Somebody decided to start his presidency last night: 

We’ll prioritize, just like law enforcement does every day.

But even as we focus on deporting criminals, the fact is millions of immigrants in every state, of every race and nationality still live here illegally.

And let’s be honest, tracking down, rounding up and deporting millions of people isn’t realistic. Anyone who suggests otherwise isn’t being straight with you. It’s also not who we are as Americans.

After all, most of these immigrants have been here a long time. They work hard often in tough, low paying jobs. They support their families. They worship at our churches. Many of the kids are American born or spent spent most of their lives here. And their hopes, dreams, and patriotism are just like ours.

As my predecessor, President Bush, once put it, they are a part of American life.

BOOM.

And honestly, I don’t mean to seem ungrateful but this is where he should have started. Republicans were never going to work with him. It was never going to be 1982 again and the party was never going to give up being beholden to its rabid racist booty-call base, and that  base was never going to be okay with anything but guys with AKs rounding up Mexican schoolchildren because that’s how those people roll.

To wit, CNN contributor Erick Erickson: 

There are two things really happening. First, many Republicans in Washington actually agree with the president. Most of the Republicans want amnesty. They may disagree with the means by which the president seeks amnesty, but they will not oppose him because they agree with the outcome.

Second, some Republicans are tired of the fight. They truly believe the public still hates them for shutting down the government in 2013. Consequently, they have no will to fight now. They are scared, feel unloved and have no energy for the fight. They cannot do what the public wants because they think the public will not love them for doing so.

Got that? Republicans should shut down the government again, to prevent Obama from doing what he has to do because the Republican response to anything else would be … to shut down the government. I would say these people have lost the plot but they never had it to lose.

All of which was obvious to anybody with two brain cells to rub together but hey, better late than never, Mr. President, and hit ’em again. Harder, harder.

A.