The Anchoress on the immigration debate

I think she is right on:

Having demonstrated its inability to address this issue calmly and comprehensively when they had the chance, the right is being tempted to repeat its mistakes again. The provocation worked beautifully in 2006. The Dems are counting on it working well this time, and saving their majority or at least tamping down on their losses.

The right does not need to replay their reaction, though; the left is counting on the sight of nationwide rent-a-mobs and obnoxious signs to drive the right into shrill, passionate, uncompromising and self-defeating spams of hate and hysteria.

If they manage that, the left will have obliterated the images of peaceful teaparty demonstrations that they have been working so desperately to define as something else. That alone will be a huge victory for them. If the right gets really exercised and emotional about this, they will be weakened. Emotionalism does not convince people to get behind you. It makes people run in the other direction.

Keep the powder dry. This plan is one of extreme provocation, and if the right allows itself to get sucked into it all -and defined by the left and the press – then the left will have won a huge PR battle, and that is the win they want.