I really can't let Rep. James Sensenbrenner's Real ID Act pass without comment. (Sensenbrenner's motto: "Making Wisconsin look good since November 1978.")

The law allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to, um, waive any laws he wants to in the course of a specific duty. Seriously:

Section 102(c) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 … is amended to read as follows:

“(c) Waiver. —

“(1) In general. — Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall have the authority to waive, and shall waive, all laws such Secretary, in such Secretary’s sole discretion, determines necessary to ensure expeditious construction of the barriers and roads under this section.

“(2) No judicial review. — Notwithstanding any other provision of law (statutory or nonstatutory), no court shall have jurisdiction —

“(A) to hear any cause or claim arising from any action undertaken, or any decision made, by the Secretary of Homeland Security pursuant to paragraph (1); or

“(B) to order compensatory, declaratory, injunctive, equitable, or any other relief for damage alleged to arise from any such action or decision.”

Atrios gets the clever prize for this one:

The bad news is that the Bush budget cuts out almost 10,000 border guards.

The *good* news is that pending legislation empowers future DHS Chief Michael Chertoff to murder at will.

Nice.

Maybe you want to write a few newspapers in Sensenbrenner's home district?

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Milwaukee Daily Reporter

West Bend Daily News / Waukesha County Freeman

Oconomowoc Focus

Brookfield News / Germantown Banner Press

And don't forget about Wisconsin's other major papers:

The Capital Times

The Wisconsin State Journal

Appleton Post-Crescent

[Via TAPPED]