President George Costanza?

President George Costanza?

Commentary by Sanford D. Horn

July 8, 2010

Up is down, in is out, black is white, yes is no – or so it seemed in a Seinfeld episode where perennial loser George Costanza decided to do the opposite of conventional wisdom such as admitting to an attractive woman he was unemployed and living with his parents – and still got the girl.

In two legal matters Barack Obama has not only gone against conventional wisdom, but against popular opinion. On the one hand while Obama is not pursuing charges against the New Black Panthers for voter intimidation in Philadelphia on Election Day 2008, on the other hand, Obama is suing the state of Arizona for simply trying to protect the safety and property of its citizens and legal residents.

Justice is reported to be blind. But is it not supposed to be colorblind as well? When voter intimidation was a violation of civil rights in the South during the Civil Rights Movement, the Justice Department took action – granted, it took nominal action, and often times, far too late at that, but equal justice under the law means just that – and not equal revenge under the laws that are ignored by the same Justice Department.

For the Justice Department, under Attorney General Eric Holder, to not pursue charges of voter intimidation by nightstick wielding members of the New Black Panther party is akin to condoning their actions and tantamount to an endorsement by the Obama Administration. This is a blatant miscarriage of justice that simply must not be tolerated. And it was blatant as the actions of the Black Panthers were captured on videotape with no question as to what occurred on Election Day.

From the injustice to the insanity, the Obama train of legal befuddlement pulled out of Philadelphia and headed west to Arizona with a lawsuit in hand for Governor Jan Brewer, who has more guts and integrity in her little finger than the entire Obama administration.

Contemplate the genesis of this lawsuit: the federal government has a constitutional requirement to protect and defend the borders of the United States from foreign and domestic invasion. With Arizona the kidnap capital of the United States and second only to Mexico City in the world, it is painfully obvious the borders are not secure, no matter what Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says.

Because the federal government refused to do its job of securing the borders, Arizona passed a law, SB 1070 that is actually weaker than the federal statute regarding illegal aliens. Yet all hell has broken loose because the State of Arizona has an expectation that the federal government will actually do its job.

“Federal law would be enough – if it were enforced. We need the federal government to do their job – or if not, Arizona will,” said Brewer. SB 1070 proves the governor’s words were no idle threat.

“We have an obligation to Americans,” said Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce (R), the author of SB 1070. Pearce also noted that it is against the law for sanctuary cities to exist as well, but those continue to be condoned by authorities at the various levels of government with not only no punishment or orders to disband, but at taxpayers’ expense. After all when an illegal alien is given safe harbor, who feeds, clothes and shelters that individual? He or she becomes a de facto ward of the state. They get sick, it’s off to an emergency room, also at taxpayers’ expense. But, I digress.

What is transpiring in these United States is an administration that apparently believes in cherry-picking which laws to follow and which laws to ignore. Justice does not operate via Chinese menu – Mr. Obama. You simply cannot pick one from column “a” and one from column “b” the laws are for everyone and should be enforced.

Here’s a novel approach: prosecute the Black Panthers for breaking the law and stop suing Arizona for passing legislation because you refuse to do your job. If that is too difficult, feel free to tender your resignation and don’t let the door hit you on the tuchus on the way out.

Sanford D. Horn is a writer and political consultant living in Alexandria, VA.

[This column appeared in the Alexandria Times.]