Despite millions of gallons of blood spilled in the “War to End all Wars” AKA World War I, few political quotes of that war have survived to this day with one giant exception;

            “War is much too serious a matter to entrust to military men…” was French Premier George Clemenceau’s contribution to Western governance.

            American immigration policy is 2011’s equivalent of World War I in seriousness. The failed Dream Act and Senator-elect Marco Rubio’s serious message to fellow Republicans – “Second Chance” come to mind as examples of today’s seriousness.

            The Dream Act would have allowed illegally present aliens to legalize if they were brought to the United States before 16-years-of-age and if they fulfilled other criteria. It passed in the House of Representatives; it failed in the U.S. Senate by five Democratic votes.

            The other criteria: no criminal convictions and certificates of attendance of at least two years of college or two years of military service.

            Three Republican senators voted for it and would have provided the margin of victory (on closing debate, which precedes a vote on the bill itself) if five Democratic Senators hadn’t betrayed their own party by voting against it.

            Many Dream Act critics used “too generous” Act terms and conditions as their excuse to oppose passage. If only, they cry, the Act’s details were written “tighter” they could support it.

            With the defeat of the Dream Act any immigration reform in 2010 died, two years after President Obama promised that he would offer, push and win on Comprehensive Immigration Reform. American immigration law and policy continues to fester in the proverbial toilet.

            Projections that a newly elected and more conservative Congress will ignore immigration reform in favor of more stringent immigration “enforcement” fits the agenda of racist Congress people like Louisiana Senator David Vitter, Alabama’s Senator Jeff Sessions, Representative Steve King of Iowa and former congressman Tom Tancredo of Colorado.

            It is this kind of American that motivated George Clemenceau to wrongly state: “America is the only nation in history which miraculously has gone directly from barbarism to degeneration without the usual interval of civilization.”

            If Vitters, Sessions’, King and Tancredo’s goal is to destroy the Republican Party their opposition to the Dream Act makes their goal more achievable by the minute. Tancredo’s minor party run for Colorado Governor is proof of this goal.

            If, however, we are to believe Florida’s Senator-elect Marco Rubio in his belief that Republicans were granted a “second chance” by November’s voters and the grace of God (who everyone knows is a Republican) then Republican Rubio must step forward to save Republicans from themselves.

            George Clemenceau: “A man who waits to believe in action before acting is anything you like, but he’s not a man of action. You must act as you breathe.”

            Marco Rubio can save the Republican Party by calling a summit on immigration to draft a new Dream Act, a Republican Dream Act designed to win passage in the new House and Senate.

            He needs to invite Florida Republican congress people, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Mario Diaz-Balart and David Rivera (Cuban Americans from refugee immigrant families); Washington State’s newly elected Jaime Herrera, Idaho’s newest congressman Raul Labrador and new Texas congressmen, Bill Flores and Quico Canseco (all Mexican Americans and Republicans).

            To add gravitas and luster to this summit Rubio needs to invite newly elected Nevada and New Mexico governors, Brian Sandoval and Susanna Martinez, both Mexican Americans and Republicans.

            Goal: A tighter Dream Act. Americans do not punish children for the sins of their fathers because if we did, we would not allow children of any convicted felon to go to school, to vote, run for office, or to own property.

            Suggested elements of a Republican Party saving Dream Act:

            1. Limited to people who were brought here before the age of 16.

            2. Limited to people up to 30 years of age who came under 16-years-of-age.

            3. Limited to people who have at least two years of high school.

            4. Limited to people who agree to matriculate in and successfully complete two or more years at an accredited college, university or 12 months in a trade school.

            5. Or, produce enlistment contracts for three years in the U.S. military or DD-214 active duty completion documents attesting to three or more years of honorable service.

            6. Limited to those already here by date of bill’s introduction in Congress.

            7. No serious misdemeanor or felony convictions.

            8. Legitimate Social Security numbers.

            9. Permanent residency granted after ten years of legalization with no criminal convictions.

            Is this “tight enough,” pundits?

            Conservative hero Marco Rubio is guaranteed church, farm and business support for this new Dream Act. Will Congress support it, will Conservative Republicans? Will the AFL/CIO? Will President Barack Obama?