Something that's been bothering me for a while.

I'm pretty much convinced Republicans don't really want to solve the illegal immigration issue. They just want another wedge issue to burnish their conservative credentials.

I think we can all agree we need to tighten the borders and prevent more illegal. Or some form of that. I think one important place where the system is borken is that it is much easier for poorly educated workes to sneak in than it is for well educated people to earn their citizenship by the book. It takes years.

But what the Republicans refuse to acknowledge is there are 12 million here already. No amnesty. No plan to send them back. Just keep things the way they are and yell about how there are too many illegals.

Apparently any plan where these 12 million people don't first return to their own country in amnesty. Even if they are required to pay penalties, learn English, etc. Somehow, Republicans love to yell about how they are abusing the system, but show no interest in actually fixing the system.

This really isn't a difficult fix. Tighten the borders. Create a tough but fair path for people to pay penalties and stay or go home. Tighten the laws on the employers that keep illegals employed.

There just isn't the political will to do that.