The Countess of Immigration and Customs

President Bush must be getting light-headed from helicopter ups and downs. That's the only rational explanation for the obviously pneumatic thinking behind the sucking-chest-wound decision to nominate Julie Myers as head of the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Granted, there's little question about her qualifications for the position, but that's primarily because there's not much to speak of. Myers has been a lawyer in various bureaucracies with experience in assisting, serving, managing, and coordinating, but there's no mention of any marquee accomplishments.

And, what about the aroma? No foo-foo could possibly hide the stink of good ole' boy favoritism in Myers' nomination. Her husband is a staffer for Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff, her boss. Uncle Dick is Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Richard Myers. Couple this loud cronyism with Myers' unarmed resume and the future portends more scalding criticism for ICE or worse.

Of course, there's another way of looking at this. With Julie Myers reporting to the tag team of Chertoff and her husband, she'll likely be a compliant and loyal worker bee.

Nevertheless, I'd personally be much more comfortable with a John Wayne type heading up ICE. I've seen John Wayne and, without argument, Julie Myers is no John Wayne. Notably, a posse of bloggers have saddled up to herd their consternation with the nomination of Myers. Digger has a good roundup. Go see what's being said.