You're not helping

Just as they did with gay marriage, San Francisco's political leaders are fouling it up for those of us who support stronger but humane immigration laws, particularly when you consider that the rest of the country seems to be with Pat Buchannan on this issue.

Mayor Fidel, er, Gavin Newsom says his city will defy any new immigration laws, even the compromise legislation crafted by Sens. Ted Kennedy and John McCain.

"San Francisco stands foursquare in strong opposition to the rhetoric coming out of Washington, D.C.," Newsom said. "If people think we were defiant on the gay marriage issue, they haven’t seen defiance."

Thursday’s press conference came shortly after a group of bipartisan U.S. senators announced they reached a compromise on their version of immigration legislation, which would not criminalize illegal immigration or assisting illeglal immigrants.

That bill seems fair enough to me, but once again Newsom has given the far right plenty of fodder. You don't win these battles --- including the gay marriage debate --- by alienating those in the middle.