphrase the Supreme Court justice who – with a wave of his hand decreed the deaths of millions of babies - there is a penumbra of an emanation of truth in what Broder has to say. We do not live in a Democracy but in a representative Republic. With good reason. A pure democracy can consist of two wolves and a sheep voting on what’s for dinner. In a Republic our representatives are entitled and empowered make decisions for the good of the nation even if that good may be counter to the temporary wishes of a majority of their constituents.

But Broder and his brothers and sisters in the pundocracy have not adequately addressed the concerns that a vast majority of the people had about the substance of the bill. Even more importantly, they have not even attempted to address the fact that the vast majority of the American people have lost faith in the will of government at all levels – local, state and federal – to address the issue that is the Siamese twin of the immigration bill: the enforcement of border security.

The people are concerned that our officials are not remotely interested in stopping or even slowing the rush of illegal immigrants across our borders. Had they even a mild faith that border enforcement would be coupled to legalization of those illegals already here, the bill may have suffered a kinder reception.

The bottom line for the Broders and the editorial writers at the Virginian Pilot and all the others who write for a living is that if you lie to us often enough, your word and your advice will be ignored by all except the incurably incredulous. And thanks to (as Broder puts it) “modern communications” there is less and less reason to be spoon fed crap by him and his cohorts.

David Broder is 78 years old and for most of his career he has been able to tell us black was white and no one was any the wiser. “Modern communications.” What a wonderful thing.