There are also very nice restaurants at the Eldorado Hotel (The Old House – 505-995-4530 for reservations) and the Inn of the Anasazi (Anasazi – (800) 688-8100 for reservations).

If you’re looking for really good food, but want something casual, there is a great barbeque place in Santa Fe called The Whole Hog. I highly recommend it as well.

We ought to be arresting those who steal the identity of others. That ought to be a huge law enforcement priority in this country. I have no argument with you there.

But I also don’t believe that we are going to arrest our way out of the illegal immigration problem. And if we are going to try to arrest our way out of this problem then we ought to have at least thought through the consequences for our communities.

If you take identity theft off the table and just look at the issue of illegal immigration then I’d offer you this analogy.

I break the law every day. Every single day I leave my house, get in my mini-van and drive at speeds that are consistently 5 to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. Why don’t I drive faster? Because I know that there are very few places in this country where the cops will bust you for going just a little above the posted speed limit. The funny thing is that I’ve passed cops on the highway who were driving the 65 mph speed limit while I had my cruise control set at 72. They didn’t bust me!

I think it is foolish to expect that mass arrests and deportations of those who came here illegally but are otherwise living lawfully will do anyone any good. For now, I’m content letting those individuals continue to live their lives here.

I think Bush is close to right on this issue. Let’s hope he can sit down with Nancy Pelosi and get something done soon.

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On a completely different topic, I’m having dinner in Santa Fe Tuesday night. Do you have any good restaurant recommendations?

In the world we have, there are laws that exist, and have existed, and the people involved here are violating the laws. If you believe that Congress enacts laws based on the will of the people, then you have to accept that the will of the people is to make such acts criminal (until that law changes).

That is especially true if, as the article suggests, the raids were conducted at least partially because of identity theft perpetrated against law abiding citizens in furtherance of criminal violations of our immigration laws.

If 10% of a town is living in violation of the law, and that fact is well known, it is absolutely inexcusable that it was allowed to get to that point.

Surely you do not believe that those who have been the victims of identity theft by someone wanting to stay in the country illegally should simply accept the crime against them because someone in Minnesota might be financially impacted if we round the criminals up and deport them. Right?

These raids indicate two things – first, our immigration system is totally broken down (which we all know) and second, people are willing to tolerate crime if it is advantageous to them to do so.

That says a lot about the “nuance” of human nature.

What’s interesting is that estimates are that about 10% of Worthington’s population are illegal. What happens to the economy of that town if you lock up all 10%? Or even half of the 10%?

You can read about Worthington in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune at http://www.startribune.com/462/story/874641.html.

I think the immigration issue is much more nuanced than your post allows.