This nation currently faces two horrendous problems which threaten the very foundations of our society. The first involves immigration and the second the energy crisis. These should both be addressed by the Congress on an urgent expedited basis. Instead, our wonderful legislature has decided to stick its head in the sand and concentrate on something the legislators believe is more important. Namely getting reelected.

With respect to immigration, there is no question but that the United States has lost control of its southern border. Moreover, the problem is likely to become exacerbated and the flow of illegal immigrants will increase substantially as Mexico teeters on the brink of civil war because of the recent disputed presidential election. The Mexican courts have declared the conservative to be the winner; but the leftist, unlike Al Gore, has refused to yield to the decision of the courts and has insisted that he will continue to fight for the presidency. Already his supporters locked out of the legislature outgoing president Fox and there is a real chance that civil war could erupt in Mexico. If this occurs, does anyone doubt that there will be a huge new flow of illegal immigrants putting pressure on every possible entry point on the United States’ southern border?

Miraculously, a couple of months ago most Democratic and Republican senators put aside politics and fashioned a compromise which called for both a tightening of the border with construction of barriers, physical and electronic, as well as a process to provide legal status to the vast majority of the illegals in the United States. This compromise legislation would have balanced the need of American employers, fairness to people and yet the necessity of keeping out illegal immigrants in the future.

The House of Representatives couldn’t get to first base in its consideration of the Senate’s legislation. Instead it was politics, politics and politics with those in the House who felt their best chances for reelection were in taking a hard line against “amnesty” for illegals leading the charge. The hardliners carried the day and the immigration measure is doomed for this Congress, notwithstanding the fact that President Bush had made comprehensive changes in immigration laws a priority, even making the issue the subject of a prime time address.

On energy, we watched all summer as gasoline prices rose well in excess of $3 a gallon in most parts of the country. The risk of an oil reduction from Iran and Nigeria as well as the potential for storms in the Gulf of Mexico has posed a threat for the last couple of months. All of this added immediacy to the longer term threat that U.S. energy supplies re being held hostage to Middle Eastern regimes. The next oil shock may be violent if, for example, Shiites backed by Iran and using Iranian missiles attack Saudi oil production which is defended by thousands of armed guards who will be totally ineffective against missiles flying over their heads. What happens when the price of oil rises to $100 a barrel and above? It will be too late to address the problem then.

Some are pointing with relief to the fact that oil has dropped below $70 a barrel for the first time in months. But that has to be viewed as a short lived economic benefit. There have been new discoveries in the Gulf of Mexico, but their order of magnitude is not nearly sufficient to address the ongoing problem and the future threat. Congress has done nothing to even deal with this problem.

Looking at this sorry record, there is one constructive step which this Congress can now take as we move into September. It should close up shop, leave Washington and admit its failure to the American people. At least that way this Congress would be remembered for something.

Allan Topol / AllanTopol.Com E-Mail: readermail@AllanTopol.Com