Janet Napolitano to head Department of Homeland Security (?)

According to the Politico (link), Arizona governor Janet Napolitano is going to be selected to head up Obama's Department of Homeland Security. Summary: she will be like Michael Chertoff without the buffoonery, like Julie Myers without the nepotism charge, and like both of them in allowing illegal immigration to continue. She'll probably also be like Chertoff and the other Bush administration hacks who spent taxpayers' time promoting amnesty.

However, expect her to also be sold as "tough, but fair", when "generally supportive of illegal activity" is the more apt charge. See, for example, the Time Magazine excerpt provided at the first link:

The one issue Republicans think they can use against the popular Napolitano is illegal immigration, because the huge number of border crossings have left many Arizonans feeling overwhelmed and powerless. Her critics claim she came to the problem late, but she seems to have navigated it deftly... Napolitano opposed... several bills that targeted illegal immigrants. Instead, she looked to the systems and people that make illegal immigration possible: she ordered state contractors to ensure that their employees are legal [and] set up an undercover unit to catch forgers of identity documents

Other tags: dhs · obama cabinet

Politics · Wed, 11/19/2008 - 23:59 · · Importance: 9