The news that California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez (D-Los Angeles) continues to urge Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to declare a border emergency is good for three reasons and bad for one.

[“Governor Urged to Call Border Emergency,” Nancy Vogel, Los Angeles Times, August 26, 2005]

First, something positive might actually get done about illegal immigration in California. Schwarzenegger insists that there is no “emergency.” But anyone with eyes in his head can see that the state is buckling under the weight of illegal aliens.

Second, Nunez’s support for strong steps to control illegal immigration is a move in the right direction toward building a Republican-Democrat coalition that will ultimately make it impossible for one party to charge the other with “politicizing” the issue.

Third, with Arizona and New Mexico on record that their states are in an emergency and with California and Texas approaching a similar announcement, those of us who have predicted for decades that illegal immigration would ultimately end in social chaos and financial crisis are publicly vindicated.

But on the down side, Nunez’s coming out included a trip to Mexico for a meeting with President Vicente Fox.

But why? We already know what Fox wants… a “migratory” accord! And why should we care what he thinks anyway?

Must the taxpayers foot Nunez’s traveling expenses just to give Fox the opportunity to pontificate again?