There is no question as to Indiana’s conservative nature.
In comparison to Illinois, Michigan and even Kentucky, Indiana politics are as red as red can be.
President Obama unveiled his executive order Nov. 20 that would put off the deportation of immigrants who meet certain criteria.
In a move of typical self-promotion, Gov. Mike Pence has ordered Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller to join a lawsuit against Obama in response to this executive action.
Seventeen other states have sued Obama, including Texas, Mississippi and Alabama.
Attorney General Zoeller refused to pursue the case himself, instead opting to hire outside counsel to sue the president.
This lawsuit is just a continuation of Pence’s possible plan for a presidential run in 2016.
As far as Obama’s action, Pence is supporting a GOP-litmus test designed to weed out candidates soft on illegal immigrants.
Besides serving as a boost to Pence’s presidential campaign, this lawsuit serves as a massive waste of resources and time for Indiana’s state government.
While it is not clear exactly how much Indiana will spend on this lawsuit, any amount of money or time spent helping Pence posture for donors is unacceptable.
In a prepared statement issued by Pence, he said, “While reasonable people can differ on ways to improve our nation’s broken immigration system, the President’s unilateral action was an unacceptable end run around the democratic process, and joining other states in pursuing legal recourse to challenge this action is the right thing to do.”
If Pence wants to improve our country’s broken immigration system so desperately, he ought to seriously consider asking his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate to bring immigration ?reform to the floor.
Bipartisan immigration bills are awaiting floor debate and votes.
In all actuality, however, Pence won’t stand up to GOP leadership in Congress because he wants and needs two things to run for president in 2016 — money ?and volunteers.
It is imperative that Pence work toward passing bipartisan immigration reform instead of hiding behind a farce of a lawsuit.
By promoting this lawsuit, he is doing nothing but promoting the same petty, broken political system we’ve come to know.
And with issues such as education, health care and infrastructure facing our state and citizens, our resources can be better served helping our people.
Having a strong education system, functional infrastructure and a comprehensive health care system ought to be the litmus test for a presidential run, not petty, obstructionist beliefs.
We believe that Obama — whose executive order is, in our minds, for the betterment of our nation — is moving us in the right direction.
Indiana stands nothing to gain from suing the president.
Besides proving how conservative Indiana is, this lawsuit is just a waste of money, resources and time.
We deserve better leadership than this.
