The GOP played ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ and won a junk prize

SAN DIEGO >> What if Republicans played “Let’s Make a Deal” on border security, and all they walked away with was a lousy set of steak knives?

That’s essentially what happened this week when congressional negotiators announced a compromise that would increase funding for security on the U.S.-Mexico border — and avoid another government shutdown.

The deal pledges $1.375 billion for border enhancements like steelslatted barriers and other “existing technologies” and $1.7 billion for additional security measures and humanitarian aid. The proposed new barriers would account for just 55 miles, a far cry from the 200-plus miles the White House sought, and mostly limited to the portion of the border in Texas.

The East Coast media — which should be banned from ever discussing immigration because they know so little about it — was quick to label the deal a bipartisan compromise.

That’s an insult to the concepts of “compromise” and “bipartisanship.”

This was a mugging, pure and simple. The GOP got its pockets picked by the Democrats, who proved once again they are so much better at the game of politics.

This isn’t news. In 2007, Democrats killed immigration reform and then made it look like Republicans were holding the gun. In 2010, five Senate Democrats voted against closing debate and killed the Dream Act, which would’ve given legal status to undocumented young people and then made it look like Republicans had deep-sixed the measure.

And now, in 2019, after Democrats repeatedly said they’d support more money for border security in the form of new fencing, additional agents and enhanced technology — as long as none went to build a wall out of concrete, plexiglass or steel — that’s what this deal from Senate and House negotiators comes down to.

So it’s a triple win for Democrats. They got everything they wanted (no second shutdown). They only gave up something they were willing to give up anyway (additional border funding). And they didn’t have to agree to something they oppose (a wall).

On top of that, the border deal matches the 2018 funding level, so all the hullabaloo didn’t move the needle one bit. And the barriers enhanced under the plan were built by the Obama administration — which conservatives say pushed for open borders.

It’s no wonder President Trump — who knows a bad deal when he sees one, unless he’s the one inking it — wasn’t pleased with the offer.

“It’s not going to do the trick,” Trump told reporters Tuesday.

Trump’s comrades on conservative talk radio agreed. Still envisioning a 2,000-mile, 20-foothigh concrete border wall, they put Trump on notice. He needs to turn down the deal, they said. Or his presidency is over.

Yet, Trump is stuck between a wall and losing face. He can threaten to sidestep Congress and go with an emergency order.

But who’s he kidding? That’s never going to happen. And Trump doesn’t want to own a border wall that may go overbudget and, even then, doesn’t work because people keep coming.

And come they will until Trump and members of Congress do the only thing that will curb illegal immigration: punish employers. Notice how this little item somehow got left out of the border deal.

Tired of illegal immigrants? Gee, that’s a little ungrateful given all the chores they’ve done for you. Nevertheless, to get rid of them dry up the jobs that lure them here.

Anything else is just political theater, a foolish distraction and a colossal waste of time.

You know, like the Trump presidency itself.