Doesn't Work That Way

     Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, to the U. S. Federal government, over their access to the border: "You don't need to be here."

     Nope.  Exactly backwards.  Whether they are doing a great job or a terrible job of controlling the borders of the U.S., the national border is very much within the purview of the Federal government.  It's a core job of national governments everywhere.  In that part of our country, it has worked that way since 19 February, 1846.  Starting in April of that year, the state government of Texas was damn happy to have Federal troops bleeding and dying on their behalf, and apart from the few years they spent under the ultimately less-sheltering wing of a different federation, that's how it's been.

     It's a bit late to change their minds now.  In fact, there was a war over it.  Texas was on the losing side.

     There's a bill in Congress at present that would give the border hawks everything they've been asking for.  It's got many of the more-liberal Democrats fuming -- and so are the large Trumpian wing of Congressional Republicans.  The Dems are angry because they think it's too harsh.  Mr. Trump's fellow-travelers are not as clear about why they dislike it, but it seems to be based on their presumptive Presidential candidate not liking it: he doesn't want to lose such a great issue to campaign on!

     Yes, there you have it: the fellow who is griping about a flood of informal, illegal and/or refuge-seeking migrants pouring over the border wants them to keep on coming, hurried masses yearning to breathe free,* until the November election.  It's a crisis, he tells the cheering crowds, they've got to be stopped!  --But not quite yet.  At least not for another nine months.

     'Splain me that.  Lt. Gov. Patrick, you can go first.
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* Texas has not yet implemented air tolls for non-residents, though they may be working it.